#838 Christine

[ladydbzelle]

Sorry for not posting for so long! Been busy with art projects that I couldn’t able to draw like I used to

[prettywitchiusaka]

These were all bought yesterday.

I met up with a friend of mine and we went for a long walk and caught up while we did some shopping.

So yeah, I'd definitely count this as my Birthday Swag Post 1.

[marvelsgirl616]

838 Christine Palmer Icons

[fanartka]

[sobeautifullyobsessed]

unpopular thought, but I still wish that rachel mcadams was going to play clea

[benedict-cbe]

I miss these two.

Their chemistry was perfection

And Marvel fucked it up.

[gingiesworld]

Holding On and Letting Go

838 Wanda Maximoff x GN! Reader

Warnings: Grief. Death. Angst. Fluff. Amab! Reader

18+ MINORS DNI

"Promise me you will be careful?" Wanda spoke softly as she lay in Y/N's arms. Y/N holding her after a night of trying to expand their family of two.

"I promise." They told her with a gentle smile before kissing her softly. Relishing in the skin on skin as nothing was between them, soon turning into more as they flipped her over.

Wanda's heart dropped when she heard the news, heading straight towards the facility to see Peggy Carter with a solemn look on her face. Christine Palmer walked out with a sad expression before she noticed Wanda.

"I tried everything I could." She told the witch who gasped as she followed Christine into the room. "We figured you might want to say goodbye so we hooked them up to a ventilator. It won't help them but maybe it can give you some closure."

Wanda held their hand in her own, feeling the cold gold wedding band missing from their finger. Wanda looked to Christine with tears streaming.

"Where's the ring? Their wedding ring?" She asked as Christine handed her a bag of their belongings.

"It's in there, everything is in there." She told her. "I'll leave you be."

Wanda sat in silence as she looked over her life partner's features. Bruised, bloodied and broken. It broke her heart to see them in that state, only a machine keeping their body alive long enough for her to say goodbye.

"You promised." She whispered as she wiped her tears. "You promised me you'd be safe."

"I know and I am sorry my love." Wanda looked around the room at the faint sound before looking back at Y/N. Her heart beating rapidly as she noticed their body was still the same.

"Y/N?" She whispered as she closed her eyes.

"Right here." They spoke faintly, Wanda only left the room, leaving Christine to turn off the ventilator. Ignoring everyone's calls as she left the building and headed straight home. Once she was alone in their shared room, sat on the edge of the un-made bed as she held Y/N's belongings.

Here eyes closed as she tried everything in her mind to seek them out, but she come up empty. She felt nothing which her body soon racked with sobs, soon picking up the picture of the two on their honeymoon. Wanda smiling as she jumped on Y/N's shoulders, they had asked a passerby to take the picture.

"You said you wouldn't leave me." She cried as she looked at the picture.

"And I didn't." They spoke clearer than before. "I'm still right here." Wanda looked up to see a figure leaning against the wall. "I made a promise and you know I don't break them my love."

"How?" She whispered as she sat up, watching as they gracefully approached her.

"Well, I felt you." They told her as they knelt before her, Wanda went to caress their face only to feel cold.

"I can't feel you." She whispered as Y/N gave her a sad smile.

"That is because I am indeed dead." They told her as she shook her head.

"I don't want you to be." She whispered shakily as she started to cry. Crying harder than before as she held their pillow and photo close to her chest.

"Lay down my love." They cooed as she did as she was told. "Rest."

"Please stay." She requested in a small and broken voice.

"Of course." They smiled as Wanda soon fell into a deep slumber. Her dreams soon filling her mind.

"She just left?" Charles questioned as Christine confirmed with a nod.

"Well, she is grieving." Peggy reasoned.

"But what do we do with Y/N?" Christine questioned.

"We give them the funeral." Charles told them all and they did. They all tried to approach Wanda to attend but she was completely locked in her fantasy of Y/N still being around.

"I remember that." Wanda laughed as she lay on her side. She had been reminiscing on all of their years together from the moment they had met. Completely ignoring the knocks and phone calls.

"Yeah, it was a fun time. Painful but fun." Y/N smiled as they squeezed their eyes closed at the memory of knocking themselves out by walking into a door that said pull. "You know, you will have to let go of me eventually."

"I know." Wanda whispered as she gazed at their translucent form. "It's just that." She moved to sit up at the end of the bed, Y/N following her movements. "I am going to be alone for the first time since before well, us."

"You're never really alone Wanda." They told her softly. "You have Peggy, Charles and Christine. Nat and Maria too."

"But none of them are you." Wanda whispered tearily as she turned to face them.

"As long as I am in your heart, I am never truly gone." They told her with a soft smile. "Besides, you won't be alone in 9 months."

"I love you so much Y/N." Wanda told them with tears in her eyes.

"And I love you Wanda Maximoff and I lived my best life with you loving me." They told her. "So promise me you will live your life. Raise our children and teach them everything you have taught me."

"I promise." She told them, as Y/N reached out to caress her cheek, sending a shiver down her spine at the memory of their touch. She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, opening her eyes to see the empty room. No sign of Y/N but the knock on the door.

So she wiped her eyes as she went to answer the door. Allowing an extremely worried Nat inside who rambled on about Wanda going radio silent.

"I just needed to come to terms with it all Nat." She told the assassin who gave her a sad look.

