WHAT IF…? What if… Dr. Strange lost his heart instead of his hands?
In a few months Benedict Cumberbatch will reprise his role as Doctor Strange, in the highly anticipated Spider-Man: No Way Home. . Prior to this movie, you will be able to see Dr. Strange in the latest episode of What If ..?.
In the "Sacrad Timeline" Christina Palmer (Rachel McAdams) turned down Strange's offer to accompany him to an American Neurological Association dinner. In this alternate universe, Palmer decides to accept Strange's invitation instead. And just like in the main universe, Strange and Palmer are involved in a car accident ... only instead of losing their hands Strange ends up losing Christina Palmer, who will die, thus explaining the title of the episode “What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart ".
From there, things go like in the 2016 film Doctor Strange. Strange goes to Kamar-Taj to study the mystical arts, acquires the Eye of Agamotto (actually the Time Stone) and manages to "bargain" with Dormammu to save the universe.
Let's move on to two years later (but presumably before Thanos launched his campaign to get the Time Stone in Avengers: Infinity War). Still unable to prevent Christina's death, Strange uses the Eye of Agamotto to travel back in time to nullify her, but all his attempts will be in vain.
It is during one of these attempts that Strange receives a visit from the Ancient (Tilda Swinton) who informs him that his efforts are in vain since Christina's death is an Absolute Point, an immutable moment in time that would create a temporal paradox and threaten the universe. Refusing to listen, Strange tries to use the Eye again, but is struck by a bolt of energy from the Ancient and finds himself in a foreign land.
It is there that he discovers a temple guarded by O-Bengh (Ike Amadi), the librarian of the Books of Cagliostro. O-Bengh guides the "Armani Sorcerer" to Cagliostro's Lost Books and, after a profound cramping session, Strange discovers that he can acquire the power to reverse an Absolute Point through the absorption of other beings.
His first attempt to "borrow" power from a very familiar sprawling monster does not go as planned in his deal with Dormammu. Disregarding O-Bengh's warnings, Strange decides to forcibly absorb the powers of other mystical creatures, starting small and returning to the aforementioned sprawling champion of HYDRA. In the process, the sorcerer Armani manages to acquire a more diabolical-looking Cloak of Levitation.
However, Strange has been frozen in time for centuries during this quest for power and discovers a much older O'Bengh on his deathbed. Refusing Armani's assistance in cheating death, O'Bengh reveals to him that there is actually another one. Skywalker Doctor Strange in the universe.
We then cut Strange before he embarked on his time travels, as reality begins to crumble around him. It is once again visited by the Ancient (or rather a psychic impression sent through a sliver of reality) which reveals who drew on the power of the Dark Dimension to divide Strange, allowing for the existence of two timelines in a single universe.
Strange must defeat his evil twin before he destroys Christina's death and the resulting time paradox destroys the universe. Strange is kidnapped by his dark half, the "Strange Supreme", but not before Wong (Benedict Wong) gives Strange a protection spell.
The Strange Supreme believes that once the two Doctor Strange merge, they will finally have enough power to reverse the absolute point of Christina's death. Of course, Strange tells his self that it's time for a wizard duel!
An epic showdown begins, and despite the sacrifice of Strange's loyal magic carpet-like Cloak of levitation, the Strange Supreme takes over and absorbs his doppelgänger. Strange manages to resurrect but, as expected, reality begins to crumble all around them.
As mentioned earlier in the episode, Strange actually has the ability to see Uatu (Jeffrey Wright) and begs the cosmic being for his help. It's all in vain as The Watcher stands firm on his oath of non-interference and chastises Strange knowing that the repercussions of his actions would doom the universe.
New episodes of What If…? are available to stream on Disney +.
