The third act of 2016s Doctor Strange will go down as one of the most original in recent memory. Instead of fighting a faceless army while a blue beam threatens to destroy the planet, Stephen Strange defeated Dormammu by capturing him in a time loop. Many wondered how long the two were locked in battle and we now have our answer.

A writer of the film, C. Robert Cargill, took to Twitter to reveal that Strange and Dormammu weren’t stuck in the loop for mere minutes but likely much longer:

We left it intentionally vague with room to address it later – but it wasn't just a few minutes, I'll tell you that. He was there long enough to gain even more mastery over his powers. https://t.co/JMTkuGbYAu — C. Robert Cargill (@Massawyrm) April 10, 2018

Many people had issues with the fact that Strange was able to master some of his magical abilities without much practice. That led into his cameo in Thor: Ragnarok where Strange appeared as the Sorcerer Supreme many know him as in the comics. Now knowing that Strange was stuck in the loop for an extended period of time, many fans can rest easy without any notions of continuity errors.

Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange is set to next appear in this month’s Avengers: Infinity War where he will play a crucial role. There has been no official announcement about a Doctor Strange sequel, although, details have emerged regarding the direction of the film if it happens.

Are you happy to learn that Strange was able to master his powers while stuck in the time loop? Let us know in the comments below! –Jackson Hayes

Avengers: Infinity War blasts into theaters April 27th

Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet — the evil Thanos. On a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones, Thanos plans to use the artifacts to inflict his twisted will on reality. The fate of the planet and existence itself has never been more uncertain as everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment.