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Chapter Text

"All of this because two grown ass men couldn't sit down and have a conversation like the adults they're supposed to be." Fury said. Tony and Steve went to protest. "No, if you would have actually talked through the accords and about Barnes, half of that fighting would not have happened."

"I cannot believe you actually had the audacity to say that 'lying in the name of protection is still lying' and 'sometimes my teammates don't tells me things' all while you were keeping that secret from me...Hypocrite." Tony said. Even though, logically, he knew that Steve hadn't technically done it yet that didn't make it hurt any less. 

"Oh, you want to talk about hypocrisy, I can't believe you had the audacity to say that you wanted to take more responsibility and  own your mistakes and then you went and recruited a high schooler to help you fight us." Steve said. 

"Enough." Coulson said. "You just saw what you two fighting did to the team. Do you really want to try that again?" 

"No, Agent Coulson." Tony and Steve said together.

"Look we're being shown all of these films for a reason right, so now that we know what happens when we did things the way we just did them, when we get back to where we were just plucked from, we can fix it, right?" Natasha asked. "We can actually work all of this out as a team rather than two opposing sides that refuse to hear the other's point of view."

"I wonder what me, Scott, Clint and Steve will do, now that we're pretty much fugitives." Sam said. Steve, Clint and Steve all sighed, they hadn't even thought about that. 

"If you could all take your seats again, the next film will begin in a moment." Loraine said.

'Up Next: Doctor Strange' appeared on the screen. 

Chapter Text

Three hooded figures walk into a courtyard of an old building. 

"Why does it look like they're about to perform some ritual?" Tony asked.

In a library, a man locks a book up. A hooded figure appears in the doorway. 

"Not creepy at all." Quill said.

Two zealots appear next to the first, the librarian slides the shelf away. More zealots enter the library. Two of them grab the librarian's limbs with magic ropes, he screams.

"Who are those people?" Peggy asked. 

"They're zealots." Strange said.

Kaecilius walks up to him and takes his hood off, he takes out two weapons and cuts the librarian's head off. The head falls into the bucket. 

Everyone gasped in horror.  What the that poor librarian do to warrant that kind of brutality?

"Who the hell is he?" Fury asked. 

"His name is Kaecilius." 

Kaecilius unlocks a book and takes it then tears one of the pages out.  The Ancient One enters and addresses Kaecilius then tells him that the ritual will only bring him sorrow.

"What ritual?" Steve asked, but received no answer.

Kaecilius and the zealots run through a portal and emerge in a city. The ancient one appears behind them and uses magic to warp a building. Kaecilius calls her a hypocrite.

"Why is she a hypocrite?" Rhodey asked. 

"You'll find out." Strange said. 

The Ancient One jumps onto the side of the building, Kaecilius and the zealots do the same. The Ancient One uses magic to make the building start to fold on itself. 

"What the hell?"

Two zealots grab her legs with magic whips. She jumps up and uses magic shields to break them then fights more zealots, she kicks one into the crease of the building.  She fights more of the zealots, then the building starts turning. 

"Okay this is... kind of trippy." Ned said.

Kaecilius opens a portal and zealots jump through, then he jumps in. 

"Damn."

The Ancient One turns the building to how they were and jumps into the street and takes her hood off. 

"Where did the zealots and Kaecilius go?" Gamora asked, but received no answer.

'Shining Star' by Earth Wind and Fire starts playing. Strange is washing his hands, then puts on his gloves and surgical mask. 

"You're a surgeon?" Howard asked.

"I was...before started studying the mystic arts." Strange answered.

Strange is performing a surgery and subtly dancing to the music. 

"Why are you dancing while performing a brain surgery?" Bruce asked.

Strange tells Billy to start the challenge round. 

"Challenge round?"

Billy plays a different song. Strange says Billy is messing with him. 

Billy says he isn't.

Strange says that the song is 'Feels so Good' by Chuck Mangione and was released in 1977 then tells Billy that he said it would be hard. 

Billy says that it was 1978. 

"No it wasn't." Strange said in an almost sing-song tone.

Strange says that it charted in 1978 but the album was released in December of 1977. 

Billy says that Wikipedia says it was 1977.

"And he trusts Wikipedia?" Tony asked.

Strange tells him to check again. 

Everyone snorted.

One of the doctors asks where he stores all of the useless information. 

"Well me personally, I have a book of useless information." Peter said.

Strange says that the man charted the top 10 with a flugelhorn and asks why the information is useless. 

"Wow."

Strange asks Billy for the status. 

Billy says it was released in 1977.

"Poor Billy, he sounded so defeated." Shuri said.

The doctor tells Strange that she hates him. 

Strange says it feels so good. 

Everyone laughed.

Christine appears in the doorway. The doctor tells Strange that she's got this and he's done his part and they can finish. 

Strange walks into the hallway with Christine and asks what it is. Christine hands him her tablet. Strange says it's amazing she kept him alive. 

"You didn't need to be so condescending but okay." MJ said.

Strange says the man failed the brain flex test and the apnea reflex test. He tells her that he found the problem and says she left a bullet in the man's head. 

"Oh really, I couldn't tell." Natasha said.

Christine says it's impinging on the medalla and she needed a specialist. She says that Nic diagnosed a brain death then says that that doesn't feel right to her.  

Strange says they need to run, they run. 

"You're gonna go and see what's up with that patient I assume." Coulson said. Strange nodded.

Strange and Christine walk up to the patient. Christine asks Dr. West what he's doing. 

Dr. West says that the patient is an organ donor and he's harvesting. 

Christine says she didn't agree to that.

Dr. West says he doesn't need her to because they've already called brain death. 

"But you were wrong." Strange said.

Strange says he did it prematurely and says they need to get the patient prepped for suboccipital craniotomy. 

Dr. West says he won't let Strange operate on a dead man. 

"But he wasn't dead." Strange said.

Strange shows Dr. West the tablet and asks what he sees. 

Dr. West says he sees a bullet. 

Strange says it's a perfect bullet that's been hardened. He says that bullets are hardened by alloying lead with antimony. 

"Another toxic metal inside of a person's body that shouldn't be there. 2 for 2." Bruce said.

Strange says it's a toxic metal and it's leached directly into the cerebral spinal fluid. 

Dr. West says it can cause rapid onset central nervous system shut down. 

Christine says they need to go.

"Please hurry."

Strange says the patient isn't dead but he's dying and asks Dr. west if he still wants to harvest the organs. 

"Anyone ever tell you that you're a bit of an asshole sometimes?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, a few times." Strange said.

Dr. West says he can assist him. Strange tells him no and says that Christine will. 

"Yeah, that's fair."

Strange and Christine start performing the surgery. Dr. West watches. Strange removes something. Christine calls for image guidance.

Strange says that they don't have time.

Christine says he can't do it freehand.

Strange says he can and will. 

"That's a bad idea." Hank said.

Dr. West tells Strange that this isn't the time for showing off. 

"I really don't think that you have much of a leg to stand on right now." Shuri said.

Strange asks about 10 minutes ago when he called the wrong time of death and continues the surgery. He says that the cranial nerves are intact.

Everyone was on the edge of their seats now.

Strange tells Dr. West to cover his watch then pulls the bullet out of the patient's brain.

Sighs of relief were heard. "The son of a bitch did it." Sam said.

"I'll be damned." Steve said.

"Nice work, Doctor." Fury said. 

Strange and Christine talk to the patients family. A woman hugs them both. 

Everyone smiled.

Christine and Strange are in the hallway. Christine tells Strange that he didn't need to humiliate Dr. West in front of everyone. 

Strange says he didn't need to save his patient either but he can't help himself sometimes. 

Everyone rolled their eyes.

Christine says that Dr. West is a great doctor. 

Strange says Christine came to him. 

Christine says she needed a second opinion. 

Strange says she had a second opinion but she needed a competent one. 

"True." Shuri said.

Christine says that that's a reason he should be her neurosurgeon on call because he would make a difference. 

Strange says he can't work in her butcher shop.

"Dude." Rhodey said. 

"You might be a bigger dick than Rocket." Quill said. 

Strange says he's fusing transected spinal cords and stimulating neurogenesis in the central nervous system. He says that his work will save thousands in years to come. He says that in the ER they get to save a drink idiot with a gun. 

"Which is no less important than what you do." May said.

Christine says that in the ER they're only saving lives and there's no fame or CNN interviews. 

Everyone laughed. These two were like the doctor versions of Tony and Pepper and it was hilarious.

She says she'll have to stick with Dr. West. 

Strange asks if they're sleeping together, when Christine looks confused he says he thought it was implicit in his disgust.

Christine says she has a strict rule against dating colleagues and she calls it the Strange policy. 

"She's your Ex?" Happy asked. 

"Yeah." Strange sighed.

Strange says he's glad something's named after him. He says he invented a laminectomy procedure and no one seems to want to call it the Strange technique. 

Christine says that they invented the procedure. 

"Give her 12% of the credit." Pepper joked then stared at Tony. 

"You're still on that?" Tony asked.

Strange says he's flattered by her policy.

"I don't think you were supposed to be flattered." Maria said. 

"That's the point." Strange said.

He tells her that he's speaking at a neurological society dinner and asks her to come. Christine sarcastically says that another speaking engagement sounds romantic. 

"Not exactly and ideal date." Carol said.

Strange says she used to love coming to those with him and says they had fun together. 

Christine says that he had fun and says that they weren't about them they were about him. 

Strange says that they weren't only about him.

"Are you sure about that?" Peggy asked.

Christine tells him that everything is about him. Strange says that they can hyphenate it and call it the Strange- Palmer technique. Christine says it would be Palmer- Strange. 

"Palmer- Strange sounds better and it's in alphabetical order which makes it even better." Peter said.

Strange shaves and straightens his bowtie. He opens a drawer of watches that are spinning. 

Everyone started laughing. "That is probably the most pretentious thing I've ever seen." Clint said.

He picks one and puts it on. He leaves and starts driving. 

"Maybe you should slow down." Steve said.

