2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness pulled a clever trick on MCU fans — one that could be repeated by Avengers: Doomsday following the recent cast announcement. Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange sequel takes Benedict Cumberbatch’s titular sorcerer on a cross-dimensional journey that brings him and America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) to Earth-838, where they meet the Illuminati. The alternate universe’s group of heroes includes Baron Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Charles Xavier/Professor X (Patrick Stewart) Captain Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), Black Bolt (Anson Mount), Captain Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch), and Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic (John Krasinski). The ensuing sequence completely turns Multiverse of Madness on its head. In Earth-838, Strange pleads with the Illuminati to help him defeat the Darkhold-wielding Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), but they don’t trust him because their version of Strange was a traitor. Possessing the universe’s version of Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch arrives at the facility on a quest to capture America.
The Illuminati members heroically assemble before the dreamwalking Scarlet Witch stunningly cuts them down one by one. First, Black Bolt’s mouth vanishes, causing his lethal scream to implode his own head. Then, the Scarlet Witch shreds Reed into dozens of noodle-like pieces. Captain Carter says she “could do this all day” before the Scarlet Witch kills her with her own shield, and Captain Rambeau gets crushed by a falling statue. Subsequently, Professor X tries to enter Wanda’s mind, but the Scarlet Witch sneaks up from behind and snaps his neck. This sequence featuring the Illuminati’s deaths came as a shock to most viewers, as Multiverse of Madness totally subverted expectations of a cameo-ridden film. Accordingly, the recently confirmed returns of several original X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday provides an opportunity for the MCU to repeat its best trick.
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ Illuminati Trick Is Brilliant
The Illuminati sequence in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a fantastic moment of trickery. Releasing less than five months after nostalgia spectacle that was Spider-Man: No Way Home, Multiverse of Madness leans into fan service again by bringing back the beloved X-Men leader and introducing a popular Mr. Fantastic fancast to the screen, among numerous other established character cameos. However, this time, the MCU pulls the rug out from under fans by brutally killing off these characters just minutes after they first appear. In a smart and hilarious twist, Multiverse of Madness initially appeared to be the cameo fest that some fans demand from MCU movies, but swiftly shattered it all in such an outrageous manner. In a way, Doctor Strange 2 laughs in the faces of those who believe a bunch of random superhero appearances make a movie great.
This series of events in Multiverse of Madness works well to showcase the Scarlet Witch’s immense power, and fans of the character certainly had a blast watching her astonishing, bordering on campy disposal of Earth-838’s Illuminati. At a time when major franchises are turning toward nostalgia to sell new movies at an alarming rate, Multiverse of Madness separates itself from films stuck in the past by refusing to allow its cameos to take over the story. Although Doctor Strange 2 strongly hinted at the incorporation of character variants in the buildup to its release, the film’s quick use of the Illuminati keeps its narrative focused on Strange, America, and Wanda/the Scarlet Witch — whose compelling arcs are the true beating heart of Multiverse of Madness.
Avengers: Doomsday Should Replicate Doctor Strange 2‘s Trick With the X-Men
Given that Avengers: Doomsday is set to bring back original Fox X-Men members Professor X, Magneto (Ian McKellen), Mystique (Rebecca Romijn), Cyclops (James Marsden), Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), and Beast (Kelsey Grammer), the MCU has a great opportunity to avoid turning its biggest movie since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame into pure nostalgia bait. Thus, Doomsday should use the X-Men as a bait-and-switch so that the Avengers and other established heroes can take center stage. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the X-Men characters must graphically die like the Illuminati in Doctor Strange 2, but they should be written out of the film quickly in some way. As a result, Doomsday can satisfy X-Men fans seeking a bit more closure from the Fox-Marvel franchise while maintaining its focus on the MCU’s most prominent leaders such as Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and many of the other heroes slated to feature in the next Avengers movie.
The MCU returns to theaters on May 2nd with Thunderbolts*. New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again air weekly on Disney+ on Tuesdays. Avengers Doomsday will hit theaters on May 1, 2026.
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