#doctor strange meta

[doctorstrangeaskblog]

Excluding deus ex machina PLOT, do you think Doctor Strange fans should feel offended about Peter Defeating Stephen in No Way Home?

No because it's obvious since the start Stephen isn't "fighting to kill". Actually, some details of Benedict's acting show Stephen actually is being careful when attacking Peter (ironically, despite hitting a train against Peter) specially when using spells that could potentially kill the Spidey (like portals that could cut him). Many however do have great arguments to counter that Stephen wouldn't be stuck there for 12 hours (and those include Stephen being able to astral project and the fact he has telekinesis strong enough to lift a bus / weights around 12-14 tons /, so probably, if we were being very rigid about powers, lore and criteria, Stephen would find a way to escape in less than 12 hours, even if he had to astral project and move to an area where he knows other Sorcerers use the Mirrored Dimension to train, he could just ask for help and yes, his astral form CAN be way faster than normal people /in DS1 we have seen time moving VERY SLOWLY for Stephen and TAO's perception while in astral form, so he probably would be able to move to a sorcerer training zone in his astral form to ask for help. In the comics, his astral form is as fast as the speed of thought, which would be the speed that neurons in our brain use to communicate.) Stephen already proved to be very deadly when he wants to be (he impaled Sinister Strange, killed Lucian Aster and defeated Thanos, causing Thanos's death along with all of his army- they were indirect deaths, but Stephen DID PLAN and DID INDUCE the events so that happened.)

Stephen could have killed Peter this moment if he wanted, but that was never his intention, obviously. I will leave this gif here because it's so cute and adorable, look at those two dorks. I love them.

And this is Lucian Aster. Stephen fried his astral form with the energy he got from the defibrillator.

#doctor strange #doctor strange meta #no way home #spiderman 3 #stephen strange #benedict cumberbatch #spider man #peter parker

[doctorstrangemetas]

Doctor Strange Powers Meta Compilation Part 1

Doctor Strange’s Powers: Portal Conjuring

Portal conjuring was the first spell Doctor Strange learned, so obviously, it has a special place among his skills. We can see him using it in Thor Ragnarok and Infinity War with such ease we could be fooled to think it was easy for him to learn it, while it was not. The Ancient One had to leave him on the top of the Everest so Strange could leave his self pity aside and give total focus to the spell. So far, we’ve learned a few things about it.

Strange can make the portals appear anywhere and they don’t lead necessarily to another place in our dimension. When Stephen captured Loki, he claimed to have fallen for 30 minutes. Assuming Loki would have been able to escape if he was falling in the sky, from portal to portal, we can conclude Loki was trapped inside a pocket dimension created by Doctor Strange, where no matter how Loki teleported, he couldn’t leave it.

Originally posted by marvelmao

Another property of the portals is that they can cut by burning whatever gets pressed against its edges, just like Wong did, cutting Black Dwarf’s arm off. Considering that, the portals aren’t just a way to move from a place to another, but they’re also a dangerous weapon. Strange could form portals around an enemy’s body in order to have it chopped, but that probably goes against the doctor’s oath of not killing, at least, not killing if not necessary.

Originally posted by fyeahmarvel

The spell however, has its limitations. One must picture the place they want to go clearly in their mind, so it requires a lot of focus, no matter how good one is at it. Also, since the place has to be pictured, one cannot go to a place they don’t know. Strange probably needs to use his magic mirror in order to see places and track people before opening a portal to a place he doesn’t know. Another weakness is the need of a sling ring so a sorcerer can open a portal.

Originally posted by dailymcugifs

Of course there must be other ways to conjure portals, like we saw the Ghost Rider from Agents of Shield doing, but so far, our doctor has used just his sling ring. At this point he probably knows how to craft new ones in case he loses his. (Or get in Kamar Taj).

Doctor Strange’s Powers: Eldritch Barrier

Originally posted by dailymcugifs

Without a specific name, the “Eldritch Barrier” (it’s made using his Eldritch Magic aaand it’s a barrier) is perfect for absorbing impact…however…not so perfect because the sorcerer conjuring the spell still can’t do it perfectly! Strange more than once showed insecurity about his spells, despite being able to conjure them and despite being badass as hell, Strange clearly still learned 100% of the spells he showed us in the movie, even if he’s a lot more experienced by now. The Barrier is supposed to act not just like a….barrier, but also like an impact “nullifier” or “anulator”. Considering Peter, Tony and Stephen were inside a crashing ship, we know the problem isn’t just whatever object that might hit you. but the impact per se. We already know strong impacts might damage inner organs and even dislocate neurons from place, killing the person even if they’re apparently intact. The thing is so serious that despite having a super high tech armor, Tony and Peter are SUPER worried. Tony would be confident if he knew his armor and Peter’s could sustain such an impact, but he doesn’t know if they actually can! That’s why he’s so nervous and scared. Considering the scenario we saw in the movie, the only one who would most likely survive was Peter, because of his enhanced durability and higher density plus improved regeneration skills. Even so, if I had to bet, I would bet Spidey would survive, but probably be in a coma and wake up only days later.

So, as we see, to conjure the spell, Strange joins his hands, gathers energy and then crosses his arms, his hands facing the direction he wants to place the front of the barrier. But that’s not just it. The barrier continues forming and makes a cylinder around Strange and the others, and supposedly, that cylinder gets unaffected by external impacts, pressure and temperature (yeah, the temperature outside could have been lethal as well). After the impact, Tony fell or crouched and Spidey got attached to the ceiling, so yeah, Strange’s spell isn’t perfect yet, some of the impact hit them despite his effort.

Originally posted by strangestephens

Considering the face Strange makes when he’s using the spell, the barrier (at least the high level of the spell he used) demands a lot of energy, and despite the energy used not being directly Strange’s, Stephen definitely has to use a lot of his own energy in order to conjure the energy to be used in the barrier. For the barrier to absorb and nullify all that impact, its energy probably has to be the same or very close to the energy of the impact, which is A LOT OF ENERGY. Strange got drained and it would explain well why he’s more defensive than offensive during the fight against the Guardians, and why the Cloak steps forward to stop Drax, preventing a direct fight between tired Stephen and angry Drax. Stephen still is able to fight, but if we check his breathing and his expression, we can see he’s super tired. His hands are shaking more and he looks way more stressed than usual.

As you can see, the barrier surrounds them, what makes it less like a shield and more like a super resistant force field.

You know what’s interesting? That wasn’t the first time we saw that spell. Wong also conjured it in the beginning of the movie during the fight against Ebony Maw and the Black Dwarf. And do you know what’s even more interesting? Wong used different hand signs to conjure it. Differently from Strange’s version of the spell, Wong just conjured the front of the barrier. Considering Wong is Strange’s teacher and he probably still is more skilled than Strange, we can assume the sorcerer can choose the “level” of the spell they are conjuring by controlling the amount of energy they use.

Strange seems very chill about the fight when Wong intervenes, so that sort of proves how that Barrier is super resistant. The impact of a ship might have required an extreme skill with that spell, but in most situations, the barrier and Strange’s experience is more than enough to handle it. In fact, if we think about it, the ones attacking Wong are super strong and even so, Strange and Wong seem super confident about it.

So, we can conclude every spell has levels and each level demands more energy. Higher levels don’t mean just more spell strength, but they also mean different spell utilities, as we saw in Wong’s barrier (level 2?) that is huge but has just the front of the barrier and as we saw in Strange’s barrier (level 3?) that’s not just huge, but it also forms a cylinder around himself, Tony and Peter. Wong probably knows how to conjure higher levels of the spells, but Strange probably is the guy who’s able to do it because of his intense willpower and determination, while I believe Wong is less clumsy and more skilled, Strange is more intense and explosive, but also clumsy and a bit unstable.

 See? He’s a bit clumsy. He totally loses balance when he uses the Crimson Bands. The Cloak can cover that, but still, Infinity War’s direction and Benedict’s acting were perfect to give us the impression Strange grew a lot, learned new spells and he’s freaking powerful, but that still, he’s not a sorcerer supreme yet, he’s not complete, he still has a lot to learn and he’s still is getting used to the powerful spells he learned, he’s still getting used to his own intense potential, a potential he still doesn’t quite know how to use or control.

Originally posted by thetony-stark

Seraphim Shield, Grimsom Bands of Cyttorak, Eldritch Whip, Rings of Raggadorr

People often confuse the Rings of Raggadorr with the Shields of Seraphim. The shields are way larger and can reflect energy, the rings are smaller, their energy is more aggressive and they might amplify the impact of a punch and burn or be thrown. Also, the rings seem to be able to act like a shortcut if the sorcerer wants to conjure other spells. We still didn’t see Stephen hitting someone with the Rings, he used them for intimidation so far, but according to the concept art, the rings are deadly and can cut like blades too. I would go crazy if the added that energy tail to Strange’s slashes in the movie. (pic source, check for more concept art)

These are the rings:

Originally posted by tomloki

This is the shield:

The Eldritch Whip and the Crimson Bands are different too. The whip burns and it’s a lot more thinner, golden and violent, causing pain and impact, like a legit photonic whip, while the bands are larger, and even if they burn, their focus is resistance, and of course, they’re more…red. 

