| For other uses, see Doctor Strange (disambiguation) |
- "You're a man looking at the world through a keyhole. You've spent your whole life trying to widen that keyhole. To see more. To know more. And now on hearing that it can be widened, in ways you can't imagine, you reject the possibility."
"No, I reject it because I do not believe in fairy tales about chakras or energy or the power of belief." - ―Ancient One and Doctor Strange[src]
Stephen Vincent Strange M.D., Ph.D is a powerful sorcerer and a leading member of the Masters of the Mystic Arts. Originally a brilliant yet arrogant neurosurgeon, Strange suffered a car accident that had resulted in his hands being crippled. When Western medicine failed to restore his hands, Strange embarked on a journey that led him to the Masters of the Mystic Arts as well as the discovery of magic and alternate dimensions, being trained by the Ancient One and Karl Mordo. Though his focus was healing his hands, Strange learned more about the mystic arts and soon helped the Masters prevent Kaecilius and the Zealots from merging Earth with the Dark Dimension, but not before witnessing the death of the Ancient One. With the demise of his mentor, Strange then became the protector of the Sanctum Sanctorum in New York City as well as Earth's protector from inter-dimensional threats.
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Biography
Early Life
Stephen Strange was born in New York City . He had a sister named Donna, who eventually died due to unknown reasons. He went to medical school and eventually graduated with an MD-PhD in four years.
Career as a Neurosurgeon
- "Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to HYDRA! Now, or in the future."
- ―Jasper Sitwell to Captain America[src]
Stephen Vincent Strange was a physician-scientist who specialized in neurological surgery and his research focused on stimulation neurogenesis, which is the formation of new nerve cells. As his medical career progressed, his popularity increased to the point where he was labeled by Project Insight as a threat to HYDRA.[2] By 2016, he was one of the top surgeons in New York City and was exclusively interviewed by WHiH World News about new life-saving techniques he had been investigating in his field.[3]
Strange eventually became attracted to Christine Palmer, a fellow surgeon who worked alongside him in the ER department of Metro-General Hospital. The two later began a relationship; one that did not last due to Strange's arrogance and his focus on his career.[4]
On Top of the World
- "Now's not the time for showing off, Strange."
"How about ten minutes ago when you called the wrong time of death?" - ―Stephen Strange and Nicodemus West[src]
Doctor Strange prepares to operate
After completing a successful surgery, Strange was asked by Palmer to help with a patient who had been injured in a firefight. Despite the objections of fellow surgeon Nicodemus West, who wanted to start recovering the patient's organs, Strange found an initially missed bullet lodged in the patient's brain, which caused him to have a complete Nervous System shutdown, causing West to pronounce him dead and saved his life.
Strange talks with Christine Palmer
Immediately following the surgery, Strange asked Palmer if she and West were sleeping together. Palmer denied the accusation, stating it was against the "Strange Policy," a policy against dating coworkers that she named after him.
Strange proceeded to tell Palmer that he was set to speak at a American Neurological Association dinner later that night and invited her to accompany him. Palmer declined, stating that she never enjoyed going to speaking engagements and that the only reason he went was because it boosted his already absurdly large ego.[4]
Fall From Grace
Strange prior to his car accident
- "Give your body time to heal."
"You've ruined me..." - ―Nicodemus West and Stephen Strange[src]
Later that night, while en route to the dinner, Strange received a phone call from his colleague Billy, who had come across three potential surgeries. After turning down the first two options, he eventually showed interest in a female schizophrenic.
The car crash
Strange took his eyes off the road so he could look at the patient's records only to collide with another car and fly off the road before crashing into a nearby river bank.
After the accident
He was immediately rushed to Metro-General and underwent a surgery that lasted eleven hours. When Strange woke up the following day, he learned from Palmer that both of his hands, which were crushed by the dashboard of his car, had been subjected to severe nerve damage and rendered inoperable.[4]
Searching For A Cure
- "It's possible. Experimental, and expensive, but possible."
"All I need is possible." - ―Medical Board Member and Stephen Strange[src]
After being released from Metro-General Hospital, Strange spent most of his money on seven different operations and numerous rehabilitation techniques, but all proved to be unsuccessful. With each new attempt, he was forced to sell his lavish lifestyle and belongings to fund the operations, leaving him with very little left to his name.One day he was on a video call with a doctor who stated that he cannot help him and turned him down , upsetting him, Christine came to his apartement trying to convince him to stop wasting all his money on fixing his hands and telling him to move on by assuring him that there were other ways to save lives, Strange however did not want to move on but find a way to restore his hands, he then lashed out at Christine by stating that she is only pitying him because she loves a sob story which Strange saw himself as , this hurt Palmer who then demanded him to apologise and when he refused , stating that she should leave. She left him and walked out of his life ,later during one physical rehabilitation session his instructor mentioned Jonathan Pangborn, a paraplegic who had regained the ability to walk when Strange wanted to know how to heal his hands.
