How Long Was The MCU Without A Sorcerer Supreme After The Ancient One?!

This article contains spoilers for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episode 3.She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episode 3 finally reveals how long the MCU was without a Sorcerer Supreme. The first wave of MCU blockbusters were built on a foundation of pseudo-science, leaving Marvel Studios wary of going too far with magic and the supernatural. It wasn't until 2016's Doctor Strange that the magical aspects of the MCU really began to be developed, with Stephen Strange encountering the Masters of the Mystic Arts.

Based at the city of Kamar-Taj, the Masters of the Mystic Arts were led by the Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme. The sworn defender of existence itself, the Ancient One had drawn on the power of the Dark Dimension to unnaturally extend her life. She had used the Time Stone to peer into countless futures, identifying potential threats and working out how to defeat them. But she had always known how her story would end, for she could not see beyond her death. The Ancient One died after battling against Kaecilius and his Zealots, and for a time the Earth was without a Sorcerer Supreme. It wasn't until Phase 4 that Wong was revealed to be the MCU's new Sorcerer Supreme.

In She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episode 3, Wong revealed his clash with Abomination in Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings was one of the tests he had to pass to become Sorcerer Supreme. This is one of the easier Phase 4 films to date in terms of the overarching MCU timeline; it is post-Avengers: Endgame and features the Qingming festival, meaning it takes place in March-April 2024. The Ancient One is believed to have died in 2017, meaning the MCU was without a Sorcerer Supreme for a surprising seven years.

What The MCU Being Without A Sorcerer Supreme For So Long Means

Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One in Doctor Strange.

In the comics, there has been an almost unbroken chain of Sorcerers Supreme for nearly 1,000,000 years. The first Sorcerer Supreme was a mystical being called Agamotto (creator of the Eye of Agamotto), and he established the role as a mystical defender of the entire plane of existence. Every Sorcerer Supreme has built upon this, setting up further enchantments tied to the position, with Merlin creating a shield over all reality that only failed when Strange fell and no successor was appointed. It is unclear how much of this is true in the MCU, but one thing is certain; its Sorcerer Supreme is the foremost protector of reality.

When the Ancient One died, Wong declared it to be an event that threatened all creation. "Word of the Ancient One’s death will spread through the multiverse," he observed. "Earth has no Sorcerer Supreme to defend it. We must be ready." Given this is the case, it's frankly rather surprising the Masters of the Mystic Arts took so long to choose the Ancient One's successor. It's possible the process is simply a lengthy one, with many stages to it.

Why Wong, Not Doctor Strange, Became The MCU's New Sorcerer Supreme

Wong talks to Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange claimed Wong was chosen on a technicality; because he'd been snapped out of existence, so Wong had been appointed in his absence. He was clearly oversimplifying, but may well have been referring to the time-consuming process by which the replacement was chosen. It's entirely possible Wong and Doctor Strange were both numbered among the competitors for the position when Thanos snapped his fingers in Avengers: Infinity War, and Doctor Strange was dusted. Thanos destroyed the Time Stone, so the Masters of the Mystic Arts had no way of knowing Thanos' snap would be reversed. When Strange returned, they'd have been unwilling to delay the selection by another five years, given how long Earth had already gone without a new Sorcerer Supreme.

In truth, Wong is probably a better choice for Sorcerer Supreme in the first place. Not only has he been training at Kamar-Taj for longer, he also has better relationships with the rest of the Masters of the Mystic Arts. What's more, Doctor Strange has character flaws Wong does not; he's both arrogant and reckless, supremely confident in his own powers. As seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, variants of Doctor Strange have been the cause of many multiversal crises, and Strange as Sorcerer Supreme would risk repeating those problems.

Will Doctor Strange Ever Become Sorcerer Supreme In The MCU?

Strange and Clea in the mid-credits scene of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness with 3rd eye

The Ancient One foretold Doctor Strange becoming Sorcerer Supreme. When the Hulk told her Doctor Strange had orchestrated the destruction of the Time Stone, she reacted in shock. "Strange is meant to be the best of us," she declared, indicating he would exceed all other members of the Masters of the Mystic Arts. Given that's the case, it seems reasonable to assume he will indeed become Sorcerer Supreme in the end.

It's likely Doctor Strange is on a character journey to become worthy of the mantle. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness contained a subtle character arc in which Strange challenged the logic that had led him to sacrifice Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame. By the end of the film, he made the opposite choice; where other versions of Strange would have killed America Chavez to deny Scarlet Witch access to her multiversal power, he chose to trust America to save the day. This was the moment when Doctor Strange transcended his old nature, becoming more than a sorcerer or a surgeon - but a true hero as well. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' post-credits scene took him off on more multiversal adventures alongside Clea, the woman who became his wife in the comics, and the process of transformation and growth is sure to continue.

The Ancient One's prophecy is a curious one because her words implied she had seen the future using a different tool than the Time Stone. As noted in the first Doctor Strange film, a sorcerer does not appear able to use the Time Stone to look beyond their own death, and yet the Ancient One knew Doctor Strange's destiny. However she learned of this, the prophecy stands all the same. Doctor Strange may not be ready to become Sorcerer Supreme by the time of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, but he is certain to become so in the end.

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