WandaVision: Doctor Strange's Original Cameo & Why It Was Scrapped

The "WandaVision" era was truly something else. Every week, fans flooded social media with theories about Doctor Strange or Mephisto, only for neither to appear. At one point, we even thought Marvel added Doctor Strange to the post-credits scene, but again, that wasn't the case. However, a newly surfaced Easter egg proves there initially were plans to include the Sorcerer Supreme in "WandaVision," but plans ultimately fell through.

Twitter user @ScarletWitchUpd posted screenshots from Marvel's "MPower" Disney+ special, focusing on note cards in the show's writers' room, detailing the original plans for Doctor Strange. According to the tweet, the plans were for Agatha (Kathryn Hahn) to hear a strange noise and open a closet that leads to the mirror dimension, revealing Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) trapped inside. From the sound of things, the cameo would've set up the "Doctor Strange" sequel, leading into one of the many versions of the script Marvel went through before settling on "Multiverse of Madness," but ultimately, it wasn't meant to be. 

So why didn't Doctor Strange's cameo happen? Marvel simply wrote him out. In an interview with Rolling Stones, Kevin Feige revealed plans to tie Strange into the show's in-universe commercials but said, "It would have taken away from Wanda, which is what we didn't want to do." While the Marvel Cinematic Universe thrives on cameos and connectivity, Strange's appearance would've taken away from Wanda's story, with his cameo likely becoming the talk of the town instead of Wanda's traumatic experience. Also, fans eventually got the two together on-screen for "Multiverse of Madness," so it all worked out.

While Doctor Strange's cameo in "WandaVision" would have been exciting enough, the idea that Agatha Harkness trapped him in the mirror dimension raises an important question: Just how powerful is she?

As we know it, Doctor Strange is one of the most powerful magic users in the MCU. After his introduction to the mystical arts, he quickly rose through the sorcerer ranks, and had it not been for The Blip, he'd be the current Sorcerer Supreme. While we don't know what led to Doctor Strange getting trapped in the mirror dimension in this hypothetical scenario, it shows that Agatha is not one to take lightly.

Remember, "WandaVision" showed Agatha's origins in Salem in 1693, draining the life forces from multiple witches at once. That means that not only has Agatha been studying magic for hundreds of years, but by the time Doctor Strange or Wanda were born, she's already been at it for centuries. "WandaVision" clearly shows that Wanda has surpassed Agatha in terms of power, and it's likely a similar scenario with Doctor Strange. However, it seems safe to say Agatha is currently the third strongest magic user in the MCU — although we'd like to see her face off against Wong. Hopefully, "Agatha: Coven of Chaos" will shed some light on what the sorceress is really capable of. And who knows, maybe Benedict Cumberbatch will pop in for a surprise battle. Or perhaps it'll be Mephisto? Oh no, here we go again.