Summary
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Marvel's new Ultimate Universe teases a potential new Sorcerer Supreme to possibly revisit Doctor Strange's Ultimatum Death.
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The introduction of 'Strange Doctor' in Ultimate Black Panther #10 hints at a connection to the original Doctor Strange from Earth-1610.
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The new Ultimate Universe echoes elements of the original, providing the perfect opportunity to address the 15-year-old mystery surrounding Doctor Strange's fate.
Warning: Contains spoilers for the final Black Panther #10! It's no secret that Ultimatum is one of the most infamous Marvel Comics storylines ever printed, mostly because it featured a large number of beloved Marvel heroes killed off unceremoniously, and in extremely brutal fashion - including Doctor Strange. But now, with the launch of a new Ultimate Universe, Marvel is about to introduce a whole new Sorcerer Supreme, meaning it has a chance to revisit Doctor Strange. Ultimatum death, and finally answer the 15-year-old mystery surrounding his possible resurrection.
in Ultimatum #4 by Jeph Loeb and David Finch The world was in a state of utter chaos after Magneto turned the Earth on its axis, flooded New York City, and unleashed an inferno on the globe that no villain had ever done before. As a result, Dormammu was able to escape his enchanted confinement in the Sanctum Sanctorum, and while Doctor Strange tried to stop him, the Sorcerer Supreme was brutally murdered by the demonic deity.
When the Fantastic Four got the chance to fight Dormammu after Doctor Strange was killed, the comic gives fans two of the most fascinating panels in the entire storyline. A strange man turned into a shadow holding a lamp approaches Doctor Strange's headless corpse, sighing and muttering to himself,... Steven ..."How disappointing that the Sorcerer Supreme could be bested so easily. The stranger then kneels down by Strange's body, and fills the entire tunnel with some light. And that's it, Marvel Comics never revisits this plot point.
Related
Final Black Panther teases a new 'Doctor Strange' who could answer the mystery of Ultimatum
Ultimate Black Panther #10 by Bryan Hill and Stefano Caselli
Although Doctor Strange was killed by Dormammu in Earth-1610, Marvel's New Ultimate Universe of Earth-6160 has already teased a new Sorcerer Supreme with the soft introduction of a character referred to only as the 'Strange Doctor' in the preview for Ultimate Black Panther #10. Due to the lack of a Sorcerer Supreme in the Ultimate Universe at the moment, the fact that the last Black Panther was dealing with magic, and that "Doctor Strange" is the inversion of "Doctor Strange", many speculate that the new character could Be Ultimate Sorcerer Supreme.
With the mystery surrounding the character (and, indeed, the future of a Sorcerer Supreme in the Ultimate Universe), Marvel has the perfect opportunity to address the questions left unanswered in Ultimatum. Perhaps this strange, ethereal figure resurrected Earth-1610 strangely in another reality as another man, living a reflection of his former life until he was called to action. Or, perhaps the 'Strange Doctor' is the ethereal figure who could answer the questions surrounding the original Ultimate Doctor Strange's fate, while charting a new path to the future.
There are many different roads that Marvel Comics could take in connecting 'Doctor Strange' with the original Doctor Strange, but no matter how it happens, the mystery needs to be solved.
The new Ultimate Universe contains echoes of the original, and that should include Doctor Strange
The new Ultimate Universe has contained echoes of the original since the beginning, which actually speaks to the nature of its existence. The Maker (Earth-1610s Reed Richards) reshaped the new Ultimate Universe to his liking, making this reality a literal byproduct of the original Ultimate Universe. There is also the fact that the 'Avengers' in this reality are again called the 'Ultimates'. Plus, there's even a callback to one of the original Ultimate Captain America's most controversial lines of dialogue. All-in-all, the original Ultimate Universe can be felt in this, and now, this should include Doctor Strange.
It's unclear exactly how the new 'Doctor Strange' could solve the mystery surrounding Doctor Strange's fate in Ultimatum, but one thing is clear: Marvel should find a way. Ultimate Doctor Strange never got the chance to complete a story arc that was obviously set up for him, and since the new Ultimate Universe has been cleverly echoing the original since the beginning, now is the perfect time for Marvel's new Sorcerer Supreme to respond Ultimatums 15-year-old Doctor Strange Mystery.
Ultimate Black Panther #10 by Marvel Comics is available November 27, 2024.