(Photo by Selma Komisky)

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WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS 

Desire To Connect: Reconnect Relationship (Dr. Strange and The Multiverse of Madness)

By: Ashley Gomez-Morrison

The latest Marvel movie hit the movie screens back in May, and since then has raised questions about what Marvel has in store for the superheroes featured within this film. Doctor Stephen Strange, Wanda Maximoff, and America Chavez are the primary characters within this film and there is without a doubt a substantial amount of tension within each of these characters relationships. We learn that America has the ability to travel the multiverse and has enlisted Dr. Strange’s help as something, or someone, is trying to kidnap her. However, America proceeds with caution in trusting Dr. Strange as their previous encounter has left her reluctant to trust Dr. Strange bringing a sense of uncertainty to their relationship. Dr. Strange however, is determined to bring no harm to America at any cost and proceeds to help her but also wants to enlist the help of an old friend.

Seeking help, Strange visits Wanda as he expects her help in finding out who is trying to kidnap America. When Dr. Strange arrives Wanda is defensive, she anticipates that Strange is there to condemn her actions in Westview and is surprised when he does not. Within this interaction there does not appear to be any initial animosity between Strange and Wanda, and Strange wants to help Wanda regain her heroic status. Wanda, however has other plans. We learn that Wanda is the one hunting America in order to take her power. Upon this reveal, the outward appearance of Strange and Wanda’s relationship drastically changes. Wanda begins to blame Strange for Visions’ death and letting Thanos beat the Avengers, while still being seen as a hero. Wanda describes the pain she has gone through since the battle between Thanos and the Avengers, and Westview and uses it as her justification to take America’s power and leave their universe to be with her kids in another. Stranges’ attempt to dissuade her are unsuccessful as Wanda is blind to the consequences of her actions and proceeds to hunt America down.

Dr. Strange acts as the bridge between Wanda and America since he is seen as an obstacle for one, and helper for another. As Strange realizes the position that Wanda has found herself in, he is sympathetic and wants to help her through her pain. With America, we see Strange try to understand her and her powers and tries to empower her a number of times as well as save her life several times. We also see Stranges’ relationship with America grow as they travel different universes trying to escape Wanda.

By the climax of the movie Wanda has captured America and is preparing to take her power and ultimately kill her. However she is delayed long enough for America to gain the confidence she needs to control and use her power. America then creates a window into the universe Wanda wants to escape to, in order to show her the consequences of her actions in another universe. Wanda finds that her other selves children are afraid of her and are trying to protect their mother. Ultimately Wanda discovers that America and Strange were right, and that what she wanted would never have worked.

Ultimately, America is able to get to safety and Strange stays behind with Wanda. Wanda proceeds to destroy the darkhold in every universe in order to prevent herself or anyone else from being tempted by it. Strange believes her and goes his own way.

By the end of the movie we see America have more confidence in herself and has begun to build relationships with Dr. Strange and Wong. As an audience we are unaware of what happened to Wanda after she destroyed the darkhold, we can only speculate that we will see her, Dr. Strange, America, and Wong fighting on the same side of the next fight. 

The relationships between these characters are in actuality hardly different than those we can face on a daily basis. Dr. Strange tries to help friends, both old and new, while learning new things about himself along the way. Wanda has realized her actions were wrong and will hopefully be willing to mend the relationships with those involved. Lastly, America has gained confidence in herself and in the relationships she is beginning to build within this new universe.

Within Marvel movies across the board we see that the connections between these superheroes is perhaps the reason we all love these movies.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12:

 “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”