"The funeral was nice." Nat told her. "We tried to reach you, but we couldn't. You wouldn't answer your phone or the door."

"It's ok." Wanda whispered sadly as Nat then hugged her.

Y/N was right, she wasn't alone, she had a family in the team of heroes she knew and fought beside for years. Even when the pregnancy was confirmed, she had a band of heroes who helped her decorate the nursery, putting a picture of Y/N and Wanda in between the cots on the wall.

"Their very own guardian angel." Peggy smiled as they all admired the picture. Wanda beamed as she rubbed her stomach, Y/N's wedding ring was hung around her neck as she felt the twins then kick.

"They will be loved." Wanda whispered as she looked at Y/N's picture, a gentle smile on her face.

Even as the twins grew up, Wanda would share stories about Y/N, who they were and what they did. The twins grew up knowing their parent died a hero.

"Your O'pa is never truly gone." Wanda told them as she sat between the beds after tucking in the two 10 year olds. "As long as they live in our hearts."

She placed a gentle kiss upon both of their heads before she headed towards the door. Smiling at the two of them, seeing some of Y/N in them before she bid them goodnight. Heading to do her own thing, well clean up the mess the boys had created with a smile on her face.

Wanda had truly found the peace and tranquillity within losing a loved one. Someone who she thought would be with her to raise their boys but they were, just the mere memory of them and their ways gave her the strength.

Holding on to the memory of them whilst letting go of the pain that came with the loss was a huge mountain to overcome, and she couldn't have done it without the family and friends she had surrounding her.

[super-who-locked-me-in-here]

Okay so in Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness, Doctor Strange (Earth-616) tells Christine (Earth-838) "I love you. I love you in every universe." And I thought that was one of the most romantic things I'd ever heard, given Stephen's experience with both Christine and also with the multiverse, but especially coming from a superhero movie.

Like, the idea that no matter our circumstances, or when or where or how we live, as long as you are you and I am me, then I will love you. That love seems indescribable.

But recently I have started to dip my toes into Supernatural again, and I am completely entranced by Cas' love for Dean, the idea that this reality is the only one where I love you and that's fine because the only reality that matters to me is one where we're together.

Because that's what Chuck said, right? In every other universe or reality that he created, Cas never once strayed from his mission, his purpose, except for this one that we see the show take place in, because in this one he loved and wanted to be loved and was loved in return. Because in this universe he cared; Dean made him care.

I am obsessed with the idea that I only love you in this universe and that that's perfect. That it's good. Because it means this is the universe where I have hope and trust and I have you. Those other realities? They are nothing more than other versions of us. Prototypes. Projects. Throwaways. The fact that I love you in this universe despite it being written into the very fabric of the universe by God himself that we are meant to fail, that means something. That means that it doesn't matter what anyone says, that I am not going to be yet another eternal victim of fate, that I am able to choose my own path, and even if none of the other versions of me choose you as their path, it doesn't matter, because I am and I'm here and we're together and that's all I could ever need in any timeline, even if all the other realities but this one fail to grasp that.

And Destiel fucking gave us that. And I am in shambles.

[foxssketching]

Can I say I love 838 Christine more that 199999 Christine ?

@palmerstrangedaily PalmerStrange Day 2023 | Found family 🦋

Palmerstrange + América.

[onetrueartform]

sad thought of the night

do the other members of Team Cap even know Wanda is (allegedly) dead? Do the surviving members of Team Iron Man? Does anyone at all outside of Stephen, Wong, America, and 838-Christine even have a clue where she went after WandaVision? Why did Clint not go get his surrogate daughter? She and Sam seemed somewhat close. His not even mentioning her in TFATWS was hella sus. Probably crap writing because these creatives do not communicate.

Do they think Wanda just yeeted herself into parts unknown and have decided their former friends are no longer their problem??? This goes for a lot of the post-EG creative directions. Nat goes on and on about how the Avengers are a family, but does that only apply to the Original Six? The MCU's decision to make these characters 'work buddies' (with all the superficiality that implies) continues to baffle me.

[stephenchristine]

I would really like to see Christine 838 again in some mcu project.

[shydaydreamer28]

DSMOM - PalmerStrange Rant

One finally I wanna let out. I only just watched this film for the first time last November, so the anger & rant-mode is still fresh in my system compared to folks who ripped this band-aid off 2 years ago when this film came out.

Imo, this movie utterly character assassinated Strange. But the biggest crime is the character assassination the PalmerStrange subplot did to him. And I wanna get out 1 big rant to cover all the cringe & issues I had with this regressive subplot.

First things first, we already see the garbage that is to come at the start of the film. Strange decides to go to Christine's wedding. This by itself is fine since the first film establishes that Christine still cares for Strange as a friend & loved one. Him going to support someone he cares for, perfectly fine.

The issue comes when you have our "hero" attempting to be a homewrecker at his ex's WEDDING RECEPTION!!!!! 🤬

Gotta show off & flex for her a bit first.

Christine has just told Strange that her husband is a big fan of his.

But why care about that when your first order of business is to try to steal the man's wife AT THEIR WEDDING? I am going to keep emphasizing the bold. Lmao

So Strange goes on his sob story about regretting their failed romance DURING HER WEDDING RECEPTION.

Christine is very patient with him on this nonsense. She never gets short with him and pollitely tells him their relationship was not meant to be despite the fact she is very clearly uncomfortable having to listen to that AT HER WEDDING.

