'Spider-Man: Never Go Home' is now in theaters and, like many Marvel movies, has more than one post-credit scene. Of course, if you're here, you know this because you stayed until the end and you need to understand that real post-credits scene. Well, let's explain.
Because really, there's a lot to explain since she sets up what's to come in Phase Four of the MCU. It's a bit of an odd situation, as it's both a scene and a trailer of sorts for "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." So let's start with the real story she gives us.
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As the post-credits scene begins, we see flashes of different people and locations. Eventually, we end up going back to Doctor Strange, who has tracked down Wanda Maximoff. She's in an orchard, though it's unclear if she's still in the cabin we left her at the end of "WandaVision".
Upon realizing that Strange has found her, Wanda tries to push him away, admitting that she was wrong to manipulate Westview and didn't mean to hurt anyone. But before she can really get down to business, he cuts her off, assuring her that he's not there to talk about Westview. Instead, he asks for your help in exploring and understanding the multiverse.
Surrounding that dialogue are more scene flashes – including one of Rachel McAdams' Christine Palmer walking down the aisle to marry Strange. As we know, that definitely didn't happen in "Doctor Strange".
Eagle-eyed fans will also have noticed that in those quick flashes - which are really too vague to make any concrete sense in terms of the story, that the Wizard is flanked by a young girl, wearing a denim jacket with a star in it. Yes, that is America Chávez, who will be played by Xochitl Gomez.
We also see footage of Karl Mordo, who we last saw in Doctor Strange. And, as he tells Strange, he's not going to help with anything that's going on.
But, the biggest moment of all comes at the end, when Dr. Strange meets... a dark Doctor Strange. This new Stranger warns our sorcerer that his biggest threat will be himself. And of course, after all that, we get the typical on-screen promise that "Doctor Strange will return."
Explanation
So what does all this mean?
Well, obviously we need to talk about that Dark Stranger. Though he's missing the big collar, he sure looks like the Stranger we met in "What if?"
There, Strange has become obsessed after Christine dies, and tries (several times) to use the Time Stone to prevent this. It fails every time. So he makes a deal with the dark dimension to gain new, evil powers and resurrect it.
The question is more about how he would end up in the current universe. As far as we know, the new spell closed the barriers between dimensions that were starting to open up.