Why did Dormammu keep his promise?











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Dr. Strange made a deal with Dormammu: he would break the time loop he trapped himself and Dormammu in, in exchange Dormammu has to leave earth alone and take his zealots with him.



Why would a powerful (and evil) being like Dormammu honor his part of the deal? What is there to stop him from just going "Psych! I'm taking earth now, nomnomnom" after Dr. Strange broke the time loop? Seems awfully nice for such a twisted creature.










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  • 31




    His alignment is Lawful Evil :P
    – BlueMoon93
    2 days ago






  • 13




    He's only "evil" by our standards. Like Galactus, it's just their nature of being that means we'd rather they stop consuming everything thankyou very much.
    – OrangeDog
    yesterday










  • @OrangeDog Dormammu is far closer to our definition of evil than Galactus. He doesn't have to be destructive to continue existing.
    – Nacht
    yesterday










  • Not much evidence for it, but I really like the fan theory that because Strange was getting better and better (after having thousands of deaths), Dormammu took the deal before Strange became too strong.
    – Lynx Brutal
    19 hours ago















up vote
44
down vote

favorite
2












Dr. Strange made a deal with Dormammu: he would break the time loop he trapped himself and Dormammu in, in exchange Dormammu has to leave earth alone and take his zealots with him.



Why would a powerful (and evil) being like Dormammu honor his part of the deal? What is there to stop him from just going "Psych! I'm taking earth now, nomnomnom" after Dr. Strange broke the time loop? Seems awfully nice for such a twisted creature.










share|improve this question




















  • 31




    His alignment is Lawful Evil :P
    – BlueMoon93
    2 days ago






  • 13




    He's only "evil" by our standards. Like Galactus, it's just their nature of being that means we'd rather they stop consuming everything thankyou very much.
    – OrangeDog
    yesterday










  • @OrangeDog Dormammu is far closer to our definition of evil than Galactus. He doesn't have to be destructive to continue existing.
    – Nacht
    yesterday










  • Not much evidence for it, but I really like the fan theory that because Strange was getting better and better (after having thousands of deaths), Dormammu took the deal before Strange became too strong.
    – Lynx Brutal
    19 hours ago













up vote
44
down vote

favorite
2









up vote
44
down vote

favorite
2






2





Dr. Strange made a deal with Dormammu: he would break the time loop he trapped himself and Dormammu in, in exchange Dormammu has to leave earth alone and take his zealots with him.



Why would a powerful (and evil) being like Dormammu honor his part of the deal? What is there to stop him from just going "Psych! I'm taking earth now, nomnomnom" after Dr. Strange broke the time loop? Seems awfully nice for such a twisted creature.










share|improve this question















Dr. Strange made a deal with Dormammu: he would break the time loop he trapped himself and Dormammu in, in exchange Dormammu has to leave earth alone and take his zealots with him.



Why would a powerful (and evil) being like Dormammu honor his part of the deal? What is there to stop him from just going "Psych! I'm taking earth now, nomnomnom" after Dr. Strange broke the time loop? Seems awfully nice for such a twisted creature.







plot-explanation marvel-cinematic-universe doctor-strange






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 2 days ago









A J

39.1k15207221




39.1k15207221










asked 2 days ago









noClue

375137




375137








  • 31




    His alignment is Lawful Evil :P
    – BlueMoon93
    2 days ago






  • 13




    He's only "evil" by our standards. Like Galactus, it's just their nature of being that means we'd rather they stop consuming everything thankyou very much.
    – OrangeDog
    yesterday










  • @OrangeDog Dormammu is far closer to our definition of evil than Galactus. He doesn't have to be destructive to continue existing.
    – Nacht
    yesterday










  • Not much evidence for it, but I really like the fan theory that because Strange was getting better and better (after having thousands of deaths), Dormammu took the deal before Strange became too strong.
    – Lynx Brutal
    19 hours ago














  • 31




    His alignment is Lawful Evil :P
    – BlueMoon93
    2 days ago






  • 13




    He's only "evil" by our standards. Like Galactus, it's just their nature of being that means we'd rather they stop consuming everything thankyou very much.
    – OrangeDog
    yesterday