Rather than let it go, Strange has to make things more awkward for both of them by insisting on an elaboration AT HER WEDDING - as if that's gonna change anything at that point.

Christine pollitely gives her answer he insisted on.

Now Strange gets to stand there looking (even more) awkward. But considering the tackiness of this exchange he insisted on, ever bit of his discomfort is deserved. Lol

Now that Christine has admitted she does not love him & never could, he realizes he ain't pulling her and backpedals. Having lost the exchange, he does the ONLY thing he ever should have to begin with & gives her his best wishes, very forcedly, with the fakest smile he could half-ass muster. lol

This entire scene made Strange look pathetic & tacky asf. We're already off to a bad start.

For me, it's hard to give af about rooting for a protagonist who is tacky & desperate enough to harrass his ex ON HER WEDDING DAY about their failed romance from 10 years ago and tries to bag her right after she JUST GOT MARRIED -trying to break up a family that's barely started. Now film opens establishing Strange as a desperate & tacky creep. Lets continue, shall we. 😁

Later in the film, he & America have officially started their multiversial journey in the 838 universe where we get the memory lane scene and his most important memory is his ex giving him a watch. Remember this. I will be coming back to it later.

After Stranges tries to comfort America about losing her mothers, she asks about Christine whom she knows from Defender Strange. Strange asks America if they were together - again, like that should matter to him. Log this away. It will also come back later.

Note this shows also shows his selfishness. Rather than a menory of them having a genuine moment & connection as lovers, his biggest thing is her giving him gifts. As usual, Christine giving & Strange leaching. Anyway, moving on.

After being captured by 838 Mordo, Strange comes face to face with 838 Christine who explains the situation. Having his priorities 100% straight, Strange asks the hard-hitting question -

Got a child in danger you claim to wanna protect & a murderous witch after you. But lets focus on what really matters. Anywho Christine gives her answer, which he again awkwardly does not like.

She makes a point to tell him that she doesn't care to know him & whatever she was to him where he came from is moot.

Again, not being able to let it go, his desperate creep ass asks her why.

I guess not being able to understand why a woman he just met doesn't care about his romantic interest. 838 Christine looks like our Christine. But at the end of the day, she isn't. Keep this in mind as well.

Strange gets taken away for judgement by the Illuminati. In this scene we learn that they executed their Strange after he royally screwed up. Xavier shows Strange exactly what happened. Again rather than focus on anything genuinely important, his only concern is he Christine knows - I guess hoping she didn't under belief that she'd enever work for his killers. No luck for him there. lol

No matter what he learns about his variants & potential wrong-doings he could fall prey to, the only concern he ever finds imporant is Christine - somehow he always loops everything back to her.

Lets skip ahead to meeting Sinister Strange where some of my earlier observations come back around.

He meets this variant who asks him to prove he's the real deal. This is where we hear Donna mentioned for the first time (only having this scene because Benedict insisted & knows how important Donna should be).

Strange is clearly upset thinking & talking about his sister's death & BC kills the performance.

Sadly, this scene gets undercut when the Memory Lane scene depicted his biggest thing as his ex giving him a watch 10 years ago. So I guess his ex giving him a gift & leaving him hurts him more than his little sister dying.

If that is the case, Strange's character has NOT been done any favors. His obsession with his ex overrides family tragedy, I guess. Benedict was right to insist on this scene. Waldron was wrong to make Memory Lane all about Christine. Have a scene of Strange & Donna playing together as children, then hit hard when Strange reveals what happens to her later.

What we got was disjointed asf and removes any sympathy you could have for Strange when the film makes CHRISTINE the only thing that matters to him in life. His most important memory is her - so if he barely gives a damn about his sister compared to his narcissistic desire to reclaim an ex, why should we feel sympathy? I would go further & ask why we should care about Strange at ail? I mean, if his priorities are so fucked up that an old flame dumping him is more traumatic than watching his sister die right in front of him, you have written a character that shouldn't be cared for or sympathized with - rather a character that needs to be put out of his own & everyone else's misery. Lets move on.

Strange talks with Sinister who brings up Christine & her wedding. He went the same route our Strange did, being asked if he was happy & lying about it. Our Strange seems to have the realization he is not on a good path based on the same events that lead Sinsiter to where he is now.

Another early point coming back around. Sinsiter says he used the Darkhold to find a universe where he had Christine.

Our Strange was doing this as well. He wasn't using the Darkhold yet. But anytime he was confronted about other universes, he felt the need to ask if he & Christine were together in them, showing his own fixation with that. Keeping in mind the similar paths our Strange shared with Sinsiter, it is important to note where he obsession was going to go.

Sinister bluntly tells Strange he can use the Darkhold in exchange for Christine.

This reveals Sinsiter has gotten to the point of his obsession that Christine is on the same level as an object to be traded. Again, he wanted her because he wanted her & didn't care what she wanted anymore.

Our Strange had not made it there yet since he refuses on the grounds that Christine would not want that. Our Strange has not gotten to the forceful "take what I want" part of his obssession yet. However, it's safe to say he would have given the similar path he was already on.

It would seem getting dragged into Wanda & America's chase changed the course for him & let him see the shittiness of himself.

