We’ve been introduced to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and stood by the stand when the Chitauri invaded New York. We traveled throughout the cosmos, in a journey that’s yet to be completed, and now we are here entering the alternate worlds of mysticism and metaphysics. Last night (April 13) on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the program held the world premiere of the teaser trailer for Marvel’s upcoming film, “Doctor Strange.”
For those not familiar with this future Avenger, we lined up a few trivial details to know about the caped hero.
The Origins of the Good Doctor
Created in 1963 by artist Steve Ditko, Stephen Strange is a glorified neurosurgeon with an ego larger than life. After a devastating car accident renders his hands useless, and unable to perform at work, Strange resorts to traveling the world in order to restore them. After a long and hopeless journey, he finds himself in Tibet at the mercy of a being known as the Ancient One. The elder refuses to aid the desperate doctor, not believing him to be selfless and therefore unworthy of his teachings. Strange is able to prove himself and becomes the Ancient One’s apprentice, eventually succeeding his master as the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth.
Strange’s Abilities
The powers that Stephen wields can be summed up as magic, but he does have a few tricks up his sleeve. He can summon the Vishanti, a trio of beings, from which he can cast spells. Strange has the abilities of astral projection, teleportation, mind control, inter-dimensional travel, and can manipulate energy. Physically, he also has the Cloak of Levitation that allows him to fly, and appears as his cape; the Eye of Agamotto is an amulet that is used by Strange to combat black magic as well being able to shift other people into different worlds.
We’ve Met Doctor Strange Before (Not Really)
In 2014’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” Stephen Strange, along with Bruce Banner, is name checked very briefly, and in true Easter egg fashion, by the ill-fated Jasper Sitwell as a potential threat to HYDRA’s world domination. His being a threat is a result of Arnim Zola’s data-mining algorithm, designed to do as such.
With the established Avengers preparing to duke it out in “Captain America: Civil War,” Marvel’s Phase Three is shaping up to change the universe we have come to know since launching in 2008. The upcoming slate of films will introduce, and reintroduce, new heroes such as “Black Panther,” “Captain Marvel,” “Spider-Man,” and of course “Doctor Strange,” as the Mad Titan known as Thanos scours multiple galaxies in his search for the Gems – leading to the all-out battle in the two-part “Avengers: Infinity War.”
Doctor Strange joins the growing list of Marvel’s more obscure comic characters that have been or will be headlining their own films. Over the last two years, general audiences were introduced to the “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Ant-Man,” both becoming surprise hits, so it shouldn’t be much of one if Strange marks a three-peat for the studio.