WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for Dr. Strange 2: The Multiverse of Madness
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness has just landed on the big screens worldwide. It picks up from the events of Spiderman: No Way Home and WandaVision, both released in 2021, and joins Stephen Strange (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) and Wanda Maximoff (portrayed by Elizabeth Olsen) in the lead roles.
The second Doctor Strange installment brings audiences a darker story inspired by the Marvel comics, with many familiar faces and new characters to the MCU. With the full introduction of the multiverse and its inner workings, it has become possible to tell fresh stories and explore other versions of the characters in bold ways, and that is what they started to do.
Strange's Search For The Book of Vishanti
As the aficionado comic fans are aware, the Book or Scroll of Vishanti first appeared in the 1963 Strange Tales, issue 116, written by Stan Lee himself.
The Multiverse Of Madness presents the Book as more of a powerful aide to any sorcerer who finds himself up against dark or chaos magic, such as the one portrayed through the Darkhold. Initially thought to be a myth, it is the item sought by America Chavez and Strange's ponytail variant in the very first scene. Eventually, it ends up destroyed, forcing the MCU variant to use the Darkhold against Wanda. The consequences of this decision will likely be explored in the future, so Vishanti worked as a great device to move the plot along.
Clea's Mid-Credits Cameo
In one of the two traditional post-credit scenes, a new character is introduced, and everything points to her importance in the future of MCU.
Charlize Theron has entered the multiverse as Clea, the niece of the first Doctor Strange movie's villain, Dormammu. In the comics, she is also the daughter of Prince Orini, and therefore a direct successor of the Dark Dimension's leadership. Her introduction comes at a time when Strange is still dealing with his separation from Dr. Christine Palmer, so hopefully, Clea will become his new romantic interest and eventually his wife just like in the comics.
Wong's Relationship With Strange
After a great first outing, audiences got to see Wong further fleshed out as the Sorcerer Supreme and as Strange's companion.
During the five years when Stephen had vanished due to Thanos' snap, Wong had become the Sorcerer Supreme in his stead. This could have led to a rift between them, as hinted by one of the best Spider-Man movies ever, No Way Home, but The Multiverse Of Madness quickly twists this expectation. Their relationship has now turned into an easy-going, bantery friendship, exemplified by Stephen's refusal to perform the customary bow to Wong.
Illuminati: The Secret Society's Demise
In what was one of the highlights of the movie, audiences finally got to see a new group of superheroes from the original comics.
When Doctor Strange and Chavez land on Earth-838, they are taken by the Illuminati, a super-team created to safeguard their reality against Reality Incursions and other significant threats. To every Fantastic Four and X-Men fan's delight, the Illuminati were directly translated from the comics, with Patrick Stewart, Hayley Atwell, Lashana Lynch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and John Krasinski appearing as variants of Professor X, Captain Carter, Maria Rambeau, Baron Mordo, and Mister Fantastic, respectively. They were joined by Anson Mount as Black Bolt. They eventually end up killed by Wanda.
Strange And Wanda's Dreams
Exploring the multiverse is a huge undertaking, as it encompasses infinite parallel universes and dimensions, each with its own history and characters. Fortunately, the viewers got to follow the MCU version of Doctor Strange and learn all about it at the same time as he was.
The idea of dreams as visions of other universes, for instance, is not a new one, but its insertion in the movie helps introduce the concept and gives Wanda the opportunity to drop one of her best quotes to date. When Dr. Stephen Strange tells her that he has been having the same dream every night, she remarks “Every morning the same nightmare”, referring to her dreams about her children and herself in another universe, after which she wakes up to a reality where they do not exist.
The Darkhold Takes A Tool On Its Users
An ancient book containing infinite knowledge, such as spells, formulas, and ways to tap into energy from other dimensions, the Darkhold has been appearing for quite a while in the MCU, including in Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
In WandaVision, it came into Wanda Maximoff's possession, who began studying it in order to reach her kids in other realities. The wisdom helped her master astral projection and enhanced her powers, but it came at the cost of her mind's corruption, as well as a deep obsession with it. These events set in motion the main plot of Doctor Strange 2, and, taking from the ending, the consequences of using the book will be further explored with Doctor Strange's future appearances.
A Darkness Inside Each Strange
When Doctor Strange comes face to face with the Illuminati, he is told that he is "the greatest threat" to their universe, not Wanda. This might have seemed a surprising revelation at the time, but its implications have been brewing for a while.
The Earth-838 of Strange had used the Darkhold to defeat Thanos, and, as the book took its toll on him, he had to be killed by his fellow Illuminati before being completely consumed by it. Another variant presented later has also been corrupted by the book and shows a darker side of him, much like the Evil Strange introduced in What If..? The underlying idea of being destroyed by power is eagerly explored and opens the door for future incursions on Stephen's darker side.
America Chavez's Debut
Xochitl Gomez has arrived at the MCU with a bang. She plays America Chavez, a teenager whose powers allow her to travel between universes and dimensions.
A much-awaited character, Chavez comes from the Utopian Parallel where she lived with her mothers, Elena and Amalia, who she accidentally sent to another universe. Since then, she has been jumping between universes trying to find them. Throughout the movie, Gomez does an amazing job at portraying her independent personality, giving viewers a taste of what is to come - likely the formation of the Young Avengers.
Stephen Strange and The After Blip
After his return in Endgame, Stephen Strange has to come to terms with the fact that much has happened while he was away and people have moved on.
Besides losing his place as the most powerful Sorcerer Supreme to Wong, he missed his shot at being with Dr. Christine Palmer. At the beginning of the Multiverse Of Madness, Strange goes to her marriage to someone else, where he tries to talk to Christine about their relationship. Even with Christine's variant from Earth-838, he faces his own sourness at the changes that have taken place because he decided to give Thanos the Time Stone.
Wanda: Villain Or Hero?
Wanda has started out as more or less a minor character in Age of Ultron, and her journey since then has been one of the most sorrowful the MCU has ever presented, culminating in her full heel turn in WandaVision and in Multiverse Of Madness.
She lost her parents to war, was experimented on with her twin brother who later died, and saw Vision die twice. Just like in the comics, namely "House of M", her storyline follows her gradually succumbing to the pain of grief. Wanda's powers come into play with these strong emotions, and in an attempt to feel better she uses the Darkhold to get America Chavez's powers in order to relocate to a reality where her kids existed. She quickly becomes the antagonist of the movie, providing a deeper layer to her character that leaves the fans questioning whether she is "a monster" or just, as she says, "a mother".