Wednesday, September 1, 2021

What If…?, “Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?”, Review!

The Watcher notes that one choice can open up countless possibilties, we see a street with a sports car.  Out of it comes Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) in his tux, he waits for a woman in a blue dress, Christine (Rachel McAdams).  She convinces Strange to go over his speech, but it is too dry.  Christine wants him to celebrate his new surgical operation.  Strange gets impatient waiting behind a truck and then swerves to overtake it, but of course in a lane of traffic!  He races past the other cars, but is rear-ended by a car that sends Strange’s car over a railing!  The car goes slamming down, Strange sees that Christine has died!, this fades.  The Watcher notes that the accident didn’t take away Strange’s use of hands and says instead he lost his heart.  Strange wanders the world and starts training as Master of Mystic Arts.  He reads about the Eye of Agamotto.  



Strange uses the Eye to reform an eaten apple, but he is discovered by Wong (Benedict Wong). They also see the Ancient One.  Strange stands over the covered body of the Ancient One.  Then, he meet with Dormamu.  Strange flashes back to a moment with Christine.  Wong warns Strange about the consequences.  He opens the Eye of Agamotto and transports himself back to his date with Christine.  Strange jokes about Christine’s game show walk to the podium and waits behind the truck.  Still, they are struck from behind by another car.  She has died a second time, Groundhog Day-style, and Strange again opens the eye to repeat the night again.  Again, they drive, shouldn’t he not drive with Christine?  He decides to bypass the bridge, and they get crushed by a truck at the side of the car. Another try.  Strange tries to get them to stay in, but Christine wants to go the dance.  Still, she collapses during the dance.  


Another Agamotto Shift, they are eating at a pizza restaurant.  A thug takes out a gun.  Strange tries again and again.  The factor is Christine, he can’t be there with her, Strange tries more times.  He leaves Christine at the hotel.  Then, Christine offers to drive, magain the reckless driver.  Strange could surround the car with the Crimson Bands of Cytorrak.  He is flung from the car and Strange yells in rage and pain. A light portal appears and out of it is the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton).  She says that the death of Dr. Christine is the catalyst that sends him searching of a mystic answer.  The Ancient One says that Christine’s death is an “Absolute Point” in time. He can’t change it. She insists that Strange not try to change and unchangeable time fixture.  Strange opens the Eye of Agamotto and the Ancient One wields two energy fans.  She sends a blast.  Strange revives and sees his white shirt with burn marks.  He encounters a man wearing a Chinese straw hat and a staff who just watches him. Strange says to him that he is looking for the Lost Library of Cagliostro. 



They reach a large temple structure and Strange notices that there is no door.  He teleports himself to the upper level.  A small, magical sign appears.  Strange continues on until finding a signs surround him and he falls, call on the Winds of Watoomb!  He meets the stranger who calls himself O’Bengh (Ike Amadi), the book librarian of Cagliostro.  Amadi is a voice actor who played M’Baku on the Avengers Assemble (2018-2019) animated series. Strange levitates all of the books until he finds the title Time Manipulation.  He reads that to break an Absolute Point requires power.  Strange will need to absorb power from others!  He summons a tentacled creature!  This seems to be the being, Shuma-Gorath, fully appearing in Marvel Premiere #10 (1973).  He is thrashed around by a tentacle from the Chuthlu-like being.  O’Bengh tends to Strange and warns him about what he is attempting.  He has blue and brown eyes.  There is a small, gnome-like creature that he absorbs and then a mystic raven creature.  More mystic beasts and Strange quickly loses his humanity.  Even magic has consequences.  


Four out of Five Eyes of Agamotto!   


#WhatIf, #Doctor StrangeLostHisHeartInsteadofHisHands?, #BenedictCumberbatch, #RachelMcAdams, #BenedictWong, #TildaSwinton, #OBengh, #IkeAmadi 

No comments:

Post a Comment