Summary

• Doctor Strange 2's ending sets up a new adventure with a mysterious sorcerer, Clea.
• Wanda destroys the Darkhold temple but is presumed dead; America stays on Earth-616.
• Doctor Strange gets the Third Eye, hinting at his return in future MCU projects.

The ending of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness seems to have big implications for the MCU, and here's every detail explained. Despite having been in the MCU since 2016, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is only the second solo outing for the sorcerer, who was gone for five years after Thanos dusted half the world’s population. The MCU sequel takes advantage of the multiverse, introducing America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), a multiversal being with the ability to punch through any dimension.

The ending of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness closed out one story while setting up another one. America decides to stay at Kamar-Taj with Wong and everything else is more or less back to normal. However, with Wanda gone and the multiverse not under the threat of destruction for the time being, Doctor Strange 2's mid-credits scene sees him pulled into another adventure with a mysterious woman who knows exactly who he is. Here is the ending explained, including when Doctor Strange might return, why he gets the Third Eye, and what the Illuminati’s MCU future looks like.

What Happens At The End Of Doctor Strange 2

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ends with Wanda Maximoff destroying the Darkhold temple and all the versions of the book across the multiverse so that no one will ever be able to use the spells again. It’s America Chavez who finally gets her to see what kind of damage she has done and will continue doing if she doesn’t stop—namely, by showing Wanda how her kids from another universe see her with fear. Realizing she doesn’t want to be the terror she sees on her kids’ faces, Scarlet Witch changes her mind and works to make things right.

Following Wanda’s downfall, Doctor Strange and Wong work to rebuild Kamar-Taj, training new apprentices. Wanda is dead, and America has yet to find her parents. Meanwhile, Doctor Strange is bestowed with the Third Eye after using the Darkhold to possess his own dead body from another universe.

The ending of the film is a victory for Doctor Strange, Wong, and America, each of whom did their part.

The ending of the film is a victory for Doctor Strange, Wong, and America, each of whom did their part in trying to stop the Scarlet Witch from taking advantage of the multiverse for personal means. However, that doesn’t mean that Doctor Strange traversing the multiverse hasn’t caused its own issues. His own dream-walking across the MCU multiverse has created an incursion, which destroys the balance in the multiverse and leads to worldly barriers colliding and annihilating entire universes. And that’s where the mysterious sorceress, Clea, comes in, taking Doctor Strange with her to fix what he messed up.

Why Doctor Strange Gets A Third Eye At The End Of Multiverse of Madness

Doctor Strange was desperate to stop Wanda and save America before her powers were taken. Like Sinister Strange before him, Doctor Strange develops the Third Eye at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness because he used the Darkhold to reach across the multiverse to possess the dead body of another version of himself. The Darkhold is strong magic, and it can mess with a user’s mind, warping it or affecting it in some way.

It did this with Wanda and with Doctor Strange. However, Doctor Strange’s corruption wasn’t the same. The Third Eye is essentially the Eye of Agamotto, a talisman that is meant to show whoever wields it the truth. In the comics, the Eye of Agamotto is bestowed upon someone with pure intentions and a good heart. Considering Doctor Strange only used the Darkhold to stop Wanda from stealing America’s powers, his intentions were good, which explains why he wields the Third Eye. It could play a pivotal role in the upcoming Avengers 5 or 6.

Is Scarlet Witch Really Dead?

When Scarlet Witch decided to destroy the Darkhold temple, she collapsed the entire infrastructure so there was nothing left. The slabs of rock toppled, with the entire temple falling on top of her, seemingly killing her. While it's hard to consider a character dead without seeing a body (and even that isn't always definitive), the Official MCU Timeline book does confirm her demise. Moreover, Olsen has spoken at length about being unsure of the character's future and not having any current contract in place to appear in an upcoming project.

Of course, it seems hard to believe that Wanda will end her MCU tenure as a villain. Given her deep ties to chaos magic, it seems easy enough for the MCU to find a way to bring her back. If not the main 616 Wanda, a variant could appear in a future project, too.

Why America Chavez Stayed On Earth-616 (& Her MCU Future)

America Chavez decided to stay on Earth-616 at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While America is immensely powerful, she was only beginning to learn the extent of her abilities and how to control them. Staying behind at Kamar-Taj allows her time to train and hone her powers in a safe space. In many ways, America had found a home for herself on the MCU's Earth-616, likely joining Strange on a future adventure. Now that America has been introduced into the MCU, it’s possible she will show up again in another film or Disney+ series.

A solo film could see America go on another multiverse adventure, only this time, it will be in search of her moms, who disappeared into another universe (and is presumed dead). What’s more, America could join the Young Avengers now that they've been officially set up. She is a part of the Young Avengers in the comics, and it would make sense for her to join the team’s ranks in live-action. The MCU has yet to explore the full range of America Chavez's powers, let alone her backstory and world of origin, so the potential for her to appear in a future MCU project is high.

Clea Joins The MCU In The Post-Credits