In the MCU, Doctor Strange has been up against strong adversaries, ventured into strange dimensions, and encountered alternate versions of himself. But his most interesting story may not be one of his live-action exploits.
Instead, it is from ‘What If…?’ where Stephen Strange had a tragic character arc, examining the risks of grief, obsession, and denial.
‘What If…?’ Explored Doctor Strange’s Greatest Weakness
‘What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?’, simply alters one key aspect of the familiar origin story of Stephen Strange. Strange doesn’t lose his hands in a car accident; he loses the woman he loves, Christine Palmer. Strange is heartbroken when she dies, and learns about magic and wants to bring her back.
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Initially, his only desire is to change a personal tragedy, but slowly it becomes an obsession that takes over his life. Strange becomes more powerful, and as he does, he’s challenging the laws of reality and absorbing mystical beings. But regardless of how powerful he becomes, he refuses to accept that Christine’s death cannot be reversed without consequences.
This is the power of this story: Strange is never the bad guy. His actions are a result of heartbreak, and his transformation is painful to watch. You know why he’s trying to save Christine, even if his actions are increasingly horrific. The ending delivers a devastating reminder that having the power to change reality doesn’t mean you can control everything.
Marvel’s Live-Action Movies Haven’t Matched Its Emotional Depth
‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ explored similar ideas through a darker variant of Stephen Strange who used the Darkhold to search for a universe where he could be happy with Christine. The film embraced horror and delivered some memorable sequences, but it didn’t explore his emotional downfall with quite the same intensity.
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The animated episode is successful because it was always about the character’s personal tragedy, and not anything else. Rather than just watching Strange fight another strong opponent, it explores how his strongest ability, his determination, is his biggest obstacle.
That is what makes this version of Doctor Strange so memorable. He is not a weakling or an imbecile. He’s destroyed because he cannot let go of the past. Marvel has brought many interesting characters and alternate realities to life, but this story is proof of the power the MCU can have when it prioritizes emotion over flash.
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