| For the battle between Doctor Strange and Kaecilius, see Battle at the New York Sanctum |
- "The Darkhold exacts a heavy toll."
"Okay. All the more reason to give it a rest, so let me have it."
"Here's the deal: I'll let you use the Darkhold... if you give me your Christine." - ―Sinister Strange and Doctor Strange[src]
The Duel at the New York Sanctum was a confrontation over the Darkhold of an Incursioned reality between Doctor Strange and his Variant Sinister Strange, the reality's Doctor Strange.
Background[]
- "Well, if there's still a Sanctum in this universe, then there might be another, other, 'other me', and that's our best shot at getting back to her."
- ―Doctor Strange[src]
America Chavez was forced by Scarlet Witch to send Doctor Strange and Christine Palmer to an incursion-destroyed universe, witnessing how the universe was collapsing in on itself. They saw the Empire State Building leaning over, while cars were suspended in the air, and water from the rivers had leaked into the streets. Thinking they needed to find help, they headed towards its New York Sanctum.
Strange explores the destroyed Sanctum
Strange and Palmer found the Sanctum, and observed how isolated it was. As they walked closer, Strange noticed the skeletons littering the ground as well as the trees bare and dying. Palmer suggested that whoever was in control of that universe didn't know how to stop the Incursion. Strange then told Palmer to stay outside as he entered the Sanctum, carefully walking into it. As he walked up the long staircase, it creaked eerily.
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Strange meets his Sinister Variant
He made it to the top level, where he discovered a sinister Variant of himself, who had evidently failed to prevent the destruction of his own universe through an Incursion, in hopes to gain the Darkhold from his Variant, to commute to another universe. Sinister Strange asked him to verify his own identity, which resulted in Strange talking about the thing only Strange would know, that he had a sister named Donna who had died due to drowning. Strange emotionally said that he had failed to save her, which gained Sinister Strange's trust. When Strange asked his Variant why his universe was left in such a horrible state, Sinister Strange stated it was due to the influence of the Darkhold on him. Upon realizing that Sinister Strange possessed the Darkhold, Strange asked him to give the book to him, claiming that it did not matter that Sinister Strnage could not save his reality but that he could help save another one.
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Strange is confronted by Sinister Strange
However, Sinister Strange had warned him against using the cursed book, stating that the Darkhold not only took on the fate of reality, but it also took a heavy toll on the user's soul, much to the awe of Strange. Strange was told by his Variant about his past, who talked about how his deep unfulfilled obsession with his Christine Palmer, resulted in him seeking the Darkhold in a search for universes where he was devoid of the pain of losing Palmer, saying that he never meant for his reality to be destroyed. Sinister Strange continued on to say that this led him to hunt down all his Variants who were happy despite the lack of Palmer in their lives, and then killing them by dreamwalking into their bodies to force them to commit suicide. Sinister Strange repeated that the Darkhold exacted a heavy toll and revealed his third eye, much to Strange's horror.[1]
Duel[]
Strange fights Sinister Strange
- "Look, I'm sorry you couldn't save your own universe, but maybe, you could help to save mine?"
- ―Doctor Strange to Sinister Strange[src]
Sinister Strange states that the only way that Doctor Strange could have the Darkhold would be if he gave him a Christine Palmer, much to Strange's fury. Seeing no other options, Strange engaged him in a battle with his Variant, with Strange using musical notes around the Sanctum, and turning them into spells to attack his Darkhold empowered Variant.
Sinister Strange is killed by his prime self
Throughout the fight, Strange struggled to win against his Variant but eventually managed to turn the battle into his favor. He trapped all of his spells along with Sinister Strange's in a powerful energy ball, and then attacking Sinister Strange ith it, allowing Strange to kill his Variant and retrieve the Darkhold.[1]
Aftermath[]
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- "What are you doing with the Darkhold? Are you going to dreamwalk?"
"Slightly more than just dreamwalking." - ―Christine Palmer and Doctor Strange[src]
Using the retrieved Darkhold, Strange summoned red energy orbs surrounding him, spun them around until he viewed a vision of America Chavez being drained through one of the orbs. Strange shoved the orbs into the Darkhold within a split second, and then began casting the spell of dreamwalking, making the illustrations on the page glow red. Christine Palmer entered and was furious with him, declaring that all Doctor Stranges in every universe are the same.
Strange prepares to dreamwalk
He agreed with Palmer and stated that right now, Chavez needed him and he could not do this without Palmer's aid. Strange instructed her to protect his body from the Souls of the Damned while he would Dreamwalk. As he initiated the ritual, candles assembled around him, which he lit up with magic. Strange positioned his fingers and closed his eyes before he levitated, and when Palmer questioned if a version of him needed to live in Earth-616, Strange claimed that no one said the Variant had to be living.
Strange possesses his alternate self's corpse
With the ritual commencing, Strange projected his consciousness into the decaying corpse of his Variant he buried on a New York City building in his home reality. The zombified Strange opened his eyes while he in his real place snarled softly. He outstretched his arm through the floor, and he unearthed himself then wheezed at the sky full of lightning. The undead Strange struggled to step forward and his fingers were cracking as he used his Sling Ring to open an Inter-Dimensional Portal to Mount Wundagore.
Freed from the Darkhold's influence, Scarlet Witch destroyed the Castle and Strange's Variant's body, ultimately destroying Darkholds throughout the Multiverse. Strange broke out of his dreamwalking and spoke with Palmer, who stated that Scarlet Witch did the right thing. He then told her that he loves her in every universe, and got closure about how he couldn't marry her in his universe.[1]