Whip:

Originally posted by ageofsuperheroes

Bands:

Doctor Strange’s Powers: Bolts of Balthakk

Originally posted by palmerchristine

The bolts of Balthakk is a spell that focuses on power and destruction, but not just that. It has two special elements to it. The first one is that IT EXPLODES whenever it touches a surface. The second one is that it ricochets, and depending of the sorcerer’s skill, this ricocheting might be manipulated so the bolts will follow the enemy until the spell ends. In order to conjure the spell, hands/arm signs are required (or mental signs if the sorcerer can picture them perfectly) and the bolts come from the rings formed in front of the sorcerer’s hands.

Originally posted by mydoctorstrangegifs

We can see the exploding and ricocheting nature of the spell by observing these shots below. But how can we define the nature of this spell? Even if it might seem it behaves like electricity, it’s probably closer to photonic manipulation, just like the entire Eldritch Magic Spells seem to be (Strange’s spells). In fact, today we know light (photons), if provided enough energy, can be condensed and even be crystallized. That could relate to how the control over the mirrored dimension can be obtained, how crystal walls appeared when Strange used the Eye to open rifts in time by accident and how the bolts resemble photonic plasma. Maybe the explosion is caused my the photons releasing all the stored energy at once, overheating all the surroundings.

The Bolts might look like a fire spell, but it’s clear how it doesn’t behave like fire or lava. It might burn the enemies, but not because it’s fire per se, but because of the huge amount of energy stored in the particles manipulated by Strange. The signature of the spell looks like some sort of super dense plasma, loaded with energy. The way the rings shine before the spell is released also suggests it has to do with light.

In Marvel vs Capcom, the bolts also have an electric aspect, but still, the silhouette of the bolt seems to behave like plasma. Could it mean the Bolts actually consist in PURE ENERGY that is simply controlled by Strange and that affect both electrons and photons? If I had to bet, I would say it’s photonic manipulation affecting electrons by consequence, or that electrons are triggered to canalize energy to photons, which are manipulated to form the spell.

#organized #compilations #doctor strange #doctor strange meta #marvel #mcu #avengers #avengers infinity war #magic #doctor strange powers #spells #marvel phase 3 #iw #endgame

[doctorofmagic]

Doctor Strange's disability: a (much needed) chronological review

In view of recent ableism and drama on the other social hellsite involving Doctor Strange's disability, here's my response, based on *CANON* material. (link to the thread on said hellsite here)

Stephen disability is established since 1963, back in Strange Tales #115. The story is focused on a flashback which portrays his journey from the decay of his medical career because of a car accident to his path towards the mystic arts.

Note that, in this very same issue, the Ancient One never says he would heal Stephen's *hands*, but perhaps Stephen would find the cure within. In other words, Stephen was supposed to heal his heart and soul from arrogance and egoism through magic, not a physical cure.

Also note that there are limitations within every aspect of comic books' universes. In this case, we're talking about magic. Magic is not a miracle thing. It demands training and, most recently as established by v4, a cost (Doctor Strange v4 #4).

Another clue that "magic can heal anything because it's fantasy" is not a valid argument within Marvel's magic world, as seen in The Oath. Stephen had access to the Otkid's Elixir, which could heal any disease, but the formula was lost in order to save Wong's life.

One last example comes from Spider-Man Family #5 (2007), featuring Morbius and Spidey. It establishes that healing demands the exact same price when it comes to magic.

Long story short, it's clear that the magic side of Marvel does not offer a solution to diseases through magical miracles. So this argument is totally invalid ~within~ this established universe.

Now back to Doctor Strange... No, he isn't using magic to heal his hands unlike some misleading accounts are claiming. In fact, there are several panels which show that he's actually in constant pain. Here's some examples:

- Doctor Strange - Sorcerer Supreme #48 (1992).

- Captain Marvel v10 #6 (2019)

- Doctor Strange v4 #1 (2015)

He also struggles to hold a pen and write, relying on magic to do so, as seen in the Book of the Vishanti.

Then comes the stupid argument I saw.

"Oh, but Google says his hands are healed!" is not a gotcha moment you think it is. We had FOUR MAIN BOOKS after that (Surgeon Supreme, DODS, Strange v3 and current v6). Allow me to clarify the details in chronological order.

Stephen indeed made a "magic" gamble and healed his hands. That much is correct. But it's not all (panels from Doctor Strange v5 #19 - 2019).

Waid continued this storyline in a new book called Dr. Strange (Surgeon Supreme), which would portray Stephen's duality as the Sorcerer Supreme and a brilliant surgeon. Except the book was cancelled at issue #6 (2020), leaving the character in a kind of limbo. Now enter MacKay.

MacKay kept a little bit of the former storyline as seen in Death of the Doctor Strange #1 (2021). On top of that, his hands appeared healed. However, that lasted only until Kaecilius murdered Stephen and stole his hands.

Stephen's temporal duplicate used a regenerative spell to bring original Stephen back through Kaecilius' body and the stolen hands. In here, we can see that his hands are scarred just like after the car accident (DODS #5 - 2022). OG Stephen died a second time with scars as well.

Stephen is indeed seen writing in v6 but it's not clear if he's using magic or not. Besides, he's not working as a surgeon anymore. Moreover, MacKay considers Stephen disabled as seen in this recent issue of v6 (#7 - 2023): "My own connection to the aether, the magic of the world, the power of the Vishanti, the power of the Sorcerer Supreme... Gone. Without all of that? I am just an old man with useless hands and a blade in his stomach."

In conclusion,

As of CURRENT DOCTOR STRANGE RUN by Jed MacKay and Pasqual Ferry, in the year of our lord Vishanti, 2024, Stephen Strange is a disabled character and no magic or ableism will erase that. Thank you very much.

#doctor strange #stephen strange #tw: ableism #marvel comics #character analysis #meta

[traveller-of-the-knight]

Ok, so!

You know all the "Doctor Strange Astoprojects the mk system and we cinematically see the three alters slipping out of the body.

But but but hear me out!

What about Dr. Strange trying to push one person out of his body and failing because it is actually a system and he needs more strength to push them away.

So Strange would hit their chest multiple times expecting something to happen but uh-uh nothing and poor Steven tries to get away from him.

Eventually he puts more effort and manages to do something, that is making Jake front by pushing Steven away from the front and suddenly gets slapped by him.

Jake gets into a fist fight with Strange while Strange tries to use his powers to teleport Jale away from him.

Eventually he manages to astroproject them for a second and he sees Jake and Marc splitting from the body holding hands until Steven pulls them back in.

They are together in this they won't let anyone separate them, Strange needs to try harder.

#moon knight #moon knight system #marc spector #steven grant #jake lockley #moon knight headcanon #moon knight headcanons #moon knight fanfiction #moon knight fanfics #moon knight fanfic #marvel headcanon #marcel headcanons #moon knight drabble #marvel drabble #dr. strange #doctor strange #marvel crossover #moonknight #moon knight thoughts #moon knight and dr. strange #moon knight show #moon knight comics #moon knight meta

[facelessfinest]

Never before have I unironically used the phrase Mary Sue, but what they did with Carter in this final episode was just fucking nuts man. Kohhori was cool, I like her, but giving Carter every fucking major weapon in the canon? And then having the fucking WATCHER?? Jump in with that “it couldn’t have been me, it had to be you” fucking bullshit? She is not all that, marvel.

But you wanna know who is???

FUCKING STRANGE SUPREME.

I cannot FUCKING believe they made the most profoundly powerful iteration of a character, just to fucking throw him in the waste bin when it turned out people were way more interested in what he had going on than what Carter was doing.

There was no reason they couldn’t have made her interesting without nerfing everyone else, except that they don’t fucking know how apparently because marvel is fucking trash these days…

Seriously, there are two big ways to ruin any interest people have for a character you plan to make the face of a show/arc/phase. One, shove them in every episode and keep forcing them into plots where people don’t want them. Two, fucking killing off better characters for taking up the limelight! Look, I like the idea of Strange fighting the amalgamation of his grief, but there’s no reason he should have died over it, especially when Carter is in the same boat. This episode would have been way better if we got rid of the forced high stakes, and just had two characters suffering the same kind of grief talk it out with each other, find a way to heal, maybe by leaning on each other a little bit. They are unique in the sense that they are always lost in time, struggling to find their place.

Marvel used to capitalize on character moments like these, use them to build up their characters and give them some sense of home to keep them moving forward as heroes. Now they just kill off characters around their current Big Cheese to keep the focus on them. When did this become storytelling? When did this become cinema?

I’m fucking tired of marvel’s shit man, and I want Strange Supreme back…

#strange supreme #doctor strange #stephen strange #captain carter #peggy carter #what if spoilers #what if episode 9 #what if season 2 #what if #marvel #mcu #meta analysis #adhdfinest

[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

How I would’ve marketed “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”:

1) Don’t even mention the Illuminati. Don’t hype up any of the cameos, especially since they’re not that important in the long run.

