Doctor Strange is one of the two most powerful magic users in the MCU. But he didn’t really get to shine till that one What If…? episode. Titled “What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?”, the episode showcased what would have happened if Christine had died in the accident that damaged Strange’s hands. Stephen is driven made by her death and goes to extreme extents to bring her back. But in doing so he destroys his universe and also fails to bring Christine back. At the end of the episode, the screen goes black and we just hear Strange crying and apologizing.
A new theory says that the Dark Strange variant seen in this episode is alive and in the main MCU timeline. The theory says that he actually jumped out of his universe and is currently dream walking MCU’s main Strange. How? Let us break down the theory for you.
What If…? Doctor Strange Is Controlling The Main Strange
In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter asks Stephen for a favor. He wants Strange to help him erase the knowledge that he is Spider-Man from the minds of everyone in the world. Surprisingly, he agrees to basically change reality. It almost feels like he is a different person and not the serious Doctor Strange we know. Also, he looks different and is more casual with his speech.
Then comes Doctor Strange: In The Multiverse of Madness, and we see that Stephen has been dreaming of his other selves as he is the Prime Strange. Also, in this film as well as in No Way Home we see our Doctor Strange have new abilities. And these new powers look very similar to Dark Strange’s.
So it’s possible that Dark Doctor Strange is dream walking our main Strange. He was the one who helped Peter break down the multiverse and reality. And he has been using his powers to his advantage all this time. The theory also states that it is a dream walked Doctor Strange we see in the post-credits of Doctor Strange 2 when Clea (Charlize Theron) comes to get him. He agrees to go with her so that he can free himself (Dark Strange).
Why This Theory Might Not Be Right
The What If…? animated show was made to familiarize viewers with the concept of the multiverse and to play around with some already established events. The main lesson in the Doctor Strange focused episode was to tell viewers how dangerous he can be if he acts recklessly and without any care for the greater good. Being reckless and arrogant is also something he is in No Way Home. His character arc in Doctor Strange 2 is about him realizing his mistakes and taking responsibility for it.
However, the theory of Dark Strange dream walking our main magician is an interesting one. It remains to be seen if Marvel Studios really is playing the long multiversal game with Stephen Strange.
Stay tuned for more updates.