He gets a phone call from Billy. He answers it and asks what Billy has for him. 

Billy says he has a 35 year old Air Force Colonel who crushed his lower spine in experimental armor. 

"Is he talking about what happened to me?" Rhodey asked. 

"Possibly." Strange said. "I never found out exactly who it was." 

Strange says he could help but 50 other people could too and tells Billy to find something worth his time. 

"Dude."

Billy says he has a 68 year old woman with an advanced brain stem glioma. 

Strange asks if Billy wants him to screw up his perfect record.

Billy says he has a 22 year old woman with an electronic implant in her brain to control schizophrenia who was struck by lightning. 

"Wow." 

Strange says that sounds interesting and asks Billy to send the X-rays. Strange glances at the pictures. The car crashes and spins off the road. 

Strange closed his eyes and turned his head away from the screen. 

The car tumbles down the hill and lands in some water.

"Holy shit!" Everyone exclaimed. 

A few people wanted to lecture Strange about unsafe driving but knew that this was not the time for that. 

Strange is on a gurney, he's disoriented. His hands are wrapped up.  He gets wheeled into a room. 

Later, he wakes up. Christine is next to him, she tells him that it's going to be okay. Strange looks at the pins in his hands. 

"Oh god."

Strange asks what they did. 

"Saved your life." Vision said.

Christine says they rushed him in a chopper but it took a while to find him and the golden hours for nerve damage went by when he was in the car. 

Strange closed his eyes and looked down. 

Strange asks what they did. 

Christine says that there's 11 stainless steel pins in his bones and says he has multiple torn ligaments and severe nerve damage in both hands. 

Everyone in the room felt sympathy for Strange. "Your nerve damage... can it be corrected?" Steve asked. 

"No." Strange sighed.

She tells him he was on the table for 11 hours and says that no one could've done better. Strange says that he could have. 

The irony of the situation was not lost on Strange. Of course he would give himself in injury that only he could hope to fix.

Strange looks at the x-rays of his hands while Christine shaves his face. 

Later, a nurse removes the bandages. Strange's hands shake. Dr. West tells him to give his body time to heal. 

Strange tells Dr. West that he's ruined him. 

"He saved your life." Peggy corrected. "You should be grateful."

"I know... but I didn't see it that way then." Strange said. 

Strange is in a meeting with some doctors. He asks how long until he can take- 

A doctor cuts him off and tells him that the tissue is still healing.  

Strange tells him to speed it up. He says to pass a stent down the brachial artery into the radial artery. 

"Could that actually work?" Gamora asked.

A doctor says that it's experimental and expensive but it's possible. 

Strange says that's all he needs. 

Later, Strange is wheeled into another room for surgery. 

A few people looked at the screen hopefully, wondering if the surgery would work. 

Strange is in physical therapy. The therapist tells him to lift his arm and show him his strength. Strange tries to open his fingers, but groans in pain. 

Everyone cringed. 

Strange says that it's useless. 

The therapist says it's not useless and tells Strange that he can do it. 

Strange asks if he's ever known someone with nerve damage that severe to do this and recover, and calls him 'bachelor's degree.'

"Do you just insult everyone you meet?" Sam asked.

The therapist says he knew one guy who did. He says that the man broke his back in a factory accident and was paralyzed. 

"Damn."

He says that his leg wasted away and there was pain in his shoulder from the wheelchair and came in 3 times a week then stopped coming one day. He says he thought the man was dead then says he saw the man walks by him on the street a few years later. 

"Wait walked?" Bruce asked. "That can't be possible."

Strange asks for the man's file. 

The therapist says it'll take a while to pull it from the archive but it'll be worth it of it proves Strange's arrogant ass wrong. 

Everyone chuckled at that. "Yeah... I get that." Pepper said.

Strange washes his hands and tries to shave. He gives up and drops the razor.

Strange sighed, remembering how hopeless he felt during that time.

Strange is on a call with a doctor. The doctor says he looked at Strange's research and read the papers he sent and says that it's not going to work and says he doesn't think Strange realizes how severe the damage is. 

"I realized, I was just very desperate." Strange said.

The doctor says that what Strange wants from him is impossible and says he has his own reputation to consider and says he can't help and he hangs up. Strange throws the tablet on the ground. 

Everyone flinched at Strange's outburst. 

Christine walks in and asks if the doctor won't help. 

Strange stands up and calls the doctor a hack.  He says there's a procedure in Tokyo and they culture donor stem cells, harvest them and 3d print a scaffold and says he could get a loan of 200,000. 

'He's getting desperate.' People thought to themselves.

Christine says that he's always spent money as fast as he makes it but now he's spending money he doesn't have. 

"Desperate men do desperate things." Loki said.

Christine says it might be time to consider stopping. 

Strange says that now is the time not to stop because he isn't getting better.

Christine says that this isn't medecine anymore it's mania and tells him that some things can't be fixed.

"She's right." Natasha said.

"I know that." Strange said. 

Strange says that life without his work- 

Christine cuts him off and says it's still life. 

"Listen to her." Bruce said.

Christine tells him that there are other things that could give his life meaning. 

Strange asks if she means her. 

"That was uncalled for." Hope muttered.

Christine says that this is the part where he apologizes. 

Strange says that this is the part where she leaves. 

"Don't push her away now, man." Scott said.

Christine says she can't watch him do this to himself anymore. 

Strange asks if it's too difficult for her. 

Christine says it is and says it breaks her heart to see him this way. 

Pepper was reminded of her fight with Tony 4 years ago. 'You're going to kill yourself, Tony. I'm not going to be a part of it.'

Strange tells her not to pity him. 

Christine says she isn't. 

Strange asks why she's there with cheese and wine like they're old friends going for a picnic then tells Christine that they aren't friends and they were barely lovers.

"I know you're angry, but she didn't deserve that." Wanda said. 

He says that she loves a sob story and asks if that's what he is to her 'Poor Stephen Strange, charity case.' And says he's another dreg of humanity for her to work on and patch up then send back into the world. Then says that she cares so much.  Christine leaves. 

"Why did you shove her away like that?" Valkyrie asked. "She cared about you and only wanted to help."

Stephen opens a package that reveals a file with a sticky note that reads 'I told you so.' 

Everyone laughed. "I'm sure his physical therapist is very pleased with himself." Rhodey said.

Men are playing basketball. Someone makes a shot and high-fives his team. Strange walks up to them and greets Jonathan and says that he has a c7-c8 spinal cord injury. 

Jonathan asks who he is. 

Strange says Jonathan was paralyzed from the chest down with partial paralysis in both hands.

"You just walked up to this dude and recited his injury to him, gotta say man, that's kinda strange." Sam said. 

"Well then I guess I'm living up to my name." Strange said. 

Jonathan says he doesn't know him. 

Strange introduces himself and says he was a neurosurgeon. 

Jonathan says he does know him and says he came into Strange's office but Strange refused to see him and he never got past his assistant. 

"This isn't going very well." Clint said. 

Strange says he was untreatable. Jonathan makes a comment about there not being any glory for Strange because of it. 

Strange cringed, knowing that Jonathan was partially right about that.

Strange says Jonathan came back from a place there was no way back from and says he's trying to find his own way back. 

Jonathan says he'd given up on his body and thought his mind's the only thing he had left and he should try to elevate that. 

"Makes sense, compensate for what you don't have and all that." Bucky said.

Jonathan says he sat with gurus and sacred women and strangers carried him to mountaintops to see holy men.

A few people looked skeptical, after hearing that.

Jonathan says he found his teacher and his mind was elevated and his spirit deepened.

"How does this explain how his body healed?" Bruce asked.

Strange says his body healed. 

Jonathan confirms and says that there were deeper secrets to learn there but he didn't have the strength to receive them. 

"What secrets?"

Jonathan says he chose to settle for his miracle and come home. He tells Strange that the place he's looking for is called Kamar Taj and says that the cost is high. 

Strange asks how much. 

Jonathan says he isn't talking about money and wishes Strange luck. 

Chapter Text

'Kathmandu, Nepal' appears on the screen. Strange walks around the city asking for directions to Kamar-Taj. 

"Nice beard." Tony said.

Strange continues walking around the city. He asks another person for directions, a hooded figure listens to him and starts following him.

Everyone looked at the figure, suspiciously. "He knows where Kamar-Taj is?" Scott asked. 

"He does." Strange said.

Strange is in an alleyway, some people walk up to him. 

"Oh no."

Strange tells them that he has no money. A man asks for his watch. Strange says it's all he has left. The man asks again. Strange punches the man in the face then cradles his hand. 

"Ooh, that had to hurt." Clint said.

The other start beating Strange up. Strange curls into fetal position and they start kicking him. 

Everyone hissed in sympathy. 

Steve was reminded of his days being beat up in alleyways and parking lots. 

The hooded man arrives and knocks all of the men down then grabs Strange's, now broken, watch and hands it to him.

"Damn."

Mordo takes his hood off and asks if Strange is looking for Kamar-Taj. Strange nods. 

Mordo takes him there. Strange asks if it's the right place then says that the other building looks a little more Kamar-Tajey. 

Everyone snickered at that.

Mordo says he once stood in Strange's place and was also disrespectful. He tells Strange to forget everything he thinks he knows. Strange agrees and Mordo lets him inside.

"Not cryptic at all." Quill said.

"I don't know why you expected anything less." Bruce said.

They walk inside and Mordo says that the room they're in is the sanctuary of the Ancient One, who is their teacher. 

"The one who taught you magic?" Loki asked.

"Yes." Strange answered.

Strange asks what his real name is. 

"Her real name." Everyone corrected. 

Strange remembers what Mordo just told him about forgetting everything he thinks he knows then he apologizes. They walk into another room, two people remove Strange's coat. 

"You're so awkward now." Clint laughed.

"Yeah, it's hilarious." Strange said, unamused.

The Ancient One pours him some tea. Strange thanks The Ancient One for seeing him, mistaking the man for the Ancient One. 

"He's not the Ancient One." Sam said. 

"Yes, I know." Strange said.

