Spoiler Warning: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a reality-bending romp on a massive scale. The film's characters made their way through countless realities and met a bizarre cast of heroes that had, up until now, managed to escape the cavernous maw that is the Avengers film franchise's acquisition of acting talent. John Krasinski, for example, played a version of the Fantastic Four's Reed Richards (or Mister Fantastic), who is a member of Earth-838's Illuminati alongside Patrick Stewart's Charles Xavier, who heads the Illuminati in this reality.

The promise of alternate reality raucousness was enough to make Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness the highest-grossing film of 2022, surpassing even the incredibly popular The Batman. Recently, the film was released on Disney Plus, and though many Marvel fans saw Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in theaters, it had another massive surge in viewership when it started streaming.

Marvel movies, at this point, are a veritable who's who of A-list stars and celebrities. However, it is oftentimes the more understated performances that make the biggest impact on these high-budget CGI spectaculars. Here's why Benedict Wong (Raya and the Last Dragon, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), who portrays the aptly named Wong in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is excellent in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and must return for future films.

Benedict Wong's Brilliant PerformanceThumbWong

In a film that stars Benedict Cumberbatch, an Academy Award-nominated actor, it is obviously a challenge for one's performance to stand out. Benedict Wong is unswayed by this, given the fact that his run in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has entailed almost exclusively performances alongside the talented Cumberbatch, which more than answers this challenge.

Related: Why Doctor Strange's Wong Should Get His Own MCU Project

Throughout the runtime of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Benedict Wong's Wong experiences the highs and lows of human emotion. He laughs at the early social faux pas of the increasingly out-of-touch Doctor Strange. Later in the film, audiences see Wong utterly shattered by the death toll of his sorcerer comrades during Wanda Maximoff's assault on Kamar-Taj.

Wong Is a Moral Compass for Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange - Wong
Marvel Studios

Whenever the multiverse gets involved, the mortality of a hero's decisions, which are already affected by concerns of collateral damage and the personal autonomy of the powerless, become even more complicated. While Benedict Wong's Wong was more than willing to sacrifice his own life to save the multiverse, Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff was able to coerce Wong into leading her to Mount Wundagore, the birthplace of the powerful dark-magic instruments, the Darkhold, by threatening the lives of four surviving sorcerers.

RELATED: Doctor Strange 2: How Wong Proves He’s More Worthy of Being Sorcerer Supreme Than Stephen

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness sees a morally compromised Doctor Strange. He utilizes the Darkhold to dream-walk into his own alternate reality corpse, a morally reprehensible action that Doctor Strange himself would have previously found unthinkable. It's likely that the only morally righteous character in the film is Wong, and as such, his character will be essential to keeping Doctor Strange on track in future films.

Taking Care of America Chavez

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness America, Wong, and Stephen Strange
Marvel Studios

The superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are getting too powerful. In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, this was more apparent than ever. Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, was seemingly almost omnipotent in the film. However, it was a newly introduced character, Xochitl Gomez's America Chavez, who had a super-powered skill set that rivaled that of even the most powerful Marvel immortal. America Chavez has the ability to navigate the multiverse.

In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, America Chavez's life is in near-constant peril. At the film's conclusion, with the Scarlet Witch presumed dead, Chavez is taken in by Wong to remain at the Kamar-Taj, which is under repair, and train with Wong and the other sorcerers. They survived said compound's assault at the hands of the Scarlet Witch. With the proper tutelage, America Chavez could become one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's greatest heroes. Or, as is the case with Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff, as one of its most terrifying villains. As such, it will be necessary for Benedict Wong's Wong, Chavez' new teacher, to be involved in future storylines.

The ending of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was anything but reassuring for viewers. The unclear nature of the Scarlet Witch's fate, the inconsistent state of America Chavez's superpowers, and the strange new third eye that Doctor Strange's experiments with dark magic earned him, all left audiences craving closure. However, one thing is absolutely for sure: in any future installments of the Doctor Strange franchise, Benedict Wong must return.