Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Trailer 2 Breakdown

The second trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is here! There’s so much going on in this trailer—new characters, possible plot twists, and at least one major rumor that seems to be confirmed. Let’s break it down and see what we can expect when the movie comes out on May 6th!

Every Night, the Same Dream

The trailer starts with Stephen describing a recurring nightmare he’s been having about a ruined Sanctum Sanctorum, seemingly stemming from the spell he cast to close the walls of the multiverse in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Strange has a pretty long history of making terrible decisions, so it’s no surprise that he’s feeling guilty about the havoc his magic caused in No Way Home.

It’s also no surprise that the way he’s dealing with that guilt is by doubling down and insisting he did “what he had to do.” Strange’s combination of arrogance and self-destructive tendencies is what makes his character so intriguing and so frustrating, so it’s no surprise that he’s continuing that pattern here.

But he’s going to have to learn some humility quick, because his universe is literally falling apart, as we can see from the New York City skyline getting dusted. I love that Christine’s wedding gets ruined by a multiversal collapse, by the way. Nice going, Stephen, good job. Seriously, has he ever had a positive effect on Christine’s life?

Scarlet Witch, Villain?

First off, is Stephen using Wanda’s chaos magic at the 0:26 mark? What’s going on there? I can’t wait to find out what kind of help he’s hoping to get from her when he visits her in her orchard.

As for Wanda, WOW. We’ve got loads more thoughts about her on the way, but for now I’ll say two things: 1) it looks like she’s going to get a pretty rich arc of her own, instead of just being one of Strange’s sidekicks, and 2) she’s definitely edging into villain territory. Some eagle-eyed Twitter users noticed something interesting about the shots bookending the trailer, where Wanda explains Vision’s theory of the multiverse and then asks Strange how it’s fair that, when they break the rules, he becomes a hero and she gets labeled the enemy. It looks like both shots may be from the same scene:

If that’s true, then Wanda’s experiments with the Darkhold have taken her much farther down the path of dark magic than the first trailer let on.

America Chavez, Rintrah, and Captain Marvel!?

We see just a little bit more of America Chavez, played by Xochitl Gomez, in this trailer. She’s trapped in front of a flame monster, then she’s falling with Stephen as their bodies come apart, and then we see what we’ve all been waiting for: America using her signature power to punch a hole into another universe. I cannot wait to see America on the big screen.

We also see a quick shot of Rintrah, a minotaur who, in the comics, comes from the planet R’Vaal and studied under Doctor Strange. Here, he seems to be a student at Kamar-Taj. We also get another shot of the monster Shuma-Gorath hurling a bus at Stephen in New York City.

Then there’s a shot of a fight scene between Wanda and a flaming figure that looks remarkably like Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel. Some viewers are pointing out that the figure could also be Monica Rambeau (and yet others have other, potentially spoilery theories). That would make sense, since Wanda and Monica first faced off in WandaVision, and it’s exciting to think that we may not have to wait until The Marvels to see more Monica! Then again, there’s also speculation that the figure could be Maria Rambeau, Monica’s mother and Carol’s best friend, as a Captain Marvel variant.

A Rumor Confirmed

The most exciting reveal, though, comes after Mordo charges Stephen with desecrating reality. We see Stephen shackled and led by (suspiciously Ultron-looking) robotic guards to a large room with a dais. A cloaked figure walks onto the dais and we hear an oddly familiar voice say, “We should tell him the truth.”

Fans of the original X-Men movies will immediately recognize that voice as Sir Patrick Stewart, known to Marvel fans as Professor Charles Xavier, leader of the X-Men. I didn’t want to believe the rumors when they first started circulating, but it looks like Professor X is indeed about to make his MCU debut, although it may not be the version of him we’re familiar with.

And who, exactly, has Stephen in custody? Where have they taken him? What “truth” is he about to hear? All signs point to the Illuminati, a group of superheroes that pull the strings of the Marvel universe in secret. In the comics, the Illuminati is made up of representatives from each superhero team, including the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and others. Who knows? Maybe Tom Cruise really is going to be in this movie! At this point, I’ll believe anything.

Zombies and Defenders!

Yep, looks like there are zombies. We get lots of zombie shots, some of them straight out of the zombie episode of What If…?. Hey, Marvel said years ago that this was going to be a horror movie!

The TV spot also gives us a better look at Defender Strange. Will this movie introduce the Defenders? Maybe!

The Multiverse Has Cracked Wide Open

Marvel has been leading up to the explosion of the multiverse since WandaVision, which hinted at Wanda’s status as a nexus being. Loki kicked off the multiverse proper and explained how its mechanics work, with branching timelines creating infinite new realities, and we saw the first cracks start to show in No Way Home. The multiverse is the centerpiece of Marvel’s Phase 4, and the way it’s unfolding so far is breathtaking. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness looks gorgeous, and the plot looks weighty enough that the movie will be a major event in its own right, while setting off ripple effects that we’ll continue to see in the movies and series that follow.

I’ll admit I was a little disappointed that we didn’t see more of the possible TVA connection that the teaser trailer hinted at, but it’s understandable that Marvel would want to save some surprises for the actual release. Besides, we know that Phase 4 is eventually leading up to a face-off with Kang the Conquerer, so I’m content to enjoy the ride.

Will Stephen Strange repair the multiverse? Will we get X-Men, the Illuminati, the Defenders, and some horrifying zombies? We’ll find out on May 6th!

(featured image: Marvel)

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