Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Film and Plot Synopsis

Doctor Strange returns for his second solo adventure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Shortly after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Stephen encounters an extraordinary girl from his dreams that has the ability to open portals to alternate universes. However, the girl is being pursued by a series of demons intent on capturing her. Stephen attempts the enlist the help of his former partner, Wong, and former Avenger, Wanda Maximoff, to save the girl. However, Stephen soon finds himself traversing the multiverse. Will Stephen stop the new adversary from capturing the girl before the Multiverse of Madness consumes everything?

‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Movie Summary

The film begins with America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) and an alternate universe Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) being pursued by a demon as they search for the Book of Vishanti in a space between universes. The alternate Stephen attempts to steal America’s powers before he is killed by the demon. Panicked, America uses her power to open a portal that transports herself and the alternate Strange’s corpse to Earth-616, the universe of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Once there, America is attacked by another demon before she is saved by Dr. Stephen Strange and Wong (Benedict Wong), the new Sorcerer Supreme. The rescue interrupts Stephen’s attendance at the wedding of Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), Stephen’s former love. America explains to the two sorcerers that she has been pursued through the multiverse by demons who are hunting her because she has the power to travel through the multiverse, although she has yet to learn how to control the power. America explains that she also has learned that she is the only America Chavez in the multiverse.

After his examination of the demon’s corpse, Stephen recognizes witchcraft runes on the body. Stephen sends America with Wong to Kamar-Taj while he goes to consult with Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) about the witchcraft. However, Stephen quickly realizes that Wanda is the one responsible for the attacks. Wanda explains that after acquiring the Darkhold and becoming the Scarlet Witch during the events of the WandaVision series, Wanda began exploring the multiverse to find her magically created sons Billy (Julian Hilliard) and Tommy (Jett Klyne) in a real universe. Wanda needs America’s powers to traverse the multiverse in order to find her children. Unfortunately, the acquisition of the powers will kill America. Stephen refuses to turn over America and retreats to Kamar-Taj.

Not long after, Wanda attacks Kamar-Taj and kills many sorcerers. Once again, in a panic, America accidentally activates her powers and transports herself and Stephen across the multiverse, ultimately landing them on Earth-838. Undeterred, Wanda uses the Darkhold to “dreamwalk”, the ability to control the body of her Earth-838 counterpart. She discovers that Wanda on that world lives a suburban life with a very much alive Billy and Tommy. However, a surviving sorceress from Kamar-Taj destroys the Darkhold and breaks Wanda’s ability to dreamwalk in Earth-838. Enraged, Wanda forces a captured Wong to lead her to Mount Wundagore, the source of the Darkhold’s power, to reestablish the dreamwalk.

Meanwhile, on Earth-838, Stephen and America are apprehended by that universe’s Sorcerer Supreme, Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor). The pair are brought before the Illuminati, a group of superheroes who oversee all superhero decisions for their world. The Illuminati is made up of Mordo, Peggy Carter aka Captain Britain (Hayley Atwell), Maria Rambeau aka Captain Marvel (Lashana Lynch), Blackagar Boltagon aka Black Bolt (Anson Mount), Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic (John Krasinski), and Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). The Illuminati informs Stephen that they perceive him as a tremendous threat to their world as their Stephen Strange used their universe’s Darkhold in an attempt to defeat Thanos. As a result, a universe destroying “incursion” was triggered. After Thanos was ultimately defeated, the Illuminati executed their Strange to prevent him from causing more harm.

Mordo believes Earth-616’s Stephen is a threat to their reality and recommends executing him as well. Stephen attempts to warn the Illuminati about Wanda, who reestablishes her dreamwalk at Mount Wundagore and takes control of her Earth-838 counterpart for a second time. She arrives at the temple before the Illuminati can pass judgement on Stephen. Wanda kills the entire Illuminati, except Mordo, who Stephen subdues before fleeing with America. Stephen and America are assisted by Earth-838’s version of Christine, who works with the Illuminati as a scientist.

You break the rules and become a hero. I do it and I become the enemy. That doesn’t seem fair. Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen)

Stephen, America, and Christine enter the space between universes, the place where the film began, to find the Book of Vishanti, which Stephen believes is the antithesis of the Darkhold. However, Wanda appears and destroys the Book of Vishanti. Wanda takes over America’s mind and uses the young girl’s powers to send Stephen and Christine to an incursion-destroyed universe. Once there, Stephen encounters that universe’s Stephen Strange, who has been corrupted by his universe’s Darkhold. The two Stephen’s fight with the good Stephen ultimately killing his evil counterpart.

Stephen uses the Darkhold to dreamwalk into the body of his dead counterpart on Earth-616. Dreamwalking Stephen travels to Mount Wundagore to save America and stop Wanda. Wong joins with Stephen to save America. Stephen encourages America to use her powers, and America sends Wanda back to Earth-838, where she sees Billy and Tommy. The two children recoil in fear when they see her and beg for their mother, who comes to save them. Wanda sees the terror that she has created in her children and realizes how obsessed she has become. Wanda uses her powers to collapse Mount Wundagore upon herself and ending the evil influence that it has in her universe. She also destroys all copies of the Darkhold throughout the multiverse. America uses her powers to return Stephen and Christine to their respective universes.
In the aftermath, Wong oversees the repair of Kamar-Taj where America decides to stay for training on how to use her abilities. Stephen seems to find contentment in his new place in the world.

In a mid-credits scene, Stephen is walking down the streets of New York when he suddenly collapses in pain and develops a third eye, implying that he has been corrupted by his use of the Darkhold. In a post-credits scene, Stephen is once again walking down the streets of New York when he is approached by an alternate universe sorceress name Clea (Charlize Theron). Clea warns Stephen that his actions have triggered an incursion that he must help her fix. Stephen opens his new third eye and then follows Clea into the Dark Dimension.