Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness features a plethora of new universes to explore beyond the primary MCU. Thanks to the powers of newcomer America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), she and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) venture out across several alternate realities (often haphazardly). True to its title, the sheer number of universes visited at such as fast pace is borderline maddening for viewers trying to keep track of them all.
Doctor Strange 2's America Chavez is a young woman with the power to travel the multiverse, punching through to other realities via portals. However, she's unable to control her powers and a pony-tailed version of Doctor Strange dies in his attempt to save her from the monsters that had been summoned to kidnap her and take her power. While America Chavez's powers would eventually be something she learned to control, her ability to traverse the multiverse is initially activated only in moments of stress and fear. As such, portals to other realities opened up frequently in response to threats like Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), who is revealed as the one wanting to kill her and take her power for herself.
While America was protected by the MCU's primary Doctor Strange and his fellow masters of the mystic arts from the now villainous Scarlet Witch, Chavez and Strange had to escape across multiple realities in rapid succession. This was also followed by other realities where they spend more meaningful amounts of time, such as the reality where Strange encounters the Illuminati. Here's every universe featured and referenced in Doctor Strange 2.
America Chavez Has Visited 73 Universes
According to America herself, the powerful young hero has visited a total of 73 universes since her volatile power first manifested. While she didn't offer many details about the collection of realities she's seen, she does reveal that one of them was where she met the alternate Doctor Strange wearing his classic Defender costume from the comics (complete with the aforementioned ponytail). Furthermore, America also adds the interesting tidbit that food is more often than not free in the universes she's jumped to among the infinite number that exist.
Defender Strange's Universe (Implied)
While not seen, the universe of Defender Strange is implied in Doctor Strange 2. Based on the little screen-time and references he was given before dying and later being turned into a zombie sorcerer, it seems as though this Strange likewise had struggles in his relationship with Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams). As a unique feature beyond his ponytail, it was revealed that this version of Strange could speak Spanish while the primary Strange cannot.
Primary Marvel Universe (616)
Officially confirmed in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the primary and original MCU timeline is given the classification "616," a reference to the primary universe of the comics which carries the same numbering. While it's good to have the confirmation, it does create some confusion seeing as how Mysterio had already classified Spider-Man: Far From Home even though his multiversal connections and experience were a hoax.
Universes In Doctor Strange and America's Travel Sequence (Around 16)
In response to the Scarlet Witch's attack on Kamar-Taj in Doctor Strange 2, America's powers activated which sent her and Stephen across the multiverse. Before reaching their destination, several different universes are featured in a wild ride that sees the duo reacting to different environments one after the other. While each universe is only briefly shown, each one has its own unique distinctions.
Chavez and Strange first entered a reality with the MCU version of the Living Tribunal before jumping to a world made of crystals, followed by a forest filled with giant flying bugs. They then found themselves underwater with all sorts of sea creatures before being greeted by a jungle with battling dinosaurs (potentially Marvel Comics' Savage Land).
Continuing through a reality where their bodies started separating into cubes, they turned into multicolored blobs of paint in the next reality. Other realities included an old-timey universe with zeppelins and old-fashioned cars, a reality with giant pillars and what might have been Stonehenge, a world of volcanoes, one made of tubes, one featuring dark smoke with violins, two resembling futuristic cities, one made entirely of large skeletons, and one resembling 1960s-70's era comic book art.
America Chavez's Home Universe
Landing in a mysterious new reality after their rollercoaster through the multiverse, Strange and Chavez start looking for this world's version of Doctor Strange to see if he might be able to help them find the Book of Vishanti. As America and Doctor Strange walk through what looks to be an advanced city, they come across a "Memory Bank," offering customers the chance to relive their past experiences. Standing on the provided platform, America saw the universe she was originally from, glimpsing her mothers right before her powers manifested and separated Chavez from her parents.
Illuminati Universe (838)
After being captured by an alternate version of Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Stephen and America would learn that this new universe carries the classification "838" from a variant of Christine Palmer (along with the 616 numbering for the primary MCU). While 838 doesn't have a counterpart universe in the comics, it's revealed as the home of Marvel's Illuminati. A group of heroes formed by the late Doctor Strange of 838, the Illuminati were formed to fight their version of Thanos. However, they also came together to stop the threat of Strange himself, who became corrupted by the Darkhold, nearly causing an incursion of universes.
Between-Space (Home Of The Vishanti)
Seeking to obtain the Book of Vishanti to counteract the Scarlet Witch and her use of the Darkhold, Strange, America, and 838's Christine Palmer traveled to the space between universes where the tome could be found. However, the book was ultimately destroyed by Wanda. This was also the realm where Defender Strange died at the beginning of the film.
Sinister Strange's Incursion Universe
After the Scarlet Witch captured America Chavez, she sent Strange and Christine through a portal to prevent them from following her back to Earth 616. As such, Doctor Strange and Christine found themselves in a world where yet another version of Strange took too many risks. In this particular reality, the darker Sinister Strange caused an incursion, seeing the gradual collapse of his reality. Thankfully, Strange was still able to help America in the 616 from this doomed world, seemingly saving the multiverse by the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, although the appearance of Clea in the post-credits scene raises questions about the multiverse's future – questions Marvel has now pretty much confirmed they'll be answering.
What The Secret Wars Announcement Means For The Doctor Strange 2 Universes
Avengers: Secret Wars announcement more or less confirmed it.
Sadly, this isn't good news for the inhabitants of the universes seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness or the unseen ones America Chavez visited. Every universe in the multiverse will be annihilated, as the Incursion event as seen in the 2015 Secret Wars saw every single alternate reality folded into a singular plane of existence – one where Doctor Doom was a God Emperor. However, it also means that the Doctor Strange variants seen in these universes might end up coexisting on Battleworld. Whether a potential team of Stranges will be a help or hindrance for the rest of the MCU heroes (and their own variants) remains to be seen. As Reed Richards foreshadowed in Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness — "The greatest threat to the Multiverse, it turns out, is Doctor Strange."
