The Spider-Man: No Way Home end credits scene showcased two Dr. Strange and left us all dumbfounded. However, fans of the MCU would know that a Dark Dr. Strange appeared in the series What If…?
While the series seemed pretty disparate from the rest of the MCU canon movies and shows, after watching Dr. Strange 2 teaser, fans were starting to think if there’s more to the show?
The show seems to have foreshadowed the appearance of two Dr. Strange. So what else could What If…? has it possibly foreshadowed for Dr. Strange 2?
What If…? has likely foreshadowed multiple plot points such as a face-off between two Dr. Strange, Dr. Strange becoming arrogant about his powers and trying to correct something, the story behind Cagliostro, and finally Dr. Strange becoming a protector of reality by the end of the film.
Now, I know those were too many complex plot points and if you haven’t watched the What If…? series, it’s going to be even more difficult to comprehend. But don’t worry, I’m here to your rescue.
I’ll be going through each of these in brief and cover all possible predictions/foreshadowed moments from the series and explain it such that you don’t need to watch the series.
1. Face-Off Between the Two Dr. Strange
We saw the dark Dr. Strange in the teaser and we already know that there’s going to be an all-out battle between the two of them. He might be one of the villains of the sequel if not the main one. What If…? had foreshadowed this where all of Dr. Strange’s ‘endeavors’ so to say led to him fighting his darker version.
2. The Sacrifice of the Levitation Cloak
In the series, Strange’s levitation cloak sacrifices itself to save him while he’s fighting with the evil Dr. Strange. While this is a small thing compared to the larger scheme of things in the multiverse, it is still a significant moment and we might see it in the film too.
3. Dr. Strange’s Arrogance and Exploitation of His Powers
Dr. Strange can easily tread down the path of arrogance. After all, he was when he was merely a surgeon. Now he’s the sorcerer supreme (or at least thinks he’s better than the current one – Wong).
We see a hint of this arrogance in No Way Home when he performs the memory spell to make the world forget who Peter Parker is. This is essentially what leads to the multiverse cracking open and all those supervillains coming to this universe.
4. Dr. Strange Trying to Correct Something
In What If…? we see Dr. Strange trying to get back Christine who died in the show. We also see him marry her in one of the realities but she dies in every single reality. This leads him down the dark path.
In the teaser, we saw Dr. Strange standing in his Groom’s suit with Christine walking down the aisle. Now we haven’t seen much of her in the entire franchise, it might be difficult to see the two getting married. Perhaps it could be a dream sequence or a parallel reality.
So either Dr. Strange might be trying to get back Christine (if he loses her) or he might be trying to correct some mistakes from No Way Home. Pretty much why we see him approach Wanda to understand more about the multiverse.
5. The Connection with Cagliostro
Cagliostro is mentioned in the first film as well as the author of a prohibited book that encapsulates reality-oriented magic. In What If…? Cagliostro appears and tells Strange how trying to bend or change reality is not always possible and never the right thing to do.
In the comics, Baron Mordo who appeared in the first Strange film is a descendant of Cagliostro. For those of you who don’t remember, Baron Mordo had left Strange because he knew it was wrong to play with Time and it would have its repercussions.
So there’s a great chance that we might see Cagliostro in the film. We are already seeing Baron Mordo, but the connection between these two characters can be explored in Dr. Strange 2.
6. Absolute Points in Reality
In Loki and also in What If…? We encounter the concept of absolute reality. These are points in time which no matter what cannot be changed. The occurrence of these events is imperative for the universe to function smoothly.
In What If…? this absolute point of reality is Christine dying and as we see Dr. Strange trying to change it, we see him grow darker and become the evil Strange.
In Loki, we’ve already seen it being explored by Morbius and Loki, so there’s a great chance of this concept making its appearance in the film.
P. S. I think we might also see Loki in the film.
7. Dr. Strange – A Protector of Reality
By the end of What If…? Dr. Strange takes an oath to become a protector of reality and protect it from harm at any cost. This happens only after Strange defeats his evil counterpart and realizes the catastrophic potential of bending or changing realities.
Currently, in the MCU, we are seeing all the characters evolve and break new ground when it comes to their understanding of things. They are becoming better versions of themselves, whether it is Peter Parker, or Loki, or Falcon (who now is Captain America).
Dr. Strange might go through things and experiences that will change him forever, for the better. So seeing him as a protector of reality is quite likely.
8. Conclusion
So these are a few plot points that What If…? Could’ve foreshadowed in its Dr. Strange episode. If you’re wondering there are more then I guess it’s time to go hunting for Easter eggs between the trailer and the episode.
Well, whatever be the case, I think Dr. Strange 2 is going to bring in some big MCU figure who could either be a villain or someone who will be of great significance in the future series.
9. About Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the sequel to the 2016 movie Doctor Strange. The film is directed by Sam Raimi with a screenplay by Jade Bartlett and Michael Waldron.
It stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange, alongside Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Xochitl Gomez.
The sequel revolves around the dangerous consequences of Doctor Strange opening the multiverse.
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