Doctor Strange 2 Detail Reveals Scarlet Witch Has Captured Strange

A small detail in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer reveals that Scarlet Witch has captured Doctor Strange. Following the events of WandaVision, Elizabeth Olsen returns to the MCU via the upcoming Benedict Cumberbatch-led sequel. Not much is known about what kind of dynamic they will have in the film, but the newly-released Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer hints that they would be at odds.

On the heels of the Infinity Saga, Marvel Studios started to rebuild the MCU as it transitioned to Phase 4. With several of the franchise’s founding heroes no longer active in the universe, the franchise either introduced new players or put more focus on already existing characters such as Wanda Maximoff. The acclaimed WandaVision centered on her dealing with the traumatic experiences that shaped her life. While the Disney+ series ended on the idea that she’s set on the path to healing, it doesn’t seem like it’s the case anymore as per what’s revealed about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness thus far.

Marking the beginning of its marketing period, Marvel Studios dropped the first proper trailer for the Sam Raimi-directed MCU film during Super Bowl LVI. The Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness clip had several Easter eggs. But arguably some of its most interesting moments were the interactions between Doctor Strange and Wanda. At one point, the pair is having a regular conversation through the woods about the concept of the multiverse. This particular scene was previously released via Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s mid-credits scene, and it appeared as if the sorcerer sought Wanda’s help as he tackled the idea. But as noted by Reddit user, u/LongjumpingTrainer38, this conversation is actually an illusion as it’s exactly the same chat where Wanda is in her Scarlet Witch outfit, chastising Doctor Strange about also breaking the rules. This means that somehow, Wanda was able to capture the sorcerer and trap him in this mirage. 

This isn’t the first time that she has used this specific skill; in fact, it’s Wanda’s oldest superpower in the MCU. When she was introduced in Avengers: Age of Ultron, she cast a spell on Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) which worsened Iron Man’s fear of an unknown threat. This further motivated him to push forward with the Ultron Initiative. Eventually, Wanda was able to subject the rest of the original Avengers to her illusions, except for Hawkeye (Clint Barton). It was a forgotten ability until Marvel Studios brought it back in WandaVision. But although she’s long had this skill, this time, it’s significantly more dangerous for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Wanda has been tapping into dark magic (maybe unknowingly but still), as she continued to learn from Agatha Harkness’ (Kathryn Hahn) Darkhold. Secondly, no one’s really stopping her anymore from going totally evil. She has already lost Vision (Paul Bettany) and their kids. Without any ally to guide her back to the good side, she could finally fully embrace her dark side.

It’s uncertain how exactly Scarlet Witch was able to get to Doctor Strange. However, it may ultimately go back to the sorcerer’s meddling in Spider-Man: No Way Home that tipped her off. Based on her scathing line in the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer, she doesn’t appreciate that she was cast as a villain when she broke the rules, but Doctor Strange was hailed as a hero when he did. 

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