- "I want you to thank me now. Go ahead, I'm listening."
"For what? For blasting me into space?"
"Who just saved your magical ass?" - ―Iron Man and Doctor Strange[src]
The Rescue of Doctor Strange was an expedition undertaken by Iron Man and Spider-Man to save Doctor Strange from Ebony Maw and prevent the latter from obtaining the Time Stone.
Background[]
- "Kid, that's the wizard. Get on it."
- ―Iron Man to Spider-Man[src]
Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian, members of the Black Order and Children of Thanos, had arrived outside the New York Sanctum in a Q-Ship, sent to retrieve the Time Stone from Doctor Strange.
A lengthy battle ensued, with the Children of Thanos against Iron Man, Bruce Banner, Strange, Wong, and Spider-Man. Cull Obsidian was teleported by Wong to Antarctica, losing a hand in the process, Ebony Maw managed to overpower and immobilize Strange. However, upon learning that the Time Stone was protected by a magical seal that could only be removed by Strange himself, Maw chose to seize him alive and interrogate him on the Q-Ship.
With his captive in tow, Maw set the Q-Ship on an automated course for Titan to rendezvous with Thanos. While Banner and Wong remained on Earth, Iron Man, Spider-Man and the Cloak of Levitation managed to stow away aboard the Q-Ship, aiming to rescue Strange.[1]
Rescue[]
Ebony Maw torturing Doctor Strange
Awakening from unconsciousness, Doctor Strange found himself in the captivity of Ebony Maw, aboard a Q-Ship bound to rendezvous with his adoptive father Thanos on Titan, while telekinetically immobilized and surrounded by hundreds of alien microsurgery needles. Noticing that Strange is awake, Maw approached him, preparing to begin the torture. He informed Strange that he would be judged harshly by Thanos for bringing Strange to him alive, and so requires Strange to remove the magical seal protecting the Time Stone in the Eye of Agamotto, to allow Maw to retrieve it. With this remark, Maw began to telekinetically stab the microsurgery needles one by one into Strange's body, each inducing terrible pain while commanding that Strange release the Stone, to no avail.
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Iron Man and Spider-Man come up with a plan
Unbeknownst to Maw, Iron Man and the Cloak of Levitation had stowed away aboard the Q-Ship to rescue Strange and the Time Stone. As they're observing from above, they were surprised by the appearance of Spider-Man, much to Stark's horror. As Stark berated the young hero for leaping into a battle way above his level of preparation, Parker reasoned that he could not act as a neighborhood defender if he had no neighborhood to defend. Giving in to Parker's reasoning, Stark called the young hero in to assess the situation. Thinking quickly, Parker immediately came up with a plan to rescue Strange.
Down below on the bridge, Maw continued to torture Strange, who, while under immense pain and duress, remained resolute to surrender to Maw's demands. Before Maw could continue, he was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Iron Man. Maw casually threatened to kill Strange, boasting of the sheer difference in power between them. Iron Man was unfazed, and as part of Parker's plan, fired a missile past Maw, into the wall of the ship. The missile caused a hull breach, instantly sucking a screaming Maw into the vacuum of space.
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Spider-Man rescues Doctor Strange
However, Strange himself was inadvertently caught in the vacuum, and the Cloak unsuccessfully attempted to rescue him. Leaping in, Spider-Man managed to grab Strange, and with aid from his new armor's artificial spider limbs, was able to narrowly pull him to safety, allowing Iron Man to seal the breach using his nanobots. As for Maw himself, he was pulled out of the ship, and froze to death.[1]
Aftermath[]
Doctor Strange accepts his trip to Titan
With Ebony Maw dispatched, and the Q-Ship under their command, Iron Man noted that the Ship was on an automated course bound for an unknown location. Doctor Strange insisted that Stark commandeer the Ship to return them and the Time Stone to Earth, although Stark was reluctant. Instead, he suggested continuing on their current course to Thanos, proposing they ambush him on his territory, where he would not be expecting an attack, and to keep his attention away from Earth.
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Spider-Man is declared as an Avenger
Although initially at odds, Strange reluctantly agreed with Stark's plan but reminded him that he would prioritize saving the Time Stone over either Stark or Spider-Man's lives, asserting he would easily let either of them die if it means keeping the Stone from Thanos' hands. Satisfied that Strange concurred with his plan, even if reluctantly, Stark prepared for the long journey to Thanos, and officially recruited Parker into the Avengers.[1]
