Doctor strange in the multiverse of madness he is now free and the responses are mostly positive. Directed by Sam Raimi, the film brings back Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role and pits him against an evil force that threatens not only the universe, but the entire multiverse. Now what is at stake is not just about a single universe, but about all universes.
The movie, like just about every MCU movie these days, features various surprises, callbacks, Easter eggs, and cameos. Even its middle and post credits have gags and surprises. In this article we talk in detail about the ending and post-credits scenes, so if you haven’t seen the movie yet, this is your warning to stop reading.
SPOILER ALERT
As the movie begins, we see Strange, or rather one of his parallel universe versions called Defender Strange, running down a path in a dimension where gravity is apparently just a word (later revealed to be a zone between universes). With him is América Chávez (Xóchitl Gómez), a teenager with the power to travel between universes. They are being chased by a fire demon. Her target is a mysterious book, but before they can reach it, the demon catches up with them and Strange decides to absorb America’s powers for himself, which would have killed her.
But the demon impales Strange and as he lay dying, he saves Chavez from the demon, and the teenager hurtles towards Earth-616, the main reality in the MCU and Marvel Comics. She, Strange (the MCU Strange, of course), and Wong decide to protect her from whatever is threatening her.
After a fight with a tentacled monster that has crossed dimensions to kill America, Strange sees witchcraft runes on his body and decides to approach Wanda, believing that she will know what to do. But he learns that it is Wanda who controls the demons that haunt America. She still hasn’t gotten over the grievance of losing her children (who technically never existed) and is researching other universes they exist in, using the Darkhold to ‘dream walk’ Wandas from other universes (basically possessing them as a ghost) who have to his children. (probably without dark magic). She’s more Scarlet Witch than Wanda at the moment.
Wanda attacks Kamar Taj, the stronghold of the Masters of Mystic Arts, to reach America. She cuts through the wizards with ease, turning the building into ruins. As Wanda closes the breach, America transports her and Strange to Earth-818, where they meet their Sorcerer Supreme Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who drugs them and takes them to the Illuminati.
Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff. (Image: Marvel Studios)
The secret society, made up of Mordo, Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Reed Richards or Mister Fantastic (John Krasinski), Captain Marvel (Lashana Lynch), Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell), Black Bolt (Anson Mount), arrest Strange and United States, considering them a threat to the multiverse, since the now-deceased Strange of that universe almost caused an event called an “incursion”: collision and possible destruction of two universes.
Meanwhile, Wanda tears apart the Illuminati (except Mordo) like she’s carving a cake. Strange, America, and Christine (Rachel McAdams) of Earth-818 flee to find the entrance to the space between universes in the bowels of the Illuminati headquarters while Earth-818’s Wanda, controlled by the Scarlet Witch, pursues them.
Ultimately, Wanda is defeated by the combined powers of Strange, Wong, and America, who finally learns to control her power. America enlists in Kamar Taj and Strange develops a third eye as a result of his use of the Darkhold.
Now let’s get to those mid and post credits scenes.
average credits
Mid-credits, we see Strange seemingly recovering from the pain he felt when his third eye sprouted. He is walking down a street when a woman in a purple suit approaches him. The character is played by Charlize Theron, and the character is Clea, a skilled sorceress and Strange’s love interest in the comics. She casually opens a rift in reality using a sword and invites Strange to undo the damage she caused (raid) while he defeated Wanda.
The rift appears to show the Dark Dimension, the abode of terrifying beings like Dormammu, the demon we saw in the original movie. Interestingly, Clea is related to Dormammu (she is her niece) in the comics, where she and Strange battled the demon and defeated it.
Clea’s inclusion is interesting if a little…strange. Considering Theron is playing the role, Clea should have some longevity in the MCU rather than a striking appearance, and she’ll likely be seen in a sequel or Avengers 5.
post credits
The post-credits scene brings Bruce Campbell back from the beginning of the film. Campbell is the star of Raimi’s Evil Dead franchise who appears in at least one cameo in nearly every film by the director. His character was selling pizza balls on Earth-838 and accused the United States of stealing them. In response, Strange cast a spell on him that caused him to hit himself over and over again. However, in the post-credits, he suddenly stops and happily yells “It’s over.”
It serves as a good gag that is also meta in that it trolls the moviegoers in attendance, who were hoping for something more meaningful, like a tease for a future movie. “It’s over” in fact. The audience can go home now.
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