Doctor Strange Is one of the most powerful characters of the MCU, but his powers are not exactly identical to those in Marvel Comics. Doctor Strange’s MCU timeline is a bit shorter than most other well-known heroes like Thor, Hulk and Captain America after his solo movie debut in 2016 was followed by only one sequel so far. Doctor Strange is also known in the world Avengers: Infinity WarBut not so much in Avengers: Endgame As he was one of the victims of the Snap, which was only undone in the final act of the movie.
Doctor Strange hasn’t had the most screen time to demonstrate the extent of his powers – but he’s still shown himself to be among the most powerful superheroes in the MCU regardless. Doctor Strange’s comic book counterpart, meanwhile, has been a core member of Marvel Comics since 1963 after debuting in Funny Tales #110 and got its moniker from the title of the anthology series. With that in mind, it’s clear that comic book Strange has a bigger stage to demonstrate his powers, but whether they’re more powerful than his live-action counterpart is another matter.
Doctor Strange’s powers in Marvel Comics explained
Doctor Strange is a naturally gifted sorcerer
As in the MCU, Doctor Strange is one of the most powerful figures in Marvel Comics. The story of the Sorcerer Supreme mirrors the story of Benedict Cumberbatch’s live-action, with a similar rise to power as the Sorcerer Supreme. In this position, Strange is often approached by other Marvel heroes to tackle challenges that are insurmountable to anyone unfamiliar with magic, other dimensions, and the tools required to deal with some of Marvel Comics’ most powerful beings. , as dead or the living tribunal.
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Doctor Strange owes the vast majority of his powers to his talents in magic. While anyone can become a sorcerer through practice, Strange demonstrates a particular proficiency in the arcane arts. The talents are vast, like strange peaks in the powers of pious interdimensional beings, of which there are countless. Strange is also in possession of some of the most powerful artifacts of the Marvel Universe, which he, again, demonstrates a particular talent for wielding. Unlike other Avengers, Strange did not boast superhuman physiology – although he was able to mimic that much with his magic.
Invocations
Among the most recognizable of Doctor Strange’s mystical arsenal is His ability to channel the powers of godlike beings from other dimensions. The Elrich spells are typically among his most powerful and are often credited to the entity that granted them in their name. These invocations have taken countless forms, but the most recognizable include:
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The Crimson Bands of Cyttorak: A powerful binding spell that has been deployed against the likes of Hulk.
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The Winds of Vatoomb: Channels a powerful airflow typically used to repel opponents or other dangers or to empower the Seraphim’s shield.
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Shield of the Seraphim: Summon shields that can protect against both physical and mystical threats, even as powerful as a supernova.
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Images of Ikonn: Typically conjures some illusory duplicates of Strange though it can be invoked for other illusions.
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Flames of the Faltine: Conjures mystical flames.
The powers functionally make Strange as powerful as the beings he invokes. These are the types of powers that allow him to go toe to toe with some of the most powerful entities in the entire Marvel universe, including Hulk. Calling on the powers of these beings rarely comes with a transaction, although not all of Marvel’s extra-dimensional entities are willing to part with their power for a little more than an acknowledgment. Strange’s first patrons are the virtuous Vishanti, who gladly aid Strange in his role as a defender of Earth.
Eye of Agamotto
Doctor Strange possesses the Eye of Agomotto (one of three in Marvel Comics), which can only be wielded by sorcerers who are pure of heart, deploying only “White magic“The Eye can increase Strange’s powers, though Its main function is to emit a “All revealing light“That can pierce through any illusionIncluding shape-shifting scrolls. Its purity as an artifact of the Vishanti (specifically, Agomoto himself) also helps to weaken infernal beings, undead, and entities of the Dark Dimension.
Chronokinesis
One of the most powerful abilities in Strange’s repertoire is his ability to manipulate time. Strange has trivialized many calamitous events in Marvel comics, such as the splitting of Earth, by manipulating time. He traveled through time, threw others through time, froze Earth’s flow of time, and wielded time-travel, among other feats. What is most notable about Strange’s time manipulation in Marvel Comics, however, is that He does so without the use of the time stone.
Functional immortality
Doctor Strange once redeemed himself after the death of the Ancient One by confronting the entity and accepting its inevitability as another experience that the soul must face. This recognition Earn Strange the ability to delay death by natural means Such as disease and old age, meaning he can live for 600 years or more. But he is not immune to fatal blows from external forces, nor the deprivation of things required to sustain typical human bodies like food, water and oxygen.
flight (cloak of levitation)
Doctor Strange can fly through the use of magic or, as is most often the case, with his characteristic cloak of levitationWhat has remained a staple of his typical attire. The cloak is a sentient enchanted cloth that can be directed independently of Doctor Strange, as has been seen several times in the MCU. The cloak is not indestructible, but also offers a measure of protection as a shield thanks to its magical properties.
