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I was looking through my comics collection and decided to re-read the second coming of Shuma Gorath in Strange Tales v2. It seems I underestimated Dr. Strange's power during that arc.

He had his talismans destroyed (but they weren't really destroyed just whisked away from Urthonna by Agamotto) and he had to search elsewhere for sources of power. He could only cast low level spells or high level spells but the high level spells came at a spiritual cost. He goes full "Dark Side" and is rather beastly towards the end of the arc.

http://s16.postimg.org/4zu2ijbkl/3691168_3690094_0714112361_14396.jpg

He had his power, plus Victoria Bently's power (she had incredible untapped mystic potential), power from a demon Kaluu sealed into his eye patch, the Wings of Needless Sorrow (this is the BIG ONE, it absorbs power from any magic source), and Arioch's power (which was supposedly limitless).

Just in case people doubt the power of the Wings, a few months later, during the Inferno Event, Dormammu fully manifested on Earth. He possessed Strange's body and had Strange's power + his own. Dr. Strange was trapped in a rat's body and had NO mystical power. Once he got his hands on the Wings, things started to go downhill FAST for Dormammu-Strange. Strange had to be careful with the Wings so as not to give into corruption (since he just got through purifying himself from the Shuma Gorath arc).

Okay, enough with the background info. On to the thread.

Black Mage Strange (so the whole "corruption" deal is a moot point in regards to the Wings) vs :
1) Classic Loki w/Norn Stones
2) Classic Loki w/Norn Stones and Thor w/Norn Stones
3) Classic Loki w/Norn STones, Thor w/Norn Stones, Amora w/Norn Stones
4) Zeus
5) Surtur (sans Twilight)
6) Odin w/Casket of Ancient Winters
7) Surtur w/Twilight

How far do you guys think he goes?

EDIT - He's fully rested after each fight.

Excellent thread!

Those wings are pretty dang powerful and its magic absorbing property makes it pretty uber...especially against this gauntlet.

Unless they are able to put Strange down in hurry via non-magical means, I think Strange clears...

Surtur with Twilight has the best chance to beat this version of Strange however...

It's a bit hard to say at this point Zop. He seems pretty powerful, but I'm not sure if he's Sky Father powerful. He has the spells, but what about his physical durability, constitution, and general mental toughness? I'm not convinced just yet.

Originally posted by Stoic
It's a bit hard to say at this point Zop. He seems pretty powerful, but I'm not sure if he's Sky Father powerful. He has the spells, but what about his physical durability, constitution, and general mental toughness? I'm not convinced just yet.
He wasn't a human being at this point. Once he devoured Arioch, he became a something more than physical. Shuma Gorath even mentions this during their fight.

He's actually far more dangerous than he ever was because he wasn't above using the Wings to their fullest and corruption to his soul be damned.

Originally posted by zopzop
He wasn't a human being at this point. Once he devoured Arioch, he became a something more than physical. Shuma Gorath even mentions this during their fight.

He's actually far more dangerous than he ever was because he wasn't above using the Wings to their fullest and corruption to his soul be damned.


Where would you place him at Zop? You're explanation makes me think that he might be a little more powerful than Dormmy.

He beat Shuma who would clear this with ease.

Originally posted by Stoic
Where would you place him at Zop? You're explanation makes me think that he might be a little more powerful than Dormmy.
A little more powerful?

Like I stated in the OP, he was A LOT more powerful. During the Inferno event, Dormammu kicked Strange out of his body and possessed it. Strange was trapped in the body of a rat and had NO mystical powers, he was just a shell of his former self. Dormammu was such a threat that Strange called the Inferno event "a minor disturbance" and he had to deal with Dormammu first.

Meanwhile, Dormammu, who was fully manifested on Earth had his power PLUS all of Strange's power. Gaea couldn't even help. Strange makes his way back to his Sanctum, finds the Wings, just as Dormammu was gonna blast him to smithereens.

The Wings absorb the blast and Strange escapes the rat body and starts battling Dormammu/Strange with NOTHING but the power of the Wings. Dormammu could do nothing to him as Strange was basically eating his blasts. Strange had to be careful not to consume Dormammu himself, lest he get corrupted by the power of the Wings. He beats Dormammu, without corrupting himself, by absorbing, then redirecting a banishment spell Dormammu cast on Strange. He uses it to summon Clea, and they exorcise Dormmamu from Strange's body.

Keep in mind, Strange had just purified himself after his fight with Gorath and wasn't about to go down the dark path again that's why he didn't just eat Dormammu straight up (like he did to Arioch).

Just to give you a better idea of the power of the Wings. Seis Neg himself put Shuma Gorath to sleep rather than deal with him straight up. Neg did this because Shuma Gorath absorbs magical power and he'd eat some of Neg's carefully accumulated energies. Well during the fight with Gorath, it was Strange, with the power of the Wings, that was consuming Gorath's energies! Gorath even mentions this on panel.

Victoria Bentley's power, Ghaszaszh Nyirh's power, Arioch's power, Wings of Needless Sorrow... I think he clears it handily.