The Doctor Strange villain Dormammu is one of the most powerful evils in any version of the Marvel Universe.
Of all the enemies that have plagued Doctor Strange over the character's 56-year history, one of the most enduring and dangerously omnipotent is Dormammu. As a powerful mystical ruler of the Dark Dimension, the villain has developed a deep animosity towards Strange since his introduction and is determined to take over Earth to expand his influence in the alternate universe.
Appearing in virtually every medium along with the Master of the Mystic Arts from television and video games to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Dormammu is one of Strange's most recognizable antagonists. Now, here's everything you need to know about one of the most powerful magical foes in the Marvel Universe.
Who is Dormammu?
Dormammu was created in 1964's Strange Tales #126 by Doctor Strange creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. The existence of Dormammu and the Dark Dimension had been teased previously by the comic's supporting cast, and the dark god had been called a figure worthy of fear and reverence.
As the series continued, the creative team formally introduced the character as an enemy of Doctor Strange who manipulated Baron Mordo to attempt to usurp the Ancient One. Instead, Strange ventures into the Dark Dimension to confront Dormammu himself and makes Dormammu inadvertently unleash the Mindless Ones on his own followers. Strange assists Dormammu after the extra-dimensional being pledges not to invade Earth. Unsurprisingly, Dormammu still vows revenge against the Sorcerer Supreme for his actions.
Dormammu attempted to continue his feud with Strange through his proxies, his niece Clea and his follower Baron Mordo. Strange would prove more than a match for Mordo, even after he received a power boost from Dormammu, and Clea eventually betrayed her uncle after falling in love with Strange. Even with a variety of allies in his bid to gain revenge against the sorcerer and conquer the Earth, Dormammu remains one of Strange's most persistent and powerful villains, despite his losing record against the Sorcerer Supreme.
How strong is Dormammu?
As the ruler of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu is an interdimensional entity capable of existing for eons. Drawing upon the vast energies of his home dimension, Dormammu is capable of teleportation, energy projection, conjuring objects and creatures under his dominion, and bending the very laws of matter and space to achieve his goals.
He's able to defeating other omnipotent beings single-handedly, even outside of his dimension, Dormammu is significantly stronger within the Dark Dimension. In addition to drawing power from the Dark Dimension itself, Dormammu can further augment his abilities by draining energy from his legions of loyal followers to add to his vast potential. Although the full extent of his unfathomable cosmic power has never really been explored too deeply, he's certainly in a class above Odin and even defeated Eternity on one occasion.
Dormammu in the MCU
Dormammu appears as the ultimate antagonist in 2016's Doctor Strange, with star Benedict Cumberbatch providing motion capture and voicing the character with his voice blended with an unidentified British actor. Inhabiting the Dark Dimension and seeking to invade the Earth and transform its inhabitants into Mindless Ones, Dormammu is spoken as a being to be greatly feared in the halls of Kamar-Taj and readings about him restricted.
First glimpsed by Strange after the Ancient One sends him hurtling through the Multiverse, Dormammu works through his zealots on Earth, who were led by Master Kaecilius in an attempt to to gain immortality through the Dark Dimension. Confronted by Doctor Strange, who intercepts him as the Dark Dimension begins to invade Earth, Dormammu is able to easily kill the sorcerer in a seemingly endless loop before realizing that Strange brought the Eye of Agamotto with him and, thus, the concept of time. Trapped in Strange's cycle, a frustrated Dormammu agrees to leave Earth and take his followers with him if Strange will break the loop.
Dormammu represents the sort of Marvel villain that possesses supreme power and has to be outsmarted rather than overpowered; usually by beating the extra-dimensional devil at his own rules. Known to hold a grudge and still active in the MCU, Dormammu's forced bargain with Strange may not be the last the villain is seen especially as the Multiverse becomes more prominent in the MCU.
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