The Ancient One thanks Mordo and Hamir as they leave, then greets Strange by calling him Mr. Strange.

 Strange corrects her and says it's doctor. 

The Ancient One says it isn't anymore.

"I think if you earned the degree you keep the title..." Scott said, confused. 

"I don't think that's what she meant Scott." Hope said.

The Ancient One asks him if that's why he's there and says that he's undergone many procedures, saying that there were 7 of them. Strange confirms. 

"How did she know that?" Thor asked. 

Strange says the tea is good, The Ancient One agrees.

Strange asks if she healed a man named Pangborn who was paralyzed. 

The Ancient One says she did in a way. 

"What way?" Steve asked.

"Magic, probably." Sam said.

Strange says she helped him walk again. The Ancient One confirms. Strange asks how she corrected a c7-c8 spinal cord injury.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that she didn't." Fury said.

The Ancient One says she didn't correct it and says that he couldn't walk. She says she convinced him he could. 

"Like a placebo effect?" Tony asked.

"Kind of, except this actually works unlike placebos." Strange said.

Strange asks if she's suggesting it was psychosomatic. 

The Ancient One asks if when he reattaches a severed nerve if it's him who heals it or the body. 

Strange says it's the cells.

"So... the body." Shuri said.

The Ancient One says that cells are programmed to put themselves back together is specific ways. Strange agrees. 

The Ancient One asks what if she told him that his own body can be convinced to put itself back together in all sorts of ways.

"Personally, I'd say that sounds amazing." Bruce said.

"Right?" Tony, Shuri and Peter agreed.

Strange says she's talking about cellular regeneration and that it's bleeding edge medical tech and asks if that's why she's working there without a governing medical board and how experimental the treatment is. 

"Probably can't be worse than some of the things you've tried already." Natasha said.

He says that she's figured out a way to reprogram nerve cells to self-heal. 

"Well, not quite." Strange said. 

The Ancient one says that she knows how to reorient the spirit to better heal the body. Strange repeats her, questioningly. The Ancient One confirms then drinks some tea. 

Strange asks how to do that and where to start. 

"Now you're asking the right questions." Coulson said.

The Ancient One shows him a a page of a book and asks if he doesn't like the map. 

Strange says it's good but he's seen it before in gift shops. 

"And we're back to insulting people." Sam said.

She shows him another one. Strange says it's acupuncture and says it's great.  The Ancient One shows him another. Strange says it's an MRI scan and says he doesn't believe it. 

The Ancient One says that each of the maps were drawn by someone who could see part but not the whole. 

"Rarely does anyone ever see the whole picture." Maria said.

Strange tells her he spent his last dollar getting there and it was a one way ticket and says that she's talking about healing through belief. 

"I mean, you've seen the results firsthand with Jonathan Pangborn, so why don't you believe it's true?" Gamora asked.

The Ancient One says that Strange is a man looking at the world through a keyhole and he's spent his whole life trying to widen it to see and know more but now that he's hearing that it can be widened he's rejecting the possibility.

"Because I didn't understand it." Strange said quietly.

He says he rejects it because he doesn't believe in fairytales about chakra, energy or the power of belief. 

"Well... all fairytales have to come from somewhere don't they, just like legends and myths. There's a bit of truth to all of it." Valkyrie said.

He says that there is no such thing as spirit and says that they are made of nothing more than matter and they are tiny monetary specks within an indifferent universe. 

"That's quite a cynical outlook on life you have." T'Challa said.

The Ancient One says Strange thinks too little of himself.

"Oh?"

Strange asks her if she thinks she sees through him then says she doesn't.

"It kind of seems like she does." Mantis said.

Strange says he sees through her. The Ancient One hits him and knocks his astral form out of his body then pulls it back in after a moment.

"Whoa!"

"What did she just to?"  Rhodey asked. 

"She pushed my astral form out of my physical body." Strange said.

Strange asks what she just did to him. 

The Ancient One says she pushed his astral form out of his physical form.

Strange asks what was in the tea then asks if it was Psilocybin or LSD. 

The Ancient One says it was just tea with honey. 

"Would she have drank it herself if it was drugged?" Pepper asked.

Strange asks what just happened. 

The Ancient One says he entered the astral dimension for a moment and says it's a place where the soul exists separate from the body. 

"Interesting."

Strange asks why she's doing this to him. 

She says she's showing him how much he doesn't know. 

"The world gets very interesting and...weird when your keyhole is widened." Strange said.

She tells him to open his eye then presses his temple. Strange falls through the wall and into outer space and starts screaming. 

"Okay, what the hell?" Tony asked.

Strange says that this isn't real, then looks at a butterfly and tries to touch it before he gets sucked backward. He falls through a colorful tunnel. 

Mordo says Strange's heart rate is dangerously high.

"I wonder why that is." Strange said sarcastically.

Strange falls back and lands on a chair. The Ancient One says he looks alright to her.

"That's kind of creepy, not gonna lie." Ned said.

Strange gets thrown back into a colorful void. The Ancient One asks if he thinks he knows how the world works and of he thinks that the material universe is all there is. 

"This is freaky." Shuri said.

Strange gets sucked into a glowing yellow light. The Ancient One asks if he thinks he knows what's real and what mysteries lie beyond his senses. 

"Not after that experience I didn't." Strange said.

Strange falls into something else. The Ancient One says that at the root of existence mind and matter meet and thoughts shape reality. A bunch of hands start grabbing at strange. 

"Oh, that's creepy, no no. I don't like that." Clint said. 

"Yeah, wasn't the most pleasant experience for me either." Strange said.

Strange's fingers start growing smaller hands. More hands start grabbing Strange and they turn into his face.

"Oh that's even worse." Clint said.

Strange falls through the eye. The Ancient One says that their universe is one of an infinite number. 

"A multiverse?" Peter asked, interest peaked.

Strange falls into a blue void. The Ancient One says that some are benevolent and life giving and others are filled with malice and hunger. 

Strange falls into a darker void. The Ancient One says that dark places are where powers older than time lie ravenous. 

"How can something be older than time?" Quill asked.

Strange gets sucked into a purple portal and sees Dormammu. 

"What the hell is that?" Tony asked. 

"You'll find out later." Strange said.

Strange falls through multiple screaming versions of himself. 

"Whoa!"

Strange is now floating in a colorful void. The Ancient One asks who he is in the vast multiverse. Strange gets flung back into his chair and falls on the ground. 

"Well that was... something." Rocket said.

The Ancient One asks if he's ever seen that in a gift shop.

Everyone laughed. "I can't say that I have." Strange said.

Strange gets up to his knees, holds out his shaking hands and asks the Ancient One to teach him. 

The Ancient One says no. 

"What?"

Strange gets thrown out of Kamar-Taj, he walks back up to the door and begs them to open it.

"You're gonna stay out there aren't you?" Bucky asked. 

The Ancient One finishes a meeting. Mordo walks into the room. The Ancient One asks if Mordo thinks she was wrong to cast Strange out. 

Mordo says that Strange is still on the doorstep after 5 hours. 

"Five hours!?" Everyone asked. 

"Well I'm very persistent." Strange said. 

"That you are." Fury agreed.

Mordo says there is a strength to Strange. 

The Ancient One says that Strange is stubborn, arrogant and ambitious and she's seen all of it before. 

Mordo asks if Strange reminds her of Kaecilius. 

"The one that stole the pages?" Wanda asked. Strange nodded. 

The Ancient One says she can't lead another gifted student to power only to lose them to the darkness. 

"So she just didn't want to take her chances." Hope said.

Mordo says she didn't lose him and tells her that he wanted power to defeat his enemies and she gave him power to defeat his demons and live within the natural law. 

The Ancient One says that they never lose their demons and they only learn to live above them. 

"That's a nice way of looking at it." Bruce said. 

Mordo says that Kaecilius has stolen the pages and if he deciphers them he could bring ruin upon all of them. Mordo says there may be dark days ahead and they could use someone like Strange. 

"Based off of what we've seen so far, I say he has a good point." Peggy said.

Strange is still on the doorstep, he says he has no where else to go. Someone opens the door, Strange falls through it and thanks them.

Everyone giggled at that.

Mordo walks into a room with Strange and tells him to bathe and meditate if he can and tells him that the Ancient One will send for him. 

Mordo hands him a paper with the word 'shamballa' on it.  Strange asks if it's his mantra.

"Why would it be a mantra?" Thor asked.

"I don't know." Strange said. "It was my best guess."

Mordo says it's the Wi-Fi password and says they aren't savages. 

"Honestly, I wasn't expecting a place like that to have Wi-Fi, it seems like a place where they'd want you to disconnect." Maria said. She received noises of agreement.

Strange pulls out his watch and turns it over. 'Time will tell how much I love you~ Christine' is engraved on the back.

Everyone cooed at that. "So it was a gift, that's why you cared so much when those men in the alley tried to take it." Natasha said. 

"That's sweet." Pepper said.

The Ancient One is with Strange. She says the language of the mystic arts is as old as civilization  and the sorcerers of antiquity called the language 'spells' but he can call it a program if the word offends his modern sensibilities. 

Everyone laughed.

She says it's the source code that shapes reality. 

"Wow."

She makes a shape in the air with magic. 

"Cool." Scott said.

She says they harness energy from other dimensions of the multiverse to cast spells, conjure shields and weapons and make magic. She separates the pieces of the image then it dissipates. 

"That's amazing." Howard said.

Strange says that even if his fingers could do that his hands would be waving in the air and asks how he gets from where he is to where she is. 

"How do you do anything? By learning how." Vision said.

The Ancient One asks how he got to reattach severed nerves and put a human spine back together bone by bone. Strange says it was years of study and practice. 

"Well, better get to studying and practicing." Sam said.

Strange walks into the library and sets his books down. Wong greets him by calling him Mr. Strange. 

"It's doctor." Strange sighed.

Strange tells Wong to call him Stephen and asks for Wong's name. Wong gives his name. Strange asks if it's just Wong and says it's like Adele or Aristotle, Drake, Bono, and Eminem. 

