Doctor Strangeis one of theMCU’s most powerful characters, but his powers aren’t exactly identical to those in Marvel Comics.Doctor Strange’s MCU timelineis a little shorter than most other prominent heroes like Thor, Hulk, and Captain America after his solo movie debut in 2016 was followed by just one sequel so far. Doctor Strange also featured prominently inAvengers: Infinity War, but not as much inAvengers: Endgameas he was one ofthe victims of the Snap, which was only undone in the movie’s final act.
Doctor Strange hasn’t had the most screen time to demonstrate the extent of his powers - but he has still shown himself to be among themost powerful superheroes in the MCUregardless. Doctor Strange’s comic book counterpart, meanwhile, has been a core member of Marvel Comics since 1963 after debuting inStrange Tales #110and receiving his moniker from the anthology series' title. With that in mind, it’s clear that comic book Strange has had a bigger stage to demonstrate his powers, but whether they are more powerful than his live-action counterpart is another matter.
Doctor Strange’s Powers In Marvel Comics Explained
Doctor Strange Is A Naturally Talented Sorcerer
As is the case in the MCU,Doctor Strange is one of the most powerful figuresin Marvel Comics. The Sorcerer Supreme’s history mirrors that of Benedict Cumberbatch’s live-action rendition, with a similar ascent to power as the Sorcerer Supreme. In that position, Strange is often approached by other Marvel heroes to tackle challenges that are insurmountable to anyone unfamiliar with magic, other dimensions, and the tools required to deal with some of Marvel Comics' most powerful beings, like Death or the Living Tribunal.
10 Powers Doctor Strange Hasn’t Used In The MCU
Doctor Strange has a lot of powers in Marvel Comics thanks to his ability to wield powerful magic. So far, the MCU hasn’t shown many of his powers.
Doctor Strange owes the vast majority of his powers to his talents in sorcery. While anyone can become a sorcerer through practice,Strange demonstrates a particular proficiency in the arcane arts. These talents are vast, as Strange taps into the powers of godly interdimensional beings, of which there are countless. Strange is also in possession of some of theMarvel Universe’s most powerful artifacts, which he, again, demonstrates a particular talent for wielding. Unlike other Avengers, Strange does not boast superhuman physiology - though he is capable of imitating as much with his magic.
Invocations
Among the most recognizable of Doctor Strange’s mystical arsenal ishis ability to channel the powers of godlike beings from other dimensions. These eldritch spells are typically among his most powerful and are often credited to the entity that granted them in their name. These invocations have taken countless forms, but the most recognizable include:
These powers functionally make Strange as strong as the beings he invokes. These are the kinds of powers that allow him to go toe-to-toe with some of the most powerful entities in the entire Marvel universe, including Hulk. Invoking the powers of these beings rarely comes with a transaction, though not all of Marvel’s extra-dimensional entities are willing to part with their power for little more than an acknowledgment. Strange’s foremost patrons are the virtuous Vishanti, who willingly help Strange in his role as a defender of Earth.
Eye of Agamotto
Doctor Strange possesses the Eye of Agomotto (one of three in Marvel Comics), which can only be wielded by sorcerers who are pure of heart, deploying only “White magic.” The eye can augment Strange’s powers, thoughits main function is to emit an “all revealing light” that can pierce through any illusion, including shape-shifting Skrulls. Its purity as an artifact of the Vishanti (specifically, Agomotto himself) also helps weaken infernal beings, undead, and entities from the Dark Dimension.
Chronokinesis
One of the most powerful abilities in Strange’s repertoire is his ability to manipulate time. Strange has trivialized many calamitous events in Marvel Comics, such as the cleaving of Earth, by manipulating time. He has traveled through time, cast others through time, frozen Earth’s flow of time, and wielded time-loops, among other feats. What’s most notable about Strange’s time manipulation in Marvel Comics, however, is thathe does so without the use of the Time Stone.
Functional Immortality
Doctor Strange once bested Death itself following the death of The Ancient One by confronting the entity and accepting its inevitability as another experience that the soul must face. This recognitionearned Strange the ability to stave off death through natural meanssuch as disease and age, meaning he could live for 600 years or longer. He is not, however, immune to fatal blows from external forces, nor the deprivation of things required to sustain typical human bodies like food, water, and oxygen.
Flight (Cloak Of Levitation)
Doctor Strange can fly through the use of magic or, as is most often the case, with his characteristic Cloak of Levitation, which remains a mainstay of his typical attire. The cloak is a sentient enchanted cloth that can be directed independently of Doctor Strange, as has been seen multiple times in the MCU. The cloak is not indestructible, but also offers a measure of protection as a shield thanks to its magical properties.
