Doctor Strange is dead, and Marvel needs to keep him that way
In 2022, Doctor Strange passed away and remained dead for a full year. Here's how killing Strange saved the team -- and why he shouldn't be back.
Warning: SPOILERS for Strange #9
Marvel's Doctor Strange is dead - and the franchise is a lot more fun than he was in life. Stephen Strange is one of Marvel's most powerful magical heroes. As the Sorcerer Supreme, he defends Earth from fearsome abominations, world conquerors, and evil wizards and witches. But Strange is dead for most of 2022, and for the franchise's sake, he should stay that way; Strange #9 says a lot about the franchise's new Sorcerer Supreme.
Author Jed McKay's The Death of Doctor Strange event begins with Doctor Strange's assassination. This is followed by another shock: a much younger Strange appears to be investigating his own murder (a contingency plan left by present-day Strange after his death). Young Strange dies, Old Strange rises, and dies again, proving the title three times. Thus, the title of Supreme Sorcerer passed to his wife Clea, who placed saving her loved ones from the clutches of death above all her other magical responsibilities.
In Strange Strange #9 by Jed MacKay and Marcelo Ferreira, an undead Doctor Strange and Clea desecrate the cartel Fight a bloody way through the fortress; their aim is Mysterious and powerful director None. Although Clea fought alongside her beloved, he wasn't technically alive - Strange was the undead servant of Death, who refused to give up on him. Additionally, Strange and Clea can never touch; Clea, as the Sorcerer Supreme, possesses magic that represents life, while Strange's powers represent death. The risk of these great powers annihilating each other is too great and they must remain separate.
Doctor Strange Is More Interesting When He's Dead
This dynamic should be a new status quo, not a limited scenario. The idea of two people who are in love but can never be touched is a bit like the story of Orpheus and Eurydice; the fact that Reaper herself controls Doctor Strange also positions her as the main villain of the series. Also, Clea is a more interesting character than Strange because of her flaws and weaknesses, her former home in the dark dimension, and the fact that she's not human. Clea must learn to contend with the human world while also teaming up with the undead Doctor Strange, who knows he can never be resurrected unless set free by Death.
The fact that Strange was allowed to die for a full year is pretty shocking For modern manga readers, in an era where major character deaths can span an issue or three. But Marvel should continue with the undead Strange and Clea as the book's protagonists. The Doctor Strange franchise has had decades of storylines, but this one is the best in years -- and it's all while the main character is under six feet tall.