Strange finding Jonathan Pangborn
When the instructor sent him Pangborn's file, Strange tracked him down. Despite his initial reluctance due to Strange having refused to take him as a patient before, Pangborn agreed to help when Strange revealed his damaged hands. Pangborn told revealed Strange the source of his healing, leading him to Kamar-Taj and the Ancient One.[4]
Trained in Magic
Meeting the Ancient One
Strange searches for Kamar-Taj
- "I reject it because I do not believe in fairy tales about chakras or energy or the power of belief. There is no such thing as spirit! We are made of matter and nothing more. You’re just another tiny, momentary speck within an indifferent universe."
"You think too little of yourself."
"Oh, you think you see through me, do you? Well, you don’t!" - ―Stephen Strange and Ancient One[src]
Spending the rest of his money on a ticket to Nepal, Strange began his search for Kamar-Taj. Without any knowledge of where it was located or even what Kamar-Taj was, Strange resorted to simply asking any person he passed if they could give him the information.[4] While walking through the back streets, Strange encountered a hurt dog and decided to stop and give it a make shift bandage for his leg, joking he would be charging the dog for the treatment.[5]
Strange is offered help from Karl Mordo
He was then cornered in an alley by three thugs who attempted to rob him, despite Strange insisting that he did not have any money. The thugs demanded his expensive watch, which Strange refused as it was a gift from Christine Palmer, so Strange tried to defend himself only to be beaten up by all of the thugs. However Strange was then rescued by Karl Mordo, a student of the Ancient One who promised to bring him to Kamar-Taj as Strange had wanted.
Strange finally meets the Ancient One
Mordo led Strange into Kamar-Taj, which was not the mystic location he was expected as he joked about it. Mordo warned him not to be disrespectful and to forget everything he thought he knew. Inside, Strange initially mistook an elderly man for the Ancient One before he is introduced to the true Sorcerer Supreme, who presented him with team and welcomed him to their world. Strange began asking how she helped Jonathan Pangborn to heal his broken body.
Strange's astral form is pushed out his body
At first Strange believed that they were researching cell regeneration, but quickly became skeptical of her methods of curing Pangborn as she claimed she and the Masters of the Mystic Arts had healed him through his spirit. Strange became angry, declaring that she was now wasting his time, noting that he had spent all his money to find her and cure his hands, claiming that he saw through her lies, before she then pushed his Astral Form out his body to present him with his first experience of the Astral Dimension, much to Strange's horror.
Strange is sent through the Multiverse
Strange was shocked but denied what just happened, thinking he had been drugged, although the Ancient One insisted all she gave him was tea with a little honey, which Strange doubted. Seeking to show him more of what she could offer, the Ancient One then sent Strange through the Multiverse, showing him the various realities before dragging him back when Mordo claimed that his heart rate was spiking, although the Ancient One said he was fine.
Strange floats throughout the Multiverse
Strange was sent back through the Multiverse where he was told that the reality he knew was simply one of many. The Ancient One spoke to him while he was still being flung across all the different realities, challenging him to open his eyes to these possibilities while he had visions of the Quantum Realm as well as the Dark Dimension, seeing a glance of the terrifying Dormammu. The Ancient One made Strange question who he was within this multiverse, while he encountered sights and senses beyond his wildest imaginations.
Strange begs the Ancient One to teach him
Having experienced something was unexplainable, Strange was then back into the room within Kamar-Taj where he fell to the feet of the Ancient One, to questioned if he had ever had an experience like that in a gift shop. Barely recovering from the revelations shown to him, Strange remained on his knees and begged her to teach him how to do this, but she refused and then had him cast out because of his previous disrespect towards her and their ways.[4]
Beginning Training
Strange learns of magic from the Ancient One
- "How do I get from here to there?"
"How did you get to reattach a severed nerve and put a human spine together bone by bone?"
