Doctor Strange ending explained: How Dr. Strange saves Earth from Dormammu

When Doctor Strange hit theaters, it was a reminder that not all superheroes start out as heroes. Some of them are egotistical men who are selfishly looking for a cure to something.

That was exactly the case for Dr. Stephen Strange. This brilliant neuroscientist found himself unable to operate after a serious car accident. Rather than move on with his life and find something else he was good at, he put his focus on experimental and dangerous treatments.

That led to him finding Kamar-Taj, where the sorcorer Mordo takes him to see the Ancient One. She doesn’t want to train him, and part of that is due to her current personal situation.

Kaecilius threatened to destroy the world in Doctor Strange

The movie started with a sorcerer called Kaecilius, who went to the secret Kamar-Taj with his zealots. They beheaded the librarian and stole several pages of a book that belonged to the Ancient One. Kaecilius and his zealots are able to escape.

The Ancient One notes that Strange’s arrogance and ambition are similar to Kaecilius, so she doesn’t really want to train him. The last thing she needs is another situation like the one she’s just faced, and she still needs to deal with Kaecilius.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Marvel movie if the titular character didn’t end up harnessing the powers available to him! The Ancient One and Mordo train Strange, where he learns that there are three Sanctums around the world protecting Earth from other dimensions. One of them is in New York City, which is important for the rest of the MCU!

Doctor Strange breaks the laws of nature

Strange learns that Jonathan Pangborn went to Kamar-Taj to help with the healing of his legs, which were paralyzed. He was the one to direct Strange to Kamar-Taj in the first place, and Strange learns that Pangborn was supposed to protect the Sanctums. Instead, he chose to heal his paralysis and then left.

Strange decides to take the role of sorcerer seriously. He will protect the Sanctums, and he starts by taking down Kaecilius.

Strange secretly reads from the book that Kaecilius stole pages from. He learns how to use the Eye of Agamotto to bend time, but Mordo and Master Wong, the new librarian, warns Strange that this will break the laws of nature. It’s similar to the way Kaecilius wants eternal life. It’s probably a good thing that Strange doesn’t listen to them

While he’s learning, Kaecilius is using the stolen pages to get Dormammu from the Dark Dimension. After destroying the London Sanctum, Kaecilius’ zealots attack the New York Sanctum. While Strange is able to fight off the zealots, he is critically injured and needs the help of Dr. Palmer at the hospital. He also learns that the Ancient One has used the Dark Dimension to sustain her long life. The Dark Dimension didn’t protect her in the Mirror Dimension. Where Kaecilius kills her.

Mordo and Strange need to work together to stop Kaecilius, but Mordo refuses to work with someone who uses the Eye to keep reversing time. Strange creates a time loop around himself and Dormammu, so that every time Dormammu kills Strange, time resets. Eventually, Dormammu realizes that he has lost, and he goes back to the Dark Dimension, taking Kaecilius and his men with him.

Strange agrees to break the time loop. The two stick to their agreement, showing that sometimes a battle doesn’t end in death. It ends with two sides making a pact and accepting Stalemate.

Mordo renounces his sorcerer career in the end

Realizing that he can’t work with Strange and knowing that he can’t stand by the Ancient One defying the laws of nature, Mordo realizes that he only has one choice. He will need to leave his sorcerer’s career.

He does visit Pangborn in the post-credits scene, where he steals the mystical energy Pangborn uses. He makes it clear that there are “too many sorcerers” on Earth, setting up another story for Doctor Strange. Sadly, this hasn't been used in the way many fans expected, but there is still some time to deliver.

Meanwhile, Strange takes up residence in the New York Sanctum, training with Wong and agreeing to help Thor and Loki find their father, Odin. We also learn that the Eye contains one of the Infinity Stones, the Time Stone, which is important for Avengers: Infinity War.