Doctor Strange's odd behavior in the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer has led to numerous theories, and now fans are thinking he's secretly a Skrull. In Spider-Man: Far From Home, Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) revealed Spider-Man's (Tom Holland) identity as Peter Parker, and it's completely ruining his life. So in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Parker turns to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to regain his secrecy. To help Parker out, Strange casts a spell to make everyone forget Spider-Man's identity. However, realizing the spell would include his friends, Parker interferes. The disruptions to the spell unleash the Multiverse, and now villains from past Spider-Man films, including Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), are free to roam the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Captain Marvel introduced the concept of Skrulls to the MCU. The shapeshifting aliens are a sympathetic race in the film; however, Marvel's upcoming adaptation for Secret Invasion, a Skrull-centric comic, may change that. In the comic, Skrulls execute a long-term invasion of Earth, secretly replacing superheroes with imposters. The Secret Invasion announcement completely changes the MCU. Now, Marvel can rewrite its past films and reveal that certain characters were clandestinely Skrulls the entire time.

Related: No Way Home Easter Egg Spoils Tobey Maguire’s Return - Theory Explained

Because Strange's spell seems out of character in the No Way Home trailer, fans theorize he's a Skrull. In the No Way Home trailer, Wong (Benedict Wong) warns Strange not to perform his dangerous memory-wipe spell for Parker, and Strange initially says he won't. But then, he winks at Holland's character, and he does it anyway. The spell is so recklessly messing with space and time that it seems like a move that's too strange even for Doctor Strange. Later in the trailer, Strange surprisingly fights against Parker, pushing his astral form out of his physical one. The trailer has so many oddities that it's possible a Skrull replaced Strange.

Doctor Strange acting weird in spiderman no way home trailer

Several red flags hint that Strange isn't actually Strange. After all, why would Strange risk messing with the Multiverse just to give Parker some peace of mind? Though he's warned against the reckless spell, he does it anyway. Then, after the worst happens and Spider-Man villains infiltrate the MCU, he weirdly turns around and fights Holland's Spider-Man. It's bizarre. With Secret Invasion on the way, anyone could be a Skrull. And Marvel's comics include Super-Skrulls, which are characters that can copy genetic superpowers. So, ostensibly, Strange could've been replaced by an alien invader.

Still, Skrulls replacing Strange in Spider-Man: No Way Home is far from confirmed. Super-Skrulls can copy genetic powers, but learned magic—especially magic that can tap into the Multiverse—is entirely different. Because Doctor Strange's latest spell opens up the Multiverse, it's doubtful that he's been secretly replaced by an alien. Additionally, recklessness is in Strange's nature. Ever since his debut in Doctor Strange, Cumberbatch's character has been an arrogant narcissist who blatantly ignores rules. In Doctor Strange, he immediately reads books he's not supposed to and performs magic he's not allowed to attempt. Just because he doesn't listen to Wong, it doesn't mean he's a secret Skrull. It just means he's Doctor Strange.

More: Spider-Man: No Way Home Trailer Breakdown - 34 Reveals & Secrets

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