  • @OrangeDog Dormammu is far closer to our definition of evil than Galactus. He doesn't have to be destructive to continue existing.
    – Nacht
    yesterday










  • Not much evidence for it, but I really like the fan theory that because Strange was getting better and better (after having thousands of deaths), Dormammu took the deal before Strange became too strong.
    – Lynx Brutal
    19 hours ago








31




31




His alignment is Lawful Evil :P
– BlueMoon93
2 days ago




His alignment is Lawful Evil :P
– BlueMoon93
2 days ago




13




13




He's only "evil" by our standards. Like Galactus, it's just their nature of being that means we'd rather they stop consuming everything thankyou very much.
– OrangeDog
yesterday




He's only "evil" by our standards. Like Galactus, it's just their nature of being that means we'd rather they stop consuming everything thankyou very much.
– OrangeDog
yesterday












@OrangeDog Dormammu is far closer to our definition of evil than Galactus. He doesn't have to be destructive to continue existing.
– Nacht
yesterday




@OrangeDog Dormammu is far closer to our definition of evil than Galactus. He doesn't have to be destructive to continue existing.
– Nacht
yesterday












Not much evidence for it, but I really like the fan theory that because Strange was getting better and better (after having thousands of deaths), Dormammu took the deal before Strange became too strong.
– Lynx Brutal
19 hours ago




Not much evidence for it, but I really like the fan theory that because Strange was getting better and better (after having thousands of deaths), Dormammu took the deal before Strange became too strong.
– Lynx Brutal
19 hours ago










3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
39
down vote













Dormammu got tired of that time loop Dr. Strange created.



If he didn't keep his promise, it's a matter of time Dr. Strange will again bind him in the loop. Remember Strange still has the Time Stone. Dormammu was exhausted so he couldn't risk to get in the time loop again.



In the time loop, he wasn't able to figure it out how he kept coming back after dying so many times. So, it wasn't wise to break the promise until he finds a way to break Strange's magic.






share|improve this answer

















  • 5




    +1 for pointing out the persistent threat of the time loop if Dormammu went back on his word. The time loop may have held a certain terror for the 'timeless' Dormammu.
    – EleventhDoctor
    yesterday










  • Actually, based on the events depicted in Avengers: Infinity War, Strange no longer possesses the Time Stone.
    – stancial
    yesterday






  • 24




    @stancial: Don't go spreading that around! You want Dormammu to come back?
    – Michael Seifert
    yesterday






  • 3




    @stancial I know. But we're talking about Doctor Strange at the moment.
    – A J
    yesterday






  • 2




    @stancial I doubt Dormammu would want to fight Thanos either. Given that Thanos only wanted to kill off half of the life in the universe, not all of it, he'd certainly be opposed to Dormammu.
    – JAB
    yesterday




















up vote
34
down vote













Because he is man of his word and have moral code like his comics counterpart Strange Tales No. 127:



enter image description here




STRANGE: He is evil, true…but only by our human standards. According to his own lights, he has his own moral code!




Taken from similar question from sister-site.






share|improve this answer



















  • 17




    We need a r/dormammudidnothingwrong now. All there MCU villains are so good morally
    – KharoBangdo
    2 days ago






  • 13




    Why does Dormammu look like a half open flaming green banana?
    – noClue
    yesterday






  • 14




    @noClue Same reason Dr. Strange has a cone of shame instead of a collar.
    – Nic Hartley
    yesterday






  • 4




    @KharoBangdo: This was one of the distinctions of the Marvel Villains of the Silver Age over the DC Rogues Gallery. Their "villainy" was more of a shade of grey than Black and White. Consider Magneto vs. Xavior, where the latter believes that humanity will overcome it's mutant prejudices and the former was a victim of another bigotry, one of the worst examples, and has no intention about being twice victimized.
    – hszmv
    yesterday










  • @AnkitSharma except that he's only just barely by the slimmest meaning a man of his word, since he still plans revenge on Strange through Mordo and is very active in pushing Mordo along. I've always put this one down to plot convenience rather than character-revealing. You could also see it as an ego thing - he doesn't want to look weak by going back on his own word.
    – Nacht
    yesterday




















up vote
10
down vote













Creatures that exist outside of time "proceed" differently than we do



Dormammu exists outside of time, so his way of thinking and making decisions must be different from ours. The closest parallels in our world (so to speak) are angels and fallen angels, and you might not be surprised to know that some major theologians have weighed in on this topic. While we mortals have a discursive rationality, proceeding from one thought to the next in succession, angels are said to have an intuitive rationality, perceiving and deciding everything they're ever going to perceive and decide simultaneously, once and for all. Or at least, because they are outside of time, so it would appear to those of us bound by time. Incidentally this is why we know the devils won't change their minds about their rebellion against Heaven... they don't reason step-by-step the way we do.



