Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Doctor Strange 2) has taken audiences on a deeper exploration of the Marvel universe, featuring Stephen Strange’s journey through alternate realities. The most notable of these is Earth-838, where the superhero team known as the Illuminati replaces the Avengers, and where Thanos has never executed his infamous snap as he did on Earth-616, the primary timeline of the MCU.
The stark differences between these two realities have intrigued many viewers, prompting discussions about the events that transpired in the past on Earth-838. This has also sparked fan theories on platforms like Reddit, where one particularly elaborate theory suggests that a significant change during The Avengers has led Earth-838 down a vastly different path compared to Earth-616.
Thanos did not give Loki the Mind Stone on Earth-838
In the blockbuster The Avengers, released in 2012, Loki attempted to invade Earth with the assistance of the Mind Stone, which was supplied by Thanos. This stone enabled the Asgardian god of mischief to control several key members of S.H.I.E.L.D, including Clint Barton/Hawkeye. Ultimately, Loki needed to retrieve the Tesseract (Space Stone) to fulfill his mission for the Titan.
Fans on Reddit speculate that the events in The Avengers are a major source of the differences between Earth-838 and Earth-616. Notably, in Earth-838, Thanos never entrusted the Mind Stone to Loki for his mission to conquer Earth.
Thanos’s ultimate goal in the MCU was to collect all six Infinity Stones. Therefore, it is not surprising that he would decide to withhold the Mind Stone from Loki to prevent him from invading Earth. It is crucial to note that at that specific time, the Mind Stone was indeed the only Infinity Stone that Thanos possessed, and giving it to Loki would be a significant risk with uncertain repercussions.
In Earth-838, the relationship between Thanos and Loki still holds, and the Titan continues to supply the Chitauri army to assist in his conquests. The only notable difference is that the Mind Stone was never delivered to Earth, which ultimately leads to several significant divergences compared to Earth-616.
Without the Mind Stone, HYDRA could not conduct its experiments
The absence of the Mind Stone on Earth-838 would profoundly impact many storylines, including the operations of HYDRA, which would be unable to conduct its experiments based on the power of this Infinity Stone.
The post-credit scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier revealed that HYDRA had previously conducted numerous experiments on Sokovian citizens to analyze and harness the powers of the stone, which was embedded in Loki’s scepter. Two of the subjects from these experiments were the Maximoff siblings, Wanda and Pietro. Later, the series WandaVision unveiled that the Mind Stone had significantly enhanced Wanda’s latent powers and directly contributed to her transformation into the Scarlet Witch.
While Pietro was “killed off” by Marvel Studios during the battle against Ultron, Wanda evolved into one of the most significant characters in the MCU, especially in Phase 4. However, this might not have happened had she not engaged with the Mind Stone during HYDRA’s experiments, which unlocked her latent powers and led her to become a member of the Avengers. In the reality of Earth-838, Wanda lived a peaceful life with her two sons before the Scarlet Witch emerged from Earth-616 to search for America Chavez.
Vision would not exist, and Ultron would be a very different character
Avengers: Age of Ultron would also be a very different film if the Mind Stone did not exist on Earth-838. This stone was crucial in helping Tony Stark/Iron Man and Bruce Banner/Hulk develop the Ultron defense system, which later manifested as Vision. Ultron initially aspired to use the Mind Stone and vibranium to create a body for himself, but he was unsuccessful in executing this plan.
Ultron also appears in Earth-838, operating as a networked AI within the Illuminati’s base. No longer obsessed with extinction, Ultron became more “docile” and focused on his mission: to protect Earth and humanity.
If the Mind Stone were absent, Ultron likely would have been designed and developed entirely differently, as his creation was significantly influenced by the unique properties of the Mind Stone. Notably, Earth-838 would have benefited from the involvement of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, known as one of the smartest individuals in the universe. It is highly plausible that Reed’s genius would have contributed to creating a more sophisticated Ultron system compared to Earth-616.
In other words, the events of Age of Ultron would almost certainly not occur in Earth-838. With an Ultron operating under different circumstances and Vision never created, Sokovia would not be destroyed, and the Maximoff siblings would not have the opportunity to join the Avengers. This would lead to a drastically different MCU landscape compared to what fans have come to know.
Superhero teams on Earth-838
The superhero landscape of Earth-838 is also vastly different from that of Earth-616, as depicted in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Here, the Illuminati, rather than the Avengers, serves as the primary superhero team, comprising members such as Black Bolt – the leader of the Inhumans, Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four, Professor X – a mentor to many Marvel heroes, Captain Carter – the first Avenger, Captain Marvel Maria Rambeau, Doctor Strange’s former mentor, and Attorney Mordo.
Some theories suggest that each of these superheroes operates in different dimensions while simultaneously participating in the Illuminati to address larger, more complex issues, similar to their comic book origins. However, the absence of the Mind Stone on Earth-838 has likely had significant repercussions on the superhero dynamics in this universe. Wanda does not join the Avengers, Vision does not exist, and the events of the Civil War would also not transpire. This indicates that other superheroes like Spider-Man, Black Panther, or Ant-Man wouldn’t have the opportunity to become members of the Avengers.
In summary, the role and significance of the Avengers in Earth-838 are not as critical as in Earth-616. This is precisely why the Illuminati are the main force in the battle against Thanos. Additionally, they might have even achieved victory on Titan before Thanos executed his infamous snap and wiped out half of all living beings in that universe. This represents a significant divergence between the two realities explored in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with all differences stemming from one key detail: the Mind Stone was never brought to Earth.
