Doctor Strange 2 features the former Sorcerer Supreme suiting up in style, and it’s a scene that Marvel will struggle to top anytime soon.
Marvel will struggle to top the suit-up scene from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is attending the wedding of Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), New York City is attacked. Strange leaps into action and, in one fluid movement, removes the Cloak of Levitation from his breast pocket and glides away to help.
Suit-up scenes used to be prevalent in the superhero genre. These moments can provide meaningful, subtle characterization as the protagonist transitions from civilian to hero. Many of these scenes also directly precede the more cinematic reveal of the hero’s costume and can be an essential connective tissue between a character’s two identities. Whether they are a public figure like Doctor Strange or, like Peter Parker (Tom Holland), they have a secret identity.
Doctor Strange 2 Broke An MCU Cliché
Doctor Strange 2 broke a recent MCU cliché by showing (in some form) Doctor Strange suit-up. With a general move away from secret identities in the MCU, scenes like this aren’t often emphasized. Instead, the franchise favors having its heroes suit up off-screen, using their everyday clothes as their costumes, or having the outfit envelop the hero somehow. Doctor Strange 2 settles on a comfortable middle ground as Strange both puts on the part of his costume and magically transforms his tuxedo into blue robes. A scene that is not likely to be topped.
The enveloping trope Marvel has become reliant on can best be seen regarding characters that utilize nanotechnology in their costumes. Technology that, like some forms of magic, lets a character have their costume on them at all times and equip it at a moment’s notice. Alternatively, there are characters like the Guardians of the Galaxy who regularly live and fight in their everyday attire. Or the dozens of heroes that get changed off-screen. For these characters, the transition from civilian to superhero isn’t as important an element of their character. As such, it isn’t always necessary to see a character suit up, so these scenes aren’t included in the film’s limited run-time.
The MCU Will Struggle To Beat Doctor Strange 2’s Suit-Up Scene
Firstly, Marvel has moved beyond characters suiting up on-screen. The scene harkens back to the early days of the genre when secret identities were still prevalent. While Strange has never been one to hide his identity in the MCU, this scene is reminiscent of Peter Parker ducking into an alleyway and pulling on his Spider-Man mask. As Strange turns his wedding attire into robes, he transitions from a civilian into a superhero, leaving his personal life behind. Secondly, there are few heroes with Strange’s arrogance to perform the stunt so casually.
The transition also shows his experience as a hero, with Strange ready at the flick of a wrist. Should Strange end up leading the next Avengers roster, his expertise will be essential. As a result, Marvel will struggle to top this superhero moment from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness because the studio has moved away from transitions from one alter-ego to another. Furthermore, few characters in the upcoming slate of films and television shows have the experience of Doctor Strange. This lets the former Sorcerer Supreme, like Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) before him, execute a suit-up scene perfectly.
