DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS Spoilers: Every MCU Variant Who Appears In The Film

We've taken a look at Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' biggest cameos, but what about the film's Variants? We meet new takes on several familiar faces, and a full breakdown can be found here!

By HamiltonParker - May 05, 2022 03:05 PM EST

Filed Under: In the Multiverse of Madness

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has started playing in theaters worldwide, and we're sure many of you are anxious to learn more about the film's Variants.

That's what doppelgangers who originate from other realities were designated in Loki, and while the term is never used in this sequel, they are all obviously Variants of the characters we know from the MCU. The film doesn't get too crazy with them (don't expect to see a very different take on The Avengers with the same actors), but there are a lot of fun new takes on familiar faces.

In this comprehensive list of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' Variants, we explain their respective roles in the film, reveal how they differ, and share their final fates.

It goes without saying that we're getting into heavy SPOILERS here, so you'll have to hit Next if you want to find out which Variants to be on the lookout for in the Doctor Strange sequel!

8. Defender Strange

We meet Defender Strange during the film's opening scene as he and America Chavez are pursued through a mystical realm that houses the Book of Vishanti.

Realising that they're beaten, Strange decides he must take America's reality-hopping powers to stop the mysterious demonic entity from gaining them. This action will kill the teenager, and while Defender Strange seems genuinely sorry, he goes ahead with the spell, anyway.

Before it can be completed, however, he's killed by the creature. In his final act, he helps America escape before both end up in the MCU. Strange is dead, though his body later comes in handy for the MCU's Stephen Strange to inhabit through dream-walking.

7. Dr. Christine Palmer

While many fans suspected Rachel McAdams might be playing Clea in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the film heads down a far more logical route by having her portray a Christine Palmer Variant.

She lives on the same world as The Illuminati and had a similarly complicated relationship with her world's Stephen Strange before he died protecting the world from Thanos. As part of the Baxter Foundation, Christine ultimately helps the MCU's Doctor Strange escape from the Scarlet Witch alongside America Chavez.

Travelling to another reality with Strange, she plays a pivotal role in Wanda's eventual defeat and is returned to her own world after a touching exchange with the hero.

6. Illuminati Strange

When Strange and Chavez arrive on The Illuminati's world, they head to the Sanctum Sanctorum and find a statue dedicated to that reality's fallen Sorcerer Supreme.

As noted, he's credited with defeating Thanos and saving reality. The truth is a little more complicated, though, as The Illuminati reveal their Strange, a founding member of the group, succumbed to dark magic. This caused an incursion that resulted in another universe being destroyed, leaving them with no other choice than to kill the fallen hero.

Accepting his fate, Strange allows Black Bolt to use his incredibly powerful voice to wipe him from existence, and when all is said and done, he's reduced to dust.

5. Wanda Maximoff (And The Twins)

The Scarlet Witch claims her children exist in every reality other than the MCU, but it's ultimately the Wanda in The Illuminati's world that the former Avenger targets.

Possessing her doppelganger's body through dream walking, the Witch lays waste to the Illuminati and leaves her children terrified when she eventually appears before them as herself. This Wanda also has powers, though we never learn whether she's a mutant or similarly powered by Chaos Magic.

As for Billy and Tommy, they look very much the same as they did in WandaVision. We don't know who their father is, but they don't appear to have superpowers. In this world at least, they're not Speed and Wiccan.

4. Sinister Strange

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' final Stephen Strange Variant is a sinister version of the hero who isn't all that different to the one we met in What If...? last year.

He tapped into dark magic and now protects the Darkhold. Causing an incursion by searching for a world where he could be with Dr. Christine Palmer, his reality was destroyed and is now a shell of its former self. Engaging in battle with the MCU's Stephen because he wants to make the Christine Variant waiting outside his own, the unhinged Sinister Strange is ultimately defeated.

Thrown out of the Sanctum's window, Strange is impaled on a fence and dies...though his third eye still manages to open and terrify poor Christine!

3. Captain Marvel

Fans were initially convinced that this was the Superior Iron Man, but the superpowered being who powers up for a fight with Scarlet Witch is, in fact, a Captain Marvel Variant.