"Study and practice, years of it." - ―Stephen Strange and Ancient One[src]
Strange stayed on the doorstep for over five hours having nowhere else to go before he was finally let back inside and shown to his room by Karl Mordo. The next morning Strange sat down with the Ancient One who explained how the Masters of the Mystic Arts drew their power from other dimensions which allowed them to shape reality, how Pangborn uses Magic to move his body, and that she plans for Strange to learn how to do the same with his hands. When Strange asked how he could possibly gain the same kind of skill with his damaged hands, the Ancient One compared learning it to the same studies Strange underwent to become a world-renowned doctor.
Strange is introduced to the Librarian Wong
Seeking to better his understanding, Strange went to the library to take out several books on the concept of Magic. There he met the Librarian Wong, who Strange began mocking for his single name and his refusal to smile. Strange questioned how Kamar-Taj worked in terms of knowledge, asking if he could read the Book of Cagliostro, to which Wong said that while no knowledge was off limits in Kamar-Taj, some was too dangerous for a new student like he currently was. Strange noted how the book was missing a page, Wong explained that the previous Librarian had been killed and threatened Strange not to take books without permission.
Strange trains under Karl Mordo's watch
Strange began his training under the watchful eye of Mordo but struggled initially, finding himself disappointingly unable to create a portal using the Sling Ring which the other trainees appeared to have no issue using. Becoming more frustrated as he continued to fail, Strange told the Ancient One that he believed that the shaking in his hands to be the cause. Not excepting this excuse, the Ancient One invited Hamir to demonstrate his own skill, revealing that Hamir was missing a hand but was still able to use his power regardless, indicating that Strange could do the same thing if given more practice and confidence in his own abilities as a sorcerer.
Strange is told to escape from Mount Everest
Deciding that Strange needed more pressure to improve his skills, the Ancient One created her own portal and then abandoned him on the top of Mount Everest, wearing only thin clothing and telling him that the only way he would be able to return to Kamar-Taj before he froze to death was to successfully use his Sling Ring. Despite struggling at first, eventually Strange created a portal and landed back at Kamar-Taj, much to the Ancient One and Mordo's amusement.
Strange gains more confidence in his studies
With this achievement, Strange gained the confidence that he could have the skills to become a sorcerer. Borrowing more books from Wong, Strange studied in his sleep using Astral Dimension and progressed rapidly over the following months, also emailing Christine Palmer whenever he could. Strange also began using his Sling Ring to take books from the library behind Wong's back, though he quickly found out. As his studies were becoming even more impressive, the Ancient One invited him to use the Mirror Dimension to study were he could not affect the real world.
Strange has fight training with Karl Mordo
Stepping back into the courtyard, Strange began his fight training with Mordo, who explained the concept of relics which held their power in objects rather than in the Masters themselves. Strange laughed at the complex names as Mordo introduced him to the Staff of the Living Tribunal and Vaulting Boots of Valtorr. Mordo beat him into submission to prove a point before they discussed the Ancient One and how she had been able to live for so long.
Strange uses the Eye of Agamotto
One day Strange walked into the library only to find Wong wasn't there. He took the chance read the Book of Cagliostro and use Eye of Agamotto Using the Eye's power, Strange experimented with it's power by making an apple regrow and then rot, discovering the Eye gave him control over time itself. He also recreated the missing page on the book which made him realize how The Ancient One remained young. Wong and Mordo stumbled into Strange's experiment and both warned him not to bend fundamental natural laws so haphazardly, noting that misuse of items of such incredible power, like the Eye, could cause Strange to become trapped in a time loop forever as a result. Strange pointed out that the books should mention those kinds of warnings before actually showing the spells.
Strange learns of the Masters' role in the world
This only increased Strange's wish to understand them so Wong and Mordo explained how they protect the world from mystical threats in much the same way that the Avengers protect it from physical ones. Strange initially refused to fight in a "mystic war" before the London Sanctum was attacked by Kaecilius, with the corpse of the Sanctum's protector, Sol Rama, dropping at their feet. The Sanctum was then destroyed and the explosion ripped through the Kamar-Taj and knocked everybody off their feet, trapping Strange in the Sanctum Sanctorum based within New York City as he became separated from his allies and unable to return to Kamar-Taj.[4]
Battle at the Sanctum Sanctorum
Finding himself in a new location in New York City, Strange walked throughout the Sanctum Sanctorum looking for people and soon discovered the Rotunda of Gateways as well as the Cloak of Levitation. However Strange soon heard some commotion and discovered Kaecilius and his Zealots attacking the building. Strange witnessed the guardian of the Sanctum, Daniel Drumm, being murdered by Kaecilius and made his presence known to the attackers.