Now lets move ahead to our final stretch. Even after seeing a universal pattern & learning how bad things went for Sinister in his obssession, rather than take that lesson in & learn, Strange has to try again to hook up with Christine. We come to the big (in)famous scene.

He wants to take her back to his universe. Worth noting both times Strange gave his crap sob confessions, both Christines look uncomfortable asf.

We got his cringe & unearned confession line.

Also worth noting that after he gives this big theatrical confession, all Christine does is smile & nod awkwardly.

Again, she does not love him. Maybe she loved her Stephen once upon a time. But the man in front of her is not her Stephen. So once again, she's got no reason to love him.

Anyway, we see Strange give a slight eyebrow raise & stand there like an idiot when she doesn't have much to say in response.

Almost reads as "Damn, I just poured my heart out & she still don't want me."

Christine once again, pollitely rejects him. To another point I made earlier. THIS IS A VARIANT! This is not the Christine he shared his history with. She is a different person who shares looks with his Christine. But obssession doesn't care. He's still allowing his fixation & inability to accept loss affect him to the point of trying to hook up with a lookalike if he can - but even the lookalikes don't want him.

Again, this scene makes Strange look pathetic. This was not romantic or sympathetic. It was Simp Pathetic. lol Sorry dad joke.

But closing out the PalmerStrange rant, the relationship subplot depicts Strange as an obsessive stalker. If he didn't destroy the universe first like Supreme & Sinister, then the latter shows how dangerous Strange's limerence was going to get. And Christine has no protection because who's gonna stop Strange when he kidnaps her? The police & Charles can't do anything - and that's only if the latter isn't killed by Strange before he takes Christine.

We have an interview from Walnuts where he says PalmerStrange needed closure & 838 Christine pushes him forward to move on & love again. Link

The problem? Derrickson already did that in his first film 6 years prior. Strange still had feelings for Christine & it's made clear.

The awkward kiss cements that they will not be lovers again but have repaired their friendship and can part ways on a loving note contrary to their bad fight in the beginning.

The ship served the purpose Derrickson wanted which was giving Strange a personal tether in his previous life that he would have to leave behind. This was a mature ending of the relationship where they both accept their different life paths, and Strange doesn't look sprung & obsessive.

Waldron's writing didn't give closure or porgress. He regressed the character to do his own shittier version of the story while gaslighting fans in interviews to believe that it was a needed development rather than crappie retread of an already nicely concluded arc.

Strange is written as someone who's desperate asf.

He can't seem to recognize that obssessive desire is not love and can't stand the fact or fathum the idea that Christine couldn't want him, making their relationship all about what he's feeling when he insists on conversations about their past & grilling her for answers & justifications for why he can't have her.

His feelings here are pretty much the same as Spike's feelings for Buffy in seasons 5 and 6 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And I hated Spike and his toxic relationship with Buffy. When the real thing didn't want him, he had a sex-bot of her made. Strange is in that same boat when he loses his Christine to another man, and started eyeing up variants. That's sad as hell.

In addition to regressing & character assassiating him in his Christine arc, Walnuts also regressed another arc which was the Ancient One teaching him that everything is not about him - because again, he makes the basis for his entire relationship with Christine about him. He refuses to take no for an answer. People like that can become dangerous.

In BTVS, we saw the worst case scenario of someone who can't let go & take no for an answer. Buffy calls off the abusive relationship with Spike and tries to give him more respect than he deserves in ending it. LIke Strange, he can't take no for an answer and won't respect that she is finished with him. It all comes to a head when Spike finally tries to rape her before realizing why their relationship was problematic and he had some changing to do.

And honestly, with the way Strange is written & what we got from Sinister, the infamous Buffy scene was a real possibility for Christine as well. Again, Sinsister wanted to trade the Darkhold for her, so her consent was evidently not something he was worried about so long as he was satisfied.

On to Clea

Now we move on to Clea as a love interest. This film created a multitude of problems for that, as well as Walnuts' words in the above-linked interview not matching his half-assed writing.

He talks up Clea as being this great love for Strange and saying he needed closure from Christine before he'd be ready to meet his real love. There are a couple of problems with that statement. First is the aforementioned fact that Strange already got that closure with Derrickson at the end of the first film. Walnuts regressed that development. Next is how he can say that crap with a straight face despite his writing showing the total opposite - which I will get to now.

If Walnuts truly thinks Clea is the love of Strange's life, why the Hell would he write Strange as being obssessed over another woman for 10 years throughout the film, and professing multiversial love to her lookalike just 10 min. before adding Clea in a nameless cameo in mid-credits?

If Walnuts absolutely had to write something relating to PalmerStrange closure, here is a better scenario. Strange congradulates her at her wedding, wishes her happiness, then both acknowlege that they'll always share a bond & cherrish the friendship their lives led them to. Maybe have them share a hug, then let that be it. Short, sweet, and to the point without any inappropriateness & obssessive stalker tendencies on Strange's end.

After that, you bring in Clea for the rest of the film, to go with him & America on their multiversial journey. You don't bring in a variant of his ex that you already knew he didn't need to be with.

Also if one is serious about Clea being a great love to Strange, no writer worth a damn is gonna write him as a obssessive stalker over another woman throughout the film right up until the last 3 min.

"I love you in every universe" is not a line one writes to show that a character is getting over & moving on from someone. That's the line of someone who's still very much trying to get what they want.

