Doctor Strange Is A Major Part Of 'Infinity War' & Here's What You Need To Know

Marvel Studios has touted Avengers: Infinity War as the culmination of 10 years worth of blockbuster films — that's 18 movies total. It's almost impossible to watch all of those films in a few days before going to see Infinity War (if for no other reason than the risk of superhero fatigue), and not all of them will really contribute a lot to how you view the new Avengers movie. However, fans do need to see Doctor Strange before Infinity War. Seriously, it's a must if you want to have a prayer at understanding some of the major plot points in the movie.

As a Marvel movie, Doctor Strange obviously did well at the box office, but it's numbers paled in comparison to movies like Black Panther, which means that there are some audiences who might not have been introduced to the sorcerer. And, while every Marvel fan has the liberty of picking and choosing which MCU films they want to spend their hard earned money on, it turns out that skipping Doctor Strange might not have been the best move. Doctor Strange, as played by Benedict Cumberbatch, plays a major role in Infinity War, and just knowing that he is in possession of an Infinity Stone isn't really enough if you want to keep up with the movie.

Doctor Strange was always going to have a big role in Infinity War. Like Vision, he is in possession of an Infinity Stone, which makes him a number one target for Thanos and an obvious new ally for the Avengers. He also mentioned having a watchlist of inter-dimensional threats during his cameo in Thor: Ragnarok, and it's safe to say that Thanos is on that list. So, Doctor Strange was always going to be key to the plot of Infinity War. But more than just knowing his plot value, it's good to go into the new Avengers movie with a degree of familiarity with Doctor Strange's personality and powers. But, just in case you don't have the time to check out Doctor Strange before going to see Infinity War, here's everything you need to know about one of the newest Avengers.

His Powers

Doctor Strange is a sorcerer who, in Doctor Strange, develops the ability to manipulate energy and dimensions. He can create illusions, travel through dimensions, manipulate objects, and can open a portal to other worlds or locations. He can also create these protective shields using mystic energy that protect against magic spells and (hopefully) weapons from other dimensions.

His Accessories

Doctor Strange has two magical objects: the Cloak of Levitation and the Eye of Agamotto. The Cloak is a relic that gives Doctor Strange the power of, you guessed it, levitation. It also has a bit of a mind of its own and helps him out in battle (think the Magic Carpet in Aladdin). The Eye of Agamotto is much more important, as it contains the Time Stone. As the wearer of the Eye, Doctor Strange has learned to use its power to manipulate time, something he does at the end of Doctor Strange. There are rumors that this time travel power will be used in Infinity War and Avengers 4, and while none of those rumors have been confirmed, it's still good to know that Doctor Strange doesn't just have an Infinity Stone, he knows how to use it.

His Mission

As Sorcerer Supreme of Earth, it's Doctor Strange's job to protect the planet from inter-dimensional threats. It's why he captured Loki at the beginning of Thor: Ragnarok, and why he will definitely be right in the middle of the fight against Thanos.

For fans who really want to be extra prepared in their Doctor Strange knowledge before seeing Infinity War, it's worth noting that Doctor Strange is currently one of only a few movies currently available to stream on Netflix. You know what you have to do.