2) Release the movie in October and hype the HELL out of it as Marvel’s Halloween special. Basically, the “Hawkeye is a Christmas show” treatment.

3) Focus on the overall spookiness/horror vibes of the movie. And I don’t mean a horror trailer like “Insidious” or “The Nun” where the focus is on scaring people. I mean a horror-inspired trailer, something along the lines of “Nightmare Before Christmas”. Horror elements, but you let the audience know that this is still a superhero movie.

4) Still mention the use of the multiverse, but don’t go too deep into it. Focus more on the movie being Doctor Strange and Wanda’s journey THROUGH the multiverse, not so much being ABOUT the multiverse. Does that make sense? I’m trying to say that this is more of a character journey rather than world-building, which a lot of people thought this movie would be due to the Illuminati and the multiverse.

5) Hype the hell out of this being Sam Raimi’s return to horror and filmmaking. “Eternals” really caught everyone’s attention by pointing out that the director just won an Academy Award. Marvel should’ve done something similar for Raimi, especially since DSitMoM was basically Evil Dead 4. 

#MCU #marvel #mcu meta #doctor strange #doctor stephen strange #doctor strange in the multiverse of madness #doctor strange spoilers #doctor strange sequel #stephen strange #wanda maximoff #scarlet witch #Sam Raimi #america chavez #wong #christine palmer #the illuminati #dsitmom #dsitmom spoilers #multiverse of madness #movie thoughts #marvel thoughts

[3lostyears]

and if i said that everything people prophesied would happen if the doctor and rose stayed together actually happened after they were separated what then

#the doctor was much more of a threat after he lost rose #and rose was the least rose like we ever saw her in s4. a strange woman wandering around a different world #i simply do not think that rtd did hubris well in this era generally but especially the torchwood elements #but if there is meta people want to link me to demonstrate otherwise i am happy to read it #but like…they did make each other better and they never stopped helping others together #they were delusionally devoted to one another and the universe was kind of their playground #and sometimes commentary on timepetals being a hubris ship comes across to me as #people not liking the doctor having fun #doctor who #timepetals

[prettywitchiusaka]

Okay...So I watched the What If...? finale first thing this morning. I wanted so bad to believe the rumors weren't true, but they were. And this was (basically) my reaction;

In a way, I'm actually kinda glad I knew about the rumors, because I wasn't as surprised when it happened. I'm not even angry, angry, I'm just disappointed and pissed off, but in a tranquil way.

I think it also helps that I was out for most of today (I was helping a friend move to his new place), so I had time to reflect and let my thoughts simmer. And now that I have, I think I know what my problem with all of this is.

You see, I like the idea of the episode; I love Supreme's grief being so powerful that it consumed him and has taken the form of a literal demon, I love the idea of Supreme being in conflict with himself, and I love the implication he came to Peggy because he trusted her to stop him from doing something he'd regret down the line.

See, in my opinion, that's not a bad idea for an episode (in theory). No, the problem is the execution. If you want me to buy that Supreme has regressed due to guilt and loneliness, SHOW IT TO ME!!! Don't make me think he's asking a friend for help only to pull the rug out from under her! That's not good writing, that's just stupid and lazy!

And why is Supreme coming to Peggy of all people? Wouldn't it make more sense (as other people have pointed out) for him to face off against another Strange? But I digress.

So yeah, that's my major complaint of the episode, that they took the lazy way out with Supreme.

So with all of that said, is there anything I liked about the episode? Yeah, actually. And that something is Benedict Cumberbatch. I'll level with you people, I love Strange Supreme, and part of that is because of Ben's vocal performance. The way he plays Supreme is great; he's so petty and nihlistic and with zero fucks left to give...it's wonderful! I love it! I wouldn't be above watching the episode again for that alone. But if you ask me which Season of Supreme I'd prefer, I'll pick Season 1 every time.

Like I said, before; even if the rumors are true, at least we'll always have Season 1 tentacle boy.

Bottom line, Strange Supreme deserved a lot better, and Marvel really needs to stop doing Doctor Strange dirty in general.

#marvel cinematic universe #what if...? #doctor strange supreme #review #sort of #meta #analysis #Prettywitch Rants #Prettywitch Watches TV #Youtube #benedict cumberbatch

[dduane]

...Going through some old files and coming across this (which I haven’t thought of in a while)...

I told y’all that with a little work, we could make a wizard out of him.  :)

#Doctor Strange #Young Wizards meta #(with a tip of the hat to Chris Claremont) #temporospatial claudication #so what if it got a bit misspelled

[artbyblastweave]

1st is that you think scion would beat Dr strange in a fight

2nd is You have mixed feelings about batman

3rd Is you really like a good grilled cheese

(This is in reference to some ancient opinion ask game I let a bunch of asks build up for. I have no hope of finding the referent, I'm just trying to clear out some of my draft buildup today) 1st: If I were going full reddit-mode, yeah, Scion no contest. But if you're following the Saitama rule, the thing about Dr. Strange is that beating opponents who hideously outclass him by being clever is sort of how he works, at least in the stuff involving him that I've read/watched and enjoyed. The One Weird Trick to beating Scion isn't really that far outside the scope of what Strange could figure out and then find a way to exploit. Mass illusion spells vs mass mind control, maybe, something down those lines. Fundamentally it depends on whether we're going down the reddit-who-would-win route or the narrative logic route, and I think it's gonna come down to how personally annoying you find Doctor Strange as a property. 2nd: Less than you'd think! Mostly positive feelings about Batman, tempered with multiple layers of the "holy shit would we not want this guy to be real" impulse that, let's face it, is basically omnipresent amongst Batman Media Consumers at this point? I even have a soft spot for a lot of the batshit Frank Miller Output- TDKR as an artistic object, All-Star Batman and Robin in a "Crush, Texas" sorta way. 3rd's not even a real question

#ask #asks #parahumans #worm spoilers #meta #thoughts #batman #wildbow #worm #scion #doctor strange #crossover #who would win

[khruschevshoe]

My Complicated Feelings on Angels Take Manhattan/How Amy's Story Should Have Ended

You know I think the reason why Angels Take Manhattan has always felt off to me (other than the logical gaps/statue of liberty Weeping angel/why couldn't eleven just fly to New Jersey in the 1940s and then just bus in) is that all of Amy's arc up literally beginning in Eleventh Hour/Amy's Choice going through God Complex and Dinosaurs In A Spaceship and the Power of Three feels like it's building up to Amy finally choosing her domestic life/growing up over travelling with the Doctor. Like, it feels like it's building up to a "Martha leaves the Doctor" type ending where Amy decides to choose her normal life and growing up over the Doctor, the kind of situation where he will always be her friend but that she has decided to make her life in the here and now. Something that might feel bittersweet, but ultimately satisfying.

But instead Angels Take Manhattan is about the Doctor and Amy/Rory getting ripped apart ala Ten/Rose or Ten&Donna and it just doesn't quite fit right? Like, Amy gets to choose to stay with Rory but it's framed as more of a tragedy from the Doctor's end? And it's still a repeat of the whole "Rory died so I won't live a life without him" dilemma in Amy's Choice rather than "I choose to grow up on my own terms of my own free will." Like, they were attempting the "choosing to grow up" bit with the final afterword by Amelia Williams part of the story but Rory doesn't get to make a choice over anything. He gets no agency. Hell, Amy doesn't get to choose the life she and Rory were building for themselves so carefully in the Power of Three- that gets ripped away from her, too.

I honestly love the storyline that Amy and Rory and Eleven had, buried between all of the Silence plots and the weird way it ended. I liked the idea of growing up and choosing to settle down while still keeping friends with the stars. And I feel like the need to make their ending tragic kind of undercut some of the impact that Amy getting to make her choice to build something of her own and choose that could have had.

#amy pond #rory williams #amy x rory #doctor who #eleventh doctor #amy deserved a martha ending #pls tell me this makes sense #meta #angels take manhattan #my feelings on this episode/her arc have changed over time #i like this episode more than i like the wedding of river song or the time of the doctor to be SURE #but there's just something that could have been executed a little better #amy pond growing up #i also wanted her to keep her name #i get what they were trying to do i just feel like it undercut her arc #power of three #Amy's choice wasn't about rory/the Doctor it was about staying that child in the garden or growing up #and the story decided her tragedy was still being the girl in the garden ripped away from the Doctor #angels take manhattan is still “rory died so I won't live this life” rather than “i picked this for myself of my own free will” #tagging this moffat critical feels strange #Amy's choice

[doctorstrangeaskblog]

I have a theory that's probably wrong but it will mess with your heart.

What if Defender Strange was PRETENDING he was going to take America's powers and kill her? What if he realized the monster alone wasn't scarying her enough so he pushed things so America would use her powers and survive? So he started to drain her but slowly, so she believed he would kill her, she would open a portal and escape and he would stay behind to buy some time fighting against the monster since his leg was hurt and he wouldn't able to run anymore?