In Dr. Strange, Dormammu doesn't really proceed step by step through his plan to dominate the multiverse. His actions may appear sequential to us, because we perceive things unfolding in time. But in fact from Dormammu's perspective his entire rise and (hopefully) fall is seen in one instant. So here's the point: when Dormammu decided to take Strange's deal, as soon as Strange released him from the trap, that decision was "locked in" as it were, part of the makeup of Dormammu's timeless mind. He would not be able to "change his mind" (nor would such a double-cross likely even occur to him as a possibility). He's just not made that way.






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    3 Answers
    3






    active

    oldest

    votes








    3 Answers
    3






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes








    up vote
    39
    down vote













    Dormammu got tired of that time loop Dr. Strange created.



    If he didn't keep his promise, it's a matter of time Dr. Strange will again bind him in the loop. Remember Strange still has the Time Stone. Dormammu was exhausted so he couldn't risk to get in the time loop again.



    In the time loop, he wasn't able to figure it out how he kept coming back after dying so many times. So, it wasn't wise to break the promise until he finds a way to break Strange's magic.






    share|improve this answer

















    • 5




      +1 for pointing out the persistent threat of the time loop if Dormammu went back on his word. The time loop may have held a certain terror for the 'timeless' Dormammu.
      – EleventhDoctor
      yesterday










    • Actually, based on the events depicted in Avengers: Infinity War, Strange no longer possesses the Time Stone.
      – stancial
      yesterday






    • 24




      @stancial: Don't go spreading that around! You want Dormammu to come back?
      – Michael Seifert
      yesterday






    • 3




      @stancial I know. But we're talking about Doctor Strange at the moment.
      – A J
      yesterday






    • 2




      @stancial I doubt Dormammu would want to fight Thanos either. Given that Thanos only wanted to kill off half of the life in the universe, not all of it, he'd certainly be opposed to Dormammu.
      – JAB
      yesterday

















    up vote
    39
    down vote













    Dormammu got tired of that time loop Dr. Strange created.



    If he didn't keep his promise, it's a matter of time Dr. Strange will again bind him in the loop. Remember Strange still has the Time Stone. Dormammu was exhausted so he couldn't risk to get in the time loop again.



    In the time loop, he wasn't able to figure it out how he kept coming back after dying so many times. So, it wasn't wise to break the promise until he finds a way to break Strange's magic.






    share|improve this answer

















    • 5




      +1 for pointing out the persistent threat of the time loop if Dormammu went back on his word. The time loop may have held a certain terror for the 'timeless' Dormammu.
      – EleventhDoctor
      yesterday










    • Actually, based on the events depicted in Avengers: Infinity War, Strange no longer possesses the Time Stone.
      – stancial
      yesterday






    • 24




      @stancial: Don't go spreading that around! You want Dormammu to come back?
      – Michael Seifert
      yesterday






    • 3




      @stancial I know. But we're talking about Doctor Strange at the moment.
      – A J
      yesterday






    • 2




      @stancial I doubt Dormammu would want to fight Thanos either. Given that Thanos only wanted to kill off half of the life in the universe, not all of it, he'd certainly be opposed to Dormammu.
      – JAB
      yesterday















    up vote
    39
    down vote










    up vote
    39
    down vote









    Dormammu got tired of that time loop Dr. Strange created.



    If he didn't keep his promise, it's a matter of time Dr. Strange will again bind him in the loop. Remember Strange still has the Time Stone. Dormammu was exhausted so he couldn't risk to get in the time loop again.



    In the time loop, he wasn't able to figure it out how he kept coming back after dying so many times. So, it wasn't wise to break the promise until he finds a way to break Strange's magic.






    share|improve this answer












    Dormammu got tired of that time loop Dr. Strange created.