"Is he really that confused or is he just messing with you?" Rhodey asked. "Or does he just not know how to take a joke?"

"I don't even know." Strange said. 

Wong takes the books and names them off and asks if Strange finished them all. Strange confirms. 

Wong tells Strange to come with him and leads him to another section of the library and says that it's for masters only but others can use it at his discretion.

"That's nice of him." Hope said.

Wong tells him he should start with 'Maxim's Primer' and asks how his sanskrit is. 

Strange says he's fluent in google translate. 

"Who isn't?" Peter asked.

Wong hands him 2 books. Strange asks about the books that are locked up. 

Wong says that they're the Ancient One's private collection. 

Strange asks if they're forbidden.

Wong says that no knowledge at Kamar-Taj is forbidden only certain practices. 

"Like cutting of a poor librarians head and stealing book pages for a ritual?" MJ said.

Wong says that the books are too advanced for anyone other than the sorcerer supreme. Strange grabs one of the books, opens it and notices the missing pages.

Wong tells him that it's the book of Cagliostro and one of the rituals was stolen by a former master. 

"Kaecilius." Everyone said.

Wong says it was Kaecilius and calls him a zealot and says Kaecilius stole the ritual after he strung up the old librarian and relieved him of his head. 

Everyone was holding back their laughs. Wong didn't have to say it like that.

Wong says he is now the guardian of the books and if a volume of the collection is stolen again he'd know it and Strange would be dead before he left the compound. He takes the book from Strange.

"Why does he think you would steal them?" Steve asked. 

"He's just generally skeptical of people." Strange said.

Strange asks what if it's only overdue and if there are late fees or perhaps maiming he should know about. 

Wong holds out the books. Strange says people used to think he was funny. 

Wong asked if they worked for him.

Everyone laughed. "Oh sure laugh at his joke but not mine. I see how it is." Strange said.

Strange picks up his books and tells Wong that it's been lovely talking to him and thanks him for the books and the horrifying story and the threat upon his life. He leaves and Wong locks the book up again.

Everyone laughed at what Strange said. Strange looked smug.

Kaecilius takes out the stolen pages and places one on the floor. 

Everyone tensed, waiting to see what Kaecilius would do.

4 zealots gather around him. Kaecilius uses magic to draw a symbol in the air and says that they will now receive the power to destroy the one who betrayed them and betrayed the world.  They start chanting a spell in an ancient language.

"Is this the ritual?" Mantis asked. Strange nodded. 

The skin around their eyes darkens and the floor pattern moves. Dormammu is seen. 

"That thing again." Howard said. "What is it?"

"It's name is Dormammu." Strange said.

Mordo is training apprentices. All of them use magic to make a circle in the air, except Strange can't. 

"At least you're not giving up." Steve said.

The apprentices pick up rings. Mordo says that mastery of the sling ring is essential to the mystic arts. He says that they allow them to travel through the multiverse and all they need to do is focus.  The apprentices start making portals, Strange can't.

"Why isn't it working for you?" Thor asked. 

"I wasn't doing it right." Was the only answer Strange gave.

 Mordo tells them to visualize and look beyond the world in front of them and imagine every detail. He says that the clear the picture the quicker and easier the gateway will come. 

"So you just have to visualize exactly where you're going and you can make a portal that can take you there?" Shuri asked. 

The Ancient One approaches. Mordo tells the apprentices to stop. 

The Ancient One says she'd like a moment with Strange. Mordo and the others leave. 

Strange says it's his hands.

The Ancient One says it isn't about his hands. 

"It has to do with your mind doesn't it?" Scott asked. 

"Something like that." Strange answered.

Strange asks how it's not about his hands. Hamir walks over and pulls up his sleeve to reveal that he's missing a hand. He uses magic to create a shape in the air then walks away. 

"Wow."

The Ancient One says that he can't beat a river into submission and says he needs to surrender to it's current and use it's power as his own. 

Strange asks if he controls it by surrendering control and says that doesn't make sense. 

"I think it makes perfect sense." Vision said. He was able to relate to the statement because of his own struggles with the Mind Stone embedded into his forehead.

 The Ancient One says not everything does and not everything has to. 

"Wish my math teachers were like that in school." Clint said.

The Ancient One tells Strange that his intellect has taken him far in life but it can't take him further and tells him to surrender and silence his ego then his power will rise. 

"She's right."

She tells Strange to come with her. They walk through a portal and emerge on Mt. Everest. 

"Is that-?" Coulson started to ask. 

"Mt. Everest? Yes." Strange said.

Strange goes to ask a question. The Ancient one says that they are on Everest and says it's beautiful. 

Strange agrees and says it's freezing.

"It is very beautiful." Okoye said.

The Ancient One says that a person can last for 30 minutes at that temperature before suffering permanent loss of function.

"I don't like where this is going." Steve said.

The Ancient One says Strange would likely go into shock within the first 2 minutes. 

"What is she doing?" Bruce asked.

The Ancient One walks through the portal and tells Strange to surrender. The portal closes. 

"She left you on Mt. Everest!?" Everyone asked.

Mordo walks up to the Ancient One, who is waiting for Strange. He asks how their new recruit is. 

The Ancient One says they will see any second.

Mordo says not again.

"She's done this before!?" Everyone asked.

"Apparently." Strange said.

Mordo suggests that he should get Strange. The Ancient One stops him. 

Strange is on Everest trying to make a portal. He closes his eyes for a moment and tries again. 

The Ancient One fiddles with her fan. A portal appears and Strange falls out of it. 

Chapter Text

Strange trims his hair and shaves his beard into a goatee.

"Great one more similarity between him and Stark. Just what we needed." Clint said.

Strange walks into the library, he and Wong greet each other. Wong asks what he wants.

Strange says he wants books on astral projection.

Wong says he isn't ready for it.

Strange tells Wong to try him and calls him Beyoncé.

Everyone laughed.

Wong stares blankly. Strange says he's had to have heard of her because she's a huge star.

"Right, like who doesn't know who Beyoncé is?" Hope asked.

Strange asks Wong if he ever laughs.

"I'm starting to think he doesn't." Tony said.

Strange asks for the book.

Wong tells him no.

"Wow."

Later, Wong is in the library listening to 'Single Ladies' by Beyoncé and reading.

"So he does know who she is." Scott said.

Strange makes a portal and takes a book. Wong looks around and goes back to reading. Strange takes another book. Wong looks behind him. Strange makes a portal and takes the book Wong was reading.

Everyone started laughing. "I can't believe you got away with that." Gamora said.

Strange sleeps while his astral form reads.

"Wish I could do that." Tony said.

Strange is with the Ancient One. She says that he once begged her to teach him in that room and now he questions lessons and he prefers to teach himself.

"I learn better that way." Strange said.

Strange says that she once told him to open his eye in that room and now he's being told to blindly accept rules that don't make sense.

The Ancient One asks if he means rules like the one against conjuring a gateway to the library.

"So you didn't get away with it." Scott said.

Strange asks if Wong told on him.

"You know what happens to snitches." Quill said.

The Ancient One says Strange is advancing quickly with his sorcery and he needs a safe place to practice his spells. She opens a gateway to the mirror dimension and they walk through.

"Whoa."

The Ancient One tells him that he's inside the mirror dimension and he's ever-present but undetected and the real world isn't affected by what he does there.

"Sounds interesting." Bruce said.

She says they use the mirror dimension to train, surveil and contain threats and tells him that he doesn't want to be stuck there without his sling ring.

"No I can't imagine anyone would."

Strange asks what she means by threats. The room starts moving.

The Ancient One says that learning of an infinite multiverse means learning of infinite dangers and says that he'd run in terror if she told him everything he doesn't already know.

Strange is training with Mordo. Strange asks how ancient the Ancient One is. 

"Well, given that her name is the Ancient One, I'd say she's pretty ancient." Sam said.

Mordo says that no one knows her age only that she's Celtic and doesn't talk about her past. 

Strange says he follows her even though he doesn't know. 

Mordo says he knows she's steadfast but unpredictable and merciless but kind. 

"Seems like a pretty accurate description to me." Fury said.

Mordo says she made him what he is. He and Strange get into fighting positions, Mordo tells him to trust his teacher and not lose his way. 

"Well... he's already been questioning everything the Ancient One's been teaching him." Peggy said.

Strange asks if he means like Kaecilius. 

Mordo confirms and they start sparring. Strange says Mordo knew Kaecilius. 

Mordo puts strange in a chokehold and says when Kaecilius came to them he'd lost everything he ever loved. 

"That's rough." Carol said.

Mordo says Kaecilius was grieving and broken and he was searching for answers in the mystic arts. He says Kaecilius was a brilliant student but he was proud and headstrong.

"I guess now I can see why you reminded the Ancient One so much of him." Natasha said.

Mordo says Kaecilius questioned the Ancient One and rejected her teaching.

"Does he think you're going to turn out like Kaecilius did?" Wanda asked.

Strange frees himself from the chokehold. Mordo says Kaecilius left Kamar-Taj and his disciples followed him like sheep and were seduced by a false doctrine. 

"And what 'doctrine' is that?" Hank asked.

Strange says that Kaecilius stole a forbidden ritual. 

Mordo says he did. 

Strange asks what the ritual did. 

"Whatever it is... it probably isn't anything good." Quill said.

Mordo says no more questions then picks up a staff. 

Strange asks what the staff is. 

Mordo says that was a question.

Everyone giggled.

Mordo says it's a relic and says that some magic is too powerful to sustain so they imbue objects with it and it allows the objects to take the strain that they can't. He says that the object he's holding is the staff of the living tribunal.

"What the hell is the living tribunal?" Rhodey asked. 

"A three-headed cosmic entity that has existed as long as the universe itself has." Strange answered.

He hits the staff on the floor, it gets bigger and glows before shrinking again. 

"Wow."

Mordo says there are many relics before listing some including the Wand of Watoomb and the Vaulting boots of Valtorr and clicks his heels. 

"His boots are a relic?" Drax asked.

