Why Doctor Strange Is The Leading Villain In Spider-Man No Way Home

We are accustomed to seeing Benedict Cumberbatch in a goody-two-shoes role but ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ might change that. 

Is ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ the most awaited Spider-Man film of our times? Perhaps, yes. The film’s trailer has left us with countless burning questions and a motherload of agony while we wait for the answers. Given that it’s the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it seems unlikely that by the end of the film, there will be no puzzles at all. But, for now, let’s address the most burning question: is Doctor Strange the real villain of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’?

HIGHLIGHTS â€"

The maddening presence of the multiverse

Doctor Strange in disguise wreaking havoc

MULTIVERSE AND ITS MULTIPLE CONFUSIONS

Here’s what we know from the ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ trailer. Peter Parker’s identity as Spider-Man is no more a secret. He has been labelled as Public Enemy #1, Devil in Disguise among many other things and is yearning to regain his anonymity. He visits Doctor Strange, alongside whom he fought against Thanos, and expects the sorcerer to fix his problem. Doctor Strange complies and things go terribly wrong.

Why Doctor Strange is the leading villain in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

Doctor Strange uses a spell that unleashes the madness of the multiverse, despite being warned by his colleague and dear friend Wong to not use the particular spell. The question that is confounding everyone is: why would Strange be so reckless?

Firstly, being arrogant of his powers is not novel to Strange. Peter Parker’s constant blabbering also did not help. But would Strange, or the real Strange, attempt such a contentious spell that risks the harmony of space and time? That’s the million buck puzzle.

This brings in the most pervasive fan theory that Doctor Strange in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is a multiverse variant and a villain. Besides his lack of restraint in using the spell, several things in the trailer point towards this.

I think there might be a chance the evil Doctor Strange Supreme from #WhatIf is the one we actually see in the No Way Home trailer.

Anyway if this episode is any set up to NWH and MoM we ain't ready for what's coming pic.twitter.com/jGga0bogqm

â€" O. Zoubaïrou (@__oomarr) September 9, 2021

For starters, Doctor Strange is not in character. He is wearing clothes very unlike himself, there’s some winking going on, too, (albeit it’s very hot coming from Cumberbatch.) Secondly, Strange is carrying the Eye of Agamotto, the safe-keep for the Time Stone, which had been destroyed by Thanos.

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This increases the chances that Strange is a villainous multiverse variant in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’, a version of Strange who was able to protect the Eye of Agamotto. Moreover, Strange can also be seen fighting Parker, which again beckons the question: is he the real antagonist of this Spider-Man film?

If indeed this theory is true, it will be fascinating to see where is the ‘real’ Doctor Strange, how will Peter Parker figure out the truth and the effect of this film on the Doctor Strange sequel: ‘Multiverse of Madness’.

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STRANGE: A SKRULL IN DISGUISE?

The folks who work for the Marvel Cinematic Universe have a sadistic streak of throwing more at fans than they can take. (Shoutout to the fellow who leaked the ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ trailer.) The recent shocker by the MCU comes with the announcement of the series ‘Secret Invasion’.

‘Secret Invasion’ features a frightening storyline in which Skrulls take the place of several beloved superheroes on Earth. Who are these Skrulls, you ask? Briefly, Skrulls are aliens who can shapeshift, meaning they can disguise themselves as any person they like.

This is where an alternate theory about Doctor Strange being the real villain against Spider-Man kicks in. Perhaps, he is a Skrull. However, this is less plausible than Strange being a multiverse variant in ‘No Way Home’.

You see, a Skrull would find it difficult to cast a spell as Doctor Strange does and inhabit all his experience and knowledge. Thus, the former theory of Strange as a variant is more popular.

All these simmering questions and possibilities will not be put to rest until December later this year. But it is comforting to know that we are not alone in surviving on morsels of truth till then.

So share with us what you think is going on with Doctor Strange? Do you believe he is really a villain in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’? Comment below!

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