WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for The Death of Doctor Strange #2, available now from Marvel.

The Marvel Universe was rocked to its core by the recent loss of Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme. In the wake of Strange's demise, his closest allies (and a few of his enemies) have come together to get to the bottom of what has happened. Perhaps most surprisingly of all is the deceased sorcerer himself, who has also emerged to help investigate his murder, and The Death of Doctor Strange #2 (by Jed MacKay, Lee Garbett, Antonio Fabela, and VC's Cory Petit) offers an explanation as to how this is even possible.

The sudden, tragic death of Doctor Strange was felt all around the world by those closest to him, beckoning them to the Sanctum Sanctorum for an impromptu reunion. As surprising as the death itself is the revelation that there is another version of the Doctor available to help in the investigation. Upon entering the Sanctum Sanctorum, the younger version of Strange immediately begins his investigation. As it turns out his time is sorely limited, as this version of the doctor is one week of Strange's life that was magically separated from the rest of him.

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The issue continues to explain that this Doctor Strange was created years ago as a precautionary measure to ensure that he could put his affairs in order upon his sudden death. The mechanics behind this are not simple, but the fact that it could be done at all is a powerful revelation that carries with it terrifying implications. Apart from the Sorcerer Supreme, any number of similarly powerful figures could potentially use this same tactic for less benevolent purposes.

The possibility of separating time from someone's life has the potential to provide a magic-user with a serious edge against opponents. A creative villain could potentially create an army of clones using this method that would possess all the powers and skills of the original, just as this version of the Doctor appears to have. It is terrifying to imagine what someone like Baron Mordo, Dormammu, or Doctor Doom could do with a power like this at their disposal.

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The other heroes and villains can rest a little easier now that the truth about this version of Doctor Strange has been revealed. Although they are sure to still have questions, they at least have an answer as to how this is even possible.

This strange new doctor is sure to be an asset during the course of the investigation into the death of his counterpart, possibly being able to provide information about the Sorcerer Supreme that no one else knows. However, the cost of this asset may be ultimately providing his enemies with a way to become even more formidable at another point in time.

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