Doctor Strange

"You're a man looking at the world through a keyhole. You spent your whole life trying to widen that keyhole. To see more, to know more; and now, on hearing that it can be widened in ways you can't imagine... you reject the possibility." "No, I reject it because I do not believe in fairy tales about chakras or energy or the power of belief."

- Ancient One and Doctor Strange

Doctor Stephen Vincent Strange is a powerful sorcerer and leading member of the Masters of the Mystic Arts. Originally a brilliant yet arrogant neurosurgeon, Strange suffered a car accident that resulted in his hands being crippled. When Western medicine failed to restore his hands, Strange embarked on a journey that led him to the Masters of the Mystic Arts as well as the discovery of magic and alternate dimensions. After helping the Masters defeat the sinister Kaecilius and the Zealots, who had planned on bringing Dormammu to Earth, but not before witnessing the death of the Ancient One. With her demise, Strange became the protector of the Sanctum Sanctorum in New York City. He then began to act as Earth's protector from inter-dimensional threats.

Career as a Neurosurgeon
"Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to HYDRA! Now, or in the future."

- Jasper Sitwell to Captain America

Stephen Vincent Strange was an aspiring doctor of medicine who specialized in neurological surgery. His skill was superb, and he became quite popular as his career progressed, so much that Strange was unknowingly among the targets being monitored as potential threats by HYDRA as a part of Project Insight. By 2016, Strange had become one of New York City's top surgeons, during which he was exclusively interviewed by WHiH World News to speak about new life-saving techniques he had been investigating in his field.

At one point along the way, Strange became romantically attached to Christine Palmer, one of his colleagues from the Metro-General Hospital where he was employed who was a fellow surgeon in the ER department. While their feelings toward one another were genuine, their relationship faltered and eventually ended due to Strange's arrogance and greater focus on his career.

On Top of the World
Eventually, Strange was at the top of his profession able to perform complex neuro surgery with little effort. During his time as a surgeon, he often had a nurse play soundtracks for him to name the date of release whilst he performed surgery. Christine Palmer asked him to assist a man who had been brought in after being injured in a firefight, stating she did not know what was wrong. Strange discovered a bullet, that was initially missed, lodged in the man's brain and performed surgery 'blind', saving the man's life. He offered to take Palmer to a 'talk' he was attending that night, but she declined.

Car Accident
En route to the 'talk', Strange was driving down a winding road overtaking traffic when he received a call. He answered on speaker and a colleague offered potential surgeries he could perform. Strange arrogantly declined the first few on grounds to do with lack of money, fame and tarnishing of his record. However, after showing interest in one, he was sent the scans and glances at them, taking his eyes off the road just as he was overtaking another driver. As a result, Strange's car collided with the other and spun out of control off the road, crashing into the river bank below. His body was jerked forward, and his hands were smashed into the car's dashboard, crushing them. Strange was quickly rushed to the hospital, where he was subjected to eleven hours of surgery while comatose. The surgery ended with his hands recieving severe nerve damage, news which left Strange distraught over the future of his career upon awakening. His found that his hands would repeatedly shake due to the extent of the damage.

Search for the Cure
Strange tries to get his hands cured through seven different operations and many more techniques. At one such place which exercises the muscle, the instructor tells him a paraplegic named Jonathon Pangborn who became able to walk. Despite all the operations, and spending all of his money, they all prove unsuccessful. When the instructor sends him Pangborn's file, Strange tracks him down. Pangborn directs him to Kamar-Taj and the Ancient One.

Meeting the Ancient One
"Teach me..." "No"

- Doctor Strange and the Ancient One

Spending the rest of his money on a ticket to Nepal, Strange begins his search for Kamar-Taj. He is attacked in an alley by three thugs after his expensive watch but is rescued by Karl Mordo, a student of the Ancient One. Mordo leads Strange to the Kamar-Taj warning him not to be disrespectful and "to forget everything [he] [thinks] [he] [knows]". Inside, Strange initially mistakes an elderly man for the Ancient One before he is introduced to the correct Sorcerer Supreme. He is initially sceptical of her method of curing Pangborn declaring that "[he sees through her]" before she pushes his Astral Form out of his body.

Strange is shocked but denies what just happened as a result of LSD in the tea. The Ancient One then sends Strange through various realities before dragging him back. Barely recovering from the revelations shown to him, Strange begs her to teach him but she refuses and he is cast out because of his previous disrespect towards her. Strange stays on the doorstep for over five hours having nowhere to go before he is let back inside. He begins his training but initially struggles believing the shaking in his hands to be the cause. The Ancient One leaves him on Mount Everest telling him to use his Sling Ring to get back to the Kamar-Taj. He eventually manages to do so and progresses rapidly over the coming months. After tampering with the Eye of Agamotto and the Book of Cagliostro, Wong and Mordo warn Strange not to disturb with natural law. They explain how they protect the world from mystical threats in much the same way that the Avengers protect it from physical ones. Strange initially refuses to fight in a "mystic war" before the London Sanctum is attacked. The Sanctum is destroyed and the explosion rips through the Kamar-Taj trapping Strange in the New York Sanctum.

