Mordo stands out in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as one of the few major villains to survive his initial encounters with the heroes. It largely comes from his prior role as an ally to Doctor Strange, but he’s since been positioned to become much more of a threat to the future of magic on Earth.

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The Illuminerdi can now say that Mordo’s crusade on magic will continue in some form within the upcoming Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. It has been confirmed that Chiwetel Ejiofor is locked to return to his previous part of Mordo.

The Return Of Mordo

Typically portrayed in the comics as a bitter rival and enemy to Doctor Strange, Baron Mordo was introduced in the first Doctor Strange in a more helpful role. He was among the more dedicated students of the Ancient One and quickly befriended Stephen Strange once the latter had been accepted into her lessons. The often even trained together throughout the film, with Mordo introducing Doctor Strange (and the audience) to the many of the concepts, weapons, and rules of the magical corner of the MCU. Overall, the character has been established with a great sense of respect and fear for the power of magic unleashed and untamed.

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That’s why even though Doctor Strange is able to save the world by using the Time Stone to force Dormammu to retreat, Mordo ends the film forsaking the teachings of the Ancient One, the practitioners of magic, and Stephen himself. The post-credits sequence of that film even saw the former ally traveling the world and taking the magic away from sorcerers, saying “I see now what’s wrong with the world: too many sorcerers.”

Why Mordo Returning Is A Big Deal

For a while, there was no indication of whether or not Mordo would be returning for Doctor Strange’s next cinematic adventure. Coupled with the prominence of Scarlet Witch in the upcoming film – in a role many suspect will see the Avenger turn on the world in an attempt to create the reality she wants after WandaVision – there seemed to be little room for a prominent villain. But now, there’s proof that the character will still find a way to bring chaos to whatever magical battle Strange finds himself in. Considering how tough things could quickly become for the hero, it sounds like his follow-up film will be full of hurdles to overcome.

The Illuminerdi has seen a breakdown of the Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness character list. While it seems to confirm that the parts we believe to be Clea and Brother Voodoo as still open (although Murphy’s Multiverse suggests that Emily Blunt might have met Marvel for the former role), it also quietly confirms the return of Mordo into the MCU. In fact, Chiwetel Ejiofor is locked for an appearance in the film. He’s also one of the five “major” characters currently set for the sequel, meaning he’ll be at the core of the story.

It’ll be especially interesting to see how Mordo bounces off of other characters such as Scarlet Witch. Her powers aren’t exactly magical, but they have a similar effect on the world around her. Scarlet Witch had her powers created by exposure to the cosmic energies of the Mind Stone, and they allow her to affect and manipulate molecular polarity – effectively making her a reality warper and one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. But it remains to be seen if his mastery of magical powers might be able to counter hers.

Are you excited about the way Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is coming together? Or do you think Marvel is setting up too many threats too quick? Let us know in the comment section and on our social media!