    If he didn't keep his promise, it's a matter of time Dr. Strange will again bind him in the loop. Remember Strange still has the Time Stone. Dormammu was exhausted so he couldn't risk to get in the time loop again.



    In the time loop, he wasn't able to figure it out how he kept coming back after dying so many times. So, it wasn't wise to break the promise until he finds a way to break Strange's magic.







    share|improve this answer












    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer










    answered 2 days ago









    A J

    39.1k15207221




    39.1k15207221








    • 5




      +1 for pointing out the persistent threat of the time loop if Dormammu went back on his word. The time loop may have held a certain terror for the 'timeless' Dormammu.
      – EleventhDoctor
      yesterday










    • Actually, based on the events depicted in Avengers: Infinity War, Strange no longer possesses the Time Stone.
      – stancial
      yesterday






    • 24




      @stancial: Don't go spreading that around! You want Dormammu to come back?
      – Michael Seifert
      yesterday






    • 3




      @stancial I know. But we're talking about Doctor Strange at the moment.
      – A J
      yesterday






    • 2




      @stancial I doubt Dormammu would want to fight Thanos either. Given that Thanos only wanted to kill off half of the life in the universe, not all of it, he'd certainly be opposed to Dormammu.
      – JAB
      yesterday
















    • 5




      +1 for pointing out the persistent threat of the time loop if Dormammu went back on his word. The time loop may have held a certain terror for the 'timeless' Dormammu.
      – EleventhDoctor
      yesterday










    • Actually, based on the events depicted in Avengers: Infinity War, Strange no longer possesses the Time Stone.
      – stancial
      yesterday






    • 24




      @stancial: Don't go spreading that around! You want Dormammu to come back?
      – Michael Seifert
      yesterday






    • 3




      @stancial I know. But we're talking about Doctor Strange at the moment.
      – A J
      yesterday






    • 2




      @stancial I doubt Dormammu would want to fight Thanos either. Given that Thanos only wanted to kill off half of the life in the universe, not all of it, he'd certainly be opposed to Dormammu.
      – JAB
      yesterday










    5




    5




    +1 for pointing out the persistent threat of the time loop if Dormammu went back on his word. The time loop may have held a certain terror for the 'timeless' Dormammu.
    – EleventhDoctor
    yesterday




    +1 for pointing out the persistent threat of the time loop if Dormammu went back on his word. The time loop may have held a certain terror for the 'timeless' Dormammu.
    – EleventhDoctor
    yesterday












    Actually, based on the events depicted in Avengers: Infinity War, Strange no longer possesses the Time Stone.
    – stancial
    yesterday




    Actually, based on the events depicted in Avengers: Infinity War, Strange no longer possesses the Time Stone.
    – stancial
    yesterday




    24




    24




    @stancial: Don't go spreading that around! You want Dormammu to come back?
    – Michael Seifert
    yesterday




    @stancial: Don't go spreading that around! You want Dormammu to come back?
    – Michael Seifert
    yesterday




    3




    3




    @stancial I know. But we're talking about Doctor Strange at the moment.
    – A J
    yesterday




    @stancial I know. But we're talking about Doctor Strange at the moment.
    – A J
    yesterday




    2




    2




    @stancial I doubt Dormammu would want to fight Thanos either. Given that Thanos only wanted to kill off half of the life in the universe, not all of it, he'd certainly be opposed to Dormammu.
    – JAB
    yesterday






    @stancial I doubt Dormammu would want to fight Thanos either. Given that Thanos only wanted to kill off half of the life in the universe, not all of it, he'd certainly be opposed to Dormammu.
    – JAB
    yesterday












    up vote
    34
    down vote













    Because he is man of his word and have moral code like his comics counterpart Strange Tales No. 127:



    enter image description here




    STRANGE: He is evil, true…but only by our human standards. According to his own lights, he has his own moral code!