Strange says that the names really roll off the tongue and asks when he gets his relic. Mordo says he will when he's ready. Strange says he thinks he's ready. Mordo says he's ready when the relic decides he is.

"So the relic chooses the person and not the other way around?" Howard asked.

Mordo tells Strange to conjure a weapon. Strange does so and Mordo attacks him.

"Whoa!" Everyone exclaimed, not expecting him to just come at Strange like that.

Mordo tells Strange to fight like his life depends on it. Stranges weapon dissipates and Mordo uses his boots to run above him then knocks Strange down and says that one day it might.

"Evidentially." Strange said.

Strange, back in his room, picks up his watch then opens his laptop and tries to type out an Email to Christine but stops. 

Strange sighed.

Strange walks into the library and takes out one of the locked books. 

Everyone's eyes widened, remembering that Wong said those books were essentially forbidden.

Strange opens the book and bites into an apple. He stops on a page about the Eye of Agamotto. He looks up and sees the Eye of Agamotto on a stand in front of him. Strange calls for Wong but doesn't get an answer. 

"And you just took the 'no response' as your go ahead didn't you?" Coulson asked. 

"Naturally." Strange said.

Strange puts the apple down and puts the Eye of Agamotto around his neck. He opens it like the book says to, the Eye opens and emits a green light.

"What is that?" Steve asked. 

"An Infinity Stone." Strange said. 

Strange rotates his hands and creates green symbols. He moves his hand around the apple which becomes more eaten, then less eaten as he moves his hands back. 

"So it's the Time Stone." Nebula said. 

"Bingo." Strange answered.

Strange moves the apple and turns his attention to the book and flips to where the missing pages were and uses the Eye on them. The pages appear in the book. 

"Very clever Dr. Strange." Natasha said.

Strange reads about Dormammu, the Dark Dimension and eternal life. 

"That's what Kaecilius is after?" Clint asked.

Clear pillars appear in front of him, Mordo tells him to stop and says that tampering with continuum probabilities is forbidden. 

"Sounds like someone is in trouble." Tony said.

Strange says he was doing what the book said. 

Wong asks what the book said about the dangers of performing the ritual. 

Strange says he hadn't gotten to that part. 

"You'd think that the warnings would come before the spells but no." Strange said.

Mordo says temporal manipulations can create branches in time, unstable dimension openings, spatial paradoxes and time loops. He asks Strange if he wants to get stuck living the same moment over and over or never have existed at all.

"Sounds like hell honestly." Strange said.

Strange says they should put the warnings before the spells. 

"They should." Ned agreed.

Wong says Strange's curiosity could've gotten him killed. 

"I'm not a cat." Strange said.

Wong says he wasn't manipulating the space-time continuum he was breaking it. 

"Oh?"

Wong tells him that they don't tamper with the natural law they defend it. 

Mordo asks Strange where he learned the litany of spells that were required to understand what he did. 

Strange says he has a photographic memory and it was how he got his MD and PhD at the same time. 

"Nice." Tony said.

Mordo says what he did takes more than a good memory and tells Strange that he was born for the Mystic Arts.

"You have a gift, Strange." Valkyrie said.

Strange says his hands still shake. 

Wong says they do for now.

Strange asks if they won't forever. 

Mordo says they aren't prophets. 

Strange asks when they're going to tell him what they are. Mordo and Wong glance at each other.

"He deserves to know." Gamora said.

The three of them walk into another room with a giant globe. Wong says that heroes like the Avengers protect the world from physical dangers, they safeguard it against mystical threats.

"Teamwork."

The globe starts glowing. Wong says the the Ancient One is the latest in a long line of sorcerers supreme and it goes back thousands of years to the father of they mystic art whose name was Agamotto and he created they Eye that Strange recklessly borrowed. 

"I wouldn't say recklessly." Strange said.

Wong says Agamotto built 3 sanctums in places of power where great cities now stand. He points to 3 doors and says that one leads to the Hong Kong sanctum, one leads to the New York sanctum and one leads to the London sanctum and the sanctums generate a protective shield around the world. 

"Fascinating." Quill said.

Mordo says the sanctums protect the world and the sorcerers protect the sanctums. Strange asks what they protect them from. 

"What do you think?" Nebula asked.

Wong says the protect them from other dimensional beings that threaten the universe. Strange asks if he means beings like Dormammu. Mordo asks where he learned that name. Strange says he read it in the book of Cagliostro. Wong says Dormammu dwells in the Dark Dimension and it's beyond time. 

"How-" Tony went to ask. 

"I've found it's best if you don't question it." Strange said.

Wong says Dormammu is the cosmic conqueror and the destroyer of worlds. He says Dormammu is a being with infinite power and endless hunger and he's on a quest to invade every universe and bring all worlds into his Dark dimension. 

"So he sounds... terrible." Quill said.

Wong says Dormammu hungers for Earth most of all.

"Why Earth?" Natasha asked.

Strange remembers the pages Kaecilius stole. 

Wong says they're a ritual to contact Dormammu and draw power from the Dark Dimension.

"Oh no."

Strange says he's out and tells them that he came to heal his hands not fight in a mystical war.

"Dude."

Wong notices the London Sanctum is under attack. The door opens and someone runs through it and gets hit.

Everyone gasped. 

Kaecilius makes an explosion that sends Strange, Wong and Mordo back.

Strange gets up and calls for them then walks into the New York sanctum and walks outside. '177A Bleeker ST' is the address on the building. 

"So this is the New York Sanctum?" Bruce asked. Strange nodded. 

Strange walks back inside and tries to see if anyone is there. 

"Shouldn't someone be there to guard it?" Maria asked. 

Strange walks up to a set of doors. One leads to an ocean, one to a forest and one to some mountains. Strange turns a dial on the ocean door and it becomes a door to a desert. 

"That's cool." Coulson said.

Strange continues walking around, he finds himself in a room of relics. He looks at the Cloak of Levitation, it moves. 

"I'm not seeing things am I? That cloak did just move?" Sam asked.

Strange walks back to the foyer where someone is standing and the building is being warped.

"Oh, someone is there." Maria said.

Kaecilius and some zealots walk through the door.

"Shit."

Kaecilius addresses the man as Daniel and notes that they made him the master of the sanctum.

Daniel asks if he knows what that means.

Kaecilius says it means he'll die protecting it.

"What? He didn't do anything to you and you want to kill him?" Clint asked.

Kaecilius conjures a weapon and the zealots start attacking Daniel. Daniel knocks 2 of them down but the 3rd strikes him in the leg and knocks him down. Strange jumps over the railing and tells them to stop.

"What are you doing, you're going to get yourself killed." Rocket said.

"Better than doing nothing." Strange said.

Kaecilius asks him how long he's been at Kamar-Taj, then calls him Master and trail off silently asking for Strange's name.

Strange says it's doctor.

Kaecilius calls him Mister Doctor.

"Mr. Doctor. That's too perfect." Tony said.

Strange says his name is Strange. Kaecilius says it might be then asks who he is to judge.

Everyone started laughing at Kaecilius' confusion.

Kaecilius stabs Daniel. Strange conjures a weapon and Kaecilius runs over to him and starts kicking him, another zealot attacks and Strange grabs a vase and throws it at him then starts running, Kaecilius follows and uses magic to stretch the hallway and keep Strange in place.

"Damn."

Strange turns around and conjures 2 shields, one flickers out. Kaecilius jumps onto the ceiling and the 2 zealots follow Strange and start fighting him. Strange conjures a whip and hits one in the face.

"Haha nice." Rhodey said.

Kaecilius uses magic to twist and warp the hallway. Strange grabs a window handle then falls and grabs a light, he lets go and kicks a zealot into the desert then quickly climbs through the door.

"Clever." May said.

Another zealot attacks him. Strange changes the doorway to one of a rainforest just before the zealot climbs back through. He kicks the other zealot into the rainforest and changes the door to a canyon.

"Well, that takes care of them." Sam said.

Kaecilius walks up to him and starts hitting Strange with his magic shards, Strange runs and knocks a shelf over in Kaecilius' path. Strange runs upstairs and conjures a magic whip. They fight.  Strange picks up a relic. Kaecilius says Strange doesn't know how to use it.

"True."

Strange throws it at him and they continue fighting. Kaecilius swings around a pillar and kicks Strange in the chest.

"Pole dancing moment part 2." Shuri said.

Strange falls into some glass, Kaecilius kicks Strange into a display case, then kicks him into another one, which the Cloak of Levitation was in. The cloak stops Kaecilius from attacking Strange.

"Okay... that's a pretty awesome cloak." Ned said.

Kaecilius grabs Strange and throws him aside then stands up and kicks him over the railing. The cloak dives after him and Strange floats up, wearing the Cloak of Levitation.

"Badass."

"The cloak is your relic then?" Thor asked. Strange nodded.

Strange conjures a whip and grabs Kaecilius' shard with it. Kaecilius yanks Strange toward him. The cloak pulls Strange backward. Strange sees an axe on the wall and tries to grab it but the cloak won't let him.

Everyone looked confused.

The cloak directs Strange to a restraint hanging on the other wall, Strange grabs it and throws it at Kaecilius and it restrains him.

"What the hell are those?" Tony asked.

"Those, I found out later, are the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak." Strange answered.

Kaecilius starts speaking but his words are muffled. Strange removes the muzzle and tells him to stop. Kaecilius says Strange can't stop it and calls him Mister Doctor again.

Everyone started snickering. "He genuinely thought that your name was Doctor?" May asked.

Strange says he doesn't know what 'it' is.

Kaecilius says it's the end and the beginning.

"What does that even mean?" Peter asked.

Kaecilius says the many become the few and the few become the one.

Strange says he's going to put the muzzle back on if Kaecilius doesn't start making sense.

"Or just save yourself the hassle and do it now." Valkyrie suggested.

"Yeah, but then I wouldn't have known what he wanted." Strange said.

Kaecilius calls Strange Mister Doctor again. Strange says his name is Doctor Stephen Strange. Kaecilius asks if he's a doctor. Strange says he is.

