Even though Doctor Strange is one of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel universe, he can be defeated very easily. Stephen Strange’s weaknesses are usually not easy to detect, as is the case with Metal Mysterium, which acts like Doctor Strange’s version of Kryptonite, or the damage to his hands. However, this new vulnerability is very easy to fix, too easy in fact.
The easiest way to defeat Doctor Strange is to simply keep your mouth shut, as shown in Thanos #2 by Christopher Cantwell, Luca Pizzari, Ruth Redmond and VC’s Cory Petit. Doctor Strange’s skills are put to the test in a thrilling fight that pits the Sorcerer Supreme against the Mad Titan.
During their confrontation, Thanos simply had to choke Strange with his cape to subdue him, as Strange cannot cast magic if he cannot speak. It’s a simple but highly effective solution that any villain can take advantage of, adding to Strange’s ever-growing list of weaknesses.
Thanos sees Doctor Strange’s greatest weakness
Currently, Strange is a member of the reformed Illuminati, which includes Blue Marvel, Reed Richards, Iron Man, and Emma Frost. The New Illuminati disguised Lady Death as a woman named Roberta, a cashier who believed she was leading a normal life on Earth. The heroes try to stop Thanos from killing the Lady, but all the members of the Illuminati (and the Hulk, who wants another fight with Thanos) fall at the hands of the Mad Titan one by one. At the beginning of the conflict, it’s Doctor Strange’s turn to fight Thanos.
Almost immediately after the battle, Thanos is smart enough to disarm Strange’s mouth. Before the magician can cast his first spell, Thanos grabs him and throws him face first into the ground. “Quiet, sorcerer,” Thanos demands. Then, before Strange has a chance to recover, Thanos reminds him that “you can’t cast magic if you can’t breathe.” He then proceeds to strangle Strange with his own doctor’s hat. Thanos knows how important speech is for a sorcerer and has used it as his weakness from the beginning.
Defeating Doctor Strange just became easier for enemies
Exploiting other Doctor Strange vulnerabilities may require time and effort. Secrets are rare and hard to come by, and it takes effort to break into them. However, what Thanos does can be achieved as easily as covering his mouth with tape. Again, this sounds very simple and perhaps easier said than done. However, it is not impossible, especially compared to other options. It was much easier for Doctor Strange’s enemies to defeat him.