Spoiler warning: This article contains spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness generated universes of speculation from fans but the movie provides many unexpected developments. While some events might be close to what fans theorized, the shocking twists and turns of the final act likely surprised most. The journey of Doctor Strange and the Scarlet Witch goes to unimaginable places, taking the entire MCU with them.
While fans anticipated the appearance of the Illuminati based on the trailers, their depiction and their ultimate fate in the movie was likely a surprise. The ultimate outcomes in Doctor Strange 2 center on the infinite possibilities for the future not only of the main characters but the entire MCU. The future of the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Inhumans all hang in the balance.
Wanda All Along
Fans expected the Scarlet Witch to at least butt heads with Doctor Strange in the movie. But she breaks bad in a big way by revealing herself as the main villain from the beginning. Wanda seeks America Chavez's power to cross dimensions and find her lost children.
The Scarlet Witch commits terrible acts in the comics, particularly House of M, one of the best Marvel Comics events ever. She destroys Kamar-Taj in the movie and murders the Illuminati council, far worse acts than her manipulation of Westview and its residents.
No Big Bad
A lot of fan speculation centered on possible villains from Doctor Strange comics as the big bad in the movie. In the end, the only villain turned out to be the Scarlet Witch. Chthon, the source of Chaos Magic in the comics, gets referenced but doesn't appear.
As was the case with Mephisto in WandaVision, the MCU avoids a master villain behind it all. This suggests figures like Mephisto, Chthon, and other powerful mystical characters from Marvel Comics may not play the role fans expect in live-action.
The Living Tribunal
Some major Marvel Comics characters do appear in the movie, though. As Doctor Strange and America Chavez tumble through the multiverse, they pass through one where the Living Tribunal dominates the background.
The Living Tribunal ranks as one of the most powerful cosmic beings in the comics. He safeguards the multiverse against imbalance. He stands to factor heavily into the future of the MCU as it explores the multiverse. A statue of him also appeared in Loki.
America Chavez Has No Variants
No variants of the Living Tribunal exist in the multiverse, and the same is true of America Chavez. She reveals to Doctor Strange that she is wholly unique, and that's why the Scarlet Witch is so determined to capture her for her power.
Almost every character in Marvel Comics gets endless variants in the multiverse, but exceptions do exist. Rachel Summers ranks as a major one. The daughter of Scott Summers and Jean Grey from the Days of Future Past timeline also has no variants.
Earth-616 Baron Mordo Doesn't Appear
The Baron Mordo in the new movie turns out to be a variant. He serves as the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth-838 and sits on the Illuminati council. The Earth-616 Mordo makes no appearance and no reference is made to his current status.
At the end of the first Doctor Strange movie, Baron Mordo turned against his friend and colleague. He set out on a quest to overturn what he considered the unnatural acts of the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj, but fans get no insight into what became of him.
Fans Get Their Mr. Fantastic
The Illuminati tease in the trailers led fans to hope that some of their biggest casting wishes would come true. One of them did in the form of John Krasinski appearing as Mr. Fantastic, a member of the Fantastic Four and the Illuminati.
Krasinski's appearance teases all kinds of possibilities. Since he's a variant, different actors may play future versions of Reed Richards in the MCU. Other casting choices hint at the MCU preferring to honor tradition, though.
Black Bolt Appears
Black Bolt's presence in the Illuminati makes for one of the movie's most unexpected developments. The return of Anson Mount in the role of the leader of the Inhumans suggests he may return and the MCU might embrace a part of the live-action universe they don't acknowledge.
The Inhumans briefly emerged as a significant component of the television side of the nascent MCU. The Terrigen Mists played a role in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Inhumans got their own series. So far, the MCU shies away from the canonicity of those shows, but that could change.
The Illuminati Are Jerks
Comic book fans know the Illuminati don't always play nice. They exiled Hulk into space after he rampaged through Las Vegas, stranding him on Sakkar. But the general arrogance of the Earth-838 version comes as a surprise, given their power, intelligence, and experience.
This council also hides a dark secret. They condemned their Doctor Strange to death and lied about it. They dismiss the threat of the Scarlet Witch, a colossal mistake that leads to perhaps the most frightening battle in the MCU's history.
The Scarlet Witch Murders The Illuminati
The trailers teased a battle between the Scarlet Witch and members of the Illuminati, including a powerful version of Captain Marvel. The most unexpected development in the movie came when she murdered the entire council in a brutal fashion.
The Scarlet Witch proved the arrogance of the Illuminati with her relatively easy dispatch of the council. She erased Black Bolt's mouth, stretched Mr. Fantastic out to nothing, and used Captain Carter's vibranium shield against her.
Clea Appears
The mid-credits scene presents the most unexpected development in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Played by Charlize Theron, Clea, the student of Doctor Strange and now the Sorcerer Supreme in the current comics, appears with an urgent warning.
Clea claims Doctor Strange created an incursion in his universe and 'we need to fix it.' She takes him to the Dark Dimension, the realm of Dormammu, a powerful Doctor Strange villain and the uncle of Clea in Marvel Comics.