- "You cannot stop this, Mister Doctor. This is the end and the beginning."
- ―Kaecilius to Doctor Strange[src]
The Attack on the Sanctums was a series of attacks executed by the Zealots in their quest to destroy the Masters of the Mystic Arts, summon Dormammu and merge Earth with the Dark Dimension.
Background
Rise of the Zealots
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To be added
The Beginning of the End
One night, Kaecilius and his fellow Zealots entered the library of Kamar-Taj, killed its librarian, and stole a page from the Book of Cagliostro. The Ancient One arrived and tried to trap them in the Mirror Dimension, but some of the Zealots, including Kaecilius escaped using a Sling Ring.[1]
Summoning Dormammu
In a church, the Zealots used the ritual from the stolen pages to call on Dormammu, who bestowed power on them to influence the dimensions, and they began their campaign to destroy the Earth sanctums so the Dark Dimension could be unleashed.[1]
Conflict
Destruction of the London Sanctum
Some time after Doctor Strange arrived to Kamar-Taj, the Zealots attacked the London Sanctum. Sol Rama, the guardian of the sanctum, opened the way between London and Kamar-Taj, but was immediately killed and the Zealots destroyed the London Sanctum, with the explosion sending Doctor Strange into the New York Sanctum.[1]
Battle at the New York Sanctum
In the New York Sanctum, Doctor Strange witnessed the death of Daniel Drumm, the sanctum's guardian, and the inexperienced sorcerer fought against them. He was able to strand two in other areas of the world and, with the help of the Cloak of Levitation, subdue Kaecilius. However, one of the Zealots, Lucian, obtained Strange's Sling Ring and surprised Doctor Strange, striking him with a Space Shard. The Cloak fought the Zealot as Strange used the Sling Ring to get to the Metro-General Hospital to get help from Christine Palmer.[1]
Duel on the Astral Plane
While Doctor Strange was on the operating table, he entered the Astral Plane to help Christine Palmer with the surgery. The Zeolot, Lucian, still entangled by the Cloak of Levitation entered the Astral Plane and tracked down Doctor Strange. The two fought and Strange saw that when Palmer used the defibrillator on his physical body, it unleashed an electrical charge in his astral form. So when she did it again, Strange channeled the charge onto Lucian's astral form, destroying it and killing the Zealot.[1]
Battle of the Mirror Dimension
After returning to the Sanctum Sanctorum, Doctor Strange found Kaecilius gone. He was rejoined by the Ancient One and Karl Mordo, and Doctor Strange confronted the Ancient One, accusing her of extending her life and power by channeling the Dark Dimension. The Ancient One left and Strange and Mordo saw Kaecilius and his Zealot preparing to destroy the Sanctum, as they did the London Sanctum, so Doctor Strange trapped them all in the Mirror Dimension, when nothing would effect the real world. However, the power the Zealots received from the Dark Dimension made them more powerful in the Mirror Dimension, and the two sorcerors were chased through New York City in the warped reality, with the Zealot preventing them from escaping with the Sling Ring. The Ancient One arrived to help, using the power of the Dark Dimension, to Mordo's horror. However Kaecilius was able to fatal stab her, before they all escaped through the portal made from the Sling Ring.[1]
Preparing for War
After hearing words of wisdom from the Ancient One in her last moments, Doctor Strange spoke with Karl Mordo that he needed his help to stop the Zealots from destroying the Hong Kong Sanctum.[1]
Battle at the Hong Kong Sanctum
The two arrived to find the Hong Kong Sanctum already destroyed as the Dark Dimension slowly began to bleed into the world. Doctor Strange used the Eye of Agamotto to turn back time to save the Sanctum. The Zealots were able to break from the time shift and fought Strange and Karl Mordo. The two were joined by Wong, who was brought back to life as time was reversing. Before the Sanctum could be completely restored, Kaecilius injured Strange and time ceased to move, as the Dark Dimension continued to expand.[1]
The Final Battle
Doctor Strange decided that instead of fighting the Zealots and trying to stop them directly, he chose to go into the Dark Dimension and confront their master. Before confronting the being, Doctor Strange used the Eye of Agamotto and activated it before the master of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu emerged. Strange offered a parley between the two, but the overconfident being killed him instead. However, the magic from the Eye reset time upon Strange's death, and Strange again offered a parley. Dormammu noticed them both trapped in a time loop and several times he killed Strange only for time to reset again. Finally Dormammu relented and accepted Strange's offer to break the loop, in exchange to give up his invasion of Earth and withdraw his Zealots. The deal was made and Strange returned to Earth as the Zealots were forced into the Dark Dimension, and Strange finished reversing time to restore the sanctum, cutting off the Dark Dimension from Earth.[1]
Aftermath
A New Protector
Doctor Strange returned the Eye of Agamotto to Kamar-Taj and decided to become the new guardian of the Sanctum Sanctorum.[1]
Too Many Sorcerers
Karl Mordo, now disillusioned from the teaching of the Ancient One, believed sorcerors to be the cause of the break in the natural order. While manipulating time saved the world, Mordo believed there would be serious consequences in the future, and made it his mission to rid the world of rogue sorcerers.[1]