4) Darkforce
The most prominent bit of foreshadowing for Doctor Strange came courtesy of two of Marvel’s TV series – which played with a concept that would eventually find a place in the moviel: A deadly black gloop called Darkforce.
It first appeared in two episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s first season, as the team went after Blackout – a supervillain with the ability to control the stuff. Darkforce – although it was now called Zero Matter – later played a much more prominent role in Agent Carter’s second season, appearing as the major macguffin.
[zergpaid]After a volatile extraterrestrial substance arrives on Earth via a inter dimensional portal, Peggy and the SSR have to stop actress-cum-genius scientist Whitney Frost from using it to gain unstoppable power. The reason it was being used in the show, said the exec producers, was because it would directly link into Doctor Strange – where Darkforce would play a major role.
As it turns out, the element’s role in the movie was much less important than we had been led to believe. It’s never called by name for one and doesn’t appear in the form familiar from the TV outings. There is a dark substance seen in Dormammu’s world, but that’s about it. Still, at least Doctor Strange ties up a loose end from Agent Carter.