American comics: Starting with Luke the Maker

“This is a bit different from what I imagined.” Strange couldn't help but say. From Master Wang's words, it seemed that Hebron was not a morally righteous and orderly organization.

“You are also a bit different from what I understand.” Hearing Strange's words, Master Wang also gave him a special look.

“You speak as if you know me very well. Okay, in a sense, you do know me very well.” Strange was about to mock him, but then, as if he had thought of something, his face fell.

“I have seen many Stranges from different universes, and they all have common characteristics. That is, they are very good at judging the situation, or rather, when there is no choice, they will choose the best course of action. Rational to the point of being cold-blooded.

When a universe falls into a huge crisis, and there is a high probability that it will spread like a virus to the multiverse, becoming a multiverse crisis, if it can be locked down, allowing it to fend for itself without affecting other multiverses, then Strange will eventually make this decision.

When disaster is inevitable, choose the one with the least loss.” Master Wang turned his face and continued to walk around the library with Strange, stopping whenever Strange paused to browse a book of magic from the bookshelf. When Strange put the book back on the shelf, he would move again with him, changing locations. This did not delay their conversation.

“This is something I could do.” Strange thought for a while and realized that he also had this characteristic. If it really came down to it, he felt that he would probably make the same choice.

“But you are different from those Stranges. In your rationality, there is more or less some emotional bias. Or rather, you are more stubborn?” Master Wang gave another answer.

“What do you mean?” Strange was a little puzzled by Master Wang's words.

“What I mean is that you and the Stranges I have seen have some differences in their style of doing things. Honestly, I prefer your type. At least when I need you, you will calmly abandon me in the decision for some righteous reason. Although my reason can understand the decisions and actions you make in that situation, my emotions will still feel lost and depressed,” Master Wang explained in detail.

“How do you know that I am different from the Stranges you have seen? You know, strictly speaking, although we belong to different universes, our lives, experiences, and everything are similar, even the same. Our personalities will naturally be consistent.” Strange stopped and glanced at Master Wang walking beside him, quietly waiting for his answer.

“Shouldn't you already be aware of it?” Master Wang faced Strange's gaze with a simple and honest smile on his face.

“Is it that unique energy from your universe?” Strange asked definitively.

“To be precise, psionic power has already begun to spread and is deeply rooted in the multiverse. Just like magic and chaos, it does allow people to be more accurate and sensitive to emotional fluctuations and interpretations.” After Master Wang gave a definite answer, he continued: “In addition, although the multiverse may have the same experiences, these experiences generally refer to major events, those that are enough to change your life and reshape your values and personality.

For example, in every universe where you become Doctor Strange, you will inevitably experience a car accident, you will inevitably injure your most important hands, and you will inevitably search the world for treatment methods, and after repeated disappointments, you will finally place your hope on illusory mystical powers.”

Strange was immediately speechless. The car accident and the search for magical redemption seemed to be major events that he could not avoid. These hardships gave him tempering and rebirth.

“But the details are still different. For example, do you still remember what gender, skin color, and appearance the Ancient One had?” Master Wang asked pointedly.

“Of course, it's male. No,” Strange blurted out, and then frowned. He realized that his memory seemed to have some kind of missing piece and change. The Ancient One in his memory was male, but his subconscious told him that this was wrong! The Ancient One was female!

For a normal person, without a doubt, with a large amount of memory, they would ignore their inexplicable subconscious and regard the memory as the true and only correct answer. But for a mage, especially a mage like Strange with a natural talent, sometimes he trusts his subconscious even more than his memory. After all, in the mystical side, there are too many forces that can distort and modify a person's memory.

If the memory is wrong, then everything that follows may be wrong. This thought made Strange break out in a cold sweat.

“My memory tells me that the Ancient One was male, but my subconscious tells me that my memory is wrong.”

In the end, Strange told everything about his feelings and psychological fluctuations.

“Sure enough, your emotional stubbornness may have gained the favor and love of psionic power in the time-space shuttle, causing your trajectory to have a certain correction.” A look of interest finally appeared on Master Wang's face, as if he had been probing for a long time and finally found some information that he cared about. A kind smile reappeared on his face, but this time the smile seemed much more approachable and familiar.

“You mean?” Strange was a little unsure.

“This is actually a hidden test. If you can't give me a satisfactory answer, then to us, you are just an ordinary Strange, dispensable. But your answer did not disappoint us. You are a candidate who can join the Doctor Strange team and become its official member.” As Master Wang spoke, seeing Strange's calm face, he explained again: “The Ancient One is female, but when she embarked on the path to godhood, the multiverse of her began to shrink. She disappeared from the multiverse. But the Ancient One is an important part of the multiverse timeline, and this role will not disappear. Do you understand what I mean?”

“In other words, my subconscious is not wrong. The one who taught me magic was indeed the female Ancient One, but later, because the Ancient One in your universe embarked on the path to godhood, the power of the universe modified our memories?” Strange thought thoughtfully.

“It is also possible that your universe has been restarted once. After all, the universe seems very powerful, but it is also very fragile.” Master Wang gave another possible answer.

(End of this chapter)