The story of Doctor Strange from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Early Life[]
Stephen Vincent Strange was born in New York City, and had a sister named Donna, who drowned after getting a cramp while swimming. The death of his sister, and not being able to save her, caused Strange to make his life goal to save lives. Strange went to medical school and eventually graduated with an M.D. and Ph.D. at the same, being able to do so due to his photographic memory.
Becoming a doctor, Strange began specializing in neurological surgery, and focused his research on the formation of new nerve cells. Strange later became attracted to fellow surgeon Christine Palmer, and the two began a relationship that ended due to Stephen's arrogance. In addition, Strange became a rival to Nicodemus West, a fellow doctor whom he often looked down on for not being observant. In 2012, Strange was present when the Chitauri attacked New York City, and was performing surgeries at a hospital.
In 2014, HYDRA deemed Strange a potential threat due to his medical skills and knowledge, but their plans were thwarted by Captain America, Black Widow, Falcon, and Nick Fury. By 2016, Dr. Strange became one of the top surgeons in New York, however, Stephen's ego increased, becoming indifferent and arrogant towards his peers. His relationship with his colleague, Christine Palmer, ended as well due to his ego and self-obsession, but remained amicable with her at Metro-General.
Doctor Strange[]
| “ | Teach me! | „ |
| ~ Doctor Strange to the Ancient One. |
By 2016, Strange was at the top of his game as New York's best surgeon, but remained arrogant and egotistical, causing him to come into conflict with Nicodemus and Christine. Driving to a dinner after Christine rejected his invitation, Strange was speaking to a nurse who wanted to perform surgeries on patients, but he rejected as he deemed it below him. Taking his eyes off the road to see a patient's records, Stephen collided into another car, causing a car crash where his hands were crushed on impact. Stephen was taken to Metro-General where he underwent surgery under West, who did the best he could to repair Stephen's hands. Though he survived the surgery, Strange was saddened to learn that his hands suffered from permanent nerve damage, thus hurting his medical careers.
Strange accused West of ruining him while he believed he could have performed the surgery better, he decided to spend his wealth on finding operations and techniques on fixing his hands. Despite going through several surgeries and rehabilitation, they were fruitless as lost a vast of his fortune to pay for each operation. When speaking to his physical therapist, the latter informed of a man by the name of Jonathan Pangborn who cured himself of a paralyzed spine. While attempting to get another procedure done, Strange further strained his friendship with Palmer, who remained his only support, and decided to leave as she didn't want to watch him suffer. Angered at his lost and his actions, Strange found a letter from his therapist that confirmed the story of Pangborn, and Stephen decided to find the man.
Stephen found Pangborn in top condition with his friends, and learned from that man that he traveled to Kamar-Taj and where he met the Ancient One. Going to Kamar-Taj, Strange met Karl Marda and the Ancient One, and the latter showed him his astral projection and sent him through the multiverse. Despite his initial skepticism, Strange stayed on his knees after venturing through the multiverse, and asked the Ancient One to teach him. She refused due to his initial disrespect of her, but she changed her mind after speaking with Mordo, and invited Stephen into the Masters of the Mystic Arts. He received training on how to use magic from the Ancient One and Mordo, as he learned of the group's library from master Wong. During his training, Stephen did further studies by reading books via the astral projection, and attempted to email Palmer to no avail. Additionally, Strange started to use the Eye of Agamotto, but was warned by Mordo and Wong of messing with the natural laws.
After nine months of training, Strange was attacked by the Zealots under the command of Kaecillius, and gained the assistance of the cloak of levitation. Despite being cornered by the Zealots, Strange managed to capture Kaecillius, who revealed Dormmmamu's plan to make the Dark Dimension be part of reality, and that the Ancient One dabbled in the Dark Dimension to sustain her life. While hearing Kaecillius, Strange was wounded by Lucian Astor, and needing medical attention, returned to Metro-General where he was assisted by Christine. Afterward, Strange returned to Mordo and learned the truth that the Ancient One did dabble with dark magic, which was against the rules of the mystic arts. Despite this, Strange worked with Mordo to fight against the Zealots, and witnessed the Ancient One be critically injured by Kaecillius.
Stephen managed to get the Ancient One to Metro-General to be saved by Christine and Nicodemus, but she accepted her fate and passed away. Before she left the plane, Strange spoke with the Ancient One, and the two discussed magic and how he could save lives by becoming a master of the mystic arts, or fix hands to return as an renounced surgeon. Taking her words to heart, Stephen decided to recruit Mordo to stop Kaecillius, and uses the Eye of Agamotto to bring Wong back to life and stop the zealot. When Keacillius informed Stephen that he couldn't stop Dormammu's arrival, Strange decided to travel to the dark dimension to make a bargain. Though Dormammu initially killed Strange numerous times, the being relented and decided to make the bargain to never return to Earth and take the Zealots with him.
