In May, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness tore the multiverse as the eponymous Master of the Mystic Arts took on the terrifying threat of the villainous Scarlet Witch throughout different parallel universes. Now, viewers can relive the action as the film arrives on Disney+.
Multiverse of Madness may be best viewed on the largest screen possible, but now that it is available for online viewing (and in IMAX Enhanced), fans have the unprecedented opportunity to view its scenes from the comfort of their own home. Thereby, there are a number of exciting scenes that viewers will especially enjoy revisiting.
The Opening Scene
The opening scene of Multiverse of Madness takes the form of a dream experienced by Stephen Strange, which actually turns out to be a vision of an alternate reality. The scene introduces audiences to America Chavez as well as one of the less honorable variants of Doctor Strange, Defender Strange, as they are pursued by a demon. Defender Strange betrays America, only to die in the process, leaving the young hero to fend for herself.
This scene is rife with stunning visuals to create a world-within-worlds effect as Strange and America attempt to reach the Book of Vishanti. On Disney+, fans can now get a better look at their subsequent battle with the demon and eventual Defender Strange's death with the benefit of foreknowledge regarding how this scene comes into play for the film's final act.
Battle With Gargantos
The first major action scene in the film takes place on the streets of New York City, as Christine Palmer's wedding reception is interrupted by the otherworldly presence of Gargantos, a one-eyed tentacle monster laying waste to the nearby city block. Doctor Strange and Wong team up with America Chavez for the very first time to defeat the absurd creature.
Since its release, this scene has garnered praise from fans as one of the best "suit-up" scenes in the MCU, as Strange leaps from a balcony to battle Gargantos. The ensuing fight is similarly heart-pounding, showing off Strange and Wong's improved skill since fans last saw them in No Way Home. Their strategy and skill are now on clear display for fans to watch over and over again.
Raid On Kamer-Taj
After Doctor Strange realizes that Wanda Maximoff is the true villain pursuing America Chavez, he and the sorcerers at Kamar-Taj prepare for the Scarlet Witch's attack on their sacred city. Despite a solid defense, the Scarlet Witch easily lays waste to the Masters of the Mystic Arts, laying waste to Kamar-Taj and forcing Strange to flee with America.
This scene marks a turning point in the film, as it becomes apparent that Wanda Maximoff is far more powerful than every sorcerer combined. While the explosive action of the scene is fleeting in a theater, viewers now have a chance to witness every aspect of the fight as many times as they wish, truly taking in the enormous strength of the Scarlet Witch.
Multiversal Mayhem
After escaping the villainous Scarlet Witch, Doctor Strange and America Chavez spend several minutes tumbling throughout different universes from across the multiverse, showing off the truly endless possibilities that alternate realities have to offer. Finally, the two heroes land on Earth-838, where they spend the rest of the film's second act.
Strange and America's magical tour through the multiverse is riddled with visual gags and easter eggs that weren't fully accessible until now. If viewers watch closely, they will catch each of the parallel universes featured in this scene, including a brief cameo from the Living Tribunal itself, a universe comprised entirely of paint, a Hydra-dominated earth, and even a cartoon reality.
Wanda Dreamwalks
After reaching the temple on the top of Mount Wunagore, Wanda learns how to dreamwalk into other realities, hijacking the mind of her Earth-838 variant in a scene that dips back into director Sam Raimi's horror roots in a truly terrifying fashion.
This scene is perhaps best viewed in a dark and lonesome room, as Raimi's horror sensibilities truly come to life. One can truly feel the dread build as 838-Wanda feels every eye in her house--including those in her framed pictures--turn to stare at her. Moments such as these truly build up the terrifying power of the Scarlet Witch and suddenly turn Multiverse of Madness into a horror film.
The Illuminati Introduction
One of the most talked-about scenes in Multiverse of Madness was the introduction of Earth-838's Illuminati, a clandestine governing body that captures Strange and America during their travels. The group consists of a variant of Baron Karl Mordo, Captain Carter, Professor Charles Xavier, the Inhuman king Black Bolt, and Reed Richards himself, portrayed by the fan-favorite casting choice, John Krasinski.
This is a vitally important scene in the film, one that was perhaps overwhelmed by the sheer excitement of enthusiastic fans in theaters. Now that the Illuminati lineup has had time to settle with viewers, one can experience their introduction without the rush of adrenaline their initial introduction brought, taking the time to notice the subtle choices made by each actor within the scene, including that of Benedict Cumberbatch, whose character's experience therein may have influenced him to start his own version of the Illuminati.
Scarlet Witch Kills The Illuminati
Only minutes after the thrilling introduction of Earth-838's Illuminati, Wanda Maximoff arrives in the council chamber determined to keep the group from interfering with her plans. She proceeds to violently and ruthlessly kill each member of the group one by one, quickly proving herself to be the most powerful villain in the MCU.
Wanda's brutal execution of the Illuminati is undoubtedly one of the most shocking and gruesome scenes in the entire film. Coming as a surprise to many fans, this sequence deserves a rewatch simply for its sheer horror. Now that the film has arrived on Disney+, it is the perfect time to reopen the healed wound of watching each of these familiar faces die horribly.
Battle With Dark Strange
After escaping from Wanda Maximoff once more, Strange and Earth-838 Christine Palmer find themselves in a reality destroyed by an incursion. There, Doctor Strange faces off against a corrupted version of himself in a remarkably imaginative musical battle that leaves his dark variant impaled on a fence outside the Sanctum Sanctorum.
The battle between the Strange variant is one of the most well-conceived and exciting duels in the entirety of the MCU because it focuses less on sheer spectacle and more on imaginative displays of power, coming to a literal crescendo alongside the scene's epic score, conceived by composer Danny Elfman. Now that the scene is available to view on repeat, many fans will doubtlessly recognize its true brilliance as the best exchange in the entire film.
America Chavez And Doctor Strange Vs. The Scarlet Witch
The climax of Multiverse of Madness features an epic battle between the Scarlet Witch and the combined forces of America Chavez and Doctor Strange, who is dreamwalking through the corpse of Defender Strange. The battle atop Wundagore Mountain ends with Wanda's redemption and subsequent apparent death, though many fans believe the Scarlet Witch may yet return in the MCU.
Like many of the MCU's third acts, the final battle on Mount Wundagore is truly epic, bringing the film to an explosive finale that is both exhilarating and tragic. Every party involved in the finale is pushed to their limits, making for one of the best final battles yet in Marvel's Fourth Phase.
Clea Arrives
The mid-credits scene of Multiverse of Madness includes the arrival of a major comics character, the Dark Dimension sorceress Clea, who is portrayed in this film by Charlize Theron. She remarks to Stephen that he has set his universe on the road to an incursion before recruiting him to help her stop such an event from occurring.
This scene captures the feeling of many of the MCU's earlier post-credit scenes, complete with the promise of even more exciting things yet ahead for Doctor Strange and his new companion. Viewers who pay close attention to Clea's lines in the scene will also find that her appearance seems to set up the next major Avengers event, the long-awaited "Secret Wars" crossover that many have theorized is on its way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.