Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is filled with new and returning characters, not just from the MCU, but across the vast Multiverse as well. One of them is Chiwetel Ejiofor's Baron Mordo. The character's last appearance was during the post-credits sequence of 2016's Doctor Strange where the character announces his mission to cleanse the world of sorcerers. Since then, Mordo wasn't seen again until marketing for Multiverse of Madness kicked in.
When a character disappears for that long, the usual question from fans is whether they survived Thanos' snap during Avengers: Infinity War. Throughout Phase 4, the fates of some different characters like Florence Pugh's Yelena and Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop have already been confirmed. However, the question remains if Mordo ends up escaping the wrath of Thanos' snap.
Now, the MCU actor behind Mordo has addressed this lingering question.
Baron Mordo Survived Thanos' Snap
Chiwetel Ejiofor sat down with Total Film to talk about Baron Mordo's MCU journey after the events of the first Doctor Strange movie.
When asked if Mordo became a victim of Thanos' snap, Ejiofor confirmed that Mordo "wasn't part of the Snap's 'away' group," pointing out that the former Kamar-Taj sorcerer "was definitely engaged in that time."
The MCU actor then shared that those intervening years haven't opened Mordo's eyes to Strange's way of thinking, saying:
“That break with Strange has implications."
Ever since Mordo left Kamar-Taj to pursue a world without sorcerers, the MCU has experienced its fair share of magical problems, as evidenced by what happened during No Way Home and the Westview debacle during WandaVision.
Ejiofor admitted that "in some ways [Mordo's] concerns have gathered momentum" because of those events:
“The concerns in the MCU have all expanded, but in some ways [Mordo’s] concerns have gathered momentum. The nature of what he has been talking about has come to pass, in many ways. I think it’s a totally justified quest, and we’ll continue to see this dichotomy between somebody who is still holding a fraternal connection to Stephen Strange, and somebody who does think about the bigger picture.”
Baron Mordo's MCU Journey
Chiwetel Ejiofor's confirmation that Baron Mordo survived Thanos' snap presents intriguing possibilities for the character since there's a strong chance that the former advocate of Kamar-Taj eliminated a good chunk of sorcerers during those intervening years.
The fact that Mordo was "definitely engaged" during that time also means that he could've encountered his former allies from Kamar-Taj, specifically the new Sorcerer Supreme, Wong. It is unknown if this fateful encounter happened though, but it's likely that this will be addressed during Multiverse of Madness.
From No Way Home's Multiverse mess to WandaVision's Westview mayhem, these events could've prompted Mordo to come out of the shadows to have an "I told you so" moment with Strange, but it clearly didn't happen. Mordo may have been observing these events from afar, waiting to strike at the proper moment.
Ejiofor's remark about his concerns gathering momentum may indicate that he has a massive plan to take down Kamar-Taj and its inhabitants in the sequel. However, this come might not come to fruition since official footage has teased that the Scarlet Witch is the one doing all the killing.
Based on the footage shown so far, the MCU's Mordo is nowhere to be found in the trailers. Instead, the Illuminati's Mordo, who is from another universe, is the one being prominently featured.
It's possible that the role of MCU's Mordo could spoil the film's plot, so Disney and Marvel decided not to include him in any promotional push. On the flip side, the MCU's Mordo could end up being the first victim of Scarlet Witch's killing spree.
Whatever the case, it's clear that Mordo has a significant role in the sequel, and all will be revealed when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premieres in theaters on May 6.
