Marvel Studios' line-up of Disney Plus shows has left fans wondering how they will impact the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the upcomingWhat If…?series will show viewers what the MCU might have looked like had events that have already transpired unfolded differently. Now, a Funko Pop figure offers fans a glimpse at a dark version of Doctor Strange who will appear in an episode of the long-awaited show.
InMarvel Studios’Doctor Strange, audiences were introduced to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange, an egotistical but brilliant neurosurgeon whose gift is shattered when a car crash severely injures his hands. Seeking a cure for his injury when modern medicine fails him, Strange embarks on a journey to Kamar-Taj and eventually studies to become a sorcerer under the guidance of the Ancient One. As time passes, Strange is able to master the mystic arts, repair his hands, and chooses to become one of the many sorcerers who protects Earth from interdimensional threats.
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However, Illuminerdi recently leaked details about an upcoming Doctor Strangeepisode ofWhat If…?claiming viewers will see a version of the sorcerer who experienced a completely different origin. According to the leak, the episode in question will focus on a version of Doctor Strange who discovered magic after the death of his true love, which led him down a much darker path as he attempted to use the mystic arts to change the past. Now, the previously mentioned Funko Pop figure offers a glimpse at what appears to be this darker version of the sorcerer, who has been dubbed “Doctor Strange Supreme.” The back of the box art for the figure also provides a glimpse at alternate versions of other MCU heroes, including Captain Carter and T’Challa Star-Lord.
An official preview forWhat If…?featured a brief shot of Strange unleashing magic in a fit of rage while standing near a seemingly deceased woman who may be Dr. Christine Palmer, who was played byRachel McAdams inDoctor Strange. Furthermore, the teaser concluded with Strange in the midst of a battle with a darker version of himself, who was dressed in black clothing and appeared to be firing different types of energy blasts at his “good” counterpart. While these elements of the trailer do not confirm the previously mentioned leaked episode details, they certainly give them some degree of credence.
Interestingly, the concept of a hero unleashing dark or “chaos magic” as a reaction to the death of a loved one has been seen in the MCU before.Marvel Studios’WandaVisionsaw Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch create a sitcom-inspired world using chaos magic, which she accidentally unleashed after breaking down upon discovering The Vision had bought a home where they could live together before he was murdered by Thanos.
So, if the Strange we see battling “Doctor Strange Supreme” inWhat If…?is the same one fans have been watching in the MCU films, perhaps the sorcerer will have some empathy for the grieving Scarlet Witch. After all, Doctor Strange and Wanda Maximoff are going to cross paths when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnesscontinues theWandaVisionstory.
What If…?is expected to premiere on Disney Plus in August 2021.