Strange fights the Zealots
Kaecilius initially mistook Strange's name for Mr. Doctor as they awkwardly greeted each other, but soon forgot this and attacked him in order to complete his plan to bring Dormammu to Earth. Strange fought back against the Zealots, using his Sling Ring to create whips that stopped their attacks and beat them back while creating shields for himself, although he had trouble controlling them. Using the Rotunda of Gateways he had found earlier, Strange managed to trap one disciple in the desert and the other, Lucian, in the jungle, leaving only himself and Kaecilius to continue fighting throughout the Sanctum Sanctorum.
Strange creates a weapon to fight Kaecilius
As they continued to fight throughout the Sanctum, the desperate Strange attempted to intimidate Kaecilius with the Brazier of Bom'Galiath, only to have to eventually admit that he did not know how to use it as a weapon and instead threw it at Kaecilius' head. Strange was soon knocked into the Cloak of Levitation's container, which then wrapped itself around his shoulders and helped him by deflecting the Space Shards that Kaecilus continued to attack him with. Strange then used the cloak to fight Kaecilius and trapped him with the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, ending the fight.
Strange speaks to the captured Kaecilius
With Kaecilius now incapable of defending himself, Strange explained that his name was Doctor Strange, not Mister Doctor. Kaecilius then told Strange that the Ancient One dabbled in magic from the Dark Dimension, which is what gave her long lasting life. As Strange began to take note of these warnings, Kaecilius noted his Sling Ring was missing. Lucian made it back through and stabbed him with a Space Shard, almost killing Strange as he attempted to escape.[4]
Duel on the Astral Plane
Strange fights Lucian in the Astral Dimension
- "When I became a doctor I swore an oath to do no harm, and I have just killed a man! I’m not doing that again. I became a doctor to save lives, not take them."
- ―Doctor Strange to Ancient One[src]
Strange tried to get away but was hunted by Lucian who planned to kill Strange. The Cloak of Levitation attacked Lucian and Strange used the Sling Ring to transport himself to the Metro-General Hospital to find Christine Palmer, and then asking her to operate on him alone. Palmer began the surgery and Strange used his Astral Form to help shocking her and leaving her bewildered. Lucian used his Astral Form and attacks Strange, disturbing several objects in the physical world in the process while Christine continued performing the surgery, but Strange was able to kill him after being charged with a defibrillator.
Strange is helped by Christine Palmer
Returning to his body as Palmer finished her work on his wound, Strange explained that he had been to Kamar-Taj to heal his wounds and learned magic which had allowed him to do what he could now do, although Palmer claimed this meant that he had likely joined a cult, which Strange claimed was untrue despite being amused by the idea. With his wound from the Space Shard now mostly dealt with, Strange decided to return to the Sanctum Sanctorum and to continue his fight against the Zealots. Strange then showed Palmer the portal he had made with his Sling Ring when he had arrived to confirm once and for all that what he had been saying was completely true.
Strange and Mordo confront the Ancient One
Returning to the Sanctum Sanctorum, Strange discovered that Karl Mordo and the Ancient One had arrived, while Kaecilius had escaped from the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak while he had been gone. The Ancient One was impressed by Strange defending the Sanctrum and declared him "Master Strange" as the new protector. Stephen refused as he was supposed to save lives, not end them and couldn't bear killing anyone else.
Strange then furiously confronted the Ancient One over dabbling in the Dark Dimension to keep herself alive for centuries. Although Mordo outright denied this, she did not and instead left, leaving Strange and Mordo to defend the Sanctum since Daniel Drumm had been murdered by Kaecilius during the attack a few hours earlier.[4]
Battle of the Mirror Dimension
Strange and Karl Mordo escape Kaecilius
- "Arrogance and fear still keeps you from learning the most significant lesson of all"
"Which is?"
"It is not about you." - ―The Ancient One to Strange[src]
Kaecilius returned to attack the Sanctum Sanctorum and Strange dragged them all into the Mirror Dimension where they couldn't harm the Physical World. This turned out to be a mistake as Kaecilius affected the gravity in the Dimension almost killing Strange and Karl Mordo, who desperately attempted to escape. The Ancient One arrived, revealing to Mordo that her dabbling in the Dark Dimension was true, and battled the Zealots until she was fatally stabbed and fell hundreds of stories.
