I just got back to my apartment tonight after watching Doctor Strange, the latest film to be added to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And I have to say, I am mightily impressed. This was a bold move for Marvel Studios--much like Ant-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy, there was no clear guarantee that this film and this main character would play out well for audiences in comparison to such other instantly-known faces such as Iron Man and Captain America. However, Benedict Cumberbatch's presence in the starring role definitely did much to help secure the film's initial success, if nothing else. However, not once did the film rely on its star power to keep it running. Between the mind-bending concepts, stunning special effects and great performances, Doctor Strange forms the last missing piece of the puzzle in the MCU. This film is the missing, crucial element that Marvel Studios has needed to round out their complement of superheroes.

How so? I base this all off the concept of human vulnerability—a vital trait for any superhero to be truly relatable and, in my opinion, effective as an inspiring figure for fans. A superhero simply cannot be flawless and unbeatable. For one thing, it ruins the storytelling. The threat of failure for a hero must be exactly that—a constant threat. Invulnerability and incorruptibility make for boring characters and boring superheroes. Characters that are established with having near god-like powers in addition to admirable personalities have no room to change, develop, grow, or mature along with the plot. By their nature, they have to remain static, or unchanging, because they have to stay just as admirable and untouchable as before. And this is what makes them boring. It’s why I generally have a problem with Superman as a hero and a character (sorry about the sudden switch from Marvel to DC). He’s just too good, and his supposed weaknesses feel like they were added to his character as an after-thought just so that he could have some kind of weakness.

I find similar fault in characters like Thor and Captain America as well, who were arguably created as Marvel counterparts to DC’s Superman. You can see two sides of Superman reflected in Cap and Thor—his American patriotism and moral uprightness along with his godlike powers and invincibility. However, even Cap and Thor are more effective heroes, in my opinion—chiefly because they each have a healthy dose of vulnerability in some way. Thor had some serious personality issues at the beginning of his story, which have taken some considerable time to mature and resolve. Cap’s demeanor and sense of moral goodness may be outstanding, but he is still just an extraordinarily gifted soldier—no flight, immortality, energy blasts, or battle armor for him. He is forced to make do with his above-average physical abilities and a highly capable mind. And speaking of capable minds, we arrive at Doctor Strange.

With Strange, the physical and emotional vulnerabilities abound. He starts off as wealthy, arrogant, self-centered, and so obsessively in control of the world around him that he cannot abide the idea of losing control or ever being wrong. In many ways, Strange mirrors Tony Stark/Iron Man. And just like Tony, Strange needs to be beaten down, broken, and brought to his knees before he is willing or capable to heal, improve, and gain the full extent of his powers. If Tony had never taken shrapnel to his chest and threatened with death to build a missile for terrorists, he never would have needed to create the mini-arc reactor and the Iron Man armor. If Strange had not suffered the accident that damaged his hands and bankrupted him in search of a cure, he never would have sought after other, more mystical ways to gain help. The hero must suffer through vulnerabilities to remain human and relatable. Only through this can improvement and growth be achieved.

So now, we finally have a mystic superhero with human flaws and limitations. Many would argue that Thor was already that, but to be perfectly honest, he’s classified as a god. That doesn’t exactly scream “vulnerable and relatable”, if you ask me. You know who does, though? Spider-Man. Now there’s a relatable hero. But I’m rambling, so I’d best reapply duct tape to my fingers and mouth before I really get going. Take care, all.