Why Doctor Strange Goes To Scarlet Witch In Multiverse Of Madness

Why does Stephen Strange seek out the Scarlet Witch’s help in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? WandaVision transformed Wanda Maximoff into the MCU’s Scarlet Witch, a being whose creation was foretold by the Darkhold and who apparently wields more raw power than even the Sorcerer Supreme. According to Agatha Harkness, she is destined to destroy the world itself – making her a potentially unwise ally for Doctor Strange.

And yet, presumably considering Wanda Maximoff an ally after the events of Avengers: Endgame, the first trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness confirms the Master of the Mystic Arts will seek her out nonetheless. One shot showed Stephen Strange approaching Scarlet Witch, who initially believes he’s come to punish her for her actions in Westview; Strange swiftly sets her mind at ease, revealing he is actually there because he’s dealing with a multiversal crisis and believes she can help. The brief clip raises a tantalizing question of just how much Doctor Strange knows about Wanda’s power-up as the Scarlet Witch, and why he thinks she can help him.

Doctor Strange and the Masters of the Mystic Arts didn’t interfere during the events at Westview, but the Doctor Strange 2 trailer nonetheless confirms they know about it. When Scarlet Witch says she expected a visit, Strange reassures her he hasn’t come in response to what happened at Westview. The sorcerers must have learned of Westview after the fact, and subsequently looked into it; they’d certainly recognize that Wanda had become an incredibly powerful sorceress, although it’s difficult to say whether they’d have been able to identify Chaos Magic. In the comics, Chaos Magic is tied to the sinister Elder God Chthon, and he ensured sorcerers believed it was just a myth so they wouldn’t be prepared for his return to this plane of existence. It’s also entirely possible that they were more understanding of what happened given Wanda’s intense grief at the time.

Still, Doctor Strange would no doubt be fascinated by the fact Scarlet Witch has learned to tap into such powerful magic without training at Kamar-Taj. It’s important to remember that, in the MCU, magic is itself tied to the multiverse. As the Ancient One explained in Doctor Strange, “The language of the mystic arts is as old as civilization. The sorcerers of antiquity called the use of this language ‘spells,’ but if that word offends your modern sensibilities you can call it a ‘program.’ The source code that shapes reality. We harness energy drawn from other dimensions of the multiverse to cast spells, to conjure shields and weapons, to make magic.” This means any sorcerer who didn’t train at Kamar-Taj potentially knows secrets of the multiverse that the Masters of the Mystic Arts do not. Clearly, Scarlet Witch shares her knowledge, because the trailer also shows Doctor Strange reading the Darkhold, the book of dark magic Wanda took from Agatha Harkness.

It is, however, possible Doctor Strange knows even more than this. The Masters of the Mystic Arts don’t possess the Darkhold, but they do have a considerable library of books of magic, and some of these may mention the Scarlet Witch. If they do, they may make clear she has powers beyond even the Sorcerer Supreme, even the ability to travel the multiverse at will. That kind of knowledge would certainly explain why Wanda is sought out in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – even if the Masters of the Mystic Arts don’t know the entirety of the dark prophecy surrounding her.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4897 Articles Published)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

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