In this instance, it's Maria Rambeau who was granted those incredible cosmic powers, and that means Lashana Lynch reprises her Captain Marvel role, only as a Variant of Carol Danvers' best friend. Wearing a navy and silver uniform, she looks great, and is just as powerful as her MCU counterpart.

That's not enough to overcome Wanda's sheer level of power, though, and poor Captain Marvel is ultimately defeated and killed when she's crushed by a giant statue.

2. Peggy Carter

As expected after those recent TV spots, Hayley Atwell does indeed make her live-action debut as Captain Carter (and even reels off the "I could do this all day" line we know so well).

Is this What If...?'s Captain Carter? It doesn't appear so. Her costume is a little different and she has jetpacks that distinguish her from that animated Variant. Marvel Studios has yet to directly address that show's place in the wider MCU - there's no Uatu here, for example - and this Peggy Carter is clearly just her world's stand-in for Captain America.

Despite putting up a good fight against the Scarlet Witch, poor Captain Carter ends up meeting an untimely, gruesome end at the villain's hands.

1. Master Mordo

Doctor Strange is surprised to be embraced by Mordo on The Illuminati's world, especially as he mentions to America that his old teacher has spent the past couple of years trying to kill him.

We soon learn that Master Mordo, a member of The Illuminati, isn't much better than his MCU counterpart and he decides to try and kill Stephen while his allies are battling the Scarlet Witch. The former Sorcerer Supreme believes Mordo may have even been responsible for his fallen Strange's eventual demise, and let's just say the villain doesn't deny it!

Eventually beaten by the good doctor, Mordo's fate is unclear, but he manages to avoid being killed.

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93 Comments

1 2 3

Kurban - 5/5/2022, 3:22 PM

This movie was garbage and the cameos were all worthless. Sam Raimi can’t save a broken mess to begin with.

theprophet - 5/5/2022, 3:31 PM

@Kurban -

Deodorant - 5/6/2022, 12:10 AM

@Kurban - Not garbage but definitely average. Overall film just felt flat to me. 6.5/10

SauronthePower - 5/6/2022, 2:50 AM

@Deodorant - pacing and writing were not up to snuff.

Too many narrative inconsistencies and Wanda was seriously bastardized to serve a trope. Major misstep by Marvel and I have been an ardent fanboy since Day 1. Pacing is a complete 180 from Eternals.

Deodorant - 5/6/2022, 5:14 AM

@SauronthePower - Agreed, my wife and I noticed that in the cinema. And when we found out it had 6 weeks of additional filming and 2 directors, it showed.

Kurban - 5/6/2022, 9:05 PM

@Deodorant - Try 3/10.

Watchingme - 5/5/2022, 3:25 PM

Lets have a multiverse movie, but only go to one world with barely alternate versions of the characters. Oh and another one which is completly destroyed.

Waste of time.

ElricReturns - 5/5/2022, 3:30 PM

So who was Bruce Campbell? I'm assuming he had a cameo.

theprophet - 5/5/2022, 3:31 PM

@ElricReturns - random street vendor

ElricReturns - 5/5/2022, 3:33 PM

@theprophet - are you [frick]ing kidding me? That's gotta be the most disappointing thibg I've read yet. Damn.

Thanks tho.

ImNotaBot - 5/5/2022, 3:33 PM

It would've been nice to see President Rogers on a TV or something.
The title "multiverse of madness" is very misleading, it should've be "Doctor Strange and
the Scarlet Witch" or something like that.
Into the Spider-Verse used the concept of the multiverse way better.

McMurdo - 5/5/2022, 3:33 PM

Sounds like Raimi polished a turd. If this is bad, it's not his fault.

Kurban - 5/5/2022, 3:51 PM

@McMurdo - It’s not, but it’s disappointing that Marvel advertised this like it was a Sam Raimi picture and it very much is not. He did not write any of it and according to him, he didn’t even know what the ending would be. This is a pure Kevin Feige disaster.

1 2 3

DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS Spoilers: Every MCU Variant Who Appears In The Film

We've taken a look at Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' biggest cameos, but what about the film's Variants? We meet new takes on several familiar faces, and a full breakdown can be found here!

8. Defender Strange

7. Dr. Christine Palmer

6. Illuminati Strange

5. Wanda Maximoff (And The Twins)

4. Sinister Strange

3. Captain Marvel

2. Peggy Carter

1. Master Mordo

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