"Well, who would name their kid 'Doctor'?" Strange asked.

"People name their cat things like Garlic Bread and Chicken Noodle so I feel like nothing's off the table." Ned said.

Kaecilius says Strange understands the laws of nature and says that all things age and die and in the end the sun will burn out and the universe will grow cold and perish.

"And here I thought you had a cynical outlook on life." T'Challa said to Strange.

Kaecilius says the Dark Dimension is a place beyond time.  Strange says he's putting the muzzle back on.

"Please do."

Kaecilius tells Strange that the world doesn't have to die and it can take its rightful place among many others as part of the One and they can all live forever.

"Sounds too good to be true." Sam said.

Strange asks Kaecilius what he has to gain from this new dimensional Utopia. Kaecilius says what he gains is the same as what everyone does and it's eternal life.

"I don't really think eternal life is all it's cracked up to be." Valkyrie said.

Kaecilius says that people think in terms of good and evil when time is really their true enemy and it kills everything.

"But you can't disturb the natural order of things." Coulson said.

Strange asks Kaecilius about the people he killed.

Kaecilius says they were tiny monetary specks within an indifferent universe.

"Whatever you tell yourself to justify your murders." Fury said.

"Wasn't that the same phrase you used when you were talking with the ancient one. 'Monetary specks within an indifferent Universe.'?" Gamora asked.

Kaecilius says Strange sees what they're doing and says that the world is not what it ought to be. He says humanity longs for the eternal and for a world without time because time is what enslaves them. He says time and death are insults.

"Why? Because they make it so things can't last forever?" Vision asked.

Kaecilius says the they aren't seeking to rule the world but to save it.

"From things that occur naturally." MJ said.

Kaecilius says they want to hand it over to the Dormammu who is the intent for all evolution and the why of all existence.

"More like power hungry demon, but okay." Shuri said.

Strange says the sorcerer supreme defends existence.

Kaecilius asks Strange what brought him to Kamar-Taj and asks if it was enlightenment or power.

Strange flexes his hand. Kaecilius says that he came to be healed like the rest of them.

"Everyone there wanted to be healed?" Wanda asked.

Kaecilius says that Kamar-Taj collects broken things and all of them came with the promise of being healed and instead the Ancient One gave them parlor tricks and keeps the real magic for herself and asks if Strange ever wondered how she she's managed to live so long.

"He's not saying what I think he's saying is he?" Rhodey asked. Strange's silence was answer enough.

Strange says he saw the rituals in the book of Cagliostro.

Kaecilius says that the ritual gives him the power to overthrow the Ancient One and tear the sanctums down and let the Dark Dimension in. He says that Dormammu gives freely what the Ancient One hoards.

"No... everything comes at a price." May said.

Kaecilius says Dormammu isn't the destroyer of worlds but he's the savior of them.

Strange tells Kaecilius to look at his face and says Dormammu made him a murderer and asks how good his kingdom can be.

"Not good at all." Maria said.

Kaecilius chuckles. Strange asks if he thinks that's funny.

Kaecilius says that what's funny is Strange has lost his sling ring.

"Shit."

A zealot walks through a portal, throws a knife at Strange, walks up to him and throws him down the stairs.

"Dammit!"

Strange limps through the hallway while bleeding, then collapses on the floor and starts crawling. The zealot finds him and conjures a magic shard. The cloak of levitation wraps itself around the zealots head.

"Damn, that is one awesome cloak." Clint said.

The zealots sling ring falls off, Strange takes it and uses it to make a portal to the hospital.

Chapter Text

Strange stumbles through a portal and into a hallway. A nurse walks up to him and asks if she can help.

Strange asks if she knows where Christine is. Christine finds him.

Strange tells her to get him to an operating room and not to bring anyone else.

They walk into a room. Christine asks what happened.

"Just a stab wound." Strange said.

Strange says he was stabbed and the wound is over his cardiac tamponade. Christine gets him onto the table and asks him what he's wearing.

"Very very long story." Strange said.

Christine opens his tunic and says that his chest cavity is clear.

Strange says the blood is in the pericardial sac. His hand falls limp beside him.

"Oh no."

Christine panics and hooks him up to a heart rate monitor. Stranges Astral form comes out of his physical body. Christine goes to inject him, Stephen tells her to go a little higher. Christine screams.

"Yeah, I can imagine that that would be terrifying." Tony said.

Strange tells her to be careful with the needle.

Christine asks what she's seeing.

Strange says it's his astral body.

Christine asks if he's dead.

"Not yet."

Strange says he isn't dead but he's dying and points to where she should inject him.

Christine injects him and says she's never seen a would like it.

"Because it's not your typical stab wound." Strange said.

Christine asks what he was stabbed with. Strange says he doesn't know.

The zealot is still being smothered with the cloak, his astral body comes out of his physical body and he goes through the portal Strange left.

"Son of a bitch."

The zealot finds Strange and Christine. Strange tells her that he's going to have to vanish and tells her to keep him alive. Strange vanishes. Christine looks around, wary.

"I feel bad, she's probably so confused." Ned said.

Strange punches the zealot, then they start fighting. The zealot throws Strange through a wall. Strange comes back and the zealot throws him into a cabinet. They start fighting on top of Stranges body.

A few people snickered at the location.

They roll through Christine and she gets pushed back a little. They take their fight elsewhere.

Dr. West is buying something at a vending machine. Strange and the zealot fly through the vending machine and knock down more snacks.

"You just made that man's day." Peter said.

The zealot kicks Strange back into the room and starts kicking him. Strange flatlines.

"Oh no."

Christine grabs a crash cart and uses it on Strange. Energy emerges from Strange's astral form and blows the zealot away

Strange appears in front of Christine. She tells him to stop doing that.

Strange tells her to up the voltage and hit him again.

"But your hearts already beating." Bruce said.

Christine says his heart is beating. Strange tells her to do it and disappears. Christine does it and Strange's astral form blows up the Zealot's and kills him.

"That was a pretty good plan." Rocket said.

"Save for the part where it killed someone." Strange sighed.

Strange gasps awake. Christine asks if he's okay.

Strange says he is.

Christine starts stitching his wound. She says that he just shows up there after all that time and flies out of his body.

"Must of been a weird experience for her." Pepper said.

Strange says he knows and tells her that he missed her too and says he wrote her Emails but she never responded.

"Can you really blame her after what happened the last time the two of you talked?" Hope asked.

Christine asks why she would.

Strange apologizes to her and says she was right. He says he was an asshole and treated her horribly and she deserved so much more.

Everyone smiled, at least he was owning up to his mistakes. That was a start.

Christine tells him to stop and says he's in shock and asks what's happening and where he's been.

"Kamar-Taj."

Strange says after western medicine failed him he headed east and ended up in Kathmandu.

Christine asks if he means like the Bob Seger song.

Everyone laughed.

Strange says it was released in '1975' off of 'a beautiful loser side A'.

Everyone rolled their eyes. "Why do you know this?" Quill asked.

"Photographic memory." Strange answered. "It's good for a few things."

Strange says he went to Kamar-Taj and talked to the Ancient One.

Christine says he joined a cult.

"Yeah... I can kind of see how she would see it that way." Peggy said.

Strange says he didn't but they did teach him how to tap into powers he never knew existed.

Christine says it sounds like a cult.

Strange says it isn't a cult.

Christine says that that's what a cultist would say.

"She raises an interesting point." Shuri said.

Strange tries to get up. Christine asks what he's doing.

Strange says he's late for a cult meeting.

Everyone laughed. Strange just sighed.

Christine helps Strange walk and asks where he's going and if he can tell her the truth.

"Well..."

Strange says a powerful sorcerer gave himself over to an ancient entity and he can bend the laws of physics and tried very hard to kill him but he left him chained up in a greenwich village and the quickest way back there is through a dimensional gateway that he opened in the mop coset.

Christine says its fine if he doesn't tell her.

"A truth so crazy that it sounds like a lie." Natasha said.

Strange opens the closet where the portal is and they walk in. Strange walks through the portal and says he really does have to go, he closes it. A broom falls over and she screams. 

Strange checks the pulse of the Zealot on the floor. He stands back up and puts the cloak on. He walks upstairs and notices that Kaecilius is gone.

"Where did he go?" Rocket asked.

Mordo calls Strange's name and asks if he's okay. 

"I'd say you look pretty okay for someone who almost died." Peggy said.

Strange says okay is a relative term but he is okay. 

Mordo notes that the Cloak of Levitation came to Strange. 

The Ancient One enters and says that it is no minor feat and it's a fickle thing. 

"That cloak seems to have more personality than some people I know." Peter said.

Strange says he escaped. 

The Ancient One asks if he means Kaecilius. 

Strange confirms and says Kaecilius can fold space and matter at will. 

The Ancient one asks if Kaecilius can fold matter in the real world outside of the mirror dimension.

"Is he not supposed to be able to do that?" May asked. 

"He isn't." Strange answered.

The Ancient One asks how many zealots were there. 

Strange says there were 2 and he stranded one in the desert. 

The Ancient One asks about the other one. 

"About that..."

Strange says the body is in the hall and master Drumm is in the foyer. 

Mordo says Drumm has been taken to Kamar-Taj. 

The Ancient One says that the London sanctum has fallen 

"Shit." Everyone said.

The Ancient One says only New York and Hong Kong remain to shield them from the dark dimension and says Strange defended the sanctum from attack and it needs another master because its is gone, then calls Strange 'Master Strange.'

"You're going to protect the sanctum now?" Ned asked.

Strange says no.

"Wait what?"

Strange says his name is not Master Strange or Mister Strange, but Doctor Strange and says he swore an oath to do no harm when he became a doctor and he just killed a man and he's not doing that again and he became a doctor to save lives not take them. 

"Doesn't always work out like you planned, does it?" Bruce asked. He felt he could relate to Strange in that respect. He became a scientist to help people and instead he turned himself into something that only hurt them.

"No it does not." Strange said, answering Bruce's question.

The Ancient One tells Strange that he became a doctor to save one life above all the others and that life is his own. 