Strange speaks with Christine Palmer
Strange rushed her to Metro-General Hospital and called upon the help of Christine Palmer and Nicodemus West to try and save her, as he was unable to perform surgery due to his shaking hands. He notices the Ancient One's Astral leave the room and followed in Astral Form. She told him about the Dark Dimension and why she had drawn her power from there before her Form vanished and she died. She also told him, like Jonathan Pangborn, he can use his magic to heal his hands and return to being a brain surgeon, which would come at a great loss to the earth, or become a sorcerer and fight for the earth. Strange chose to give up his old life and become a sorcerer. Strange mourned her death before speaking with Palmer.[4]
Battle at the Hong Kong Sanctum
Strange uses the Eye of Agamotto's power.
Strange and Karl Mordo headed to the Hong Kong Sanctum only to discover it has already been destroyed and Dormammu is coming to Earth. Using the Eye of Agamotto and breaking the Natural Laws of Time, Strange reversed what had happened, returning Wong and many others from the dead despite Mordo's protests. He was then interrupted mid-spell, resulting in time being frozen around the fighting. Kaecillius returned and declared that Dormammu's arrival couldn't be stopped anymore and once again mentioned that the Dark Dimension is "beyond time". Hearing this, Strange figured out a way to defeat Dormammu and headed to the Dark Dimension where time was irrelevant.
Strange challenges Dormammu
Strange confronted Dormammu declaring that he had come to bargain. Dormammu ignored Strange's offer and swiftly killed him. Suddenly, Strange appeared again repeating the exact same words as before. Slightly confused but undaunted, Dormammu killed Strange again, only for him to reappear and repeat his challenge yet again.
Perplexed, Dormammu demanded to know what was happening. Strange explained that he had used the Eye of Agamotto to create an endless time loop, and would keep both him and Dormammu trapped repeating the loop forever until the latter relented and listened to his bargain. Enraged, Dormammu killed Strange over and over again but was unable to stop the cycle repeating itself endlessly; unlike Strange, Dormammu had no power over time since the Dark Dimension was a place beyond time. Eventually, Dormammu surrendered and asked what Strange wanted. Strange demanded he never return to Earth and take Kaecilius' gang with him. He returned to Hong Kong to complete the Time Spell, and watched as Dormammu took Kaecillius and his followers away. Having witnessed Strange and the Ancient One's liberal use of magic to break their own rules, Mordo left the Masters of the Mystic Arts due to having become disillusioned by their questionable and dangerous use of magic.[4]
The New Protector
Strange returns the Eye of Agamotto
- "Wise choice. You'll wear the Eye of Agamotto in time. Until then, best not to walk the streets with an Infinity Stone."
- ―Wong to Doctor Strange[src]
Realizing he was not yet worthy of wielding the Eye of Agamotto due to his potential to change the fabric of both reality and time, Strange decided it would be best to return the relic into Kamar-Taj. Joining Strange there, Wong agreed with his choice, claiming that overusing an Infinity Stone was highly dangerous. Strange made it clear that he did not know about the Stones; a fact that did not surprise Wong.
Strange arrives in the Sanctum Sanctorum
Wong went on to note that the Sanctum Sanctorum currently needed a new protector ever since Daniel Drumm had recently been killed by Kaecilius while defending it. Strange accepted the offer and placed the Cloak of Levitation back over his own shoulders before following Wong through a portal to the Sanctum. Once there, Strange put on the watch Christine Palmer had given him and then looked out the window.[4] Immediately following his duel with Dormammu, Strange created a list of extraterrestrial and inter-dimensional beings who posed a threat to the people of Earth. One of those beings was Loki of Asgard, who led the Chitauri Invasion five years prior.[6]
Search for Odin
Drinking with Thor
Doctor Strange talks with Thor.
Several months into his time as the Sanctum Sanctorum's guardian, Strange received a visit from Thor, Loki's adoptive brother who had brought him back to New York City. When Strange confronted him, Thor explained they were searching for their father Odin.
Strange offered to help him on the condition that they all would then return straight to Asgard as soon as the mission had been completed, which Thor agreed to.[6]
Personality
- "There is a strength to him."
"Stubbornness, arrogance, ambition, I've seen it all before." - ―Karl Mordo and Ancient One[src]
Prior to his accident, Strange had a massive ego that fueled his career, very much like Tony Stark in the latter's early years prior to becoming Iron Man. Strange only took on patients that he believed would help benefit his status, even refusing to heal a US Army Colonel's back, albeit it was because this injury was a simple one any neurosurgeon can fix. His work was also driven by a desire to control death and time, which led him to refuse even looking into any patient he perceived to have little chance of recovery so as to not ruin his track record. However, if he also perceived the chance a patient could survive, he would help them recover even if it would not benefit his public image, showing that at his core, he does care about saving people. In addition, he seems to prioritize his research over his physician work as he stated his work would save thousands for years to come whereas a physician will only save a handful of patients they directly interact with. This, however, changed after his accident, which left Strange a broken man, and constantly frustrated due to being incapable of returning to the life he knew. Upon visiting Kamar-Taj, Strange initially maintained his narrow-minded arrogance and stubbornly refused to believe that the Ancient One was telling the truth until she forcibly demonstrated astral projection and sent him across multiple dimensions to prove her point.
