When Doctor Strange was brought into the MCU, he introduced a whole new supernatural side of the universe. Through his origin story, he transformed from a self-centered surgeon to a hero who was willing to put his own life on the line to save the day. He was then further brought into the fold when he joined the other heroes in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
With Captain America and Iron Man now gone, there is an opening for who should lead the Avengers. Doctor Strange certainly possesses some of the qualities that would make him ideal for the position, but he also has his share of flaws. Here are some MCU moments that prove Doctor Strange should lead the Avengers and some moments that show he should not.
Should: Giving Up The Time Stone
One of the most controversial moments in Infinity War was when Strange gave up the Time Stone to Thanos. Strange, Iron Man and the other heroes on Titan had been doing their best to keep Thanos from collecting the stone. Strange even insisted that he would sacrifice any of the others to keep the Time Stone safe.
Obviously, it came as a shock that he would willingly give it up to save Iron Man. After Thanos had the stone, he easily acquired the last one and wiped out half the universe. But what seemed like a stupid move at the time was actually Strange securing their later victory by saving Tony.
Shouldn't: Feuding With Iron Man
Even though he saved his life on Titan, Doctor Strange seemed to have a less-than-friendly relationship with Tony Stark. Despite having a lot in common, the two immediately start feuding and clashing egos when they first meet.
Stark is not an easy person to get along with all the time so it's hard to blame Strange too much. But with the fate of the universe on the line, he resorts to petty arguing and name-calling with his new ally. That's not exactly the sign of a mature and responsible leader.
Should: Assembling The Avengers
One of the most unforgettable moments in the entire MCU is seeing virtually every single Marvel hero come together to charge into battle against Thanos and his army. While it is Captain America who ultimately gets to say the iconic, "Avengers Assemble", it's Doctor Strange who brings them all together.
After getting "snapped" back into existence, Strange quickly rounds up all the remaining heroes on Titan and Wakanda, Wakanda's armies, Asgard, the sorcerers, and anyone else who will fight for them. Using his portals, he brings them all to the battlefield in a pretty impressive move.
Shouldn't: Selfish Nature
Strange has one of the most fascinating origin stories of all the Marvel heroes, and he has undergone an incredible transformation over a few movies. However, it's hard to say if his bad qualities will re-emerge.
We saw in his life as a surgeon before and after his career-ending accident that Strange is a selfish man. In fact, he only begins training as a sorcerer in the hopes of healing himself. While he has since shown to think about others more, are his selfish tendencies really gone?
Should: The Endgame
Iron Man and Captain America get most of the spotlight in Infinity War and Endgame, but one could argue that Doctor Strange is the most important hero in those stories. Strange had a massive responsibility of being the only one who knew if and how they would win.
Though he was "blipped" out of existence for most of Endgame, he set the stage for their victory. A hero with the ability to have that kind of power and to know how to use it is someone who seems qualified to lead the other heroes into battle.
Shouldn't: Not Taking Magic Seriously
Strange is a very smart guy, but sometimes that intelligence can cause him to do some pretty stupid things. When he begins his training as a sorcerer, he approaches the same way he did his medical career, by studying more than anyone.
He wants to learn as much as possible, even when he's told that he's not ready. He uses the Time Stone after he was told not to because he thinks he's smart enough to be able to handle the incredible power. Not taking such things seriously is often what got Stark into a lot of trouble, too.
Should: Fighting Thanos
Few heroes have been able to take on Thanos in a one-on-one fight, so anyone who holds their own against the Mad Titan deserves a lot of recognition. Strange's fight with Thanos in Infinity War was not only an amazing sequence, but it also showed a new level of Strange's abilities.
Thanos has a nearly complete Infinity Gauntlet at this point, but Strange keeps pulling new tricks out of his hat to battle him with. While we'd seen Strange in a fight before, he's obviously been training, and this moment confirmed him as one of the MCU's most powerful heroes.
Shouldn't: Arrogance
When you go from being a world-renowned surgeon to becoming Sorcerer Supreme, that can probably go to your head a little bit. Unfortunately, Strange was an arrogant man to begin with. He saw himself as all-powerful before he became a superhero, and he would even consider himself above mundane surgeries.
It is that arrogance, at least in part, that causes the accident that cripples his hands. The Ancient One was able to humble him somewhat, but we can see when Strange bickers with Stark, that his ego is still there. As he becomes a more powerful sorcerer, that ego could continue to grow and cause more reckless behavior.
Should: Taking On Dormammu
As impressive as his fight with Thanos was, Strange's showdown with Dormammu really shows the kind of hero he can be. Though it isn't much of a fight, Strange takes on a more powerful foe through intelligence and courage.
As Dormammu seeks to invade Strange's realm, the sorcerer goes to bargain with him. Dormammu quickly kills Strange but Strange quickly reappears to bargain some more. Trapping himself and Dormammu in a time loop, he subjects himself to endless painful death but keeps his world safe.
Shouldn't: His Hero Philosophy
Strange perhaps has more responsibility than any other MCU hero as he must protect the entire reality he exists in. This responsibility gives him an interesting philosophy on saving lives. When talking to Stark, Strange explains that because of all the other lives that are at stake, he cannot worry about any one person, and is willing to sacrifice anyone to ensure victory.
Strange puts this philosophy to practice as he sacrifices Stark. Strange knows that Tony has to die for them to live and he puts Tony on that path to ensure it happens. Though understandable, a leader like Captain America would never sacrifice one of his own over himself.