Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness left this writer with these important questions.
There were a lot of questions regarding Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Who was the villain going to be? It looked like Wanda was going to be on the side of Stephen Strange. If that was the case, who would be their antagonist? Who was in the Illuminati? Are they their reality’s heroes? What random Marvel Comic characters would appear?
All of those queries were answered. In the end, we learned more things that people may not have wondered. Here are five examples.
***WARNING! SPOILERS FOR DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS AHEAD!***
5. Reed Richards: Genius and idiot
In most universes, Reed Richards is a genius. The things he’s been able to create have allowed him to defeat gods and go places that people can’t even dream of. One other thing that seems to be true is that he’s arrogant and oblivious.
What possessed him to tell the Scarlet Witch where Black Bolt’s powers come from? It would be like Cyclops meeting Magneto for the first time and saying, “My buddy Wolverine here can kill you with his metal claws.” This will go down in history as one of the dumbest moves in Marvel Cinematic Universe history. Maybe even dumber than Star-Lord in Avengers: Infinity War.
4. Mutants exist in the multiverse
Marvel Comics fans have wanted the X-Men in the MCU for years. Some people may have thought that we’d see them sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, things don’t work like that. And, if the X-Men were rushed, it could have gone badly. Movies like X-Men: The Last Stand and Dark Phoenix are two projects that could have benefitted from patience.
During Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, fans finally saw Charles Xavier. One of the most important mutants and X-Men of all time. He may have been the only one, but it was enough to satiate fans for a little while longer. Hopefully, we will see more mutants in the near future.
3. Wong takes Sorcerer Supreme seriously
Doctor Strange is the strongest sorcerer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We’ve seen this time and again. However, he was even more impressive in Doctor Strange 2. The battle against his evil self was fantastic. A true triumph of special effects.
As good as he is, though, Wong is a better Sorcerer Supreme. The Sorcerer Supreme is supposed to protect the realm against mystical attacks. Protection doesn’t mean being the strongest.
Wong has more respect for magic. His studies never end and he knows the respect that comes with the title. Not only that, he’s a teacher. Protecting the realm doesn’t just mean fighting. It means preparing the next generation of sorcerers with it as well. Two things that Wong takes joy in doing.
2. The multiverse madness isn’t over
The mid-credit scene has become a huge part of comic book movies and TV shows, all thanks to Marvel Studios. It adds something to the project that was just watched and builds anticipation for the future. The mid-credit scene in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness shows that the future mat be grim for Doctor Strange. Clea (played by Charlize Theron) tells Stephen Strange that there’s more work to do in the multiverse. Strange opens his third eye and says he’s ready.
It’s not shocking that multiverse travel isn’t over. Wanda Maximoff messed with more than a couple of universes. That left a trail of destruction while she chased America Chavez. Wanda also destroyed the Darkhold in every reality. There’s no way that doesn’t have a lasting effect on the entire multiverse.
1. Marvel Comics and MCU are separate
When Christine Palmer of Earth-838 was interrogating Doctor Strange and America Chavez, she explained that their Earth was numbered 616. The funny thing about that is the main Marvel Comics universe is No. 616. Earlier in the movie, America Chavez also mentioned that she’s the only version of her that exists in the multiverse. As we know, there’s an America Chavez in Marvel Comics. That technically means the world of Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe are separate. They don’t even exist in the same multiverse.
This was a smart move by Marvel Studios. Keeping the two universes separate could keep irrational comic book fans happy. Now, they know that characters exist in two different infinite multiverses. The MCU has versions from the movie. Meanwhile, the comics have their own versions. And both can continue to tell their characters’ stories in ways unique to each respective universe.
What do you think, readers? Are there other things that you learned from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? Let us know in the comments below.