Energy Manipulation
While the ability to unleash blasts of energy is something of a mainstay among Marvel Heroes through various means,Doctor Strange’s magical energy blasts vary wildly in their power. While they can often be a swift form of offense in a tight spot, seemingly requiring no incantation or ritual to unleash, Strange has also proven capable of destroying entire planets. Most of the time, however, Strange’s energy blasts match the likes of Iron Man in being damaging, but not always fatal.
Astral Projection
One of Strange’s most iconic abilities is hisability to exist in an intangible form on the Astral Plane. While in this form, Strange requires no food, water, or sleep, and typically ignores the constraints of physics in the real world while still allowing him the ability to interact with it. This allows him to travel at the “speed of thought” across the cosmos, turn invisible, or perform other feats his corporeal body is incapable of. It does, however, leave his physical body vulnerable on the material plane.
“Psychic” Abilities
Strange is capable of typical psychicabilities, including teleportation, telekinesis, and telepathy. While these abilities are familiar to powerful psychics like Jean Grey, however, Doctor Strange’s psionic powers stem from his magic. He is able to read and overpower minds - even having done so with the Scarlet Witch - and teleport himself and others across immense distances at will. This teleportation is so powerful that Strange has even traveled to other dimensions at will.
Banishment
Strange can banish anything or anyone he likes to other planes of existence- within reason. While Strange has proven capable of banishing his adversaries out of the picture on multiple occasions, he can only do so to beings whose powers pale in comparison to his own. This does, at least, place some constraints on an ability that might otherwise be unfathomable - though the number ofentities that surpass the power of Doctor Strangeis still decidedly small.
How The MCU’s Doctor Strange’s Powers Compare To The Comics
The MCU Makes Some Significant Alterations To Strange’s Powers
The MCU’s Doctor Strange has so far been relatively comic-accurate in his arc. Most recently, he wielded the Darkhold to help combat the threat of the Scarlet Witch, which already seems to have taken a “heavy toll” on his soul in the form of his third eye.Doctor Strange has proven capable of some incredibly mind-bending feats- though whether they measure up to his comic book counterpart is questionable.
Yes (heavily altered)
In the MCU, the Eye of Agamotto is used as a vessel and conduit for the power of the Time Stone.
No
Strange is not able to control time without the Time Stone.
Unconfirmed
Strange hasn’t yet encountered death nor spoken of whether he is ageless.
Flight
Yes
Strange’s Cloak of Levitation functions almost identically to the one of Marvel Comics.
Yes (altered)
MCU Strange uses offensive magic, though it tends to manifest as magical weapons like saws, whips, and swords rather than beams of energy.
Strange has used astral projection to study while his body sleeps and even forced Spider-Man into the Astral Plane.
Psychic Abilities
Partially (altered)
Strange has used telekinesis on multiple occasions. He also teleports with the use of a sling ring. He has yet to demonstrate telepathic abilities, however.
Doctor Strange has yet to prove that he can banish entities to other dimensions at will.
Both versions of Doctor Strange have also demonstrated the ability to use more mundane forms of magic like transmutation and conjuration, though these are rarely used in high-risk situations. MCUStrange also uses the Mirror Dimension, which is an original feature of the MCU and is not deployed by Doctor Strange in Marvel Comics.The MCU’s Doctor Strange will presumably demonstrate even greater powers in subsequent appearances- but as it stands, the live-action and comic-book counterparts are far from equal.
MCU Doctor Strange vs Comics Doctor Strange Who Is More Powerful?
One Version Of Strange Has Demonstrated Greater Mystical Prowess
Given the MCU’s Doctor Strange still has further to go in his MCU arc, the more linear narrative of the cinematic universe presumably means the full extent of his powers is yet to be showcased. Strange’s greatest feats of strength in the MCU have largely been thanks to external artifacts like the Time Stone and the Darkhold, which allowed him to single-handedly defeat Dormammu and Earth-838’s Thanos, respectively. While his comic book counterpart has struggled against these entities himself,Doctor Strange of Marvel Comics has demonstrated greater power overall.
Doctor Strange’s use of the Runes of Kof-Kol in the MCU is a huge mark in his favor, though the full effects of the spell are yet to be seen.
This is largely thanks to his ability to control time independently of the Time Stone. The abilities granted to him by the Eye of Agamotto, meanwhile, are not currently available to his live-action counterpart. Furthermore, Doctor Strange of Marvel Comics has demonstrated incredible abilities like the destruction of a planet, and outrunning the Big Bang. Still, there is plenty of scope for live-actionDoctor Strangeto unleash his greatest powers yet in the upcoming Avengers movies and an as-yet-unconfirmedDoctor Strange 3.
Doctor Strange
TheDoctor Strangefranchise is a significant part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), focusing on the journey of Stephen Strange, a former neurosurgeon who becomes the Sorcerer Supreme after a life-changing accident. The franchise explores themes of mysticism, alternate dimensions, and the multiverse, with Doctor Strange playing a crucial role in both standalone films and crossover events within the MCU.
