Doctor Strange is the Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Universe, but that doesn’t appear to be the case in the Ultimate Universe. The mantle of Sorcerer Supreme is an important one, with the bearer having to defend this plane from mystical threats. Something that fans are quickly learning about this new Ultimate Universe is that while some things remain the same, there are some drastic differences. For example, Black Panther is still the King of Wakanda, but he has Okoye as his queen. Black Panther’s war with Moon Knight is still ongoing, but T’Challa’s desperate play to find someone to help understand the rare metal Vibranium causes his allies to find the Ultimate Sorcerer Supreme.
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*WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Ultimate Black Panther #9. Continue reading at your own risk!
Ultimate Black Panther #9 comes from the creative team of Bryan Hill, Stefano Caselli, David Curiel, and VC’s Cory Petit. Part of the main story follows Killmonger and Storm, who have been tasked with the assignment of finding the Sorcerer Supreme. Storm still has her mutant ability to manipulate weather, and Killmonger begins his Ultimate journey as an ally to Black Panther. Their search for the Sorcerer Supreme takes them to a stronghold in Eastern Europe that appears to be run by a villain on the Maker’s council. As they debate the merits of sneaking in versus the shock and awe approach, several individuals are launched screaming out of the windows above. One of them is a torture doctor, which could spell bad news for the captive sorcerer.
However, once Killmonger and Storm make their way inside, what they find is more death, and a mystic who is anything but a captive.
Ultimate Sorcerer Supreme may not be a hero
As Killmonger and Storm make their way to the lower portions of the compound, they’re greeted by a haunting laughter. The speech balloon of the individual uses white font on a black background, hinting toward a demonic presence at play. The sorcerer asks if Storm and Killmonger are friends, with the latter replying that they could be, if given the opportunity.ย Our unidentified Sorcerer Supremeย answers from the shadows, stating, “I… don’t… believe… you.”
Killmonger goes on to say that someone (Black Panther) wants their help, but the sorcerer has been imprisoned for over three years and never once got any help. We then see a man step out the shadows that is being controlled by the sorcerer. They even call the man their “puppet.” His body is distorted, and you can even see a tear running out his eye, as if he’s being tortured while under this terrifying influence.
Killmonger eventually steps into the room where the Sorcerer Supreme was being held, and a frightened look flashes across his face. We then see the Sorcerer Supreme, who appears to be a woman with short black hair and a mussle over her mouth, as if whoever was holding her prisoner didn’t want her to use her voice. As we mentioned earlier, this definitely isn’t Doctor Strange, but it could be someone he’s very close to: namely, his wife Clea.
Is Clea Marvel’s new Sorcerer Supreme?
One clue that Doctor Strange wouldn’t be the Ultimate Sorcerer Supreme is how he was named as one of the heroes captured by the Maker back during Ultimate Invasion. The Maker has his evil fingerprints all over the Ultimate Universe, since he stopped its heroes from reaching their true destinies. Instead, Maker and his council have shaped the Ultimate Universe in their image. Heroes like the Ultimates have stepped up to revert the damage Maker has caused, but since Stephen Strange was stopped from becoming the Sorcerer Supreme, that opens it for someone else like Clea to fill the role.
Since this mysterious Sorcerer Supreme speaks with a black speech balloon, the darkness of the balloon could point to it being Clea, who hails from the dark dimension. Future covers and solicitations for Ultimate Black Panther also show this Sorcerer Supreme wearing an outfit similar to the one worn by Stephen Strange in the main Marvel Universe. Clea even filled in as the Sorcerer Supreme following the events of Death of Doctor Strange, and Doctor Doom has replaced Doctor Strange as the Sorcerer Supreme on Earth-616 following Blood Hunt.
While we don’t have any definitive answers right now, it shouldn’t be long before we learn the identity of the Ultimate Sorcerer Supreme.
