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AH app.
Character Name: Stephen Strange
Age: ??? A fine guess is early to mid-forties, not including the years of being dead/gone/blipped for a stint.
Canon: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Canon point: Post-Endgame
History: HERE
Personality:
INTELLIGENT AND ADAPTIVE — Stephen Strange is a highly intelligent man, a trait which bolsters much of his innate capabilities. Even before he delved into magic, he had shown spectacular capacity for learning quickly: earning his PhD and MD in med school at the same time, becoming a highly skilled neurosurgeon, researching new techniques for the sake of advancing his field (and reputation). He is tremendously inquisitive, taking to his teachings of the mystic arts just as fervently, to the point where he was able to utilize the Time Stone effectively near the end of the first film. Stephen also possesses a strong eidetic and photographic memory which aids his capacity to learn quickly, and with a penchant for creative thinking, allows him to devise solutions to otherwise overwhelming and stressful problems — such as manipulating time into a loop to force Dormammu into the Dark Dimension via literally being a pain in the ass. (The wiki cites “psychological warfare” and “mental torment”. Same difference.) Beyond simple empirical intelligence, there is a wisdom to his knowledge despite his inexperience, wrought from his greater understanding of the universe and how difficult it is to maintain its balance.
DETERMINED AND STUBBORN — Determination is what every magical superhero requires to succeed, and Stephen certainly has this in spades — sometimes to a fault. It was his hubris and endless stubbornness that compelled him to continue searching for a way to heal his hands after his accident, eventually draining him of all his money and resources, leaving him desperate for any solution. But it was this same stubbornness that kept him compelled to continue his magical studies despite a rocky start, eventually carving out the path he would walk as sorcerer. In the face of adversity, he is the sort who will not stop before he seeks a solution; even at the detriment to himself (and to a lesser extent, others), as seen when he gives up his Infinity Stone to Thanos for the sake of instigating a reality in which the Mad Titan could actually be defeated. It is this persistence that often leads to his success, though it tends to lend to a tunnel-vision focus — whether for good or ill.
NO-NONSENSE — Doctor Strange the neurosurgeon was a prideful and arrogant man, having cared mostly for growing his reputation and his career. Doctor Strange the sorcerer has since then learned humility to a far greater extent, but certain mannerisms still die hard. Though generally able to socialize and be polite with any extra effort, Stephen is not keen on mincing words if he doesn’t need to. He is blunt, sometimes harsh, and speaks his mind; a mind that is always working, which often means it has its fair share of criticisms regarding any number of things. For those who cannot spare him good sense, he can rarely spare them the time of day in return. He has a sharp tongue and isn’t afraid to use it, doling out sarcastic quips and dry remarks when the occasion calls for it.
Often, the occasion calls for it.
EMPATHETIC AND CARING — Despite his cautiously collected demeanor, which might lend an air of detachment or a sense of superiority to his character to those who don’t know him, Stephen possesses a measure of caring and concern for those around him. Even before becoming a sorcerer, he wouldn’t have become a doctor without a want to help the ailing and the sick. This was spurred on in his early years after the death of his sister and inability to help her at the time, and while it can be argued that he pursued his career path to establish a sense of control as a result (the Ancient One even says as much), the truth of the matter is the Stephen does care. He is appalled at himself when he kills a man, seeing it as breaking his Hippocratic oath, and though his personal moral values become more flexible over time, he continues to show concern for those around him, even if the scale is often tipped towards higher stakes, given his role. That said, he would not have accepted his station and responsibilities to guard his known reality if, to some extent, he did not care. He would not go to great lengths at the expense of his own well-being to save those he can, in examples seen while dealing with Dormammu and Thanos. Most importantly, he has learned through trials and tribulations that the world does not revolve around him and he can’t control everything, which gives room in his mind and heart for others who may truly need it. Stephen only has good intentions, never malicious, regardless of the situation. Though not always apparent at first glance, he has banished all traces of selfishness and given himself to acting as protector in all ways that manifests.
CONTROL BORN OF FEAR — Or in other words, a fear of failure and loss. This was a major failing point of his for a while—manifested as his perfectionist, arrogant nature as a surgeon—and what drove him to seek a way to heal his hands through desperate means. Stephen’s fear of personal failure spirals out into his actions taken, and has defined him in unflattering ways that he came to regret in time. That said, this failing does not apply quite as readily anymore, given that he has recognized it in himself and has accepted that he cannot force the world to revolve around him. Even so, there are pieces of this trait still active in him, the part that drives him forward and lends to his stubborn nature. In circumstances that remain extreme, stressful, or world-shatteringly difficult, this fear is likely to still exist; the difference being that it no longer hinges on his own hubris, but a devotion to his responsibilities to keep his world, and his reality, safe.
Suitability: Stephen is a character motivated by learning, problem-solving, and aiding others on a small and large scale both. This guarantees that he will be active in trying to unravel any and all mysteries surrounding his new circumstances, especially since determining what threats exist against the known reality is basically his job. He wouldn’t be inclined to simply sit and watch events transpire, and instead would prefer to take action.
Powers/Abilities: HERE
Note: Any powers that border on game-breaking will be nerfed accordingly. This mostly applies to time-based powers (which he no longer has at this canon point) and portal-based teleportation abilities which will only extend amongst the game area, and nowhere restricted unless discussed prior. If the mods believe anything else needs to be adjusted, I will do so accordingly!
Entity Affinity: The Extinction is fitting for Stephen because it encompasses past and present fears. At a basic level, the fear of destruction of human tissue resonates with the physical trauma Stephen had inflicted onto his hands after his car accident. The rest—destruction of nature, humanity itself, and the danger of catastrophic change—is very much what he tries to avoid and protect against at all costs. To see any of these come into fruition feeds into his baseline fear of failure, which had been a defining character fault for a long time. Basically, the Extinction resonates with Stephen in every terrible way possible, which makes it perfect lbr.
Inventory:
—Sling Ring (teleportation powers limited to what is allowed in-game)
—Cloak of Levitation
—fancy ass sorcerer’s garb
Note that the first two items are magical and will be imbued with a curse that will play out whenever Stephen chooses to utilize them. I am open to anything the mods might suggest for a curse, actually!
Samples:
SAMPLE #1
SAMPLE #2
Either can work as an example of voice and introspection! The second sample consists of two shorter threads; if this isn’t ok, just let me know!