Returning to Hong Kong, Strange witnessed the Zealots leave with Dormammu, and watched Mordo leave the mystic arts after becoming disillusioned with the rules of the mystic arts. Stephen then returned the Eye of Agamotto since he saw himself not worthy to wield a relic of powerful consequences, and informed Wong that he didn't know anything about the Infinity Stones. Wong then told Strange that there needed be a protector of the New York sanctum since Daniel Drumm was killed, and Stephen decided to become it's new master. After the events of stopping Dormammu, Strange started to create a list of beings that could pose a threat to Earth, and learned of the existence of Norse gods when meeting Odin.
Thor: Ragnarok[]
| “ | Thor, I sense a great change in your future. | „ |
| ~ Doctor Strange to Thor Odinson. |
Doctor Strange informed Thor that his father, Odin Borson, was still living in exile in Norway. Strange then took some of Thor's hair, and used it to open a portal Norway, and reminded the Norse God to collect his hammer. Thor then requested that Loki be returned to him for the trip, and did so after heaving him fall in a portal for thirty minutes. Loki attempted to attack the sorcerer, but Strange was tired of the Asgardians, and teleported them to their destination, and went back to Wong.
Avengers: Infinity War[]
| “ | We're in the endgame now. | „ |
| ~ Doctor Strange. |
Doctor Strange was first seen chatting with Wong in the New York Sanctum about getting a snack until Hulk crash landed on the steps. Hulk immediately warned Strange about Thanos and his plans, which led Strange to alert Iron-Man about the situation. Wong explained what the Infinity Stones were, but they were soon alerted by Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian trying to steal the Time Stone for Thanos. Doctor Strange used his magic against Ebony Maw, but Maw was too skilled of an opponent. Strange then was about to unlock the Time Stone, but Maw choked Strange unconscious. However, the Cloak of Levitation carried Strange away across New York until Strange was beamed onto a spaceship. Strange woke up on the spaceship with Maw trying to convince Strange to give him the Time Sone. Strange refused, so Ebony Maw tortured Strange using needles. However, Iron-Man and Spider-Man soon arrived, killed Ebony-Maw and rescued Strange.
Tony and Strange disagreed on what to do; Tony wanted to kill Thanos directly by going to Titan, while Strange wanted to return to Earth out of fear that the Time Stone may be lost to Thanos. After plenty of fighting, Strange decided to go to Titan, but said that he will value the stone over Tony or Peter. Once landing on Titan, they were confronted by the Guardians of the Galaxy until they realized both had the same goal, so they teamed up. While discussing the plan, Strange looked into the future to see if they would win, but Strange came back saying there was only 1 future out of 14,000,605 chances where the heroes would defeat Thanos. Thanos soon arrived on Titan and was confronted by Strange about his plan, and once Strange fully learned about his delusional plan, he and the rest of the heroes started the battle of Titan.
Strange and the heroes managed to knock Thanos unconscious until an angry Star-Lord punched Thanos in the face, awakening him. Thanos soon defeated the rest of the heroes, but Strange was unharmed and dueled Thanos soon afterwards. Strange put up a good fight(which Thanos later praised), but Thanos eventually got the upper hand and threw a time stone less Strange away to defeat Iron-Man. Thanos was about to kill Tony until Strange gave Thanos the time stone in exchange for Tony's life, which Thanos agreed. Strange explained to Tony why he made this move saying, "we're in the endgame now". Strange was one of the ones who was killed by Thanos, saying to Tony "there was no other way" before turning into dust.
Avengers: Endgame[]
| “ | If I tell you what happens, it won't happen. | „ |
| ~ Doctor Strange to Iron Man. |
Just like the rest of the heroes who got killed by Thanos, Doctor Strange was revived by the Hulk via the Infinity Nano Gauntlet crafted by Iron Man. Doctor Strange then organized all the deceased heroes and most other heroes who have appeared in the MCU to aid the Avengers in their battle against Thanos. Doctor Strange was fighting in the battle of Earth along with the other heroes. However, during the Sanctuary's missile assault on the battlefield, the Hudson River burst and was about to flood, killing the heroes, but thankfully, Strange held up the river and returned the Hudson back to normal.
After Captain Marvel got defeated by Thanos, Strange held up a one on his finger to a nearby Iron-Man to signal that this will be the one timeline where the Avengers will win. This led Iron-Man to sacrifice himself to defeat Thanos and his army, saving the universe. Doctor Strange was present at Iron-Man's funeral, honoring Tony Stark's legacy.
Spider-Man: No Way Home[]
After Spider-Man's identity was exposed as Peter Parker, Strange was approached by Parker to perform the Runes of Kauf-Kaul to make the world forget that Peter Parker was Spider-Man, but it went wrong, instead unleashing several visitors from alternate realities from across the multiverse, including Green Goblin, Doc Oc and Sandman from Earth-96283, Electro and Lizard from Earth-120703, two alternate versions of Spider-Man from both the universes their rivals came from, and Eddie Brock and Venom from Earth-688B.
