Update: Here's Why Doctor Strange Gets A Third Eye At The End Of Multiverse Of Madness

Warning: Contains spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

The Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness leaves a lot of unanswered questions, but perhaps the biggest relates to why Doctor Strange has a third eye on his forehead in the final shot. The appearance of a Stephen Strange with a third eye was first teased in the Doctor Strange 2 trailers. However, the third eye only appeared on an apparently evil variant of Doctor Strange in an alternate reality.

In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) of Earth-616 travels with Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) to a reality that has suffered a severe incursion and in which Stephen Strange appears to be the only remaining survivor. These two versions of Doctor Strange face off against each other as Earth-616’s Strange tries to claim the Darkhold from the evil Doctor Strange. During evil Strange reveals the third eye on his forehead, but at the end of the movie, Earth-616’s Doctor Strange is seen with a third eye of his own, first in the final shot of the main movie when walking down the street seemingly at peace before collapsing in pain, and then again when Clea (Charlize Theron) informs him that he will be helping her to fix an incursion in the Doctor Strange 2 post-credits scene.

Related: Does Doctor Strange 2 Have An After Credits Scene (& How Many?)

In a range of real-world spiritual beliefs, the third eye (often depicted as being on an individual’s forehead) is a symbol of enlightenment. In some beliefs, this can lead to abilities to see beyond the visible world and even provide clairvoyance. However, within the Marvel comics the third eye, especially one associated with Doctor Stephen Strange, has a lore all of its own and is tied to the Eye of Agamotto. Now that it has officially entered the MCU in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the on-screen franchise can fully explore what it means for Doctor Strange to have a third eye.

Why Doctor Strange Has A Third Eye Now

Doctor Strange opens his third eye

In the Marvel comics, Doctor Strange’s third eye is tied to the Eye of Agamotto, a talisman that his MCU counterpart has worn since his debut in Doctor Strange. Fully accessing the powers of the Eye of Agamotto traditionally result in the appearance of a third eye on the wielder’s forehead which is used in some of the applications of the Eye of Agamotto’s powers. So, in a very real sense, Doctor Strange’s third eye in Doctor Strange 2 is the Eye of Agamotto itself.

While Doctor Strange has possessed the Eye of Agamotto for a long time, prior to the events of Avengers: Infinity War, the Eye was primarily seen as a housing for the Time Stone. Doctor Strange reconstructed the relic after it was damaged by Thanos and has clearly been wearing it since it is visible in Spider-Man: No Way Home. The fact that he is now shown as having a third eye on his forehead suggests that he is finally able to tap into the more potent powers that the Eye of Agamotto truly possesses.

While in the comics, the Eye of Agamotto is traditionally associated with “white magic” and only usable by those with true intentions, the MCU is clearly changing this. It appears that the evil Doctor Strange’s third eye was opened through the use of the Darkhold and, based on the timing of Earth-616’s Doctor Strange’s third eye opening in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it is his use of the book that enables him to fully access the powers of the Eye of Agamotto. This ties in with the fact that Doctor Strange uses the Darkhold to experiment with dream walking, a form of astral projection across the multiverse, and this time out of his body could mean that he has finally been able to follow the instruction once given to Doctor Strange by the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) in Doctor Strange when she sends him into the astral plane: “open your eye.”

Related: How Much Doctor Strange 2 Cost (& How Much For Box Office Success)

Doctor Strange's Third Eye Comics History & Powers

Split image of Doctor Strange using energy bolts and third eye in Marvel Comics.

In the Marvel comics, the Eye of Agamotto (specifically the one associated with knowledge – there are actually three) was created by Agamotto when he held the role of Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme. The Eye of Agamotto eventually passed to Doctor Strange and helped him to defeat Dormammu and has since been wielded by several characters, primarily Sorcerer Supremes.

Once described by Doctor Strange as “one of the most powerful mystic conduits on this physical plane,” the Eye of Agamotto has several powers and makes a third eye visible on the wielder’s forehead. The third eye powers allow Doctor Strange certain telepathic abilities that enable him to see into aspects of another person’s soul. The Eye of Agamotto is one of few talismans that can be used in the Astral Plane.

Additionally, by using the Eye of Agamotto as part of his own being, Doctor Strange (and others) can emit a revealing light that lets the user see through any cloaking and disguises (not dissimilar to the way that Strange is able to reveal Wanda’s monster (Gargantos)as it attacks America Chavez) and crucially for the upcoming MCU can see through Skrull deceptions. The third eye can also replay recent events, an ability that is also mirrored in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness when Strange and America Chavez see past memories played out before them. These similarities between Doctor Strange’s third eye powers and scenes in the movie suggest that a part of accessing the power of the Eye of Agamotto and Doctor Strange’s third eye appearance in the final shot of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was tied to his character arc and the man that he became as he finally gained a level of humility and compassion for other people.

Next: All 12 MCU Movies Releasing After Doctor Strange 2 (& When)

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