    Taken from similar question from sister-site.






    share|improve this answer



















    • 17




      We need a r/dormammudidnothingwrong now. All there MCU villains are so good morally
      – KharoBangdo
      2 days ago






    • 13




      Why does Dormammu look like a half open flaming green banana?
      – noClue
      yesterday






    • 14




      @noClue Same reason Dr. Strange has a cone of shame instead of a collar.
      – Nic Hartley
      yesterday






    • 4




      @KharoBangdo: This was one of the distinctions of the Marvel Villains of the Silver Age over the DC Rogues Gallery. Their "villainy" was more of a shade of grey than Black and White. Consider Magneto vs. Xavior, where the latter believes that humanity will overcome it's mutant prejudices and the former was a victim of another bigotry, one of the worst examples, and has no intention about being twice victimized.
      – hszmv
      yesterday










    • @AnkitSharma except that he's only just barely by the slimmest meaning a man of his word, since he still plans revenge on Strange through Mordo and is very active in pushing Mordo along. I've always put this one down to plot convenience rather than character-revealing. You could also see it as an ego thing - he doesn't want to look weak by going back on his own word.
      – Nacht
      yesterday

















    up vote
    34
    down vote













    Because he is man of his word and have moral code like his comics counterpart Strange Tales No. 127:



    enter image description here




    STRANGE: He is evil, true…but only by our human standards. According to his own lights, he has his own moral code!




    Taken from similar question from sister-site.






    share|improve this answer



















    • 17




      We need a r/dormammudidnothingwrong now. All there MCU villains are so good morally
      – KharoBangdo
      2 days ago






    • 13




      Why does Dormammu look like a half open flaming green banana?
      – noClue
      yesterday






    • 14




      @noClue Same reason Dr. Strange has a cone of shame instead of a collar.
      – Nic Hartley
      yesterday






    • 4




      @KharoBangdo: This was one of the distinctions of the Marvel Villains of the Silver Age over the DC Rogues Gallery. Their "villainy" was more of a shade of grey than Black and White. Consider Magneto vs. Xavior, where the latter believes that humanity will overcome it's mutant prejudices and the former was a victim of another bigotry, one of the worst examples, and has no intention about being twice victimized.
      – hszmv
      yesterday










    • @AnkitSharma except that he's only just barely by the slimmest meaning a man of his word, since he still plans revenge on Strange through Mordo and is very active in pushing Mordo along. I've always put this one down to plot convenience rather than character-revealing. You could also see it as an ego thing - he doesn't want to look weak by going back on his own word.
      – Nacht
      yesterday















    up vote
    34
    down vote










    up vote
    34
    down vote









    Because he is man of his word and have moral code like his comics counterpart Strange Tales No. 127:



    enter image description here




    STRANGE: He is evil, true…but only by our human standards. According to his own lights, he has his own moral code!




    Taken from similar question from sister-site.






    share|improve this answer














    Because he is man of his word and have moral code like his comics counterpart Strange Tales No. 127:



    enter image description here




    STRANGE: He is evil, true…but only by our human standards. According to his own lights, he has his own moral code!




    Taken from similar question from sister-site.







    share|improve this answer














    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer








    edited 2 days ago

























    answered 2 days ago









    Ankit Sharma

    68.3k58353562




    68.3k58353562








    • 17




      We need a r/dormammudidnothingwrong now. All there MCU villains are so good morally
      – KharoBangdo
      2 days ago






    • 13




      Why does Dormammu look like a half open flaming green banana?
      – noClue
      yesterday






    • 14




      @noClue Same reason Dr. Strange has a cone of shame instead of a collar.
      – Nic Hartley
      yesterday






    • 4




      @KharoBangdo: This was one of the distinctions of the Marvel Villains of the Silver Age over the DC Rogues Gallery. Their "villainy" was more of a shade of grey than Black and White. Consider Magneto vs. Xavior, where the latter believes that humanity will overcome it's mutant prejudices and the former was a victim of another bigotry, one of the worst examples, and has no intention about being twice victimized.
      – hszmv
      yesterday










    • @AnkitSharma except that he's only just barely by the slimmest meaning a man of his word, since he still plans revenge on Strange through Mordo and is very active in pushing Mordo along. I've always put this one down to plot convenience rather than character-revealing. You could also see it as an ego thing - he doesn't want to look weak by going back on his own word.
      – Nacht
      yesterday
















    • 17




      We need a r/dormammudidnothingwrong now. All there MCU villains are so good morally
      – KharoBangdo
      2 days ago






