Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness' Post-Credits Scene Explained
Contains spoilers for "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness"
Even amid a multiverse of absolute madness, Marvel Studios always makes time for a little post-credits action. In the studio's latest offering, the post-credits scene is no great tease for the future of the MCU, but it is an amazing callback and fun bit of fan service for the folks who came out to the theaters to see Raimi being Raimi.
Among the many multiverses Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) finds himself tumbling into in his latest solo adventure, one sees him enter into a heated altercation with a loud-mouthed pizza ball vendor, played by none other than Sam Raimi-regular and "Evil Dead"-icon Bruce Campbell. The falling out ends with Strange casting a spell on Campbell's disgruntled local, forcing him to punch himself repeatedly in the face as America and Strange head off to find this universe's Sorcerer Supreme. Well, making sure that no plot thread is left untied in the new film, the post-credits scene finally shows us what happened to him in the end.
Bruce Campbell's pizza ball vendor gets a slice of peace
After Strange goes with Clea (Charlize Theron) into what looks like the Dark Dimension (home to Dormammu from the first "Doctor Strange" film), the second post-credits scene reunites us with the unfortunate vendor who, last we saw, was covering himself in mustard. The condiment stains may have vanished, but the poor guy is still caving his own face in as people pass him by. After a good few hits, his fist finally stops making contact, confirming that Strange's curse has now ended.
This scene actually calls back to an iconic moment from Sam Raimi's 1987 cult classic, "Evil Dead II." In one memorable scene from that flick, Ashley "Ash" Joanna Williams fights for his life against his own possessed hand, leading him to actually cut it off to keep his own sanity. From there, he ends up replacing it with a chainsaw and going to town on the decaying bad guys he's up against.
With that in mind, it's hard not to have fond (and ferociously gory) memories ignited when Campbell fearfully stares at his own fist at the end of Strange's new adventure. Of course, this being a Marvel movie ,there's a lot less gore to spill, and this time Campbell gets to keep the hand.