Warning! Spoilers for Death of Doctor Strange: X-Men/Black Knight #1 ahead!
As this realm’s Sorcerer Supreme, Marvel’s X-Men have every reason to believe that he failed in his foremost responsibility. His role in ensuring that the magic barrier surrounding the Earth remains intact to ward off interdimensional threats was a task of grave importance, yet he did not sufficiently plan for how to this protective layer in his absence. As a result, those who are left behind after his death are facing a new onslaught of dangerous mystical threats.
Some of the Earth’s best superhero teams have found themselves confronted by the immediate repercussions of his ineptitude. Whereas the Avengers convincingly lose to the Three Mothers, who represent a grave interdimensional threat, the X-Men are plunged into a demonic version of London by a forgotten realm called The Hungry Land and subsequently transformed into demons themselves. This shows that even the most powerful heroes have been overmatched by the forces that the barrier was keeping at bay. The most frustrating part is that this realm didn’t need to be so vulnerable, as Stephen Strange could have put better safeguards in place.
None other than Merlin himself advocated for a team approach to preserving the barrier around the world, as revealed in Death of Doctor Strange: X-Men/Black Knight #1 by Si Spurrier and Bob Quinn. Whereas Doctor Strange’s nemesis Baron Mordo believes there are too many sorcerers and arcane rituals, the wise wizard from Arthurian times speaks glowingly of the indomitable will of people working together. When first constructing the barrier, Merlin says, “A sword arm may weary, a stone may shatter – but human unity? Cooperation and concord? That is the chain that cannot be broken – providing only that none is left to stand alone.”
With one of the world’s foremost magic s able to recognize this need long ago, the Avengers and others have every right to blame Doctor Strange’s hubris, as well as his inability to see past his own ego, for what has transpired. Instead of choosing a successor from among his school of impressive and worthy magical heroes, it appears that Strange altered time in a major way to create a temporal remnant of himself. This temporary solution has left the world vulnerable and the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have already suffered devastating consequences as a result. Iron Man is traumatized by his encounter with the Three Mothers and the X-Men are twisted and possessed versions of their former selves.
Doctor Strange was not oblivious to the fact that he could on, and yet it appears that his consideration of this possibility, seen in Defenders #5 by Al Ewing and Javier Rodriguez, was merely a thought exercise. He even implies there that this is a problem for “tomorrow,” allowing that fateful day to arrive in a way that makes it clear Strange has been derelict in his duties.
Part of his lack of foresight no doubt has to do with his supersized ego, as Strange believes no one else from among a contentious class of Strange Academy students could possibly fill his shoes. By not giving anyone the opportunity to try, however, he undid much of the good that he did on his own, as preservation of the barrier sorely needed to continue. As two of Marvel’s most iconic teams, the Avengers and X-Men know firsthand the benefits of cooperation, putting in the work necessary to become the type of unified front that Merlin envisioned protecting the world. By not bothering to let his team in on his most sacred duty, Doctor Strange has failed everyone in the most fundamental way possible.