In the following scene with Wong, Strange outright admits he is not happy after the film's events. Again, this is NOT writing him as a man who's moved on.

Strange talks to America, goes back to the Sanctum, now all of a sudden he's over Christine, smiling & happy with life?

NO! That's some terrible ass writing - a totally forced & unearned "happy" ending. Strange was unhappy, obssessed, and depressed right up through his scene with Wong. How did we get from that to magical out of nowhere happiness & acceptance? Clearly there was a time jump. But ultimately the film kept him static in his unhappiness & obssession with the "development" into happiness & moving on being off-screen. Lmao

This brings us to the final issues. This film forces PalmerStrange out of nowhere, and makes it into a bigger deal than it ever was in Derrickson's film. They were love interests but not the star-crossed great loves that MoM tried to sell.

We learn from Kevin Feige that he loved the Strange Supreme What If episode, and told Waldron to watch it. In that universe, Strange & Christine were together but tragically ended. And it seems Waldron used that as the basis for the ship in this film rather than what Derrickson already established in the film that this was meant as a sequel to - the version which dealt with our characters, not variants of them with a totally different & unrelated bond.

Gassing PalmerStrange up like he did knowing he wanted to bring in Clea (or so he claims) was terrible. Because now, he put too much emphasis on Strange's feelings for Christine to take Clea seriously. Again, Clea's introduction was very half-assed. She just randomly & namelessly shows up out of nowhere during the credits. That's not the kind of intro a good writer would give a character whom they genuinely believe to be important.

Christine got first billing with Clea tossed as an afterthought.

The MCU will have to work extra hard to sell & sail this ship since they decided to spend the last 3 years shoving Christine down our throats. As it stands with the horrible writing now, Clea looks like Strange's rebound chick since 2 versions of his first choice rejected him, and 2 others he finds out either married someone else or didn't talk to him anymore.

Their future relationship will need MANY defining moments to show she is Strange's great love & not a sex prop he gonna get off on while visualizing Christine. Sadly, the horrific writing gives the impression of the latter.

Christine got "I love you in every universe." It's a beautiful line made cringe by the fact it was wasted on the wrong relationship by a person whose feelings were toxic obssession they mistake for love because they're spoiled & can't take not getting what they want.

So what are they gonna give Clea? Will the next writer even make an effort with the ship & give them anything? Or are we gonna skip the developement & have them just already married in the next film they share? That really fuels the rebound interpretation when we skip from Strange obssessing over Christine for 10 years in "his" sequel to married out of nowhere to a random woman he met in credits of said film.

It would really take a couple of films to give the ship proper devotion & build while moving all the pieces of the bigger story. And I don't think we are gonna get that at this point. Strange probably only has 2 or 3 more film appearances before he gets killed off, including DS3 which is rumored to be a segue into other events, and we saw how much Strange mattered when it comes to transition solo films.

Overall Strange's character in general (not just his love life) needs extreme focus & development. He's been around for almost a decade with little to no development since his first film in 2016. When I look at the character in the comics vs. him in the MCU, it's enough to make me wanna scream at how one-note the latter has made him, and how dirty they have done him. MCU Strange is basically the biggest one-note loser there is. Cumberbatch is the only saving grace for the character atm.

[benedict-cbe]

This is beautiful

palmerstrange day 2023 ♡ found family

in/sp

[fanartka]

[sobeautifullyobsessed]

Hi BeautifullyObsessed,

Having heard the recent news regarding RDJ and who he's going to be play in the MCU in what I am assuming is future films( Avengers???), I guess, I must admit to being beyond infuriated with the MCU at this point. Don't get me wrong, I ADORE RDJ, but why in the HELL does he get play a whole new character, whether said character be a variant/from another universe/whatever, yet Rachel McAdams, who I also adore immensely and utterly despise how Marvel has treated her(ex. attempting to throw away/disgard palmerstrange and Christine like nothing), can't be Clea/ a Christine variant that is Clea? Yet, RDJ gets to do essentially that himself. Why? What's the difference? If he can do so, shouldn't Rachel be able to be a vastly different character as well? It's just so unfair, not to mention makes zero sense to me whatsoever how one person gets to do something, yet someone else doesn't get to do essentially the exact same thing :@ Not the mention, they would have had me automatically invested in that ship had they allowed Rachel to play the character. I seriously loved the idea of her in that role, waaaaaaayyyyyyyyy more than I will ever like the idea of CT in the role( not at all fan of that casting personally).

Thanks for taking the time to give your thoughts xx!

Honestly, when you put the question as you have, Nonny, the first response that came to mind is that there's some not so subtle misogyny at play here (the same sort of misogyny that enabled the Russos to dismiss Natasha Romanoff as being of no future value to the franchise beyond 'Endgame'). Coupled with Feige/Marvel/Disney being both desperate and greedy for a way to return the MCU to its former glory.

RDJ's Ironman was the initial foundation stone of the MCU and remains a huge fan favorite five years after his death. So, of course, his return to Marvel in any form is going to fill theatre seats that have gone vacant in the past several years with films that have well under performed those of the MCU's glory days. That's gotta be a huge win for the financial health and popularity of the franchise. And as for Downey Jr, well, he doesn't need the work in particular, but consider first how playing Tony Stark revitalized his career and gave him a cadre of Actors that became as family to him; who wouldn’t want to work with those folks again? Second, he really treasured being Stark, he was the perfect embodiment of Stark, and he must surely expect the same fulfilling experience as Doom. I wish him all good things--while I hope like hell that Doom turns out to be a Variant of Stark; there's so much fantastic story potential (including adversarial interaction with my man Stephen) they'd be throwing away to not have it so!