Another important detail is that Defender Stephen did care about her, he seemed quite sad when draining her and even moments before dying, he used his magic to save her.

Along the movie, it's stated many times by different characters, including Strange that "all Stephens are the same". Well, if that's so when it comes to personality (and knowing Defender isn't corrupted by the DarkHold), our Stephen didn't try to kill America to steal her powers, he didn't even consider that along the movie- so it's possible Defender also never truly considered taking her life, he just meant her believe he betrayed her so America would be angry and not care about his death/missing (since he would sacrifice himself against the monster to buy time for her) he wanted America to feel betrayed and hate him so she wouldn't grieve his loss.

#doctor strange #defender strange #doctor strange 2 #doctor strange in the multiverse of madness #meta #theory #america chavez

[stewardofningishzida]

Stephen Strange Meta-Fic Sequel Chapter 10: Trix is for Avengers!

A showdown commences! Stay tuned and read on!~

TRIGGER WARNING: Torture, kidnapping, mental manipulation

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*The Quinjet lands in an open field near October Mountain Wilderness.  On it, four Avengers and three very angry and worried young women disembark, ready to rescue their captive friend.  The rest of their journey to the witch’s lair will have to be done on foot.  Using Tony’s GPS, the group silently approaches Agatha’s cabin.  They stop at the edge of the clearing to perform some recon and locate potential traps.  Tony scans the area with his devices while the girls concentrate to perform some basic magical scans of their own. Meanwhile, Scott encourages some of his ants to begin spreading around the area.*

*There are at least eight people wandering around the cabin. If not for their almost zombie-like movements, they looked exactly like hikers or tourists, complete with backpacks and flannel. In fact, they could have been. Now a purple glow radiates from their eyes and their hands are blackened similar to Agatha’s. They don’t patrol together, but wander aimlessly around the area, not getting further than 15 feet away from the cabin itself which has smoke coming out of the chimney. The building itself looks like it could have been pulled from a Christmas card with how stereotypical it looked for a one-story wooden cabin, minus the snow. All in all, it looked pretty ordinary on the surface.*

Steve (low whisper):  Looks like we have company.  With those eyes, they’re probably brainwashed.  We’ll have to knock out and restrain them.

Me (quietly):  Think they’re all on some sort of trigger too?  Like…If one of them falls even out of view, it might set the others off?

Peter: I could try knocking something over with my web shooters? See what kind of a reaction we get?

Tony: No, we can’t risk alerting all of them to us being here if they do work under a hivemind. We need to find that crystal keeping Trix trapped first before we give up our presence.

Prettywitch: I wonder…What if I used my divination to find out?

Me (staying quiet):  Go ahead.  *I encourage her.*

Tear: Just remember not to push too far. We can’t have you draining your magical energy so early into the mission.

Prettywitch: Okay. * She pulls out the tarot deck from her satchel and quickly cleanses it. Then she shuffles the deck while asking herself, “Is there some sort of psychic link between the group in front of us or no?”, five times before finally stopping to pull the first card that “calls” to her. She pulled the Six of Wands* Six of Wands?

Tony: *Lifts a skeptical eyebrow at the card* Is that supposed to be a variation of NATO?

Prettywitch: *Glares at Tony* No, Stark. It’s saying that, yes; they do share a link…At least I’m pretty sure that’s what it’s saying.

Tear: That’s amazing! Then we won’t get their attention until we are certain Trix’s crystal will be safe from Agatha retaliating.

Tony: It’s a bug’s life, after all. Right, Lang, you are up. What do your ant eyes see? Any way for you and the girls to approach in search of Trix and those anti-magic runes without triggering anything?

Scott: *He doesn’t answer Tony right away. He’s busy communicating with one of the ants.* AnToinette’s saying there’s zombies everywhere. Our best bet is for someone to cause a distraction.

Prettywitch: Guess that means Harrass Harkness is up.

*Steve raises an eyebrow.*

Steve:  Harass Harkness?

Prettywitch: Yeah. That’s the name of the group name for everyone who stays behind to deal with Agatha’s goons. 

Me:  Let’s strategize, then.  One part of the group stays here and plans a diversion tactic.  The other part shrinks down and sneaks into the cabin to try and swipe Trix’s crystal.  What else did you foresee, Prettywitch?  Anyone in particular need to stay or go in? 

Prettywitch: Hmmm…Let me think. *She cleanses the deck again and shuffles them, asking, “Should anyone in particular come with Antman?” five times before pulling three cards that “call* to her. They are; The Chariot (Past), Two of Cups (Present), Ace of Coins (Future)* Huh?...That’s kinda weird…Unless-

*As PrettyWitch begins to explain, one of the zombie-like guards shuffles around the outskirts of the clearing, slowly and almost stumbling over their own feet with a blank look on their face. He is slowly getting closer to the group and is about twenty feet away at the moment.*

*Steve gestures silently at the group to duck down and stay as quiet as possible.  We all do so.*

*The guard wanders in front of where the group are hiding and pauses as if he hears something and looks around, almost looking like all of his limbs and neck are limp as he lazily scouts out the woods from his position.*

*We stay quiet, waiting for him to leave.*

*After about thirty seconds, the guard seems satisfied even if it doesn’t reflect on his face. He wanders off again around the rest of the perimeter.*

*Steve watches for a bit to make sure nobody else is around before gesturing to let Prettywitch finish speaking.*

Steve (polite, but down to business):  The coast is clear.  Go on.

Prettywitch: So in tarot, Ace of Coins represents new beginnings, opportunity, potential. But more in the sense of possibilities, not success. So, we’ll still need to plan accordingly. 

Me:  Since I can sense spirits, maybe that’ll give us an edge.  Plus, I have lockpicks.  I’ll go in with Scott.

Tear: Tony taught me how to set up the explosives Steward requested too, so I can be backup help if she needs it. Plus, if we manage to find Trix… We don’t know what condition she’ll be in when we find her, and I want to do everything I can to help her. So I’m going too.

Prettywitch: Perfect. I’ll stay here so we can keep the rescue party small.

Steve:  Okay.  Scott, go ahead and shrink down with the two girls.  Report back as soon as you can.  We’ll provide a diversion when needed.

Scott: Alright. Let’s go.

*Scott, Tear, and I shrink down and climb onto three winged ants already waiting for us. They easily fly us across the field and into Agatha’s cabin. We are tense and dreading the activation of any traps, but everything remains quiet as we stealthily pass through a crack under a baseboard, unnoticed.  At least for now.  None of us sees or senses Trix in the small house.  Agatha is bustling around, looking frustrated.  It seems she’s preparing something.  We don’t see any crystals on her person or anywhere in the cabin.  However, Scott quickly points out scuff marks on the floor, barely covered by a rug.  We quietly slip under the rug to avoid detection and find a trapdoor with a lock on it.  Scott inspects the lock for a bit and tries to pick it with one of Cassie’s old barretts he keeps on hand. It doesn’t open the lock.  Meanwhile, Tear is a lookout to make sure Agatha doesn’t step on or notice us.*

Scott (using his earpiece, whispering): Just like I thought; we can’t get it open through conventional means.

*I pull out the small ring of lockpicks with a smirk and pass Scott the tools.*

Scott: Thank you. (He takes the lockpicks from Steward and carefully  fiddles with each one until he finally gets it open.) And…open sesame!

*Agatha continues to grab some ingredients for a spell and is grumbling to herself.*

Agatha: I am going to hex every single person who decides that Washington should be a city. I have been to eighty-eight of them and still no trace of that specific magic. That kid isn’t lying so there’s a missing piece of the puzzle. It should only take a session or two more before she shatters… *she continues muttering to herself*

*After Scott opens the lock, we barely open the trapdoor, just a crack, to squeeze through, not moving the rug either to reduce the chance of detection.  We drop into what appears to be a small cave system beneath the cabin.  To Tear and me, the place feels like a veritable hornet’s nest of magical activity now.  We try to sense Trix, nerves mounting even further from Agatha’s “shattering” remark.  The path is slippery and treacherous.  I detect the energy of the runes’ spellwork and follow it to its origin points. It’s easy to spot the glowing purple runes on different stones, and we make a mental note of the locations of all the carvings. There seem to be even more secrets and artifacts in the caves, but we can’t stray too far because we sense…things…hidden somewhere in the dark recesses.  Tear and I are trying our best to push away flashbacks of the mine we explored with Stephen months ago.*

*Eventually, we see a dimly-lit area and head towards it, being careful of any potential traps.  Anything that looks or feels even vaguely suspicious is avoided.  We reach a candlelit chamber and deem it safe enough to grow back to normal size. Scott takes up the role of lookout at the entrance while Tear and I sense the room.  I attempt to scan for Trix’s presence, but feel nothing.  There are a few shattered crystal fragments swept into a pile at a corner on the floor.  My pulse rises further as I cannot help but fear the worst.*

Tear: Steward… *I gently grip Steward’s wrist to catch her attention and point over at a desk on the opposite wall* 

*I look at Tear and then the desk and let out a sigh of relief.*

Me:  Thank goodness…Good eye, Tear.