Strange and Parker worked together to capture the five supervillains and contain the spell in the Machina de Kadavus. Although Strange was intent on sending them all back to meet their fates in order to protect the flow of reality, Parker opposed him, hoping to avert their deaths by curing all of them first. The two fought over the Machina, in which Parker locked Strange in the Mirror Dimension.
Doctor Strange eventually was freed during the battle at Liberty Island, and fought off to contain multiple rifts breaking throughout the Multiverse after the Machina's destruction. Strange cast one final spell to return the visitors back to their own universes and close the rifts, but at the cost of making everyone, including himself, forget Spider-Man's secret identity.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness[]
Doctor Strange is first seen waking up from a dream of Defender Strange helpping America Chazez get to the book of Vishate. Upon getting there, they are attacked by the ribbon demon who was sent by an unknown individual at the time. Defender Strange duels the creature but finds himself outmatched, he attempts to steal America's power only to be stabbed by the Ribbon Demon. The Demon then grabs Chavez before she opens a portal to Earth-199999. Still grabbed by the demon, Defender Strange cuts off its tentacles holding her. Allowing America to fall into the portal. Defender Strange also fell into the portal.
Strange goes to Christine Palmer's wedding with Charlie and lies about being happy before America Chavez's arrival to Earth-199999. America Chavez is attacked by Gargantos before that Doctor Strange comes to her rescue. Upon killing the creature, Strange asks America who she is before she takes his Slingring. She then gets confronted by Strange and Wong who take her to have lunch. Strange asks America who she and why she was in his dream last night before America explains that his dream was him seeing through the eyes of his alternate self and about how she and Defender Strange were looking for the book of Vishante. After lunch she takes Wong and Strange to Defender Strange's corpse which Doctor Strange buries at the top of the rooftop.
Strange takes America to Kamar-Taj to stay with Wong while he gathers forces to protect America, his first choice being Wanda Maximoff, better known as Scarlet Witch. Upon finding out Scarlet Witch commanded the Ribbon Demon and Gargantos to kidnap America, Strange and Wong gather their forces. When Scarlet Witch arrives to battle them, she kills most of the students their and attempts to kill Strange and Wong. America opens a portal that sucks in Strange and herself while Wong is left with Scarlet Witch. They go through numerous dimensions before arriving on the rooftop of an alternate reality.
Upon their arrival America explains the multiverse to Strange and to get free food. She steals pizza balls from a pizza poppa, angry that his food was stolen and believing Strange stole his cloak from a museum dedicated to that universes Strange, he attacks them only for Strange to redirect his punch and cast a spell to make him continue hitting himself for three weeks. They arrive at convenience stores, where Strange finds out America's first instance of opening a portal. America also sees Strange's memories and sees his date with Christine.
They arrive at that universe's Sanctum Sanctorum to find that universes Karl Mordo before he captures them. Imprisoned within a glass container, Strange meets the Christine Palmer of that universe who dubs the one she lives in as Earth-838. Strange gets taken to see the Illuminate, where Strange is being judged on whether he should die. During Scarlet Witch's attack on the Illuminate headquarters, the Illuminate try to kill Scarlet Witch while Mordo attempts to kill Strange, who wins the fight and escapes into the corridors of the headquarters. Christine and America escape from Scarlet Witch and rendezvous with Strange. Together they make their way through the underground part of the Illuminate's headquarters while being chased by Scarlet Witch. Upon gaining access to the room with it, they are attacked by Scarlet Witch who destroys the book. America opens a portal which nearly sucks her in before she is kidnapped by Scarlet Witch who sends Strange and Christine through the portal.
Strange and Christine travel through a ruined New York to kill Sinister Strange and use his Darkhold to Dreamwalk into Defender Strange's body. At Mound Wundagore, Scarlet Witch slowly drains America Chavez's powers before Strange arrives possessing Defender Strange's corpse. Strange entraps Scarlet Witch with Wong's help while he encourages America to use her powers. America punches Scarlet Witch a few times before opening a portal to Earth-838, where Billy and Tommy of that universe tell their Wanda Maximoff about "the witch". Billy and Tommy attack the intruder Wanda, before she is told by her counterpart that her children will be loved. Feeling remorse for her actions, Scarlet Witch destroys Mount Wundagore while America arrives in Sinister Strange's world to take Christine back to Earth-838 and Strange back to his native reality after a heartfelt conversation about their respective love interests and their problems, giving each other the strength to move on.
America is then brought to train with the Masters of the Mystic Arts, who attempt to teach her how to open a portal. Chavez in unable to make one and sheepishly tells Strange that she was able to make some sparks and that she was glad that she fell into this universe. Strange himself admits he is happy that she came into his as well before they part ways. Strange fixes the watch given to him by the Christine Palmer of his reality before taking a walk through New York where he painfully has his third eye opened. Strange later encounters Clea who states to Strange that he caused an incursion that he has to fix before opening a portal to Dormammu's Dark Dimension which they both walk through.