The biggest movie of the year, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is just days away from releasing on May 6. Marvel fans are excited to see what unravels in the game-changing movie, meshing a horror-style aura and multiversal disorder that will change the grand scope of the MCU.
The upcoming film will be a cinematic experience that no fan will ever forget, with the high stakes of the magical mayhem, the facet of two powerful Avengers, and the unstable multiverse being explored. Given how much lore already exists in the MCU, a quick overview of the most significant events before sitting down in the theater and eating popcorn is the best way to enhance the experience of this marvelous spectacle and embrace the unexpected revelations and surprise appearances in the Multiverse of Madness.
The Reset Of The X-Men Timeline
A scene from the official trailer subtly confirmed that Professor X is in the movie, sparking excitement about the possibility of the X-Men in the MCU. Although the X-Men are technically not in the MCU yet, Professor X's appearance signifies the importance of the original X-Men trilogy.
One of the crucial moments in the X-Men movies is the time reset in X-Men: Days of Future Past, spurred by the near-extinction of the mutants. While it is unclear if these events impact the Multiverse of Madness, this phenomenon could play a role in Professor X's presence and set the stage for his membership in the Illuminati. Furthermore, the time-traveling Marvel film relies on concepts of manipulating the time-space continuum, which fits with the main storyline in Multiverse of Madness.
Professor X Technically Died Twice
Professor X's appearance could change the trajectory of the MCU and trigger the X-Men's existence. Given fan theories that the X-Men will officially become part of the MCU, Professor X is the glue for this reality to transpire. Marvel fans need to recall Professor X's fate throughout the X-Men movies.
Technically, Professor X has died twice (X-Men: The Last Stand and Logan), but his first on-screen death is extraordinary. Despite being vaporized by the Phoenix, Professor X managed to save his consciousness, which allowed him to transfer his mind to a comatose twin. This trick alone speaks of his incredible powers beyond telepathy, but this skill could also explain his emergence in the MCU.
Wanda Maximoff & Doctor Strange Fought In Battle Of Earth
Wanda Maximoff and Doctor Strange share a lot in common, from having incredible magical powers to being victims of the Snap. Also, both superheroes took part in the Battle of Earth to defeat Thanos.
While Multiverse of Madness will be both characters' first on-screen encounter, Battle of Earth may have already set the stage for their acquaintance. Doctor Strange likely witnessed Wanda's capabilities on the battlefield, especially her one-on-one against Thanos, in which Wanda single-handedly almost obliterated him. This scene possibly grabbed his attention, and when he needed dire assistance, he reached out to Wanda due to her remarkable prowess, as shown in the trailers.
Wanda's Sad & Tragic Arc
Wanda Maximoff will share the spotlight with Doctor Strange, so knowing her backstory will be essential. Her developing character arc illustrates her current state of mind, especially since WandaVision.
Unfortunately, Wanda has one of the saddest and most tragic stories of any character in the MCU, dealing with loss and grief her whole life. She lost her parents as a child, her twin brother in the Battle of Sokovia, and the love of her life thrice. To make matters worse, Wanda also had to give up her children to break the Hex, and ordinary people feared her due to her immense powers. Therefore, she lives life in loneliness and seclusion, as revealed in the WandaVision post-credit scene. Her tragic arc could explain her demeanor in the trailers, although anything could still happen, such as a redemption.
Wanda Took Westview Hostage
WandaVision is important because it uncovers Wanda's last whereabouts and sets the stage for Multiverse of Madness, especially her character arc. In WandaVision, she intended to imagine a happier life for herself, given all the tragedy she'd gone through. Although Wanda tried to fix her wrongdoings, forcefully taking hostage of a whole town in the Hex is not easily forgivable.
Nevertheless, her ability to control and envision her reality speaks volumes of her impeccable powers with telekinesis and chaos magic. Furthermore, the trailers and TV spots hint that Wanda will revisit her time in Westview. Therefore, WandaVision is crucial to recall her days at Westview and understand her mindset and subtle sadness in Multiverse of Madness.
Wanda Maximoff Transformed As The Scarlet Witch & Now Possesses The Darkhold
WandaVision also sets off the astonishing transformation of Wanda Maximoff as the Scarlet Witch. Although diehard comic book fans are aware of her alter ego, the MCU did not acknowledge her as such until WandaVision.
Her transformation exemplifies her growth since her appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron, as she cultivated her telekinetic mastery in subsequent movies. Furthermore, this pivotal moment in WandaVision demonstrates the zenith of her character arc as the Scarlet Witch, and Multiverse of Madness will continue her evolution. However, her metamorphosis requires increasing her knowledge of chaos magic, now possible due to her possession of the Darkhold.
Doctor Strange Was The Sorcerer Supreme
Doctor Strange may have started as a neurosurgeon, but his fate would lead him to master the mystic arts and serve a greater purpose. Considering most original Avengers are either deceased or retired, Doctor Strange may be the next headliner of the MCU, and his incredible powers and intelligence may reinforce this testament.
Doctor Strange developed much of his origin story as the talented sorcerer destined to become Sorcerer Supreme. He eventually inherited the title from the Ancient One, which followed through until Infinity War. Despite his resurrection in Endgame, he did not retain his title, which was passed down to Wong, as revealed in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Karl Mordo Left The Mystic Arts Due To His Uncompromising Principles
Doctor Strange also developed Karl Mordo's association with Doctor Strange as a mentor and once-friend. Mordo was adept at the mystic arts, but his principles unraveled his conservatism of the natural order. Any violations he found unacceptable. Unfortunately, reality struck when Mordo learned of the Ancient One's lies and transgression.
Eventually, Mordo parted ways from the order, but not without implicating his radical objective. His tarnished relationship with Doctor Strange and current mindset sets him up as one of the antagonists in the Multiverse of Madness.
Christine's Death Provoked Strange Supreme In An Alternate Universe
Doctor Strange's absolute point was his misfortunate accident that took away his hand mobility, which led him to the mystic arts. However, What If...? showcased a different scenario in which the death of Dr. Christine Palmer was the catalyst of his magical destiny.
However, because of his remorse for losing Christine, his story takes a dark turn where he tries to resurrect her using the time stone and transitions as evil Strange Supreme. His impulse to bring Christine back has consequences that causes a universe-torn paradox. The trailer revelation of a sinister Doctor Strange variant implies that the phenomena in What If...? could connect with Multiverse of Madness. Furthermore, Doctor Strange establishes his intimate feelings for Christine, and a trailer moment hints at this progression in the sequel.
Doctor Strange's Mishap With A Spell Unleashed The Multiverse
No Way Home orchestrated the multiversal brouhaha, and Doctor Strange is responsible for a miscast spell that unleashed the unstable multiverse. The multiverse is still a complex and enigmatic concept, so the Multiverse of Madness will explore the fullest extent of how it operates.
The multiverse is still a thing because the spell erasing Peter Parker from existence to stabilize the splintering dimensions would only be a temporary solution. Therefore, Multiverse of Madness is the direct aftermath of No Way Home, with Doctor Strange likely reflecting on his magical blunder and uncovering the capacity of the multiverse. Also, the events of No Way Home are only the beginning, which means far greater ramifications will ensue in the MCU.