Energy manipulation
Although the ability to unleash blasts of energy is something of a mainstay among Marvel heroes through various means, Doctor Strange’s magical energy blasts vary wildly in their power. While they can often be a quick form of offense in a tight spot, seemingly requiring no incantation or ritual to unleash, Strange has also proven capable of destroying entire planets. Most of the time, though, Strange’s energy blasts match the likes of Iron Man in damage, but not always fatal.
Astral projection
One of Strange’s most iconic abilities is his The ability to exist in an intangible form on the astral plane. While in this form, Strange requires no food, water or sleep, and typically ignores the constraints of physics in the real world while still allowing him the ability to interact with it. This allows him to travel in the “Speed ​​of thought“Over the cosmos, invisible, or perform other feats his body is unable to. It, however, leaves his physical body vulnerable on the material plane.
“Psychic” abilities
Strange is capable of typical psychic Abilities, including teleportation, telekinesis and telepathy. Although these abilities are familiar to powerful psychics like Jean Grey, however, Doctor Strange’s psionic powers stem from his magic. He is able to read and overpower minds – even with the Scarlet Witch – and teleport himself and others over immense distances. The teleportation is so powerful that Strange has even traveled to other dimensions at will.
Banishment
Strange can drive anything or anyone he likes to other planes of existence – within reason. While Strange has proven capable of banishing his opponents out of the picture on multiple occasions, he can only do so to beings whose powers pale in comparison to his own. This, at the very least, puts some constraints on an ability that might otherwise be unfathomable – although the number of entities that exceed Doctor Strange’s power is still decidedly small.
How the powers of the MCU Doctor Strange compare to the comics
The MCU is making some significant changes to the powers of Strange
The MCU’s Doctor Strange has been relatively comic-accurate in his arc thus far. Recently, he wielded the Darkhold to help combat the threat of the Scarlet Witch, who already seems to have taken a “Heavy fare“On his soul in the form of his third eye. Doctor Strange has proven capable of some incredibly mind-bending feats – although whether they measure up to their comic book counterparts is questionable.
Doctor Strange’s powers in the comics |
Available to MCU Doctor Strange? |
MCU example |
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Invocations |
Yes |
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Eye of Agamotto |
yes (heavily modified) |
In the MCU, the Eye of Agamotto is used as a vessel and conduit for the power of the Time Stone. |
Chronokinesis |
No |
Strange is unable to control time without the Time Stone. |
Functional immortality |
Unconfirmed |
Strange has not yet encountered death or talked about whether he is ageless. |
Fly |
Yes |
Strange’s Cloak of Levitation functions almost identically to that of Marvel Comics. |
Energy manipulation |
yes (changed) |
MCU Strange uses offensive magic, although it tends to manifest as magical weapons like saws, whips, and swords rather than beams of energy. |
Astral projection |
Yes |
Strange has used astral projection to study while his body is asleep and even forced Spider-Man into the astral plane. |
Psychic abilities |
partially (modified) |
Strange has used telekinesis on multiple occasions. He also teleports with the use of a sling ring. He has yet to demonstrate telepathic abilities, however. |
Banishment |
No |
Doctor Strange has yet to prove that he can banish entities to other dimensions at will. |
Both versions of Doctor Strange have also demonstrated the ability to use more mundane forms of magic like transmutation and conjuration, although they are rarely used in high-risk situations. MCU Strange also uses the mirror dimension, which is an original feature of the MCU and not deployed by Doctor Strange in Marvel Comics. The MCU’s Doctor Strange will presumably demonstrate even greater powers in subsequent appearances – but as it stands, the live-action and comic-book counterparts are far from equal.
MCU Doctor Strange vs Comics Doctor Strange Who is more powerful?
One version of Strange demonstrated greater mystical prowess
Since the MCU’s Doctor Strange has yet to go into his MCU arc, the more linear narrative of the cinematic universe presumably means that the full extent of his powers has yet to be shown. Strange’s greatest strengths in the MCU were largely thanks to external artifacts like the Time Stone and the Darkhold, which allowed him to defeat Dormammu and Earth-838 Thanos, respectively. While his comic book counterpart struggled against the entities themselves, Doctor Strange from Marvel Comics has demonstrated greater power overall.
This is largely thanks to his ability to control time independently of the Time Stone. The abilities given to him by the Eye of Agamotto, meanwhile, are not available to his live-combat opponent. Furthermore, Doctor Strange from Marvel Comics has demonstrated incredible abilities like the destruction of a planet and outrunning the Big Bang. Still, there’s plenty of room for life-struggle Doctor Strange To unleash his greatest powers yet in the upcoming Avengers movies and an as yet unconfirmed Doctor Strange 3.