But Rachel, though--she's been treated shamefully, and like an afterthought, despite the incredible onscreen chemistry she shared with Benedict. And in 'Multiverse of Madness', 616 Christine got the same brusque treatment courtesy of Waldr🤢n and his enablers Feige & Raimi. First, they put words in her mouth that denied her canon feelings for Stephen--'couldn't love you...', wtf!!!...

...then the last shot we got of her, she was irritated while watching Stephen try to save the city from a Monster, as though he was doing it to interrupt her wedding! You can bet your sweet bippy she would've been treated far better if Scott Derrickson had been at the helm (as would Stephen). But based on 838 Christine,

I would have whole-heartedly embraced Clea as a Christine Variant.

I've said as much about a dozen times. Clea is so much more than a badass queen in the comics. She is not only Stephen's student but fully comfortable in her femininity. Unafraid to be soft despite her toughness and the battles she has had to wage in the Dark Dimension. Frankly, the perfect feminine foil to Stephen's delicious brand of masculinity [my knees go briefly weak at the thought of him🥰❤️‍🔥🥰]. They are true Yin/Yang.

Again, the story potential would've been awesome. Imagine Stephen shocked to encounter a Christine so different than either one he knew. A tough, battle-hardened, brusque, even impatient woman, not at all like the Christine he loved. He doesn't even like this Clea--until he glimpses hints of unexpected yet familiar compassion and softness, which draw him in. Ugh. As a storyteller myself, the waste pisses me off.

Academy Award winner she may be, but what I saw in Charlize's brief appearance as Clea showed me that either Feige/Marvel/Disney doesn't get Clea's beautiful duality or they simply don't care. And surely didn't provide CT with any indication that Clea is way more complex than Badass Woman--and that Stephen DESERVES that so much more in his future wife and partner in the Mystic Arts.

Maybe it's just my perception, but replacing Rachel as they did (and it was very last minute I recall, in December 2021, near the end of photography; they created Charlize's makeup & costume design pretty much on the fly in like 48 hours), feels like they said 'Thanks Rachel, you've been swell, but the foundation we built with you isn't necessary anymore, we got us a statuesque, super duper A++Lister. Ta ta, kiddo.' Which infuriates me.

So yeah, in the end, I'm thinking the reason Rachel isn't playing Clea while RDJ is playing Doom? GREED AND MISOGYNY. And after how abused Stephen was in DS II (ie: ignoring his whole experience in living out 14 freaking million timelines and barely letting him mention Donna's death, the most formative experience of his young life), I'm not even looking forward to DS III (unless Benedict gets significant input, especially in story/writing, as he's said more than once that he wrote things for MoM & No Way Home). Charlize's Clea (thus far) doesn't bode well for what I would have loved to see in Cleaphen.

[the-mistress-of-kamar-taj]

A basic guide to the relics, locations, books, and dimensions related to the Masters of the Mystic Arts. Sorted by Relics, Books, Locations, and Dimensions. Images of relics and books included.

Relics

Relics are objects imbued with magic too powerful for a sorcerer to sustain. By enchanting the relic, the strain is taken from the sorcerer and allows the magic to be safely used and wielded.

Eye of Agamotto- The amulet holding the Time Stone, meant to contain it. Created by Agamotto, the first Sorcerer Supreme and founder of the Masters of the Mystic Arts. Appears to have been used by all The Ancient Ones/Sorcerers Supreme. Allows whoever wears it to control the power of the Time Stone and loop, manipulate, reverse, fast forward, and see the future. A spell was placed upon the amulet that protected the Stone from theft, even in the event of Stephen Strange's death. Used by The Ancient One and Doctor Stephen Strange. Resides in the globe room of Kamar-Taj when not in use. After End Game, Stephen Strange continues to wear the empty amulet, as the Time Stone was destroyed by Thanos following the Snap.

From left to right: The Eye closed and not in use; the Eye open and in use, with the Time Stone visible

Cloak of Levitation- A bright red cloaked of unknown origins that is described as 'a fickle thing'. It does not appear to choose masters easily and was kept in a display case in the New York Sanctum when not on use. Its case was broken open by Kaecilius throwing Stephen Strange through it during the Battle of the New York Sanctum. It intervened when Kaecilius tried to kill Strange, and proceeded to save his life. The relic is now in the possession of Stephen Strange. Was damaged by the Scarlet Witch in the Battle of Kamar-Taj and was repaired by 838 Christine Palmer with a patch of blue fabric.

From left to right: The Cloak in its case in the New York Sanctum, the Cloak after being repaired.

Staff of the Living Tribunal- A staff imbued with magic. The specific capabilities of the magic are unknown in the MCU. It can be used as a quarterstaff or segmented into a whip-like weapon with fiery energy. It is used by and currently in the possession of Karl Mordo.

The Staff being shown to Stephen Strange by Karl Mordo. Top: Not activated. Bottom: Activated

Daggers of Daveroth- Strange-looking daggers kept in a holder within the New York Sanctum. Abilities, enchantments, and uses unknown. Knocked over by Thor in Thor: Ragnarök.

