Spider-Man: No Way Home may be one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year amongst Marvel fans. Alongside the return of Tom Holland's Spider-Man and following the dramatic cliffhanger of Far From Home, the film will feature Peter's usual best friends, Ned Leeds and MJ, as well as Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange.
Specific plot details on the film are scarce, but Alfred Molina's Doc Ock, Jamie Foxx's Electro, and Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin are all expected to return from past franchises.
Given the connections to the reality-bending WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the blockbuster is expected to take Strange and Spidey across the multiverse.
After months of desperate calls from fans, no trailer has been released for Spider-Man: No Way Home. The lack of official material or information on the highly-anticipated sequel has left Marvel fans relying on merchandise and leaks for their first looks at the film.
DOCTOR STRANGE'S LATEST OUTFIT SHOWCASED IN MERCHANDISE
The official Marvel site recently offered the first look at an expansive line-up of products from Spider-Man: No Way Home, including several shots of Doctor Strange's latest design.
While the suit largely channels his previous looks, it features some surprising inclusions that raise interesting questions about his storyline in the film.
Several images of Doctor Strange's Marvel Legends figure draw notable attention to the Eye of Agamotto around his neck.
In the past, this ancient casing has been used to hold the Time Stone, however, with the all-powerful stone having been destroyed by Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, it's unclear why Strange is wearing it.
The Hasbro figure will be accompanied by two translucent accessories to attach to his hands, designed to closely resemble the Sorcerer's iconic shield spell.
Benedict Cumberbatch's Sorcerer Supreme will also be featured in a new figure from Funko Pop! that appears to showcase a drastically different look and another surprising accessory.
Once again, the figure still features his Cloak of Levitation and the Eye of Agamotto, reaffirming he will still wear it even with the absence of Time Stone, however, he seems to be rocking a more civilian outfit.
Strange's Funko look is certainly one of the most confusing mysteries of the toy line-up. The surgeon-turned-sorcerer looks to be wearing a more everyday cold-weather outfit but still donning his cloak, the Eye of Agamotto, and casting a spell while also carrying a shovel for an unknown reason.
DOES THE EYE OF AGAMOTTO STILL EXIST?
The Infinity Stones were reduced to atoms by Thanos following his snap in Infinity War, and the Time Stone used by the Avengers in Endgame were returned to their original timelines. Based on this, there is no reasonable way the stones could still exist, unless Strange got one from the TVA, so the Eye of Agamotto probably no longer holds the stone it was originally designed to protect.
Within Marvel Comics, the Eye of Agamotto is a powerful artifact in its own right, used to find and show the truth and allowing the wearer to see through any illusions or disguises. Interestingly, in most interpretations, there were three different eyes created, something Marvel Studios could adapt in order to keep Strange's iconic necklace around.
Alternatively, it remains a possibility that Doctor Strange is simply opting to continue wearing the necklace. This could be either as an aesthetic addition to his outfit or as a symbol and reminder of his own failure in giving the stone up to Thanos, even though it was the only way to ultimately defeat him.
With regard to why the powerful Sorcerer is wearing a jacket and carrying a shovel in his Funko Pop! figure, an officially released still from the film showed what appears to be snow and ice within the Sanctum. So, Strange may be in the process of cleaning that up the old-fashioned way, whatever may have caused it.
Perhaps when Peter goes to the Sorcerer for help in the film, he may have just finished up dealing with a frost-based villain, and he is now cleaning up the mess the encounter left behind. Although, a magic-user as powerful as Strange would be more than capable of doing that in a second with his abilities, so it's unclear why he would have to use a shovel for that purpose.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is set to hit theaters on December 17, 2021.