Strange has shown extreme determination, a useful trait in a doctor as he would never give up on his patients even when one was called dead with a bullet in his brain, Strange was able to determine the patient was still alive to successfully save him. He spent most of his remaining money in seven different surgeries to attempt to heal his hands to the point of near bankruptcy, remained outside of Kamar-Taj's front door for five hours after being initially thrown out, then spent most of his time at Kamar-Taj studying and improving his abilities, even going as far as studying while sleeping through Astral projection. He even allowed himself to be killed by Dormammu countless times until Dormammu gave into his demands.
Through his training with the Ancient One, Strange gained a newfound appreciation for the natural order of things due to his studies of the Mystic Arts and became more humble. However, this was not to say he was a completely changed man; he retained a cocky attitude when dealing with people and things, as seen in how he behaved when he went to borrow books from Wong. This, coupled with his inquisitiveness and willingness to break rules, made him an odd one in Kamar-Taj and constantly an eyesore to many of his peers. However, due to this nature of his, he was also more willing to compromise and be somewhat flexible with his principles, quickly accepting that the Ancient One broke her own rules to do what was deemed necessary to protect the world, and he had to be willing to do so himself, which, when combined with his natural talent in the Mystic Arts, had the Ancient One name him as the Master of the New York Sanctum Sanctorum, despite his relative lack of training and inexperience.
Having trained as a doctor, Strange is a pacifist and tries to avoid hurting people, as it goes against the Hippocratic oath. He was disgusted by his actions in killing Lucian, stating he became a doctor to save lives, not take them. However, neither the Ancient One nor Karl Mordo were especially sympathetic towards this, with the former stating he became a doctor to save one life (his own) and the latter calling him a coward for lacking the spine to do what has to be done, which in times, proves to be somewhat true. Nevertheless, Strange accused Mordo of lacking imagination and claimed it was possible to take other options, a claim he ultimately proved correct by defeating both Kaecillius and Dormammu without killing either of them.
Ultimately, Strange has always had good intentions, despite coming off as arrogant and selfish. After his talk with Kaecillius, Strange began to see his own failings reflected in Kaecillius and started showing signs of self-improvement. He repeatedly and genuinely apologized for his past treatment of Christine Palmer and showed a newfound trust in former rival Nicodemus West. During his talk with the Ancient One before her death, he admitted that his fear of failure is what pushed him to be a successful neurosurgeon. However, the Ancient One stated that his fear is exactly what kept him from greatness, as well as learning the simplest and most important lesson of all; it's not all about him. Strange took this very much to heart, and when he faced Dormammu, he showed strong selflessness, allowing himself to be killed over and over in order to keep Dormammu trapped in the time loop so mankind could live and came to stop fearing failure.
Despite his tremendous maturity, Strange maintains some of his old habits such as making sarcastic comments and jokes when talking to others, similar to Tony Stark and Peter Quill. Whilst he compensates his lack of experience by further using the powerful magical relics at his disposal and his intelligence allows him to imagine unorthodox solutions to problems, Strange has also learnt to comprehend his limits and despite his success at the hands of Dormammu's defeat, he has begun to realise the natural order should not be entirely disturbed, the same reason why Mordo left the Mystic Arts and vows to never use the Eye of Agamotto until he is fully prepared. This was his second greatest lesson to learn - that time is beyond even his control. He also retains his meticulous and diligence by forming a watchlist of individuals that might pose a threat to Earth. However, his flexibility is his greatest strength in this regard as, even though he wants to be rid of these individuals, he was willing to help Thor locate Odin so he and Loki would return to Asgard.
Strange's imagination and intellect has given him a vastly flexible personality, so much so the Ancient One could never see exactly what his future would be, only possible paths he would take. Due to his inquisitiveness, Strange is easily able to adapt and teach himself lightyears ahead of even experienced sorcerers like Mordo and Kaecillius. Once he started to get the hang of his sorcery studies, he began to teach himself and was able to learn at an accelerated rate.