*There is an intact pair of dark purple crystals on that desk.  Each one has a leather band attached to them, making them look like pendants.  They’re both identical, and I touch them carefully and sense life within each one.*

Scott: Guys! Agatha’s coming! AnToinette said she and the other ants can buy us some time but we gotta be quick about it.

Me (quickly):  Coming!  If these are the only intact crystals here, one of them has to have Trix inside.  The other is probably some other poor soul that got caught.  We’ll take both of them to be sure.  

*I snatch both of them before we turn around to head up.  As we ascend, Tear and I plant Tony’s explosives on each rune we found earlier.  Then, we shrink back down with Scott’s tech and slip back out of the caves through the trapdoor.*

*While under the rug, we see Agatha is swearing up a storm as thousands of ants have swarmed her kitchen and are even crawling up her hands and arms.*

Agatha (pissed off): Get a cabin in the woods they said! I am going to get a nice city apartment so I don’t have to deal with all of this nature *She sneers and uses her magic to set as many ants on fire as she can* I’m going to find a spell to wipe as many of you pests off the face of the Earth as possible… *She pauses as she realizes that something is off* Wait…Weren’t you an Avenger’s…?

*She whirls around and stomps back to our hiding place, making the floorboards shake under our feet. At Scott’s command, we cling to the fibers of the rug moment before Agatha grabs it and flings it aside in her rush to check the trapdoor. She pales as she realizes it’s unlocked.*

Agatha: Little brats think they can steal from me? *she growls and slams the trapdoor open with a flick of her hand before storming down the stairs that lead to the caves*

*A bit shaken from the sudden carpet ride, we stumble our way out from under the discarded rug and make sure that Agatha isn’t looking before scuttling back outside of the cabin through the cracked baseboard. We then climb back onto our rides and fly out into the field.  We grow back to normal size as soon as we rejoin the group.*

Me (holding out the loot):  Crystals secured.  They’re both inhabited with a soul, but we don’t know which one’s Trix.  It’s some sort of enchantment.  By the way, Agatha’s onto us.  She almost caught us just as we were leaving.

Steve (proudly impressed):  Good work.  As soon as you disable the runes, Steward, you girls start working on breaking that spell and freeing the hostages.  We’ll draw Agatha out for capture.  Seeing as she’s gotten suspicious, it shouldn’t take much to get her out of her cabin now.

Me:  Yes, Sir.  *I grin evilly.  It’s rather unsettling since there’s some actual venom behind it this time.*

Tony: You copy that, Strange, Wong? We have visual confirmation that the crystals are now in the girls’ possession. The second those runes blow, you two are free to portal in.

Strange (via earpiece):  Copy.

Wong (via earpiece):  We’re ready.

Tony: *He turns to Peter.* I want you to stay with the girls, okay? Once the explosion happens, we’ll be heading in guns blazing. I’m sure it’ll help the wizards concentrate if they know you’re watching over their ducklings while they Wingardium Leviosa those crystals. It’s a lot of responsibility, kid. You up for it?

Peter: *He can smell the reverse psychology trick a mile away, but he can’t help standing up straighter and puffing out proudly with his new orders.* I won’t let anything happen to them, I promise.

Me: Ready for me to detonate, everyone?  *I’m holding the detonator button, ready to be pressed.*

Tear: Blow that witch to pieces.

Prettywitch: Ready!

Scott: Ready!

Tony: Set off the fireworks, kid.

Peter: All set here, Steward!

Steve:  *Gives me a thumbs-up.*  Affirmative.  Detonation in T-Minus 3 seconds.  

*I quietly gesture “three…two…one!” with my fingers and then push the button.  The charges explode, blowing up the runes. Though since the caves were apparently soundproofed, we hear nothing.  FRIDAY confirms the detonation shortly before the cabin collapses in on itself from the newly-expanded caves below. Agatha’s magic wards are down.*

Steve:  All right.  *He speaks into his earpiece so that Stephen and Wong can also hear the signal.*  Avengers, assemble!

*Meanwhile, a loud angry screech comes from the now collapsed cabin. Agatha floats upwards, her purple magic glowing dangerously around her hands and her hair curling in the air with her power like the snakes on Medusa’s head. She’s covered in dust and debris but still looks regal in her full witch attire. Dark purple light radiates from her glaring eyes as she snarls, and a pulse of raw energy booms across the entire valley, making all of us tense.*

*Within seconds, a large portal of golden sparks appears in the clearing and two furious sorcerers come charging out.  Stephen and Wong have joined the fight and their magic immediately snatches Agatha’s attention. They unleash a volley of offensive spells towards the witch, and all Hell breaks loose in the clearing.*

Agatha: So, you decided to invite yourselves over and literally crash the party. *She grins as she absorbs the magic of Stephen and Wong’s attacks and takes a deep breath as it rejuvenates her and turns into purple mist to dodge the Eldritch weapons being thrown at her* You’re going to have to do better than that, dearies. *She summons a large orb of purple magic before pushing it forward, where it shoots dozens of purple orbs of magic out into the clearing like falling meteors. A few hit her minions, who screech as their bodies wither away quickly into what almost looks like mummies, completely sapped of energy and life.*

Steve:  Avengers, shields and defensive positions!  Devices on!  *He rushes in after Stephen and Wong, ready to protect the others if needed.*

Tony: Lang! Wrangle up all of the zombies. We can’t have the witch killing civilians left and right! *He shoots up into a wide arc in the sky, aiming his repulsor blasts straight at Agatha as he provides the sorcerers with cover fire.*

Agatha: *She easily dodges the attacks and reforms in the air above the group* Pretty brave to attack a witch on her home turf, but you Avengers were never quite that bright to begin with. *She raises her arms and the remaining zombies are given spectral weapons and they charge the Avengers*

Tony: Ah, shit. Lang! Change of plans! *He swiftly propels himself in another direction, heavily landing behind Steve and protecting his six from a zombie tourist swinging down a phantom-looking scythe.*

*Meanwhile, Stephen and Wong cast their shield spells to offer an additional layer of protection to the Avengers without giving Agatha more power.  This frees up some of the team to provide a counteroffensive with their tech.*

*While Agatha is occupied with the chaos of battle, Prettywitch, Tear, and I join forces to cast an invisibility spell on us and Peter. We then sneak into the brush so we can figure the crystal issue out.*

Peter: Huh, this is weird… *He’s looking down at his hand, which looks oddly transparent, as if he was now made of clear water. We look the same to him so he can tell where we are even with the invisibility spell active* So how do you guys reverse engineer an enchantment?

Tear: To be honest, Wong hasn’t taught us that yet. The magic witches use is very different to the sorcerers’. I can’t exactly make heads or tails of how this transmutation worked in the first place.

*A loud boom makes us all tense and snap our attention back to the on-going fight in the distance. Iron Man has brought out his elliptical shield, and Peter looks like he really wants to join the fight and help, but he resolutely stays crouched down with us.*

Me:  Crap, crap, crap…*I frantically try to think of something before getting an idea.*

*I turn to look at Barry, who has been following us as usual.  After all, it’s not as though he can really leave since he bound himself to me before.*

Barry:  …Seriously?

Me:  We’ve been trying to make peace with each other, right?

Barry:  …Yeah, but how do we know that bitch’s jewelry isn’t gonna vaporize me or something?

Me:  The crystal’s some kind of soul trap.  It’s a container.  Containers don’t generally zap their contents into oblivion.  Look…If this works out, then I promise to let you listen to every single Kurt Cobain performance ever recorded.

Barry:  *Scoffs*  Has to be better than that…

Me (desperate):  We can’t do this exchange right now!  *Still arguing with Barry.*

Peter: *He leans over a bit to whisper at PrettyWitch, a bit unnerved as he watches Steward and the empty air next to her* Is this normal behavior for her…?

Prettywitch: Yeah. She’s a medium and can talk to ghosts. Most people can’t see or hear them.

*This does not comfort Peter in the slightest as he continues to watch in disturbed fascination.*

Barry (unfazed):  I still want a favor.

Me:  After!  Just name it after we free Trix.  PLEASE.

Barry (reluctant, but still snarky):  Fine…

*He drifts over towards one of the crystals and touches it before it sucks him in.*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Barry is disoriented by what he sees as he looks around.*

Barry (processing what he just experienced):  What the fuck…

*Loki immediately is on guard as this unknown suddenly appears in his astral realm and stands between him and Trix, blocking the young woman from being spotted as she is currently recovering and is as close to being asleep as she can be in the astral plains*

Loki (snarling): Who are you? Why did Agatha send you here? Leave before I have to take drastic action. *he summons two daggers and leans forward menacingly*

Barry (raising his hands):  Whoa!  I’m here for the chick, not you, dude!  