    • 13




      Why does Dormammu look like a half open flaming green banana?
      – noClue
      yesterday






    • 14




      @noClue Same reason Dr. Strange has a cone of shame instead of a collar.
      – Nic Hartley
      yesterday






    • 4




      @KharoBangdo: This was one of the distinctions of the Marvel Villains of the Silver Age over the DC Rogues Gallery. Their "villainy" was more of a shade of grey than Black and White. Consider Magneto vs. Xavior, where the latter believes that humanity will overcome it's mutant prejudices and the former was a victim of another bigotry, one of the worst examples, and has no intention about being twice victimized.
      – hszmv
      yesterday










    • @AnkitSharma except that he's only just barely by the slimmest meaning a man of his word, since he still plans revenge on Strange through Mordo and is very active in pushing Mordo along. I've always put this one down to plot convenience rather than character-revealing. You could also see it as an ego thing - he doesn't want to look weak by going back on his own word.
      – Nacht
      yesterday










    17




    17




    We need a r/dormammudidnothingwrong now. All there MCU villains are so good morally
    – KharoBangdo
    2 days ago




    We need a r/dormammudidnothingwrong now. All there MCU villains are so good morally
    – KharoBangdo
    2 days ago




    13




    13




    Why does Dormammu look like a half open flaming green banana?
    – noClue
    yesterday




    Why does Dormammu look like a half open flaming green banana?
    – noClue
    yesterday




    14




    14




    @noClue Same reason Dr. Strange has a cone of shame instead of a collar.
    – Nic Hartley
    yesterday




    @noClue Same reason Dr. Strange has a cone of shame instead of a collar.
    – Nic Hartley
    yesterday




    4




    4




    @KharoBangdo: This was one of the distinctions of the Marvel Villains of the Silver Age over the DC Rogues Gallery. Their "villainy" was more of a shade of grey than Black and White. Consider Magneto vs. Xavior, where the latter believes that humanity will overcome it's mutant prejudices and the former was a victim of another bigotry, one of the worst examples, and has no intention about being twice victimized.
    – hszmv
    yesterday




    @KharoBangdo: This was one of the distinctions of the Marvel Villains of the Silver Age over the DC Rogues Gallery. Their "villainy" was more of a shade of grey than Black and White. Consider Magneto vs. Xavior, where the latter believes that humanity will overcome it's mutant prejudices and the former was a victim of another bigotry, one of the worst examples, and has no intention about being twice victimized.
    – hszmv
    yesterday












    @AnkitSharma except that he's only just barely by the slimmest meaning a man of his word, since he still plans revenge on Strange through Mordo and is very active in pushing Mordo along. I've always put this one down to plot convenience rather than character-revealing. You could also see it as an ego thing - he doesn't want to look weak by going back on his own word.
    – Nacht
    yesterday






    @AnkitSharma except that he's only just barely by the slimmest meaning a man of his word, since he still plans revenge on Strange through Mordo and is very active in pushing Mordo along. I've always put this one down to plot convenience rather than character-revealing. You could also see it as an ego thing - he doesn't want to look weak by going back on his own word.
    – Nacht
    yesterday












    up vote
    10
    down vote













    Creatures that exist outside of time "proceed" differently than we do



    Dormammu exists outside of time, so his way of thinking and making decisions must be different from ours. The closest parallels in our world (so to speak) are angels and fallen angels, and you might not be surprised to know that some major theologians have weighed in on this topic. While we mortals have a discursive rationality, proceeding from one thought to the next in succession, angels are said to have an intuitive rationality, perceiving and deciding everything they're ever going to perceive and decide simultaneously, once and for all. Or at least, because they are outside of time, so it would appear to those of us bound by time. Incidentally this is why we know the devils won't change their minds about their rebellion against Heaven... they don't reason step-by-step the way we do.



    In Dr. Strange, Dormammu doesn't really proceed step by step through his plan to dominate the multiverse. His actions may appear sequential to us, because we perceive things unfolding in time. But in fact from Dormammu's perspective his entire rise and (hopefully) fall is seen in one instant. So here's the point: when Dormammu decided to take Strange's deal, as soon as Strange released him from the trap, that decision was "locked in" as it were, part of the makeup of Dormammu's timeless mind. He would not be able to "change his mind" (nor would such a double-cross likely even occur to him as a possibility). He's just not made that way.






