Dr. Stephen Strange made his appearance in the MCU less than five years ago, but in that time, he has successfully been recognized as one of the most prevailing heroes in the Marvel franchise. Between Doctor Strange, his cameo in Thor: Ragnarök, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, has been shown to have some remarkable and unique skills that have effectively saved the universe numerous times. He has achieved several milestones by using his knowledge of mystic arts and his powers and abilities are most definitely worthy of a deeper investigation. Here is a list of magical abilities that we believe Doctor Strange possesses and this article would be an attempt in breaking down the powers of Doctor Strange in the MCU. The article will focus on his understanding of the arts and how he has engulfed such a vast stream of knowledge in such a short time.
Spellcasting
Principally, the use of magic in the MCU is through the narration of an ancient language that, according to the Ancient One and the original users are called “spells”. It is a language that is articulated not so much verbally as it is through specifically expressed gestures performed by a sorcerer’s hands. Upon his arrival at the Nepal-based magic school of Kamar-Taj, Stephen Strange finds this particularly complex given the damage caused to the nerves in his hands. But his remarkable intellect eventually permits him to pick up the exercise.
The information about these spells is saved in the books that are stored in the library at Kamar-Taj, and require deep study for effective employment. In the MCU reality, the amount of knowledge about the magic that one can memorize is directly proportional to the power level of a sorcerer. Stephen Strange is particularly an expert on the matter because he possesses a natural detailed memory, which he also boasted about and is what allowed him to earn a master’s degree and a medical degree concurrently.
Conjuring Energy
When a spell is properly initiated, what it does in literal terms is draw energy from across the multiverse through several portals which become readily available to the sorcerer for use. The way the energy is employed depends on the spell that is being cast but based on what we’ve seen so far in the MCU, the possibilities of employing this prowess may be endless.
Using Magical Relics
This is certainly the most basic characteristic of Doctor Strange’s powers. Practicing magic gives one the ability to be in concurrence to particular relics, and utilize them by imbuing them with magical energy. These relics come in all shapes & sizes and can range from ornaments, arms, clothing, jewels, and many more normal but mystical forms. Each one of these relics seems to have its own set of rules and must be mastered according to the niches, and there are a wide variety of these relics kept safe by the Master of the Mystic Arts at Kamar-Taj and in the New York Sanctum Sanctorum.
Doctor Strange Can Open Portals
Arguably the most crucial magical object in all of the MCU is the sling ring, which is the piece of jewelry that Doctor Strange is given at the start of his training at Kamar-Taj. With the ring and the right gestures, he can open up a portal to almost anywhere. On mastering the art of using the ring, the conjurer can make travels across numerous destinations spread across Earth and with a slight change of gestures even open multi-dimensional portals.
He Can Conjure Weapons and Shields
During a fight, Doctor Strange is a hero that one would want on their side, as his capacity of casting spells and incantations is only restricted by his imagination and speed. Using conjured energy, he can create a wide variety of weapons which include whips, swords, and also generate powerful shields and walls that can be used to protect himself and his co-players. He is someone who can switch from defense to offense within the blink of an eye.
Doctor Strange Can Manipulate Matter
You know Doctor Strange is going to start doing something nonchalant when you start seeing sparks of orange on the big screen, but not all of his powers are that visible. With properly-executed waves of his hands presumably which he learned from a spellbook, he can manipulate all varieties of the matter whether that means refilling Thor’s mug of beer or changing the direction of flow of a massive water body back into itself just like in Avengers: Endgame.
He Can Project His Astral Form
Initially, it was forced upon him, but learning to astral project is one of the first powers that Doctor Strange learns during his time with The Ancient One. While his body remained inactive, he can access the astral dimension. By employing his astral form Dr. Strange is capable of floating around the world in his astral form and observe time and space in his world without being spotted, it’s also a form he can use to negotiate other authenticities.
Doctor Strange Can Fly
Not every sorcerer has the ability to fly, but Doctor Strange has a special relationship with the Cloak of Levitation. It’s not a tailored piece that can be worn by just anyone, because the cloak itself chooses if the individual is worthy of having it draped across their shoulders and Dr. Stephen Strange happens to be one of those individuals in a long time. The powers of the cloak proved to be beneficial during conflicts, and also acts as a friend providing emotional support when needed as the cloak can comfort and wipe away tears.
He Can Manipulate Time
After Thanos destroyed the Time Stone and Captain America returned the one that Bruce Banner had loaned from The Ancient One, this isn’t a power that Doctor Strange can exercise anymore. But in the past, he has been able to use it to such amazing effect both in his movie and Avengers: Infinity War that it deserves acknowledgment. His powerful magical abilities allowed him to manipulate the ancient artifact and are capable of manipulating time using the stone as per the requirement of the situations or by him. Dr. Strange’s ability to employ the powers of the time stone was so upskilled that in the Avengers: Infinity War, he was able to look ahead in time of all the 14 million possibilities that the Avengers had of defeating Thanos in a matter of mere minutes.
Protect Mystical Objects
As a Master of The Mystic Arts, Dr. Strange has been given the duty of protecting powerful and sacred objects from individuals who would use them for dangerous purposes. As a result, a protection spell has been cast on every single piece of magical artifacts under his jurisdiction to stop them from ever falling into the wrong hands. We can witness the perfect example of this in the opening scenes of Avengers: Infinity War, as Doctor Strange, can keep Ebony Maw from ripping the Eye of Agamotto from around his neck temporarily preventing the stone from falling into the hands of Thanos.