Strange is noted to have a severe case of misophonia, meaning he is greatly distracted by even the slightest sound when he requires absolute focus. This was shown when he was operating on a patient and asked Nicodemus West to cover his watch as the ticking was distracting him. After his car crash, Strange's hands suffered from constant shaking though unlike Pangborn he refused to direct magic into his body to heal this, presumably to be reminded of his mistakes in the past.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Master Sorcerer: As the present guardian of the New York Sanctum Sanctorum, Strange, despite his relative inexperience, is one of the most powerful Masters of the Mystic Arts, possessing a extremely high level of mastery of the mystic arts, which he uses to defend his native reality. Indeed, despite his inexperience, an impressed Karl Mordo claimed that Strange's prodigious skills meant that he was "born for the mystic arts", and the Ancient One herself noted that Strange has tremendous potential as a sorcerer. With the help of numerous mystical artifacts and relics, in addition to his astral powers, Strange is able to gain access to a multitude of mystical powers. Strange makes up for his lack of experience with his gifted intellect and ingenuity, as he defeated Kaecillius by outsmarting Dormammu and forcing him to leave and take Kaecillius with him.
- Eldritch Magic Manipulation: Strange is able to create, shape and manipulate Eldritch Magic. He demonstrated the ability to form Eldritch Whips, and Tao Mandalas.
- Levitation: Using the Cloak of Levitation, Strange is able to levitate, hover, and fly. The Cloak can greatly lessen the impact of falling from great heights by effortlessly reducing his speed.
- Teleportation: Using a Sling Ring, Strange is able to open portals that lead to different locations, gaining the ability to move across both the physical world and other parts of the Multiverse. He can also make portals small enough to reach through and grab things, such as several books from Wong's library.
- Interdimensional Travel: Using the same Sling Ring, Strange can travel between different dimensions and universes, crossing over different planes of existence or traveling across various forms of reality. However, Strange was able to access the Mirror Dimension and transport himself and the Zealots there without the Sling Ring.
- Astral Projection: Strange is capable of separating his astral spirit from his body, gaining access to the Astral Dimension, with him thus notably managing to assist Christine Palmer in operating on his physical body, while also demonstrating being able to make himself visible to her at will. He used it again to speak to the Ancient One's spirit before her clinical death. Notably, Strange found his that when Christine defibrillate his real body, his Astral form would send out a blast of energy, which he used offensively while grappling with Lucian's Astral form, ultimately destroying it and killing him.
- Chronokinesis: Using the Eye of Agamotto, Strange is able to control the flow of time, be it on a small or massive scale, notably to turn back something to a previous state, to accelerate its time in order to apply changes that have not happened yet, or to lock in a time loop, with time resetting over and over until he stops its effect. He first tested the ability on an apple, rewinding time on it to make it whole and then forwarding time to make it rot, despite not actually eating it to that point before hand. If interrupted while using this ability, time freezes until he resumes the spell. He even used it to make a reconstruction of the stolen pages of the Book of Cagliostro and read from it, though he seemed to be unable to make the page real and only could reveal what had been their before. He notably used this ability to trap even Dormammu himself in the same moment, which would reset each time Dormammu killed Strange, and keep Dormammu from leaving his dimension to invade Earth until Dormammu agreed to leave Earth for good. Strange concluded that he isn't ready to wield the Eye of Agamotto's powers yet and decided to return it until he's ready to use it again.
- Transmutation: During his meeting with Thor, Strange was able to turn a cup of tea into a large mug of beer that was also able to magically refill itself, much to Thor's pleasant surprise.
Abilities
Doctor Strange performing a surgery.
- Master Physician: Strange was one of the world's most renowned neurosurgeons. His genius surgical skill allowed him to perform nearly complicated and difficult surgeries with little to no mechanical assistance flawlessly. His skills sometimes rivaled or were found to be superior to that of his colleagues Palmer and West as he was able to notice a cause of injury in a patient while Palmer could not and thus prevent West from killing the patient. His perfect record and reputation with the craft reached such a point that ultimately, he developed a penchant for undertaking only the most challenging but still viable of operations, in order to boost his huge ego. He lost the ability to perform surgeries after his hands were damaged beyond repair in a catastrophic car accident, but he kept his profound knowledge on subjects related to modern medicine.
- Multilingualism: Strange is fluent in his native English, and becomes proficient with Sanskrit enough during his months in Kamar-Taj to enable him to study advanced books Wong deem him not ready for, including the Book of Cagliostro.