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      Creatures that exist outside of time "proceed" differently than we do



      Dormammu exists outside of time, so his way of thinking and making decisions must be different from ours. The closest parallels in our world (so to speak) are angels and fallen angels, and you might not be surprised to know that some major theologians have weighed in on this topic. While we mortals have a discursive rationality, proceeding from one thought to the next in succession, angels are said to have an intuitive rationality, perceiving and deciding everything they're ever going to perceive and decide simultaneously, once and for all. Or at least, because they are outside of time, so it would appear to those of us bound by time. Incidentally this is why we know the devils won't change their minds about their rebellion against Heaven... they don't reason step-by-step the way we do.



      In Dr. Strange, Dormammu doesn't really proceed step by step through his plan to dominate the multiverse. His actions may appear sequential to us, because we perceive things unfolding in time. But in fact from Dormammu's perspective his entire rise and (hopefully) fall is seen in one instant. So here's the point: when Dormammu decided to take Strange's deal, as soon as Strange released him from the trap, that decision was "locked in" as it were, part of the makeup of Dormammu's timeless mind. He would not be able to "change his mind" (nor would such a double-cross likely even occur to him as a possibility). He's just not made that way.






      share|improve this answer








      New contributor




      Joe is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.




















        up vote
        10
        down vote










        up vote
        10
        down vote









        Creatures that exist outside of time "proceed" differently than we do



        Dormammu exists outside of time, so his way of thinking and making decisions must be different from ours. The closest parallels in our world (so to speak) are angels and fallen angels, and you might not be surprised to know that some major theologians have weighed in on this topic. While we mortals have a discursive rationality, proceeding from one thought to the next in succession, angels are said to have an intuitive rationality, perceiving and deciding everything they're ever going to perceive and decide simultaneously, once and for all. Or at least, because they are outside of time, so it would appear to those of us bound by time. Incidentally this is why we know the devils won't change their minds about their rebellion against Heaven... they don't reason step-by-step the way we do.



        In Dr. Strange, Dormammu doesn't really proceed step by step through his plan to dominate the multiverse. His actions may appear sequential to us, because we perceive things unfolding in time. But in fact from Dormammu's perspective his entire rise and (hopefully) fall is seen in one instant. So here's the point: when Dormammu decided to take Strange's deal, as soon as Strange released him from the trap, that decision was "locked in" as it were, part of the makeup of Dormammu's timeless mind. He would not be able to "change his mind" (nor would such a double-cross likely even occur to him as a possibility). He's just not made that way.






        share|improve this answer








        New contributor




        Joe is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
        Check out our Code of Conduct.









        Creatures that exist outside of time "proceed" differently than we do



        Dormammu exists outside of time, so his way of thinking and making decisions must be different from ours. The closest parallels in our world (so to speak) are angels and fallen angels, and you might not be surprised to know that some major theologians have weighed in on this topic. While we mortals have a discursive rationality, proceeding from one thought to the next in succession, angels are said to have an intuitive rationality, perceiving and deciding everything they're ever going to perceive and decide simultaneously, once and for all. Or at least, because they are outside of time, so it would appear to those of us bound by time. Incidentally this is why we know the devils won't change their minds about their rebellion against Heaven... they don't reason step-by-step the way we do.



        In Dr. Strange, Dormammu doesn't really proceed step by step through his plan to dominate the multiverse. His actions may appear sequential to us, because we perceive things unfolding in time. But in fact from Dormammu's perspective his entire rise and (hopefully) fall is seen in one instant. So here's the point: when Dormammu decided to take Strange's deal, as soon as Strange released him from the trap, that decision was "locked in" as it were, part of the makeup of Dormammu's timeless mind. He would not be able to "change his mind" (nor would such a double-cross likely even occur to him as a possibility). He's just not made that way.







        share|improve this answer








        New contributor




        Joe is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
        Check out our Code of Conduct.









        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer






        New contributor




        Joe is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
        Check out our Code of Conduct.









        answered yesterday









        Joe

        2013




        2013




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        New contributor





        Joe is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
        Check out our Code of Conduct.






        Joe is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
        Check out our Code of Conduct.















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