Strange asks if she's still seeing through him. 

"She was terrifyingly good at reading people." Strange said.

The Ancient One says she's seeing what she always has which is Strange's over inflated ego and says he wants to go back to the delusion that he can control everything including death and says no one can control that not even him. 

"People certainly try to." Gamora said.

Strange asks if Dormammu can't either and says he offers immortality.

The Ancient One says that it's their fear of death that gives Dormammu life.

"Because if you don't wish to die, you'll make a deal for eternal life." Valkyrie said.

The Ancient One says he feeds off it. 

Strange asks if it's like how she feeds off him. 

"Here we go."

Strange says she's talking to him about controlling death and says he knows how she does it and says he's seen the missing rituals in the book of Cagliostro. 

"So that's how she's lived for so long?" Scott asked.

The Ancient One says to measure his next words carefully. 

"Is that a threat?" Clint asked.

Strange asks if its because she might not like them. 

The Ancient one says its because he might not know what he speaks. 

"It sounds like he does." Howard said.

Mordo asks what Strange is talking about. 

Strange says he's talking about the source of the Ancient One's immortality and says she draws power from the Dark Dimension to stay alive.

"My only question is 'why.'" Thor said.

Mordo says that it's not true. 

Strange says he's seen the rituals and worked them out and he knows how she does it. 

The Ancient One says the Zealots will return when they've regrouped and tells Strange he'll need reinforcements then she leaves. 

"She's not even going to deny what you said?" Hope asked.

Strange tells Mordo that The Ancient One isn't who he thinks she is. 

Mordo says he doesn't have the right to says that because he doesn't know the weight that rests on her shoulders. 

Strange says he's right and he doesn't want to know. 

"I do now." Strange sighed.

Mordo calls him a coward. 

"Lot of accusations going around today." Tony said.

Strange asks if it's because he isn't a killer. 

Mordo says the Zealots will snuff them all out and Strange can't muster the strength to snuff them first. 

Strange asks what Mordo thinks he just did. 

Mordo says he saved his own life and whined about it like a wounded dog.

"Wow, rude."

Strange asks if he would've done it so easily. 

Mordo says Strange has no idea of the things he's done and he would do it without hesitation.

Everyone looked at the screed, warily. Now, they were unsure if Mordo was as trustworthy as he seemed.

Strange asks if he would still do it of there was another way. 

Mordo says there is no other way.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Tony said.

Strange says Mordo lacks imagination. 

Mordo tells Strange that he lacks a spine. 

"Do I?" Strange asked.

Kaecilius and the Zealots return, Mordo and Strange run to the foyer. 

"Great. They're back." Bucky said.

Mordo says they need to end it and fights the zealots then tells Strange to join him. 

Strange sends all of them into the mirror dimension

"Ha ha. Clever." Wanda said.

"Actually it wasn't as good of an idea as it seemed." Strange said.

Strange tells Kaecilius he can't affect the real world there and asks him who's laughing now and calls Kaecilius an asshole. 

Kaecilius says he is.

"What? How?" Happy asked.

Kaecilius starts warping the building. Mordo frees himself from the Zealots' hold. Strange runs for the door, Mordo follows. Strange says Kaecilius can't escape because he has the sling ring. 

Mordo tells him to run and they run. The intersection gets warped and looks like it's floating.

"Whoa!"

Mordo tells him that the zealots' and Kaecilius' connection to the Dark Dimension has made them more powerful in the mirror dimension. He says they can't affect the real world but they can kill them and Strange's plan wasn't clever but it was suicide. 

"Wish I thought that one through a little more." Strange said.

The zealots chase them. Strange tries to open a portal. Kaecilius uses magic to make the building fall over. Strange and Mordo fall on to a bus. A man(Stan Lee) Is reading. 

"Again, there he is." Pepper said.

Strange and Mordo run up the side of a building, Strange tries to open a portal, the zealots chase them. Kaecilius makes the building start wobbling then splits it in two.

"Oh god."

Strange and Mordo fall. The city starts folding in on itself. Strange and Mordo fall on to another building. Strange says that this was a mistake.

"You think!?" Everyone shouted.

The building moves and they fall off and through the city.

"Oh no."

They land on a platform, Strange falls through and the zealots chase him, he falls into the street. Then he and Kaecilius run on opposite sides of the same platform, the run into each other. Kaecilius chokes him and takes back his sling ring.

"Damn."

Kaecilius conjures a magic shard and tries to stab Strange before the platform splits. 

Everyone looked relieved at that.

The Ancient One appears and makes a circular platform in the air. 

Everyone cheered.

The patterns in the platform move, Strange and Mordo get moved with them. Mordo realizes that the Ancient One does draw power from the Dark Dimension. 

"Yes, but why?" Mantis asked.

The Ancient One looks to Kaecilius. Kaecilius says he came to her broken and in need. He says he trusted her to be his teacher and she fed him lies. 

The Ancient One says she tried to protect him.

"Lying in the name of protecting is lying all the same." Loki said.

Kaecilius asks if she tried to protect him from the truth. 

The Ancient One says she tried to protect him from himself. 

Kaecilius says he has a new teacher now.

"Dormammu?"

The Ancient One says Dormammu deceives him and he has no idea what he truly is. She says his eternal life is torment not paradise. 

Kaecilius calls her a liar.

"Not a liar." Strange said.

Kaecilius and the zealots conjure weapons. The Ancient One starts fighting them. Kaecilius makes the platform ripple, The Ancient One sends the ripple back in his direction. 

"Nice."

The two zealots attack the Ancient One, one of them stabs her. Kaecilius makes a portal and kicks her through it.

"No." Everyone gasped.

Mordo and Strange jump in after her. The portal closed. The Ancient One falls onto the street. Strange and Mordo run up to her.

"Oh my god." May gasped.

Strange takes the Ancient One to the hospital and calls for Christine. Christine sighs.

"She sounds so done with you." Ned said.

"She usually does." Strange said. "She usually is." He added.

Christine sees what's happening and runs to Strange. Strange says the Ancient One has a stunned myocardium. 

Christine asks if it's neurogenic. 

Strange says it is. They get her into the operating room. Strange gets ready for surgery.

"You're gonna operate on her?" Everyone asked. 

"Actually, I'm not." Strange said.

Strange picks up a scalpel and his hands shake, he passes it to Dr. West and says they need to relieve the pressure on The Ancient One's brain. The Ancient One flatlines. 

"Oh no."

Christine says they're losing her. 

Strange says they need to increase her oxygen. 

Christine says she needs a crash cart. 

A nurse says she has no reflexes and no brain activity.

"She's dying." Pepper said, sadly.

Strange's astral form emerges from his body, he follows the Ancient One's out of the room. 

"What is she doing?" Peter asked.

Strange asks her what she's doing and says she's dying. They get outside. Strange tells her to return to her body because she has no time. 

The Ancient One says time is relative.

"True."

The Ancient One says Strange's body hasn't hit the floor yet. She says she spent many years peering through time and looking at this moment but she can't see past it.

"She knew?" Everyone asked.

The Ancient One says she's prevented countless terrible futures and after every one there's always another.

"It never stops." Vision said.

The Ancient One says that all of them lead there but never further. 

Strange realizes that she thinks this is where she dies.

"I'm pretty sure she knows this is where she dies." Maria said.

The Ancient One asks if he wonders what she sees in his future.

Strange says he doesn't, before backtracking and saying he does. 

"How could I not?" Strange asked himself.

The Ancient One says she never saw his future only it's possibilities. She says he has such a capacity for goodness and he's always excelled because of his fear of failure not he craved success. 

"Wow, she is good at reading people." Natasha said.

Strange says it's what made him a great doctor. 

The Ancient One says it's what kept him from greatness. She says arrogance and fear still keep him from learning the simplest and most significant lesson. 

Strange asks what it is. 

The Ancient One says the lesson is it isn't about him.

"Rarely is it ever about one single person." T'Challa said.

The Ancient One says he asked how she healed Jonathan Pangborn when he first came to her and says she didn't. She says he channels dimensional energy into his own body.

"So he isn't healed, but he's using his magic to make it look like he is?" Wanda asked. 

Strange asks if he's using magic to walk. 

The Ancient One says he does it constantly. 

"Sounds... tiring." Thor said.

The Ancient One says Jonathan had a choice and he could either return to his own life or serve something greater than himself. 

"And he chose the former." Steve guessed.

Strange asks if he could have his hands and his old life back again. 

The Ancient One says he could but the would would be all the lesser for it.

"She might be more blunt than Erskine." Clint said.

The Ancient One says she hated drawing power from the Dark Dimension, but as he knows sometimes they need to break the rules to serve the greater good. 

Strange says Mordo won't see it that way. 

"Of course not." Sam said.

The Ancient One says Mordo's soul is rigid and unmovable and forged by the fires of his youth. She says he needs Strange's flexibility just as he needs Mordo's strength and they can only stop Dormammu if they do it together. 

Strange says he isn't ready.

"None are." Valkyrie said.

The Ancient One says no one ever is and says no one gets to choose their time and death is what gives life meaning.

"She's right." Sam said. "How can you ever fulfil your life if you have an infinite amount of it?"

The Ancient One says he'd think that she'd be ready after all that time but she's stretching one moment into a thousand just so she can watch the snow. 

"Looks peaceful though." Natasha said.

The Ancient One's astral form disappears. She's dead. 

Strange looked down sadly, tears brimming in his eyes. He was determined not to let them fall.

Strange washes his hands.

A few people looked irked that Strange didn't pull his sleeves up to wash his hands but kept it to themselves. 

Christine walks in and looks at the Cloak of Levitation.

"I can only imagine how confused she is by all of this." Carol said.

She walks to the sink and washes her hands too. Strange grabs her hand. Christine asks if he's okay. Strange looks at her. Christine says she doesn't understand what's happening. 

"Yeah, this is very confusing." Quill said.

Strange says he knows and says he needs to leave now and reminds her that she said losing his hands didn't have to be the end and it could be a beginning. 

