One of the most interesting aspects of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is how it packed so many villains into its runtime. Fans saw Wanda Maximoff become an unhinged Scarlet Witch, leaving Strange, Wong and America Chavez desperate for a way to stop her. In their journey, the sketchy Illuminati came to light, as well as dark versions of Strange, proving how science and magic may have broken the multiverse more than being tools meant to fix it.
Ultimately, all these experiences provided a snapshot into how horrific things could get for Earth-616. With that in mind, let’s dissect what villains have been set up from this mind-bending journey the sorcerers from Kamar-Taj embarked upon, and how they can shape an even more chaotic third movie.
Doctor Strange 3 Could Bring A Hip Hood To NYC
In the comics, Parker Robbins became The Hood, a supernatural gangster who went from street-level heists with his gang to a power player alongside Norman Osborn, Emma Frost and the Dark Illuminati. It was due to him finding a cloak that was connected to Dormammu from the Dark Dimension. This could set him up to be the demon’s avatar on Earth.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has never shied away from magical relics, so Parker could easily have found this and other items, empowering his crew. The MCU can make the team younger and hipper as well, playing on the concept of boomers and gen-z, with Strange and Wong struggling to keep up with the generational gap. Younger villains can bring a fresher take to crime, using spells and weapons in ways older heads would never think of, such as mystical guns. It’d allow America (who was training under Wong) to step up as a mage, too, acting as an unofficial audition to become Sorcerer Supreme someday.
Doctor Strange 3 Could Make Umar A Better Dormammu
In the books, Umar is the twin sister of Dormammu. However, they’ve had a contentious relationship where she betrayed him for control of the Dark Dimension. Given Strange beat him in the first film, the MCU can easily have her ascending the throne in his absence, using the fire monsters called the Faltinians and the Mindless Ones to plan a new takeover of all reality.
Interestingly, the books had her partnering with Baron Mordo, so the MCU’s Mordo could broker a deal where they form an alliance and try to bring some form of warped order to the cosmos. Mordo could help Umar control her realm, while Umar can provide Mordo the army he needs to take out Kamar-Taj and other threats he thinks embodies instability. This could easily reframe Kaecilius’ plan from the first Doctor Strange movie, but with more industrious, competent executors. And once more, it’d give Mordo that glorious purpose he’s seeking as the galaxy’s magical custodian.
Doctor Strange 3 Could Make Clea A Demonic Romance
In the mid-credits of Doctor Strange 2, Clea (played by Charlize Theron) arrived through a rift to hold Strange accountable for his incursions. They jumped through a portal into what seemed to be the Dark Dimension, ending the movie on quite the cliffhanger. Seeing as she’s the daughter of Umar in the comics, it may be she’s manipulating Strange to help her mother launch a coup. Given Strange got corrupted by the Darkhold, making him a pawn might be easier than first assumed.
However, Clea had her own selfish turns, so she might be the one seeking the throne after her uncle got stuck in Strange’s time loop. Either way, with Strange no longer romantically involved with his Christine, this would offer a more emotional villain, testing his heart and his mind if he thinks she’s worth redeeming. They had a storied romance in the comics, and she became the Sorcerer Supreme, so it’s easy to see the MCU making her a villain in need of reform before the power of love transitions her into someone better.
Doctor Strange 3 Can Use Nightmare For A Secret Invasion
Doctor Strange 2 revealed people’s nightmares and dreams are actually visions from alternate versions of themselves on other Earths. Thus, this provides Nightmare the perfect entry point as this demonic being can use these visions to tether to people across all realities. In the comics, he sucked people into his realm through their dreams, even taking control of their bodies, which is precisely what the Scarlet Witch did in this film — calling it “Dream Walking.”
This would allow Nightmare to possess others, creating a sinister army on many Earths, especially the 616. It can shape a Secret Invasion-like story with a supernatural twist instead of Skrulls, allowing the tyrant to target the Sanctum Sanctorum and Kamar-Taj. Nightmare has an army of succubi and incubi waiting. Not to mention he can also deploy the Fear Lords, such as D’Spayre and Nox, which would build on one of their own, the Dweller-in-Darkness, already appearing in the Shang-Chi solo movie.
Doctor Strange 3 Can Finally Introduce Mephisto
Wanda’s latest tragedy can finally bring Mephisto over due to Wundagore’s revelation. Wong confirmed hubs like this existed all across the multiverse, which only dark beings could harness. It’s easy to envision Mephisto moving from reality to reality, offering wishes and claiming souls to become strong enough to suck these hubs dry. If Wanda’s alive, he could even tempt her with another false reality, absorbing the last of her Darkhold magic. In addition, he can offer America a world with her moms, or Strange a world with Christine.
The point is that many heroes are broken and craving something more, which Mephisto can dole out in a nuanced role, akin to when he tempted Pete to save Aunt May in the Civil War books. With Strange already casting a bad spell in Spider-Man: No Way Home and rifts across the multiverse cracking open, it’s an easy in for Mephisto to capitalize on people’s grief. The Snap has many people empty inside because they lost loved ones in the five years they went missing, so Mephisto would have many victims to prey on. Ultimately, Strange’s mages and even a redeemed Wanda may have to team up to stop the demon from offering false hope.
See how these villains were set up in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, now in theaters.
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