Battle at the Sanctum Sanctorum
He tries looking for people before Kaecilius and his disciples attack. Strange witnesses the guardian of the Sanctum get murdered by Kaecillius and makes his presence known. He fights back managing to trap one disciple in the desert and the other in the jungle. He uses the Cloak of Levitation to fight Kaecillius and traps him in a locked suit. Kaecillius tells him that the Ancient One dabbles in magic from the Dark Dimension before noting his ring is missing. One of the disciples made it back through and stabbed him.

Duel on the Astral Plane
Strange tries to get away but is hunted by the disciple. The sentient Cloak attacks the disciple and Strange uses the man's ring to transport himself to the hospital. Christine begins surgery and Strange uses his Astral Form to help shocking her and leaving her bewildered. The disciple uses his Astral Form and attacks Strange disturbing several objects in the Physical World but Strange is able to kill him after being charged with a defibrillator.

He returns to the Sanctum where Mordo and the Ancient One have arrived. Kaecillius has escaped. Strange confronts the Ancient One over dabbling in the Dark Dimension to keep herself alive for centuries. Although Mordo outright denied this, she did not and instead left.

Battle at the Mirror Dimension
"This was a bad idea..."

- Doctor Strange to Karl Mordo Kaecillius returns to attack the Sanctum and Strange drags them all into the Mirror Dimension where they cannot harm the Physical World. This turns out to be a mistake as Kaecillius affects the gravity in the Dimension almost killing the pair. The Ancient One arrives- revealing to Mordo her dabbling in the Dark Dimension is true- and battles them but is fatally stabbed and falls hundreds of stories to the ground below.

Strange rushes her to hospital but is unable to perform surgery due to his shaking hands. He notices the Ancient One's Astral leave the room and follows in Astral Form. She tells him about the Dark Dimension before her Form vanishes.

Hong Kong Sanctum Battle
"Dormammu, I've come to bargain!"

- Doctor Strange to Dormammu Strange and Mordo head to the Hong Kong Sanctum only to discover it has already been destroyed and Dormammu is coming. Using the Eye of Agamotto and breaking the Natural Laws of Time, Strange reverses what has happened returning Wong and many others from the dead. He is interrupted mid-spell freezing time around the fighting and heads to the Dark Dimension where time is irrelevant. He traps himself and Dormammu in an endless time loop dying over and over again until the latter relents. He promises to free Dormammu from the loop if he never returns to Earth and takes Kaecilius with him.

He completes the time spell and Kaecilius is killed by the immortality of the Dark Dimension. After witnessing Strange and the Ancient One's liberal use of breaking their own rules, Mordo leaves disillusioned. Strange returns to Kamar-Taj with Wong.

Meeting Thor
"So I keep a watchlist of individuals and beings from other realms that may be a threat to this world... your adopted brother Loki is one of those beings." "A worthy inclusion." "Yeah. So... why bring him here to New York?"

- Doctor Strange and Thor

Thor arrives at the Sanctum Sanctorum where he discusses with Strange his search for his father Odin. Strange use his magic to swap Thor's tea for beer and then refill the pint continuously. Strange offers to help Thor find Odin.

Personality
"Steve, everything is about you."

- Christine Palmer to Stephen Strange

Prior to his accident, Strange had a massive ego that fueled his career, somewhat akin to that of Tony Stark. Strange only took on patients that he believed would help benefit his status, even refusing to heal a US Army Colonel's back. This, however, changed after the accident, which left Strange a broken man, albeit also one extremely determined to heal himself, with Strange notably standing outside of Kamar-Taj's front door for five hours after being initially thrown out.

Upon visiting Kamar-Taj, Strange initially maintained his narrow-minded arrogance and stubbornly refused to believe that the Ancient One was telling the truth until she forcibly demonstrated astral projection and sent him across multiple dimensions. Following his ascension to the role of Master of the Mystic Arts, Strange gradually became more selfless – apologizing for his past treatment of Christine Palmer and showing a newfound trust in former rival Nicodemus West – and heroic – demonstrated by his willingness to sacrifice himself to keep Dormammu from merging Earth with the Dark Dimension. He was unafraid of conflict, or even of killing, as when cornered by the Zealots, he continued to fight the more experienced sorcerers with all his training, and later on confronted Kaecilius himself in combat. He also was willing to cause the death of Lucian when they where fighting in their Astral Forms, as well as bargain with Dormammu to condemn the Zealots to being fatally merged with the Dark Dimension, quick to accept that it would mean saving reality.

Powers
<!-- Do not add magic, sorcery or any other similar power until an explanation from Marvel on its nature is given
 * Energy Manipulation: As a sorcerer, Doctor Strange manipulates energy from other dimensions to cast spells, conjure weapons and shields, and make magic, as explained by the Ancient One.
 * Spell Casting: Doctor Strange uses energy to cast spells. For example, he was able to change Thor's tea into beer. However, the Ancient One focuses on how to conjure weapons with this energy instead of casting spells.
 * Weapon Creation: Strange can manipulate energy to create weapons. He has shown to create shields of varying size in which he used against Kaecilius and his Zealots, as well as Dormammu, and he can create whips that he has used against Kaecilius.


