10 Times Doctor Strange Outsmarted Everyone
We'd all fight Dracula too, given the chance.
A man capable of understanding both complex neurosurgery and sorcery, it's always been clear that Doctor Strange is one of Marvel's smartest heroes.
Tasked with ensuring the universe is safe from all sorts of dangerous magical entities, the Sorcerer Supreme arguably needs to be one of the most intelligent people in the room, because otherwise the fate of the world rests in the hands of an idiot.
All of this goes a significant way to explain why the Master of the Mystic Arts is constantly outsmarting people. With his job being crucial to the safety of so many, Strange is willing to do just about anything to ensure that any potential threat is neutralised as quickly and effectively as possible - which means he isn't above things like selling his soul seven times, or manipulating fellow heroes into doing what he wants. He's easily as much a danger to his allies as his enemies, but this is the burden of the Sorcerer Supreme - one that requires them to put the safety of the universe above any friendships or teams.
He's not always a moral bastion, but Stephen Strange is the poster boy for getting the job done; be it fighting the Avengers, hiding magical artefacts inside people, or even punching Dracula in the face.
10. Outplaying Dormammu - Strange Tales #127
The Sorcerer Supreme's various victories against Dormammu are perhaps his most well known comic feats, especially with the popularity of the 2016 Doctor Strange film.
Which is why it's so bizarre that Strange's smartest defeat of the ruler of the Dark Dimension is also the one least known. While the majority of clashes involve Stephen sealing the Eater of Souls away in some alternate universe, Strange Tales #129 has the magician go an entirely different route, instead helping the Dread One after their battle results in the Dark Dimension being invaded.
Aware his life and world are in debt to the Master of Black Magic, Dormmamu reluctantly becomes the hero's temporary ally, and agrees to not invade Earth as thanks for the magician's assistance.
It's not entirely life-altering - as Dormammu is hardly BFFs with Strange, and would still gladly murder him in cold blood if the chance arose - but in terms of pitting one weedy sorcerer against a Lord of Chaos, it's a pretty impressive result.