‘Doctor Strange 2’ Easter Eggs – Everything We Could Find Without a Pause Button
Doctor Strange 2 goes on a multiversal adventure that has a ton of easter eggs and call backs.
The MCU so far has taken place on Earth 616 (sorry, Earth-199999 is dead). Doctor Strange’s latest adventure takes us to multiple Earths across the multiverse. I’m not getting into the plot too much, just the little details you may have missed. There’s a lot packed into this movie and its universes – let’s dive in!
Major Spoilers Below the Trailer
Before We Start Universe Hopping
America Chavez is yet another Young Avengers member we’ve seen since the defeat of Thanos. Wiccan and Speed also make an appearance, though these versions don’t have powers just yet.
The movie’s first big battle is with Gargantos who is named after a minor Sub-Mariner villain. Why they couldn’t use its proper name – Shuma-Gorath – is unknown. The giant one eyed demon has been a long time nemesis of Strange’s. We also several glimpses of a friend. The bull-headed Rintrah at Kamar-Taj first appeared in the comics in the 1980s and is no slouch when it comes to magic use.
via Marvel
Welcome to Earth 838 and Beyond
As America and Steven fall through the multiverse they pass by The Living Tribunal. It’s a three-faced entity who protects the multiverse from mystical forces. Once they finally land they’re on Earth 838, which has no links back to the comics. It was made for the MCU.
We’ve known that some version of the Illuminati and Professor X were going to make an appearance. There were a lot of theorizing about who else was going to show up on that dais. It ended up being three original Illuminati members from the comics and some extras: Black Bolt (Anson Mount, who played him in the ill-fated TV series), Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Reed Richards (John Krasinski), plus Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), 838 Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell), and Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch).
This one scene brought Inhumans, mutants, and the Fantastic Four into the MCU – even though they all died horribly in the next 20 minutes. We’ll have to wait and see how (if) they fit into coming phase and if we’re getting Krasinski in the Fantastic Four movie. (Let’s hope so.)
via Marvel Studios
There are some other easter eggs in 838 – starting with Xaviar’s wheel chair, his intro music, and the look of his psychic powers. All three hail from the 1990s era animated show. Fantastic Four fans will recognize the name of the Baxter Foundation that Claudia works for. It’s a research institute that Franklin Storm (Sue’s dad) founded in the comics. There’s also the implication that Sue, Franklin, and Valeria Richards exist here.
Franklin and Valeria Richards
Some other oddities in 838: the boys are watching Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in 838, as well as Snow White. Disney exists, just not the same one.
What are Incursions?
The thing that gets glossed over a bit is the idea of incursions. Reed talks about and we see in the result of one in the shadow world. They happen when two Earth’s collide in multiverse. They’re a form of paradox and result in the obliteration of the universes that touch. Strange found them via the chaotic magic of the Darkhold in this movie. Reed deals with in New Avengers thanks to 616 Molecule Man killing another Molecule Man.
A handy chart thanks to Dr. Richards…
New Avengers Vol 3 via Marvel
The idea also shows up in Secret Wars, which is coming to a small screen in the next year or two. With the MCU line as heavily linked as it is, incursion is going to come up again. It’s becoming clear every movie and show that comes out that this phase and what comes after is going to be dealing with time, multiple universes, and the galactic.
There’s a ton (like who this lady is) to get into from this, the shortest Marvel movie in years. We will be digging into characters and comics all week.
What easter eggs did you see that I missed?
Clea Strange Vol 3 #1 via Marvel
