The Deleted Doctor Strange Scene That Didn't Make Sense To Fans
Doctor Strange is set to play quite the prominent role in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Not only will the Sorcerer Supreme explore other realities in his forthcoming sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but he's also set to make an appearance in the MCU's Spider-Man 3. Strange will undoubtedly play a part in causing what appears to be a dimension-hopping adventure for the Web-Head, as evidenced by characters like Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus — from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 — and Jamie Foxx's Electro — from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 — returning to cause trouble for Tom Holland's incarnation of the superhero.
Combined with WandaVision, which is set to make waves on Disney+, it's clear that the future of the MCU lies in the multiverse. This opens up a slew of other stories that the films and Disney+ series could potentially explore. It's likely, for this reason, that superhero fans are going back to where it all began, with 2016's Doctor Strange, and some fans have discovered a deleted scene that has sparked discussion over on Reddit. It appears as though, when it comes to Doctor Strange's character arc as a whole, a lot of fans think leaving this scene on the cutting room was the right move to make.
Fans thought the deleted scene from Doctor Strange didn't quite fit with the character's state of mind
The deleted scene in question depicts Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) first arriving in Kathmandu, Nepal. In the movie, we see the titular character feeling exhausted from his journey. He looks ragged, going from one person to the next, asking where he can find the temple of Kamar-Taj. In a deleted scene, Strange takes a moment out of his journey to help a wounded dog. He wraps the canine's injured leg so that it can walk better, and, while it's a nice "Save the Cat" moment to make us root for Strange, some fans think it goes against him initially being a selfish person.
Redditor u/Kirbyisinnocent writes, "I prefer the original. The reason is that I feel strange was at [wit's] end and he was more concerned about helping himself (and his ego) more than he helped others. Despite this scene showing compassion, the ancient one helped him solidify his selflessness afterwards."
Indeed, Strange going out of his way to help a dog definitely would've made it clear this is a good person from the start, so his character arc really wouldn't have anywhere to go because he's already a (somewhat) good person who just becomes slightly better.
Other Redditors pointed out how it was ultimately for the best to leave out this scene.
"I like that they really pushed to make us dislike Strange so his arc was more satisfying in the end. If he helped a dog out, audiences would warm up to him too early. People love dogs and animals in general. Protagonists helping out animals is an easy way to make people like them," u/AlthricPasta writes.
While it's a nice scene, it's understandable why the clip was ultimately cut. Likely, the creative forces behind-the-scenes thought the same thing as fans and wanted a clearer redemption arc for Strange, which relied on viewers seeing him as selfish and then watching as he works his way up to helping others. It will be intriguing to see how Doctor Strange continues to grow in the MCU, especially in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to be released on March 25, 2022.