Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a bit of a letdown for a lot of moviegoers. How could it not be after the spectacle of the climax to the first decade of their new way of telling cinematic stories? In many ways, Marvel has gone back to the start, building up for a new decade they’ve planned. However, in another way, they have been doing a good job of telling stories that deal with the letdown and grief of the storyline they built up to in “Endgame.”

Every film and tv series they have been telling since 2019 has dealt with the theme of grief. Maybe that has also contributed to the malaise of viewers. The fans want popcorn action and escapism, and instead are getting stories about real characters dealing with real loss.

Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness deals with this theme in a couple of ways. Yes, it is still, at its core, a popcorn escapist fantasy. However, the main story continues the thread of Wanda’s grief that her tv series explored. And in the case of Doctor Strange, we get multiple character lessons.

The alternate versions of Strange explore more facets of what the first story and his need to be humble. He also continues to learn to rely on others and trust that he does not need to be in control of everything. A recurring theme in this story, though, is the question of happiness. He repeatedly wonders, and is asked by multiple people, is he is happy with the decisions he has made and the way that his life has gone. He sees other versions of himself who are all struggling with the same issues. Fame, fortune, magic, power, and the ability to save the universe do not guarantee positive feelings!

At the end of the story, he has an exchange with Wong that sums up the theme of the film:

Strange: “Are you happy?”
Wong: “That’s an… interesting question.”
Strange: “You’d think that saving the world would get you there, but it doesn’t.”
Wong: “Sometimes I do wonder about my other lives, yet I remain grateful in this one… even with its tribulations.”

An important part of dealing with grief and second-guessing is contentment, not happiness. True joy and peace are found in contentment and gratitude in the midst of all life’s ups and downs. That is the truth we find in the message of Philippians.