"And this is your new beginning." Pepper said. 

Christine says there are other ways to save lives. Strange says it's a harder way. Christine says it's a weirder way.

"She's not wrong." Shuri said.

Christine gets called to the ER. Strange says he doesn't want her to go. Christine kisses his cheek then leaves. 

"Aww." Everyone said. 

The cloak wraps around Strange's shoulders, he straightens the collar. The cloak starts wiping Strange's tears.  Strange tells it to stop and it does.

Chapter Text

'Hong Kong' appears on the screen. Kaecilius and 2 zealots walk through a portal.

Everyone glared at the screen.

Inside of the sanctum, Wong tells the other sorcerers to choose their weapons wisely and that no one steps foot in the sanctum. 

"Guard it with your lives." Strange said wistfully.

Wong leaves the sanctum and finds Kaecilius. Kaecilius tells Wong that he's on the wrong side of history.

"Is he though?" Thor asked.

Strange walks through a portal and finds Mordo and tells him that the Ancient One is dead. 

Mordo tells him that he was right about her not being who he thought she was. 

Strange says she was complicated. 

"You got that right." Rocket said.

Mordo says the Dark Dimension is volatile and dangerous and asks if it overtook her. He says she told them it was forbidden while she drew on its power and stole centuries of life.

"That must be why Kaecilius called her a hypocrite." Rhodey said. 

Strange says she did what she thought was right. 

Mordo says her transgressions led the zealots to Dormammu and says Kaecilius was her fault and they are in the consequences of her deception.

"Be angry at the Ancient One all you want, but you have much bigger problems on your hands." Natasha said.

Strange tells him that the London sanctum has fallen and New York has been attacked twice and he knows where they're going next. 

"They're already there." Bruce said, fretfully.

Strange says Mordo told him to fight like his life depended on it because it might one day and says that that day is today. He says he can't defeat them alone. He makes a portal to Hong Kong and they find the city destructed. 

"Oh no."

Strange realizes that the sanctum has already fallen. The Dark Dimension starts covering the city. Mordo says Dormammu is coming. 

"This is very not good."  Scott said.

Mordo it's too late and nothing can stop him.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Strange said.

Strange opens the Eye of Agamotto and uses it just before Kaecilius stabs him. He turns back time to reverse the destruction of the city. Strange says the spell is working and they get a second chance.

Everyone started cheering.

Time continues being rewound as Strange and Mordo run to the sanctum. Kaecilius goes to attack Strange and throws him into the street. Mordo starts fighting the 2 zealots, one of them gets sucked into an aquarium tank. 

Everyone laughed at that.

One of the zealots tries to run up some scaffolding, Mordo uses his staff to yank her down and trap her. The Dark Dimension starts retreating.

"Yay!"

A dust cloud surrounds Strange and Kaecilius, Strange kicks Kaecilius out of it and starts fighting him. Mordo uses his Staff to yank Kaecilius away and throws him into a building that reconstructs around him. 

"Finally!" Everyone sighed. 

"Not yet." Strange said.

As time continues to be reversed, rubble lifts off of Wong. Strange uses the stone on him and he's healed and says he knows he's breaking the laws of nature.

"Well... if it's for a good reason, couldn't he let you off the hook for it?" Maria asked.

Wong tells him not to stop now.

Everyone laughed.

Strange says the zealots will attack the sanctum when it's restored and they need to defend it. The run toward it and Kaecilius frees himself.

"Oh come on!"

Kaecilius sends a shockwave toward the sanctum, knocking Strange down in the process. Time stops.

"What the hell?" Sam asked.

Mordo stands and tells Strange to get up and fight and says they can finish it. 

Kaecilius says they can't fight the inevitable.

"How is this, in any way, inevitable?" May asked.

Kaecilius looks at the Dark Dimension and asks if it's beautiful.

"No actually, it's not. It's just terrifying." Hope said.

Kaecilius says it's a world beyond time and death. 

Strange repeats the words 'beyond time.' 

"What are you planning?" Wanda asked.

Strange stands up and flies into the Dark Dimension. 

"I hope you know what you're doing." Vision said.

Mordo says Strange is gone. 

Kaecilius says Strange left and surrendered to his power.

"No, not true." Strange said.

Strange lands on something and does something with the time stone, then looks at Dormammu. Strange tells Dormammu that he's come to bargain. 

"A bargain?" Everyone asked. 

"That's how you beat him?" Fury asked.

"Not exactly, there was more to it than that." Strange said.

Dormammu says Strange came to die and says that Strange's world is now his world like all worlds. Dormammu kills Strange with a blast of power and spikes. 

"Oh god."

Strange jumps onto the platform, completely fine and tells Dormammu that he came to bargain.

"A time loop." Loki realized. 

Dormammu says Strange came to die and Stranges world is now his world. He cuts himself off and asks what this is and if it's an illusion. 

Strange says it's real. Dormammu impales Strange. 

Everyone gasped, even though they saw it coming. 

Strange jumps down and tells Dormammu that he came to bargain. 

Dormammu asks what's happening. 

Strange says he brought power from his dimension just as Dormammu gave Kaecilius power form his. He holds up his wrist and says it's endless looped time.

"Time as a weapon in a dimension that works without time." Tony said. "Who would've thought?"

Dormammu smashes Strange. Strange appears back where he was and tells Dormammu that he came to bargain. 

Dormammu says can't do this forever. 

"Technically he can..." Bucky said.

Strange says he can and that this is how things are now they two of them trapped in that moment endlessly. 

Dormammu says he'll spend eternity dying.

"In increasingly creative ways." Strange added.

Strange says everyone on Earth will live. 

Dormammu says Strange will suffer. 

Strange says pain is an old friend. 

"I relate." All the teenagers said.

Dormammu kills Strange, Strange appears again. 

Dormammu kills Strange, Strange appears and says he came to bargain. 

Dormammu says to end this then kills him. 

Strange keeps appearing each time Dormammu kills him. 

"You think Dormammu would be sick of this by now." Carol said.

Dormammu tells Strange that he'll never win. 

Strange says he can lose again and again and again forever and that makes Dormammu his prisoner. 

"How many times did you have to die before this stopped?" Steve asked.

"I'm not sure." Strange said.

Dormammu kills him. Strange appears again. Dormammu tells him to make it stop and set him free. 

Strange tells him no and says he came to bargain. 

Dormammu asks what he wants. 

Strange tells him to take the zealots from Earth and end the assault and then he'll break the loop.

"That's your bargain." T'Challa said. "A very clever plan." 

On Earth, time is frozen. Mordo stands up and tells Strange to get up and fight and says they can finish it. 

Kaecilius looks at the Dark Dimension and asks if it's beautiful and says it's a world beyond time. 

"And yet time is it's weakness." Strange said.

Strange floats down behind Kaecilius. Kaecilius asks him what he's done. 

Strange says he made a bargain. 

Kaecilius' hand starts fading, he asks what's happening. 

Strange says it's everything he ever wanted and it's eternal life as part of the One and tells him he won't like it. 

"Oh I'm sure he won't." Pepper said.

The zealots all get sucked into the Dark Dimension. Strange says they should've stolen the whole book because the warnings come after the spells. Wong starts laughing.

"Really? That's what makes him finally laugh?" Tony asked.

Strange finishes reversing time, the sanctum is repaired and time unfreezes. Wong says they did it.

"You did."

Mordo agrees and says that they violated the natural law. 

"Would you rather have had Dormammu win?" Peggy asked.

Strange tells him to look around and says that it's all over. 

Mordo asks if Strange still thinks there won't be consequences and says they broke their rules like the Ancient One broke hers and says he won't follow the path any longer. 

"So... after all that he just left?" Sam asked/

Strange is in Kamar-Taj. He takes the Eye of Agamotto off and places it back on the pedestal. 

Wong tells him that was a wise choice, then says Strange will wear it once he's mastered it's powers and until then he shouldn't wear in Infinity Stone in the streets. 

"Probably a good idea." Gamora said.

Strange looks confused. Wong says he may have a gift for the mystic arts but he still has much to learn. 

"There's always more to learn." Strange said.

Wong says that word of the Ancient One's death will spread throughout the multiverse and Earth has no sorcerer supreme to defend it. He says they must be ready. 

Strange says they will be. 

"I hope so."

Strange walks up to the window of the New York sanctum and puts his watch on. 

"You're the master of the sanctum now?" Maria asked. 

"I am." Strange confirmed. 

Thor and Strange are in the sanctum. Thor asks if Earth has wizards now. 

"Well, look who it is. Back on Earth now, buddy?" Tony asked. 

Strange asks if Thor wants tea. 

Thor says he doesn't drink tea. 

Strange asks what he does drink. 

Thor says it isn't tea. The tea turns into a pint of beer. 

"Nice."

Strange says he keeps a watchlist of individuals from other realms that may be a threat to Earth and Loki is one of those beings. 

Thor says he's a worthy inclusion. 

Strange asks why he brought him there. 

"Loki's back on Earth?" The Avengers asked, worried.

Thor says it's a long story that involves family drama and tells Strange that they're looking for Odin. 

Strange asks if they would return to Asgard if they found Odin. 

Thor says they would. 

Strange says he'll help them.

"I almost forgot that Loki essentially banished Odin to Earth." Valkyrie said.

Jonathan Pangborn is welding. Mordo walks up to him. Jonathan asks if he can help him. Mordo says Jonathan was carried to Kamar-Taj on a stretcher. 

"Mordo?" Strange asked.

Jonathan turns around and recognizes Mordo and asks what he can do for him. 

Mordo says he's been away for many months and he's had a revelation. He says the true purpose of a sorcerer is to twist things out of their shape, steal power and prevert nature. 

Jonathan grabs a crowbar. 

"This won't end well." Bucky said.

Jonathan says he stole nothing and this is his power. 

"He's right."

Mordo says power has purpose. Jonathan attacks him. 

Mordo takes his power and Jonathan is paralyzed again.  He asks why Mordo is doing this. 

Mordo says he sees what's wrong with the world and says there are too many sorcerers.