Death is not a fresh concept to those within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), especially not the death of a parent. To start, there’s the unforgettable death of Tony Stark’s parents. While they may have been unfavored characters, their deathshaunted the Iron Man creatorand led him down many dark paths. Unfortunately, Wanda Maximoff and her brother Pietro suffered the same fate and in response, found themselves drawn to vengeance. And Sam Wilson? InThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, his parents were classified as deceased and an underlying plot surrounding the inheritance of a family boat continued throughout the series. However, what remains unknown is the canonical state of Doctor Strange’s parents within the MCU.
Doctor Strangehad a well-acclaimed debut on the big screen. The movie famously starred Benedict Cumberbatch as the title character, Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One, Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, and Benedict Wong as Wong. It is currently rated at an89% on Rotten Tomatoeswith many critics praising its artistic elements and unique tone.
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The fantasy drama doesn’t shy away from Stephen Strange’s dark origin, but it also fails to encapsulate the trauma he endured throughout the Marvel comics. The flick chose to focus on Stephen’s relationship with Christine and the events following his car crash that rendered his surgeon’s hands useless. Now that he has been thoroughly introduced into the MCU, it’s time for Marvel Studios to invest in his backstory.
What happened in the comics?
In the comic books,Stephen Strangehad a very rocky relationship with his family. He was born to Eugene and Beverly Strange, and had two siblings. As a young boy, Stephen was cursed by apprentice Karl Mordo who harvested jealousy of the other’s destiny to become one of the most powerful sorcerors known. It is thought that the curse was uplifted by the Ancient One before too much harm could be done. Following this, the two became long-lasting enemies.
Strange’s sister, Donna, died from a drowning incident that left Stephen scarred as he was present and unable to help. Tragically, his parents died soon after each other. His mother went first, while the sorcerer was still in school. These series of events are crucial to the egotistical nature that Stephen is known for as he began to grow increasingly detached as a result of his grief. This created a major rift between him and his brother, Victor. Not letting the sorcerer catch a break, following an argument between them, Victor was hit by a car while exiting Stephen’s house.
InDoctor Strange, Sorcerers Supreme #10(1988), Stephen keeps custody of Victor’s body, freezing his body in hopes that future medical advancements could revive him. It is here that things get very muddled and venture outside of the traditional MCU territory. Eventually, Stephen comes across a book of spells called the Book of Vishanti. He uses this to attempt to bring his brother back to life and unknowingly brings Victor back as a bloodthirsty vampire.
How can this tie into Phase 4?
As eventful as this arc is, it doesn’t seem to align with the current trajectory of the MCU. But there are two small connections that could lead the blossoming Phase 4 in this direction. First, is the introduction of the Darkhold. While many would argue that the magical book was brought to the screen byAgents of SHIELD, that show has not yet been deemed canonical by MCU creators and buffs.
The Darkhold played a major rolein the last few scenes of the Disney Plus seriesWandaVision. It is revealed thatAgatha Harknesshad been using the book to strengthen her powers while undercover in Westview. It had not been enough as Harkness was eventually defeated by Wanda Maximoff, leaving the young witch to take off with the tell-all book. In the final scenes of the show, she is seen studying it intensely.
Tying back into theDoctor Strangestoryline, Victor eventually gets captured by a wealthy voodoo priestess, Marie Laveau. She then forces the younger sibling to steal Doctor Strange’s copy of the Darkhold.
Coincidentally enough, Marie’s storyline is closely tied with Blade’s — a character who is expected to make an MCU appearance in the near future. Blade is also connected with Doctor Strange in a comic book run calledMidnight Sonswhere the two were both a part of a group of supernatural superheroes during a story arc called “Siege of Darkness.”
While this all remains speculation, it is evident that the connection is present. And if Doctor Strange is truly the future of the MCU as hinted at due to the current production ofDoctor Strange 2: Into the Multiverse, the incorporation of the multiverse in multiple MCU projects, and his pivotal role in theSpider-Man: No Way Hometrailer, it’s time for the MCU to give him a proper backstory.
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