The Daggers in the New York Sanctum

Wand of Watoomb- A long club-like relic kept by the Masters of the Mystic Arts. It is able to absorb, redirect, and amplify magic. The end features a carving of horned heads, the eyes of which glow when used. The rest of the wand is wrapped in brown leather. Wielded by Wong in the Battle of the Hong Kong Sanctum.

The Wand in use by Wong during the Battle of the Hong Kong Sanctum.

Crimson Bands of Cyttorak- A contraption of metal forged in Babylon, 900s BC. They are stored on a wall in the upper floor of the New York Sanctum. They have the ability to bind and gag whoever is encased by them. Used by Stephen Strange and the Cloak of Levitation to bind Kaecilius during the Battle of the New York Sanctum; he latter escaped them through unknown means. It is also the name of the spell Stephen Strange used to ensnare Thanos with multiple times on Titan.

From left to right: The Bands hanging on the wall, the Bands in use, and their spell version

Vaulting Boots of Valtorr- Enchanted boots that allow the wearer to jump and leap through the air at unusual heights and walk on air. They nullify the adverse effects of impact, allowing 'flight' and safe landings. They emit orange sparks when it use, and produce small magical platforms beneath the soles with each step. Currently in the possession of Karl Mordo.

Left, the Boots inactive. Right, the platform the Boots create

Sling Ring- The most basic and important part of a Master of the Mystic Arts' arsenal. It allows the channeling of dimension energy to create a portal to any place the user wishes, including, it seems, other dimensions. Most commonly used for transportation from one location to the next, and size of the portal that is produced varies depending on the casting of the user. It is the only known way to exit the Mirror Dimension. Also called slingy(ies).

Left, Stephen Strange's original sling-ring. Right, a portal formed by The Ancient One to exit the Mirror Dimension

Space-Time Shard/Space Shard- Transparent weapons crafted from energy of the Dark Dimension wielded by Kaecilius and the Zealots. They are used as blade, and explode into dark bursts upon impacts with a non-human target when thrown. Kaecilius murdered Daniel Drumm and Lucian Aster badly injured Stephen Strange with one during the Battle of the New York Sanctum. Kaecilius later used one to murder The Ancient One in the Battle of the Mirror Dimension.

Space-Time Shard/Space Shard being wielded by Kaecilius during the Battle of the New York Sanctum

Brazier of Bom'Galiath- A large brazier that glows brightly with magic kept in the New York Sanctum. It enhances spells cast over it, near it. It was used by Stephen Strange against Kaecilius in the Battle of the New York Sanctum. Not knowing how to use it, Stephen used it as a club.

Stephen Strange aiming the Brazier at Kaecilius

The Sands of Nisanti- Sands kept in a glass container capable of rendering targets unconscious and stop them from using magic. It is unclear if their mere presence allows this, or if grains of the Sands must be consumed in some manner. Used by 838 Baron Karl Mordo to incapacitate Stephen Strange and America Chavez, and used by 838 Christine Palmer to create magic-proof prisons and handcuffs. Kept in the New York Sanctum

The Sands of Nisanti as seen by Stephen Strange while succumbing to their magic

The Cauldron of the Cosmos- A large, enchanted cauldron kept in the New York Sanctum. Uses and capabilities unknown in the MCU.

Tony Stark leaning on the Cauldron

Books

Books containing spells and knowledge of magic. Some are kept in the masters' library of Kamar-Taj or The Ancient One's private collection, forbidden to be used by students and masters without the permission of Sorcerer Supreme or the librarian.

The Book of Cagliostro- A book kept in The Ancient One's private collection in the masters' library in Kamar-Taj. It is filled with dark rituals and spells, including a ritual to contact Dormammu in the Dark Dimension. It also includes rituals of how to steal power from the Dark Dimension and extend one's life. Contains instructions and explanations on the power of time, the Time Stone, and the Eye of Agamotto. All the warnings come after the spells. The rituals to contact Dormammu were stolen by Kaecilius and kept in a leather folder and these rituals, at least, are written in Nelvayu (according to the initial trailer and deleted content, the pages then fall into the possession of Karl Mordo after the Battle of Hong Kong).

From left to right: The book in its shelf, the rituals of time, and the rituals to contact Dormammu.

The Book of Vishanti- A legendary book thought by most to be a myth. The knowledge of its existence is a closely-guarded secret of the Sorcerers Supreme. It is hidden in the Gap Junction. It is the anti-thesis of the Darkhold and resistant to its magic, the spells contained within its pages granting whoever uses it the ability to defeat their enemy. Destroyed by the Scarlet Witch.

The Book of Vishanti found in the Gap Junction by Stephen Strange, America Chavez, and 838 Christine Palmer

The Darkhold/The Books of Sins/The Book of Spells/The Book of the Damned- A book of spells containing written versions of dark magic originally created by Chthon. It is filled with dark, corrosive, corrupted magic. Causes obsession and possessiveness in the holder, along with amplifying their fears and desires to the point they can be driven to insanity. The spells contained within include spells for dreamwalking and controlling the souls of the damned. Used by Agatha Harkins, Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, Stephen Strange, 838 Stephen Strange, and Sinister Strange. One copy was destroyed by Sara Wolfe in Kamar-Taj at the sacrifice of her own life. Those who use its magic are inflicted with pure black staining the fingers, traveling further down the more they use it. In Stephen Strange and his variants, the corruption manifests as a Third Eye.