- Eidetic Memory: Strange's photographic memory and perfect recall had originally greatly aided him in medical school, helping him to earn both his MD and PhD simultaneously. During his mystic arts studies in Kamar-Taj, Strange managed to master entering the Astral Dimension, despite Wong not believing him to be ready.
- Master Tactician: Strange's tremendous intellect contribute to his incredible insight, a highly ingenious strategist, Strange rely on pure wits to stop Dormammu due to his to his lack of experience in fighting supernatural forces, using the Eye of Agamotto to trap the primordial entity in a endless time loop, using tactics of psychological warfare to mentally torment Dormammu instead of stopping him with magic, and Strange succeded in forcing Dormammu to return back to the Dark Dimension, taking Kaecilius with him, further proving Strange's capability to defeat both immensely powerful enemies with tactical genius alone.
- Martial Artist: After being trained by both the Ancient One and Karl Mordo, Strange gained some skill in martial arts, having been able to ultimately defeat and kill the Zealot Lucian, and to even hold his own relatively well against the far more experienced Master Kaecilius. However, Strange's hands still suffer from severe nerve and bone damage as a result of his accident, further exacerbated by the unsuccessful surgeries made towards restoring his dexterity, meaning his hands are delicate and prone to intense pain should he attempt to punch something or someone.
Equipment
- Cloak of Levitation: A mantle that enables Doctor Strange to levitate and hover in the air. It appears to be sentient and can move on its own power, causing it to move and flap in the air without the presence of wind. Offensively, the cloak's ability to move and fly with or without a wearer allows it to grab, lift, tackle or send opponents flying through the air. The cloak often assists Strange in combat by protecting him from enemy attacks, preventing enemies from blindsiding him, as well as attacking enemies on its own whenever possible, and doing maneuvers that are difficult, if not impossible for most humans to do.
- Eye of Agamotto: An ancient relic with a number of mystical properties, especially time manipulation in the user's immediate vicinity and on specific areas or targets. It is able to do so since it contains the Time Stone.
- Sling Ring: A mystical object which enables the wearer to open a portal to another location.
Relationships
Family
- Donna Strange † - Sister
Allies
- Masters of the Mystic Arts
- Ancient One † - Mentor
- Wong
- Hamir
- Daniel Drumm †
- Grem
- B'sso
- Karl Mordo - Former Fellow Master and Trainer
- Metro-General Hospital - Former Employers
- Nicodemus West - Former Colleague and Work Rival
- Christine Palmer - Former Colleague, Ex-Girlfriend, Love Interest and Saviour
- Billy - Former Co-Worker and Assistant
- Etienne - Former Colleague
- Jonathan Pangborn
- Thor
Enemies
- HYDRA - Attempted Killers (Project Insight)
- Dormammu - Killer (Multiple times)
- Zealots
- Kaecilius - Attempted Killer
- Lucian † - Attempted Killer turned Victim
- Blonde Zealot
- Brunette Zealot
- Tall Zealot †
- Loki - Potential Target
- Hela - Potential Target
Appearances
| Appearances for Stephen Strange |
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In chronological order:
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Trivia
- In the comics, Stephen Strange was the founder and long-time leader of the Defenders, and also a member of the New Avengers.
- As a result of his confrontation with Dormammu in the Dark Dimension, Strange has officially died more times than any other character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Behind the Scenes
- Stephen Strange is mentioned in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This marks the first time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that a superhero character is mentioned by name before making their first appearance.
- Kevin Feige revealed that Strange did not have any powers yet during the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, as Project Insight was designed to anticipate future threats, not just catalogue current ones. He said that at this point Strange is "probably not... the sorcerer supreme," but is an "unbelievably talented neurosurgeon who's opinionated and kind of arrogant... [which] might put him on the list."[7]
- Aaron Lazar was a body double for Benedict Cumberbatch in Avengers: Infinity War due to the latter having scheduling conflicts with The Current War.[8]
References
- ↑ Spider-Man: Homecoming Comic-Con 2016 Footage Description
- ↑ Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- ↑ WHiH Newsfront May 3, 2016
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 Doctor Strange
- ↑ Doctor Strange (film) Deleted Scene
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Doctor Strange Mid-credits Scene
- ↑ Kevin Feige Interview: Captain America, The Avengers 2 and Doctor Strange
- ↑ This Cumberbatch body-double is basically a Cumber-twin
| Preceded by: Daniel Drumm |
Master of New York Sanctum Doctor Strange 2016 - Current |
Succeeded by: - |
