Do we ever stop to think what could happen if Dr. Stephen Strange ever went mad? Now, the tagline of this episode is “what if Strange lost his heart instead of his hands?” However, I believe that this episode should have been “what if Doctor Strange went mad?” Think about it – Doctor Strange is one of the most powerful characters in the MCU. With the powers he has, he could really damage reality if he used his powers for evil. And that’s exactly what he did in the fourth episode of Marvel’s What If…?
Spoilers
Now, I wouldn’t rank Doctor Strange and Christine in my top five couples in the MCU. Frankly, I never felt much of a connection between them in the movie universe. But, I was quite heartbroken in this episode. Having their relationship in a short, animated burst made it more genuine and authentic. And I felt real heartbreak watching Strange deal with the death of Christine. So, what would happen in a universe where Strange became the Sorcerer Supreme and was hell-bent on bringing her back? You’d have to imagine that he’d do everything he could to try to get her back.
What Doctor Strange turns into is a pseudo-1970s wizard villain and the results of Strange’s blatant disregard of the rules of reality takes an incredibly trippy turn. It’s something that probably could only be achieved through animation, as the visuals are insane. And it’s honestly a chilling tale – don’t try to bring someone back from the dead; it clearly can have catastrophic results.
Episode three was solemn, but the ending offered hope. The end of this episode offers no hope. It’s a tragic and cautionary tale; certain things are not meant to be meddled with. We see Jeffrey Wright’s character pop up at the end, but I believe his role here was to really drive home the fact that he cannot do anything in the realities that he watches over. Even when extinction is inevitable.
Rating: 4/5
What If…?’s fourth episode is heartbreaking, strange as hell, and leaves you with the same (or similar) feeling that the end of Avengers: Infinity War did. All it is…is quiet.
What’d you think of What If…?’s fourth episode?
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