Loki (incredibly serious): Wrong answer. *he darts forward extending his daggers to attack*

Barry:  SHIT!  Fuck you, Steward!  *He shouts to seemingly nobody in particular.  All the while, the surrounding color of the crystal seems to be slowly starting to shift.*

*Loki perks up at the mention of Steward and uses the forward momentum to feint at last moment and stares at Barry*

Loki: I’m sorry, did you say Steward– *he’s cut off as seemingly an earthquake hits his side of the astral plains and cracks begin to form everywhere, including the invisible wall between his area and Trix’s* What did you just do?!

Barry:  Nothing!  I don’t know!  She told me to try and get in here to check who was trapped!

*There’s a blinding flash.*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*The crystal that Barry entered starts to glitch out, flashing several different colors at once before it poofs, revealing a very confused, disheveled, and exhausted Loki.  Barry gets launched forcefully out of the god’s body as soon as it reforms.  The girls are shocked by the sudden appearance, and their broken concentration makes their invisibility spell fail. Peter immediately leaps up to stand in front of the girls protectively. He aims both webshooters at Loki and immediately webs him back against a bush, leaving a sight reminiscent of a Halloween decoration.*

Peter: Mr. Loki? What are you doing here? *His voice sounds shocked behind his mask, but he still doesn’t drop his protective stance in front of the others.*

Me (small voice):  W-What?!

Loki (dazed): Well that was entirely unexpected but it seems her plan worked. *He looks at the girls and Peter gathered around him and stares blankly down at the webs only to focus in on the crystal that’s still left in Steward’s hands. His expression softens a bit* There you are…

Me (privately praying that this Loki isn’t about to somehow screw the group over):  O-Okay…So, Trix is in the other one, right?  Right?

Loki (starting to collect himself): Yes, yes she is. Agatha just had her in a session and she was quickly reaching the end of her rope.

*The group of girls relaxes slightly at the news of Trix still being alive.  I turn to Barry again.*

Me:  …Please?

Barry:  HELL NO.  I’ve already had enough surprises being dragged around this damn multiverse!

Loki (unamused): Perhaps trying to overshadow someone’s unprotected soul isn’t the best way to introduce one’s self. *He hears the fight going on in the background and his face quickly turns to rage when he spots the witch* Oh, that woman has another thing coming to her– *He tries to get out of the webs but quickly gives up due to his exhaustion.*

Prettywitch: Uh, Loki? Maybe you should sit this one out. I’m sort of an amateur at tarot, you can help me with that! What do you say?

Loki: *he stares at PrettyWitch for a moment before calming down and finally nodding* I am not familiar with this…tarot, but I can recognize a seer easily. I can help.

*We all look around at each other, and silently conclude to trust him. Peter carefully approaches Loki and narrows his mask’s eyes at him.*

Peter: I’ll dissolve the webs, but you make any move to attack us and I won’t hesitate to fight you.

Loki (nods): I vow on my magic that I will not bring harm to any of you or your allies.

*He sprays his dissolvent onto the webs, freeing Loki, who sort of shuffles closer to PrettyWitch and looks at her for permission to cast a spell.*

Prettywitch: Uh…I don’t know where you’re going with this, dude. But I just wanna be friends. 

Loki: I just wish to give you a boost if you would allow it.

Prettywitch: Oh! Well then, by all means. Sorry about that.

*Loki performs a quick hand gesture and a shimmering green aura gently settles on PrettyWitch.*

*Prettywitch performs the tarot ritual and draws three cards; Two of Cups (Past), King of Cups (Present), Ace of Coins (Future). This time, she asked the cards the quickest way to defeat Agatha, so she’s a bit flummoxed by her reading.*

Prettywitch: Ace of Coins, again!? That doesn’t make any sense! *She looks over the spread again and her eyes widen.* Unless… Remember I said Ace of Coins is for new opportunities and manifestation? Well, Two of Cups represents a connection, a happy bond or partnership; that’s in the past. King of Cups, the present, represents devotion, loyalty, faithfulness, even wisdom. I think it’s trying to say that two people who’ve formed a bond recently are the key to beating Agatha.

Loki (frowning): It honestly sounds like Trix and I in the Astral Plains. Honestly she kept me sane in that place… 

Prettywitch: I think you’re right! What do you think, Steward?

Me:  *Thinking for a moment.*  Hmm…Yeah, that tracks.

Prettywitch: Alright! Now we just need to come up with a plan. I’m thinking that if we can distract Agatha long enough, it should give Loki and Trix enough time to deliver the finishing blow.  

Me (frustrated):  Provided I can convince Barry to follow through.

Prettywitch: True. Have you considered bribing him?

Me:  Already did.  I owe him one.

Prettywitch: Fuck! Guess we’ll have to force him into it. I can’t see any other way and we’re on borrowed time as it is.

Me:  I’ll keep trying.  *I turn and go back to arguing with the ghost.*

Loki (looking around at the girls): I do apologize that I am not your friend and that I am of a rather untrustworthy sort. However, I am fully committed to ending the witch’s reign of terror and I have not witnessed Trix’s bravery from risk to her own person only to not assist her friends.

*He is pensive for a moment before looking back up at the group*

Loki: I was rather startled when her first reaction to me was joy instead of anger or fear. I will not betray her trust. I am not Sylvie. I refuse to look out only for myself.

*It’s then that a rogue spell from Agatha comes hurtling towards their position and both Loki and Peter react instinctively. Peter tackles his friends out of harms way, but his actions are unnecessary since Loki pulls up a shield and effectively stops the spell at the same time. However, he finds that his shield is now made of crystal rather than magical energy. He stares at it, confused.

Loki: Oh. That probably isn’t good. *he shakes his head to clear it* Though we should consult your Doctor Strange and Wong as they would be more familiar with the consequences of being trapped by that spell than I.

*Meanwhile, Barry has adamantly refused to help any further.*

Me:  Barry, you’re the only one who can do this.  

Barry:  …And?!

Loki (sighing): Unfortunately she’s correct. I don’t have the energy to be of assistance so your rather (he pauses and sneers) invasive way of overshadowing the crystal may be the only way of pulling Trickstress out of it. Though, I can help with my part of the plan. *he’s rather smug despite looking exhausted*

Barry (stubborn):  It’s not like I’m a damn magician like you people claim to be.  Why do I have to do all of this soul stuff?  Can’t any of you actually conjure ANY useful magic for this?!

Me (flatly, at Barry):  Fine.  Have it your way.  *I look at the group.*  Guys, make sure we don’t get blown up and look after my body, please.  *I turn back to the ghost.*  Barry, kick me out.  

Barry (confused and taken aback):  What?

Me:  Seeing as you won’t go into the crystal, I will.  I can't do astral projection by myself yet.  So, go ahead and possess me.  Kick me out of my own body.  I’ll break the spell myself.

Barry:  …and if you get your ass killed, then three of us are screwed.

Me (firmly, my mind made up):  Then don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.

*He stares for a moment.*

Barry:  Fine.

*He floats over and enters my body.  Since I’m not resisting, the only thing that happens is an involuntary shudder and my body momentarily going stiff as control is shifted.  My astral form lurches out and I get my bearings for a second before gliding over to the crystal and touching it, being sucked in.*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*The astral plains are a muted orange and violet haze as a figure is lying on the ground, looking devastated. Getting closer, I can see that it’s Trix who looks worse for wear.*

Me (worried and scared):  Trix!  *I go over to her.*  I’m so sorry, Trix…We came as soon as we could.  I’m gonna get you out of here, I promise.

Trix (dazed): Are you really here? Or did Agatha find a way to torment me here too? Loki is already gone so she probably killed him…

Me (sincere):  No, I’m really here.  Remember Barry?  He’s being an ass again.  So, I came in here myself.  Though, he kinda accidentally freed Loki from the first crystal.  Anyway, he refused to try again and now he has my body.

Trix (hopeful): *she starts to sit up* Tell me something only we know. Something that even Stephen wouldn’t.

Me:  Okay.  Well, first off, you were the first group member to see Stephen when I was trying to hide him.  Also, back around last Christmas, I got you that Loki headband with the horns.  I don’t think anyone besides you, me, and the other two would know these facts.

Trix (tearing up): Oh god. It’s really you. *She starts to sob* This is all my fault, I’m so sorry. Is everyone okay?!

Me (raising a hand to indicate to her that it’s okay):  Trix, no.  It’s not.  Agatha manipulated you.  It’s what she does.  She finds people’s pain and insecurities and picks at them until they snap.  It could have happened to any of us. It was just crappy luck that she picked on you.  Any of us could have done it and would feel the same way afterwards.  It’s not your fault.  Yes, we’re all relatively okay.  The battle’s raging outside and Agatha’s apparently able to siphon off Stephen and Wong’s magic to boost herself.  They can’t do much besides distract her.  The Avengers are throwing everything they can at her too.  The group is hiding with Loki while we bust you out of here.