Left, the Darkhold used and guarded by Sinister Strange. Right, the spells for dreamwalking as viewed by Stephen Strange

The Book of the Invisible Sun, Astronomia Nova, Codex Imperium, The Key of Solomon, The Book of Cagliostro, Maxim's Primer, Vedic Classical Sanskrit- Various books kept in the library of Kamar-Taj. Their uses and contents are unknown.

Locations

Kamar-Taj- The headquarters of the Masters of the Mystic Arts, located in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is separated from the rest of the city and contains temples, training grounds, and various buildings where the residents reside. The basement of the library contains a magical globe used to keep watch over threats to the Earth, and doorways to all the Sanctums.

The Sanctums are buildings built by the Masters of the Mystic Arts at the intersections of cosmic and dimensional energy. Their construction was ordered by Agamotto, the first Sorcerer Supreme, in these places of power. Great cities sprouted around them. Together, they generate a protective shield around the Earth. In turn, the Masters of the Mystic Arts protect the Sanctums.

The New York Sanctum- A large, old mansion located at 177A Bleeker Street, Greenwich Village, New York City. It, like its sisters, help provide a magical bearer against magical, supernatural, and otherworldly threats to Earth. During the Battle of Manhattan, it was guarded by The Ancient One. At some following point, Daniel Drumm was named master, and was killed by Kaecilius defending it. Stephen Strange succeeded him. Following the Snap, Wong took over as the master. Vast stores of relics are kept inside, along with a magical prison in the basement. A Rotunda of Doors leads to various locations, such as a desert, jungle, forest, mountain range, and ocean, all changed by a turn of a knob.

The London Sanctum- A Sanctum located in London. It was destroyed by Kaecilius and his Zealots, only to later be rebuilt. One master, Sol Rama, was killed while running to Kamar-Taj for aid. It also contains many relics inside.

The Hong Kong Sanctum- A Sanctum located in Hong Kong. It was the target of Kaecilius and his Zealots in an attempt to allow Dormammu to take over the Earth. While it was initially destroyed and their plan a success, it was returned to its undestroyed state by Stephen Strange reversing time. It contains stores of relics. The only known master is Tina Minoru.

Dimensions

Various dimensions roughly adjacent to our own. Not to be confused with the Multiverse, different universes, or different planets.

The Mirror Dimension- A dimension (presumably) crafted by the Master of the Mystic Arts. It is ever present but undetected. The real world is not affected by what happens inside it. The Masters of the Mystic Arts use the Mirror Dimension to safely train, surveil threats and situations, and to sometimes contain threats. The only known way to exit is by Sling Ring. The dimension distorts the surroundings and appears as different facets of broken mirrors, making it often hard to tell where a threat is located. Matter and space can be bent in it, and it amplifies dark magic, also revealing the hidden symbols on the foreheads of those who have used rituals to draw power from the Dark Dimension. Portals inside are easily opened, appearing as a wall of broken glass, and can be thrown down on enemies to trap them quickly.

The Dark Dimension- This is where Dormammu dwells. It is a dimension beyond time. It is filled with dark power and magic, and is filled with the remains of planets and universes that have been conquered and devoured by Dormammu. It is unsettling in appearance, filled with floating orbs of blues, greens, pinks, and purples, all connected by odd strands. There is no apparent light source, and the sky is dark and dotted with more of the orbs and strands. It will come down like a storm when swallowing a planet. The Mindless Ones, slaves of Dormmamu, also reside here.

The Astral Dimension- The spirit dimension, accessible by astral projecting oneself. It is one of many astral dimensions. It coexists directly alongside the real world, much like the Mirror Dimension. Unlike the Mirror Dimension, what happens inside can effect the real world. A soul can be attacked, injured, and killed like in the real world, resulting in permanent death. A person may choose to enter this dimension, or be forced onto it by a strike to the chest via a sorcerer. Time can also be slowed temporarily, and windows opened into the real world. Magical books appear to also have a form in this dimension.

The Actiniaria Dimension- It is a harshly lit dimension filled with yellowish clouds and dark orange orbs dotted with protrusions of pulsing yellow and green. These orbs explode into violent geysers of orange-gold or green-yellow sparks and send out waves of the same color across the clouds. The explosions do not appear to cause any harm.

The Flowering Incense Dimension- Not much is known about this dimension. It was briefly visited by Stephen Strange when The Ancient One sent him on a journey through the multiverse. It resembles incense smoke blooming from the inside out, constantly reforming and folding in on itself. Patterns of smoke, dust, and matter are visible within it.

The Mandelibus Dimension- A disturbing dimension that at first glance takes on the appearance of a rocky tunnel network. The only known appearance was actually broken, shifting statues stacked together, all bearing the likeness of Stephen Strange. These then grew into a mass of hands that ensnared him, only for more hands to sprout from his fingertips, which in turn sprouted more hands, and so on. A vast image of Stephen then appeared, and he was sucked through the eye, exiting the dimension. It is an ever-shifting reality.

The Grass Jelly Dimension- A fractal dimension that is entered through a mirror-like tunnel. The surroundings are green-blue space with faceted objects of various shades and sizes with brilliant colors visible inside floating through it.

*Information sourced from the Doctor Strange movies, the MCU wiki, and IMDB