Karl Mordo is one of the many characters in the MCU that makes us wonder, ‘What happened with them?’ We saw him in Doctor Strange’s first film, after which he just disappeared. With a history as fascinating as his, we certainly wished there was more of Karl Mordo in films like Infinity War and Endgame.
However, after knowing that the then Sorcerer Supreme had broken the rules, he left on a path of his own, leaving an incomplete arc for the audience to speculate over. In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the character returns, but circumstances have changed.
Before I go, here’s a spoiler warning. I’ll be talking about details from the film you’d rather not know if you haven’t watched the movie. So proceed with caution.
As Stephen goes through the multiverse trying to protect America Chavez from The Scarlet Witch, he lands on Earth-838. Here he comes face to face with Mordo, has an altercation with him, and even accuses him of betraying the Strange of that universe. But did he actually do it?
It isn’t confirmed whether Karl Mordo betrayed the Doctor Strange of Earth-838. Considering Mordo has always been jealous of Strange on Earth-616, there’s a possibility it would’ve been the case on 838, and as a result, he would’ve been more hostile.
If you’re wondering what betrayal I’m talking about, let me help you brush up on your memory quickly. When Strange arrives on Earth-838, he realizes that his counterpart in the universe is already dead.
He is then captured by Mordo, who is the Sorcerer Supreme in this universe. The rationale behind this is simple. Stephen from 838 had started using the Darkhold and dream walking to find ways to defeat Thanos. As a result, the Illuminati had to kill him. However, to the rest of the world, he is portrayed as the hero who sacrificed himself fighting Thanos.
When Doc from Earth-616 is presented before the Illuminati, he is called the greatest threat to this universe, greater than Wanda too. While other members are more objective, Karl Mordo does seem slightly more hostile.
Amongst other events that follow, he even undermines Professor X’s order to give Stephen a chance. The two get into a fight, and during this fight, Strange accuses his rival of betraying his counterpart on 838.
He insinuates that Karl was always jealous and wanted the title of the Sorcerer Supreme. This is perhaps why he would’ve nudged 838-Stephen towards using the Darkhold in the first place and then punishing him for it by killing him.
Although these accusations are made, a definitive answer is not provided, and there are no subtle signs for us to jump to conclusions about this conflict. However, the one thing that is clear is Karl wasn’t a big fan of 838-Strange.
He almost despised his intelligence and arrogance and, as a result, would’ve been more hostile towards his peer than the others who were part of the Illuminati. If I think about this from a writing perspective, the altercation between them seemed like a wasted sequence that didn’t carry any significance.
Mordo is such a compelling character in the comics. His relationship with Doctor Strange has many layers to it, layers that are built into epic plotlines and arcs that impact the larger story. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could’ve explored this, but it just boiled down to a war of words and verbal comebacks between the two.
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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