Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness end, mid-credit, and post-credit scenes explained: How Benedict Cumberbatch’s movie teases MCU’s future

SPOILER ALERT

As the movie begins we see Strange, or rather one of his parallel universe versions called Defender Strange, running across a pathway in a dimension in which gravity is apparently only a word (it is later revealed to be a zone between universes). With him is America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), a teen girl with the power to travel between universes. They are being chased by a fiery demon. Their target is a mysterious book but before they can reach it, the demon catches up and Strange decides to absorb America’s powers for himself, which would have killed her.

But demon impales Strange and as he lay dying, he saves Chavez from the demon, and the teen goes hurtling into Earth-616, the prime reality in MCU and Marvel Comics. She, Strange (the MCU strange, that is), and Wong decide to protect her from whatever is threatening her.

After a fight with a tentacled monster that has crossed dimensions to kill America, Strange spots runes of witchcraft on its body and decides to approach Wanda, believing she would know what to do. But he learns that it is Wanda who is controlling demons pursuing America. She is still not over the grief of losing her children (that never technically existed) and is looking in other universes wherein they exist, using the Darkhold to ‘dreamwalk’ other universe’s Wandas (basically possessing them as a ghost) who have their children (likely without dark magic). She is more Scarlet Witch than Wanda at this point.

Wanda attacks Kamar Taj, the fortress of Masters of Mystic Arts, to get to America. She carves through the wizards easily, turning the edifice into ruins. As Wanda closes in the gap, America transports herself and Strange to Earth-818, wherein they find its Sorcerer Supreme Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who drugs them and takes them to the Illuminati.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff. (Photo: Marvel Studios)

The secret society, made up of Mordo, Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Reed Richards or Mister Fantastic (John Krasinski), Captain Marvel (Lashana Lynch), Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell), Black Bolt (Anson Mount), arrests Strange and America, deeming them a threat to the multiverse as that universe’s now-deceased Strange almost caused an event called ‘incursion’ — colliding and possible destruction of two universes.

Meanwhile, Wanda rips through the Illuminati (except Mordo) as though she were carving a cake. Strange, America and Earth-818’s Christine (Rachel McAdams) flee to find the entrance to the space between universes in the bowels of Illuminati’s headquarters as Earth-818’s Wanda, controlled by the Scarlet Witch, pursues.

Eventually Wanda is defeated by the combined powers of an undead Strange, Wong and America, who finally learns to control her power. America enlists at Kamar Taj and Strange develops a third eye as a result of his use of Darkhold.

Now let’s get to those mid-credit and post-credit scenes.

Mid-credits

In the mid-credits, we see Strange apparently recovering from the pain he felt when his third eye sprouted. He is walking on a street when a woman clad in a purple costume approaches him. The character is played by Charlize Theron, and the character is Clea, a skilled sorceress and Strange’s love interest in comics. She opens a rift in reality casually using a blade and invites Strange to undo the damage he caused (incursion) while defeating Wanda.

The rift appears to show the Dark Dimension, the abode of terrifying beings like Dormammu, the demon we saw in the original film. Interestingly, Clea is related to Dormammu (she is his niece) in comics, where she and Strange fought against the demon and defeated him.

Clea’s inclusion is interesting if a bit… strange. Considering Theron is playing the role, Clea should have some longevity in MCU instead of shock appearance, and will likely be seen in a sequel or Avengers 5.

Post-credits

The post-credit scene brings back Bruce Campbell from early on in the movie. Campbell is the star of Raimi’s Evil Dead franchise who appears for at least a cameo in nearly every movie from the director. His character was selling pizza balls in Earth-838 and accused America of stealing them. In response, Strange put a spell on him that made him hit himself over and over. In the post-credits however, he suddenly stops and yells happily “It’s over”.

It serves as a nice gag that is also meta in the sense that it trolls the moviegoers in attendance, who were hoping for something more meaningful, like a tease for a future movie. “It’s over” indeed. The audience can go home now.