Warning: This article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is finally in cinemas worldwide, and while Marvel and Sony have kept much of its plot under wraps, something we always knew going into the much-anticipated threequel was that Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange would be playing a key role as Peter Parker’s latest superhero mentor. In doing so, while the movie is obviously mostly focused on Spidey’s journey, it reveals a little more about Strange’s status as a Master of the Mystic Arts.
Warning: Spoilers for the early scenes of Spider-Man: No Way Home to follow.
Specifically, No Way Home confirms the surprising truth that Stephen Strange is not the world’s Sorcerer Supreme. When the Ancient One died in Doctor Strange and the former surgeon went on to save the world in her absence, it seemed obvious that he had taken her place. Especially given Strange’s power-levels in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. However, NWH explains that Strange isn’t currently Sorcerer Supreme. And there’s good reason for that.
When Peter first visits 177A Bleecker Street to get a little mystical help with his troubles, he refers to Strange as the Sorcerer Supreme and is told that it’s actually Wong (Benedict Wong). A slightly bitter Strange explains that he would’ve got the gig if it wasn’t for the fact that he was blipped out of existence for five years. With him gone, the title went to Wong. But even though he’s since been restored, along with everyone else Thanos erased, Wong is still holding on to the job for now.
It’s possible that this unexpected revelation in Spider-Man: No Way Home is setting up a big plot point in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Similar to how Wanda Maximoff officially became the Scarlet Witch in WandaVision, Stephen’s incoming sequel might see him properly step up to become the Sorcerer Supreme. We’d just assumed it had already happened.