Doctor Strange Shouldn’t Be The MCU’s Anchor (Like Iron Man Was)

Marvel Studios shouldn’t make Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) the MCU’s anchor the way Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) was. The franchise’s primary wizard is currently not the Sorcerer Supreme as fans expected him to be after the Infinity Saga. Instead, the title is currently being held by his trusted ally, Wong (Benedict Wong). However, like many second-generation heroes in the franchise, Doctor Strange is set to play a major role in the universe moving forward.

After playing an important part in Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) affairs in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange is set to tackle his own personal mission in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Not much is known regarding the film’s plot specifics, but based on its trailer, it appears as if the character’s decision to aid the wall-crawler will have massive repercussions that could end up with him being reprimanded by the MCU’s Illuminati. Whatever the case may be, it’s clear that Doctor Strange will continue to be a central character in the franchise, especially as Marvel Studios builds its own multiverse. The franchise’s architect confirmed this, with Kevin Feige recently declaring Doctor Strange to be the MCU’s new anchor.

Originally, the MCU’s anchor character was Iron Man, but that spot is now vacant after the character’s death in Avengers: Endgame. However, despite his profile, Doctor Strange shouldn’t be the one to replace him. Although the characters share a lot of similarities, there are a few reasons why the sorcerer isn’t fit for the job. For starters, Doctor Strange is far more daring, which coupled with his magical capabilities could make him very dangerous if he goes off the rails. As seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange is willing to break rules for what he believes in. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if he’s the anchor of the franchise, he needs to be a stable figure that could guide his fellow heroes. He can take various risks but it won’t work in his favor all the time and this behavior sets a bad precedent for other MCU characters.

It’s also worth noting that at this point, no one appears to be able to balance out Doctor Strange’s audacity. Iron Man was a risk-taker, but Captain America (Steve Rogers), the rest of the Avengers, and even Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) always kept him in check. Steve Rogers, in particular, balanced out Tony, in more ways than one. And while they had their disagreements, they work so well together as the Avengers co-leaders because of this. Unfortunately, Doctor Strange doesn’t have anyone like this. Wong is perhaps in the best position to do this, but Spider-Man: No Way Home revealed that even the current MCU Sorcerer Supreme couldn’t stop him from doing what he wants to do. In fact, despite Wong’s warning about not counting for his help, Doctor Strange still pushed forward with it. Now, he’s set to suffer the consequences of his actions in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. 

As one of the most powerful heroes in the MCU, Doctor Strange will inevitably become a power player in the franchise moving forward. He will undoubtedly spearhead the mystical pocket of the universe and he will be extremely important to the franchise’s storytelling as it delves deeper into the multiverse. Despite all of this, Doctor Strange shouldn’t be the anchor of the MCU thanks to his brashness, unpredictability, and lack of a suitable counterweight.