 * Levitation: Doctor Strange can levitate, thanks to the Cloak of Levitation, which grants him the power to fly, even at high speeds, when he wears it.
 * Time Manipulation: Strange can Manipulate time when he wears the Eye of Agamotto, which contains the Time Stone. It allows him to reverse time and the effects of time on certain objects, and hold certain things, such as himself, in a time loop where the same thing happens over and over again.


 * Master Sorcerer: As the present guardian of the New York Sanctum Sanctorum, Strange, despite his relative inexperience, is one of the most powerful Masters of the Mystic Arts, possessing a considerable mastery of the mystic arts, which he uses to defend his native reality. With the help of numerous mystical artifacts and relics, in addition to his astral powers, Strange is able to gain access to a multitude of mystical powers.
 * Mystical Energy Manipulation: Strange is able to create, shape and manipulate energy.
 * Levitation: Using the Cloak of Levitation, Strange is able to levitate, hover, and fly in the air even without the presence of wind.
 * Teleportation: Using a Sling Ring, Strange is able to open a fiery portal to another location, gaining ability to move tremendous distances instantaneously.
 * Inter-Dimensional Travel: Using the same Sling Ring, Strange can travel between different dimensions and universes, crossing over different planes of existence or travelling across various forms of reality.
 * Astral Projection: Strange is capable of separating his astral spirit from his body, gaining access to the Astral Plane, with him thus notably managing to assist Christine Palmer in operating his physical body, and to speak to the Ancient One's spirit before her clinical death.
 * Chronokinesis: Using the Eye of Agamotto, Strange is able to control the flow of time, be it on a small or massive scale, notably to turn back something to a previous state, to accelerate its time in order to apply changes that have not happened yet, or to lock it in a time loop, resetting its state until he stops its effect. He notably used this ability to trap even Dormammu himself. -->

Abilities

 * Master Physician: Strange was one of the world's most renowned neurosurgeons, with him initially having a penchant for undertaking only the most challenging of operations, in order to boost his huge ego. Indeed, his skills were so impressive, that Strange was targeted by HYDRA's Project Insight as a potential threat long before he ever became a sorcerer.
 * Multilingualism: Strange is fluent in his native English, as well as Sanskrit, which made him able to read the Book of Cagliostro.
 * Eidetic Memory: Strange's photographic memory had originally greatly aided him in medical school, helping him earn his MD and PhD simultaneously. During his mystic arts studies in Kamar-Taj, Strange managed to master entering the Astral Dimension despite Wong not believing him to be ready, and Strange later greatly impressed Karl Mordo with how quickly the former was able to understand how to use the Eye of Agamotto after reading a portion of the Book of Cagliostro's instructions only once.
 * Martial Artist: Strange, after being trained by both the Ancient One and Karl Mordo, gained some skill in martial arts, able to ultimately defeat and kill the Zealot Lucian, and to even hold his own relatively well against the far more experienced Master Kaecilius.

Equipment

 * Cloak of Levitation: A mantle that enables Doctor Strange to levitate and hover in the air. It can move on its own power, causing it to move and flap in the air without the presence of wind. Offensively, the cloak's ability to move and fly with or without a wearer allows it to grab, lift, tackle or send opponents flying through the air.
 * Eye of Agamotto: A relic with a number of mystical properties, especially time manipulation in the user's immediate vicinity and on specific areas or targets. It is able to do so since it contains the Time Stone.
 * Sling Ring: A mystical object which enables the wearer to open a fiery portal to another location.
 * Quarterstaff: Strange used a Quarterstaff during his training at Kamar-Taj.

Family

 * Donna Strange † - Sister

Allies

 * Masters of the Mystic Arts
 * Ancient One † - Mentor
 * Karl Mordo
 * Wong
 * Daniel Drumm †
 * Hamir
 * Metro-General Hospital
 * Nicodemus West - Former Colleague and Work Rival
 * Christine Palmer - Former Co-worker, Ex-Girlfriend, and Love Interest
 * Billy - Co-Worker and Assistant
 * Etienne - Colleague
 * Jonathan Pangborn
 * Thor

Enemies

 * HYDRA - Attempted Killers (Project Insight)
 * Dormammu - Attempted Killer
 * Zealots
 * Kaecilius †
 * Lucian † - Attempted Killer and Victim
 * Loki

Trivia
To be added

Behind the Scenes

 * Stephen Strange is mentioned in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This marks the first time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that a superhero character is mentioned by name before making their first appearance.
 * Kevin Feige revealed that Strange did not have any powers yet during the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, as Project Insight was designed to anticipate future threats, not just catalogue current ones. He said that at this point Strange is "probably not... the sorcerer supreme," but is an "unbelievably talented neurosurgeon who's opinionated and kind of arrogant... [which] might put him on the list."