Trix (sniffles): I’m taking her off my favorite villains list, that’s for sure. Though I did manage to learn some stuff while she had me…

Me:  Think you know anything that could screw up her latest spells? PrettyWitch has a Seer-hunch.

Trix (beaming): I have a trick or two up my sleeve.

*The astral plains starts to crack around them*

Me (glancing around as the spell glitches):  Okay…Well, here’s our ticket out.  You ready?

Trix: You got it! *She takes the opportunity to take a breath and center herself, just like Wong taught her.*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*As the spell breaks, Trix reappears in her body. I’m inside too like what happened to Barry and Loki, but I quickly eject myself to avoid straining Trix’s body and magic more. It’s easier if there’s already another soul there.  Particularly if it’s the one that actually belongs to the body in question.  Still, Barry continues to refuse to give me my own body back, so I remain stuck outside in Astral form.*

*Barry, inhabiting my body, goes over to check Trix.  He seems…different.  More pensive.  It’s honestly hard to tell.*

Me:  Tear, think you can heal Trix?

Tear: *I cast a glowing diagnostic spell, and frown at the results* I don’t know, I’m not picking up any physical injuries. The forced transformation seems to have left no damage, so I guess we have to thank Agatha’s quality spellcasting for that. A half-done transformation could have been lethal. However, it’s her mind and soul I’m mainly worried about. I’ll try my best to give you some magical energy back to encourage a speedier self-healing.

Trix (grimacing with her eyes closed): Fuck, I never thought it would hurt this much to be in my own body. Everything is stiff, at least it’s hard for me to move. *She seems to be speaking to herself*

*Loki frowns and moves closer*

Loki: Likely because of your body being transformed the way it was plus the torture being done on your soul itself. It’s likely not hitting me as hard as I am a god but even I can feel that my joints are harder to move. *He fusses over her but isn’t surprised by her reaction*

Me:  I can’t even imagine…*I watch over Trix.*

Tear: Alright, I’ll begin. Please try not to move, Trix. *I concentrate in casting the slightly modified healing spell Wong taught us. It is easy to fall into the familiar flow of energy, feeding my own desire to help our friend until I feel that innate connection begin forming between our essence. Immediately, Trix’s real pain syphons through the bond, making me grit my teeth in shock. My very blood feels like its boiling with painful shocks of electricity, and I’m surprised Trix has been withstanding the feeling for so long. My hands begin shaking and perspiration coats my forehead, but I refuse to break the connection and end my spell, focusing instead in sending Trix my own care and calm through the bond.*

*Trix finally looks around as she starts to figure out what’s going on as the healing starts to help. She has been in a bit of a daze. She smiles weakly as she sees all of her friends around her.*

Trix (relieved): You’re all safe! Thank god, I was worried that Agatha had killed you or something horrible. I was holding out hope but y’know how it is…

*She slumps back as Tear is healing her and Loki moves to help hold Trix up. For such a relatively short amount of time kept captive together, the two are rather protective of the other.*

Peter (Nervously): Okay, Tear. I think Trix is looking a bit better now. That should give us enough time to take her back to Kamar-Taj, right? You’re starting to look a bit pale yourself…

Trix: *flustered* I can’t leave yet! Agatha is only going to get stronger as they keep fighting! *She looks out at the battle*

Me (cautiously):  You sure you’re up to this, Trix?  Those injuries look pretty bad on the scan.

Trix: I may have bartered information to stall her *she realizes the implications of that news* It was all nothing that we would deem important! I just wasn’t allowed to lie and had to keep her busy! So in exchange for telling her everything and I mean absolutely every non relevant detail, she would teach me something about witchcraft. So she eventually taught me about runes…she did it without the right context but I know exactly what runes and the sequence they need to cast to pull off the end battle of Wandavision. *She blinks* Without being sucked dry of course.

Tear: *I flicker a look up at Trix, panting with exhertion by now* I don’t know, Trix. Your energy is already near its limit. You promise you can control the magic to stop before you reach zero?

Trix: I have to do it. I just have to have one last burst of energy and I can pull it off. Though…Loki-

*He perks up as Trix looks at him*

Trix: I just need something to work off of. You know the limitations.

Loki (nodding): I can pull off one last big trick before I’m spent as well. Might as well make it flashy.

*Trix grins in response*

Trix: There’s a reason we get along so well. But yeah, *she turns back to the others* So long as we don’t die from energy exhaustion I can do it. I’m not going to actually fight her. Just cast the runes.

Tear: …Okay. I’ll trust you with this, Trix. Go give her hell. *I close my eyes and shove more energy into the healing spell. The connection created by my magic broadens, and I drain more of Trix’s pain into myself. I yell with the effort, but force myself to stop the spell only when I’m sure Trix has all the energy she needs to perform her last trick. When I do, the echo of Trix’s pain vanishes as quickly as it reached me and I collapse sideways against Peter, limbs twitching with the remaining phantom pains.*

Trix: Thank you. So much. I am so sorry you have to go through this too. I’ll make it quick!

*She smiles before suddenly her body goes limp. Then, a moment passes before she flickers into view a few feet away in her astral form. She vanishes again quickly, the others not able to catch a good glimpse of her quite yet.*

*Trix finally reappears on the battlefield, a ghostly version of herself with glowing orange eyes and a surprisingly commanding presence. Parts of her astral body are either made of crystal or are missing altogether like a chunk of her arm. Trix stares down Agatha, who freezes when she spots the apprentice sorceress. All around, the Avengers and sorcerers pause in their fighting too.*

Trix: You made a mistake, Agatha. *She glares at the witch*

*Loki grins from his spot and uses all the magic he can to create six large pillars of green crystal that emerge from the ground surrounding the clearing. It nearly takes the rest of his strength but he is absolutely delighted*

Trix: You never should have made a deal with me. And that’s your downfall.

*Trix raises her arms and six familiar runes carve themselves in the crystal pillars one by one, illuminating an orange glow and effectively nullifies all magic in the clearing and her cabin. Agatha looks around in horror as she realizes her mistake and stares at Trix in both anger and grudging respect. She hadn’t expected to be outsmarted by a baby sorcerer.*

*After she casts the runes, Trix’s eyes finally lose their glow and they roll back into her head. Her astral form disappears as she is forcefully shoved back into her now restored body. She has pushed herself way too hard. Loki immediately scrambles over to her and checks to make sure if she’s still alive.*

*Meanwhile, as Agatha is suddenly depowered, the Avengers make their move to capture her.  Stephen and Wong use a set of relics to bind her to make sure that the witch can’t break loose later on during transport to custody.  Other members of the Avengers tend to the remaining now passed-out and/or disoriented guards.  As soon as the sorcerers are sure that Agatha is secure, they jog over to our group to check on us while Steve guards the witch.  They’re relieved that we’re all alive and safe, but shocked to see Loki amongst the group.*

Stephen (relieved):  Thank the Vishanti, you girls are okay.  *He glances at Loki with a mix of confusion and apprehension.*  How did…?

Wong:  Steward, do you need help?  *He’s looking at my astral form still drifting about above the group.*

Me (meekly):  Yes.

*Wong looks at my possessed body.*

Wong (gruff):  Okay, get out.  

Barry (through me):  I…Okay…*He looks…sad.  As though he finally realized something.  The ghost leaves my body and it crumples, empty.  Wong helps me back in.  I gasp for air and have a brief coughing fit.*

Me:  Thank you…

Loki (exhaustedly sitting on the ground in a heap): Ah, you must be Doctor Strange and Wong. I have heard good things about you both.

*Both sorcerers are on-guard, uncertain of this new version of Loki.  They’re watching him.*

Stephen (defensive, but trying to figure Loki out):  Which universe are you from?

Loki: I’m not sure what it is called however Trix mentioned that I was a remnant of the Avenger’s time heist. 

*It dawns on Stephen.*

Stephen:  So, you’re the one who stole the Tesseract.

Loki (grimacing): Trust me, it was not worth it. Infinity stones are apparently just trinkets anyway. When I was…taken, I found a handful just being used as paperweights in an office desk drawer.

*Both sorcerers are taken aback and look skeptical.*

Wong:  Infinity Stones as mere trinkets?

Trix (weak): He’s right. It’s why we were so worried about the TVA. *She had woken up as the conversation started and was curious as to where it would go*

Stephen (concerned):  …We’ll gather more information on this later.  *He looks at Trix and this new Loki.*  You both need to recover.  Astral imprisonment in your own crystalized bodies takes a heavy toll.  Especially given what you went through.

Trix: I just have one question. *She looks up at Stephen*

Stephen:  Yes?

Trix (grinning): Did I finally look cool?

*He sighs and gives her a reluctant smile.*

Stephen (gently mussing her hair):  Yes, dear.  You all looked cool.  I’m very proud of you girls.

*I’m practically glowing from the unexpected praise.*

Trix: *She smiles wider and leans into his touch before closing her eyes* Alright, bring on the tentacle soup I know is coming. I wanna sleep for a month.

