What Does The Ending Of Doctor Strange Really Mean?

8. The Ending

So here goes: after taking down the three Sanctums in double quick time (thanks to some truly terrible security), Mads Mikkelsen's Kaecilius opens a portal to the Dark Dimension where Dormammu waits to devour the Earth and grant him eternal life (or so he thinks). Doctor Strange uses the time turner... sorry, the Eye Of Agamotto to reverse time and fix Kaecilius' destruction, before suddenly deciding instead to go and confront Dormammu.

The pair spar and Dormammu realises that Strange has trapped him in an eternal loop (after he kills him in a lovely montage). It's really eternal, as it lasts about 5 minutes, but Dormammu doesn't have any patience despite being immortal. Don't prod at that too much. Anyway, Strange manages to convince the demon demi-God to withdraw his desire for Earth and take Kaecilius with him, in return for getting out of the eternal loop.

Strange then becomes Sorceror Supreme and takes over the New York Sanctum, but not before Mordo has renounced his position as a sorceror in disgust at the flagrant disregard for the natural order and gone off in a huff.