Why doesn't Doctor Strange use his full power against Thanos?
Doctor Strange doesn't use his full power against Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War for several reasons that tie into both his character's arc and the broader narrative of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU):
1. Strategic Restraint: During his battle with Thanos, Doctor Strange had already seen 14 million possible outcomes of the conflict and identified only one where they ultimately win. Strange likely knew that in this scenario, defeating Thanos outright at that moment wasn't part of the plan for achieving victory. His focus was on ensuring the survival of Tony Stark, as Stark's future actions were essential for defeating Thanos in Avengers: Endgame.
2. Conservation of Power: Despite Strange being a powerful sorcerer, Thanos with four Infinity Stones was an overwhelming threat. Using too much power in a direct confrontation might have been futile since Thanos had access to reality-warping abilities. Instead, Strange relied on tactical magic, like creating duplicates of himself and using the environment to his advantage.
3. Balancing Character Development: From a storytelling perspective, Strange's full power had to be limited to keep the stakes high. The filmmakers wanted to show that even with their vast abilities, the Avengers and their allies were facing near-impossible odds against Thanos, maintaining tension and drama.
These reasons demonstrate that Strange's actions were part of a larger strategy rather than a simple matter of not using his full strength.
Comments