*Now that the threat has passed, the adrenaline has worn off.  I try to walk with the group once Wong opens a portal to Kamar-Taj’s hospital wing.  However, after the adrenaline is gone, my legs finally give out from being pushed too far.  The Cloak comes off of Stephen’s shoulders and helps me up.  Seeing as I’m stubborn and refuse to be carried, it satisfies itself by hoisting my torso up enough for me to at least attempt to look like I’m walking through the portal on my own.  Stephen fusses over all of us, checking each of us over and over just to be absolutely sure that he doesn’t miss anything.  He also checks Loki and demands that all of us spend some time under observation.*

Loki: I’m rather surprised that you trust me enough to be here. *He’s exhausted and hasn’t really fought off any help or healing and is happy to just be in a bed again*

Wong:  Given the extenuating circumstances and the fact that Trix appears to trust you, we will accommodate you.  However, we will still keep you under strict observation.  No funny business.

Loki (resigned): Trust me, I have had more nonsense in the past three months than the previous 1300 years. *He looks up at Wong seriously* I was told that my previous life, well, future me that is dead didn’t particularly get along with you both. I would like to state that I am not him and have no such reservations. I have only heard good things and I will not do Trix the disservice of disrespecting her mentors and friends.

*Stephen is stunned by his earnest behavior.*

Stephen:  It is appreciated.  

*Loki grimaces as he summons a large book into his lap and frowns as the spine is coated in green, orange, and violet crystals*

Loki: As a bit of a peace offering, this is what Trix spent much of her time and… *he frowns deeper* torture on. I recorded all of the knowledge she gained from Agatha on witchcraft in this grimoire. I hope it helps in any future endeavors. *His arms shake as he holds up the rather heavy book*

*Wong carefully, but gratefully accepts the book and begins to look through it.*

Wong:  Thank you.

Stephen (gently, to the group):  Rest.  We’ll make sure you all recover safely.  *He sounds practically paternal here.  Wong gives him an amused look.*

*After going an entire day running around, fighting, and sneaking without any food or rest, we’re all famished and exhausted.  So, the food, even if some of it is some sort of interdimensional abomination, is more than welcome.  We sit together in our area of the medical bay and bring each other up to speed on everything that happened.  After checking in with each other, each of us eventually succumbs to exhaustion.  I still feel incredibly guilty that the group got in danger in the first place since I had led us this far.  Since they had mentioned me as a leader before, I felt responsible for our group’s safety and still feel as though I had failed us.  I don’t say anything about it out of shame, instead satisfying myself by forcing myself to stay awake until I know that the others are safely asleep.  Then, I listen to our surroundings for a while before my own fatigue finally takes me.*  

***To be continued***

#doctor strange fanfiction #doctor strange #doctor strange meta fic #doctor stephen strange #multi author #dr stephen strange #stephen strange #tony stark #iron man #steve rogers #captain america #ant man #scott lang #avengers #marvel #marvel fanfiction #peter parker #spider man #spiderman #agatha harkness #loki #loki laufeyson #loki odinson #wong

[doctorofmagic]

Oooh!!! So here's a question I've never thought to ask; what are your favorite takes on Stephen outside of the comics?

Hiiiii! First of all, so sorry for taking so long to reply, I needed a quick break to heal but I'm feeling alright again to be here so let's goooo

Mmmm, my favorite takes on Stephen outside the comics? Mmmm, that's a hard one for me, honestly. I haven't watched the last episode of What If? cause I heard it's bad, and I'm just soooo detached from the MCU (last thing I watched was Wakanda Forever, I think?).

Overall, most things I appreciate in MCU!Stephen are those related to comics (I know, it's my simp side, can't help it haha). There is one, though, that always caught my interest, which is MCU!Stephen's hobby with songs and music in general. We don't see much of his personal preferences, so seeing a "silly" trait like this one gives him more layers. Also taste ✨

His bickering with Wong is also hilarious, and it warms my heart that he's humble enough to bow and acknowledge Wong's status as the Sorcerer Supreme. I'm not very confident with his next steps in the MCU, truth be told (this is me avoiding the word 'afraid'), but as long as there's growth and they treat him well, I'm willing to make an effort and give writers a new chance (they REALLY need to tone down his arrogance, tho, it's time).

On the game department, I still need to play Midnight Suns (too expensive to buy in my country rn, I cry), but I'm about to try MUA 3 so maybe I can spot something in his personality that catches my eye n.n

Thank you for asking and once more apologies for taking this long! Have a wonderful day/night 💜

#how can the sorcerer supreme be of assistance? #ask #doctor strange #stephen strange #mcu #marvel 616 #gameverse #meta

[aelaer]

Saw your most recent reblog and figured I’d ask a question about Stephen… (You are one of the foremost experts on Stephen I feel like I’ve interacted with!)

What do you think would have happened to Stephen/what would he have done if he’d never have found Kamar Taj after his accident?

Would he have eventually have been able to heal, do you think?

Sorry it took me a while to get to this, health, RL blah blah blah. Got some energy tonight though!

This is a tough one. There are some fics that explore this scenario, and often they're unhappy and lead to his death.

Let's explore the "he doesn't die within a couple weeks" route here instead.

The problem with Stephen is his pride. It's one of his greatest weaknesses and I don't know if he would have been wise enough to admit he was wrong and try to reach the US Embassy for assistance into getting back to the United States. But even if he did, he would have absolutely nothing to return to; he pushed his greatest ally, Christine, away by this point, and interviewing as a homeless person is significantly harder than not, because you don't have a stable address to give recruiters, even if you have access to a shower and interview clothes.

Assuming he didn't die, but had enough sense to forego his pride to realize that he needed real help to survive, he could have turned to one of the many secular charities, Hindu temples, or Buddhist monasteries within Kathmandu for assistance. English is a strongly desired skill in almost every non-English speaking country within the world due to its international prominence; he can still write, albeit slowly, and he can certainly speak. He would be best suited to exchanging his skills in English for a place to stay and eat within one of these places

Within a monastery or temple, he may learn some of the tenets of Buddhism or Hinduism. While religion is certainly not for everyone (and honestly, even after magic, I view Stephen as a non-religious agnostic), there are principles within both religions that could help Stephen grieve his loss properly and find meaning within his life without being a surgeon.

As he comes to terms with this, learns Nepali, and the people around him realize just how much medical expertise he has, his education could very well expand just from English to medical education. Other than worldly resources, education opportunities is the biggest gap between richer and poorer countries, and if he allows himself to go down this new path, Stephen could very well find meaning in giving what he has to offer to others less fortunate than him.

It'd take longer than the magical path for his turn, but as I don't view Stephen as one to give up in the face of adversary, I think it's wholly possible. And he could make a lot of difference for a small amount of people in that part of the world by letting go of his ego and accepting a new path in life.

#stephen strange #doctor strange #meta #mcu #anonymous #ask #answered

[facelessfinest]

I think it's time we all admit that What if?...Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead Of His Hands? has been the only genuinely interesting and well done episode of the show so far.

High stakes, good pacing, phenomenal animation, and a story that actually deviates from the original in a meaningful way. It actually feels like such a small change lead to a vastly different reality.

I think what makes a What If? story interesting is the ties it has to the main timeline; if you want to showcase how a small choice can utterly change a whole universe, then you have to start in a universe that is comparably the same as what we already know, and show how one character choosing one different option can be catastrophic. Otherwise, you aren't really exploring branching timelines/butterfly effect, you're just looking at unrelated universes.

Even then, not every idea is interesting enough to warrant spending so much time on it. *ahem* captain carter *cough*.

Strange Supreme's appearances are just so fascinating because we get to see the new highs and lows a character can reach when their hearts are in a slightly different place. We get our unique factor in the form of him being genuinely in love with Christine instead of his job, and then our diverging path with him choosing to seek out dangerous knowledge, a choice which is highlighted by showcasing what would have happened if he hadn't done so! In the end, the universe is fundamentally changed, completely collapsed around him, despite starting off so normal. And that's not even the end of it!

He shows up in more episodes because of the power and knowledge he has attained, and as a lesson to the Watcher that choosing to sit out is only selfishness in the face of a danger that is ready and willing to take advantage of your compliance. It is genuinely fun to see the power he has in action; Ultron tried to blow up the universe in the finale, and Strange DEVOURED THE EXPLOSION. Like, that's fucking awesome!

And then there's Carter... Whose reason for being everwhere is just "I'm Captain Carter!" How dull...

Anyways, Strange supreme is goated and I will have no sass.

#I see you people saying that strange isn't consistently written #Because he was smiling and sharing a toast with the guardians of the multiverse in the finale #Did you even listen to his toast? #Bro went on a whole ass existential rant #Like he is not mentally well #But he is still at peace with where he is because he sees it as the consequences of what he did #Yall clearly never talked with depressed people #Because masking is a thing! And he is clearly doing it! #strange supreme #stephen strange #doctor strange #what if #what if season 1 #what if season 2 #captain carter #peggy carter #christine palmer #marvel #marvel mcu #meta analysis #adhdfinest