It's almost time for the arrival of Marvel's next hero. Doctor Strange teleports into theaters on November 4, bringing with him the entire mystical side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So far, fans have been treated to super powers whose origins were scientific (Captain America, Hulk), technological (Iron Man, Vision), or alien in nature (Thor, Scarlet Witch), but Stephen Strange will be the first character with magical abilities. But what exactly does that mean? What are Doctor Strange's powers?
To be quite honest, Strange's powers are some of the most difficult to define in all of the Marvel Universe. For most of Strange's history in the comics, he has operated as the Sorcerer Supreme. This means he is basically the most powerful magician in the cosmos, and his abilities are nearly limitless. Compared to the other Avengers, he could probably handle all of them with relative ease — with the possible exception of an enraged Hulk. Strange draws his powers from mystical beings that reside in other dimensions, who lend their God-like energy to him to use in his spells. Probably the most notable is Agamotto, as Strange is hardly ever seen without wearing the Eye of Agamotto — an amulet — around his neck. This amulet has a number of functions and he uses it frequently, along with other magical items like his Cloak of Levitation.
When it comes to the spells he casts, there is little that Strange hasn't done. Most of his magical knowledge comes from the Book of Vishanti, an indestructible tome which is the greatest source of white magic spells in the known universe. By utilizing various spells, Strange can manipulate energy to form constructs such as weapons, shoot concussive energy blasts from his hands, form force fields, fly, teleport across space, travel between dimensions, move things with his mind, operate as an astral projection, communicate telepathically, manipulate matter, turn invisible, see the past and future, speak to the dead, summon interdimensional beings, and produce enough energy to destroy a planet. Like I said, there's not a whole lot that he can't do.
Compared to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Strange is almost too powerful. It will be interesting to see how the movie handles his abilities, because if he's as strong in the movies as he is in the comics, then he might just put the Avengers out of a job!
Images: Walt Disney Pictures; Giphy
