Once, shortly before his death, the Ancient One sat Stephen down and told him some things that he figured Stephen would eventually have to know.
Some of it was pretty straightforward. (“Wear socks. You ever go to the frozen dimension of S’tohr, you’ll understand about the socks.”) Some of it was not. (“I know you don’t know the Insane Incantation of Ix, but if you ever learn it, only cast it backwards on a Tuesday while holding a strong cup of green tea. Also, wear socks. The socks are actually not related to the spell, but I want to emphasize their importance.”) Some of it was borne of years of life experience. (“If you are ever offered the opportunity to switch genders, make sure there is a reversal easily available beforehand. Trust me on this. Also, remember that women wear different types of socks.”) And some of it made no sense at all. (“Now, that ancient Etruscan phrase I just mentioned? Keep it to mind. You’ll know when you need it.”)
And he told Stephen about the Path In Winter.
Every Sorcerer Supreme sees the Path once. When they see the Path, it doesn’t matter if they’re in the middle of a fight for the cosmos, attending the birth of your firstborn child, or doing laundry: you have to start walking along it. Right then, right there. (Luckily, it only ever comes in wintertime for some reason, so at least Sorcerers Supreme can try to proactively schedule massive mystical undertakings for the summer.) Your very existence as a Sorcerer Supreme is dependent on walking the Path. And, since the Sorcerer Supreme is the mystical guardian of the entire universe, that means the universe itself depends on you walking the Path as well.
Once the Ancient One was certain that Stephen understood the importance of walking the Path, he promptly refused to discuss anything more about it and instead once again began talking about the importance of socks. “Every man walks his own Path, and it is different for each of us, so there wouldn’t be any point in relating my experience to you, as yours will be entirely different. That’s why we don’t discuss it.” (When Stephen quite reasonably pointed out that there was no way to tell if each sorcerer’s Path was in fact different without comparing respective experiences, the Ancient One responded by smacking him lightly upside the head.)
The nature of the Path – left a mystery. An ages-old enchantment, built by the very first Sorcerer Supreme (you know, Agamotto) to serve as a guidepost for his successors? Maybe it’s a discussion between the Sorcerer Supreme and the universe (which is not conscious per se, but a conversation between a sentient being and the universe has to be defined by the being’s point of view). Possibly it could be the Sorcerer Supreme’s subconscious using their magical utility to create an advisory moment on a subrealm. Or maybe it’s Death, pulling a Pratchett and politely warning the Sorcerer Supreme that their time, while not yet up, is definitely running short.
Maybe it’s any or all of those things; “each Sorcerer Supreme walks his own path” might not be poetic hyperbole.
But it’s going to happen, and soon. And because this is a comic book – or maybe just because it’s inherently a magical thing – it will happen at the most impossible time it possibly can. And when it happens, Doctor Strange will have to walk his Path just like every one of his predecessors did.
Top comment: TWIST: The Path In Winter appears right in the middle of Radical Steve’s winning run at the world skateboard championships. With his Subway subs sponsorship on the line, will Steve follow the path or do an awesome inverted kickflip? — liquidben
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Or he could fuck up and not.
Seriously, dude, could you please just get a comic contract and publish? I’d read your comics and don’t want to ruin the surprise by reading your summaries. 0_o
I would give up a kidney to see you make comics, MGK.
The sock thing reminds me of his mini-series with Dead Girl, and the Path in Winter reminds me of Carlos Castaneda.
Which reminds me… what do you think of TVtropes.org? Is there anything new under the sun?
Okay, you’ve sold me on these last two. Anyone know who we can blackmail at Marvel to let you on the book?
I would give up Sage’s kidney to see you make comics, MGK.
In lieu of available kidneys, I’ll be giving Sage’s pancreas instead. Do you take pancreas or is this a kidney-only business?
So, the path.
Is it cold? If so, does one need to wear socks when walking it?
Socks is crap. If he’s always wearing socks, how he will know if Dormammu done stole his pinkie toes or something?
The sock thing reminds me more of the ‘wear sunscreen’ meme that was going around a couple years ago, actually.
But the Path in Winter thing is pretty keen.
Your version of the Ancient One is a cross between Pat Morita and Professor Farnsworth. I like it.
the beginning thing about the socks sounds almost Pratchettesque.
Also you need to do this good sir.
Yes, the Path of Winter is a cool idea.
But part of me is jabbering in the back of my head “Trudeau. 1984. A walk in the snow”… and Shainblum and Morissette’s “Northern Magus” from Angloman.
Oh, wait, is this the old “Descend into the Underworld to Retrieve the Sun” dealie? Is that what you’re doing? And by underworld, you mean the Unconscious but also the Human Concept of Death but also the Real Underworld? The Sun is, like, Hope and The Laws of Physics simultaneously?
Is that what you’re doing? You old rascal, you?
I would give up a kidney to see you make comics, MGK.
I, too, would give up one of Sage’s kidneys to see you make comics.
(”If you are ever offered the opportunity to switch genders, make sure there is a reversal easily available beforehand. Trust me on this.”)
Do I even what the know the story behind this?
“Maybe it’s a discussion between the Sorcerer Supreme and the universe (which is not conscious per se, but a conversation between a sentient being and the universe has to be defined by the being’s point of view).”
Not really, since Eternity can just pop up in front of you and say “Hi” whenever he God damn feels like it. He usually doesn’t, but that doesn’t mean he can’t. Plus, Eternity owes Strange a solid. Strange sayed his life after all. The Defenders helped, but, ya know, it’s the Defenders, they get no respect. Which is funny given that many of their roster could split the planet in half. Are you going to have the Defenders appear in the book?
I have a scene in my head where Dr. Strange is killing a beautiful spring afternoon at an open air market in New York when he happens across kieosk selling various kinds of socks. The good Doctor promptly buys 5 pairs of each type for sale and seals them away in a mystical pocket-reality.
When asked his companion that fine day he has two answers. The first is cyptic: He’s following some very good advice from a very smart man. The second is simple. Pulling on a new pair of socks for the first time is one of life’s perfect little pleasures, and one must always be in a position to treat oneself from time to time.
A good hitchhiker always knows where his towel is.
I, too, would give up one of Sage’s kidneys to see you make comics.
I guess the question is: which of Sage’s organs do we have to sell to get you your title?
I would like to strongly disavow any presumed interest in various bodily organs of other people, until such time as I need a transplant.
Actually I’d rather see you just take over Marvel altogether. Muhuhuhuhahahaha.
In order to do that, though, he’d have to defeat Stan Lee in single combat, Star Trek style….
I just hope that Joe Quesada doesn’t call the cops on us when we show up at Marvel Studios with a pile of Sage’s organs.
Strange appears to be marking his magical territory all over the winter path.
daemyann: Well he didn’t have breadcrumbs. He needed to leave SOME kind of trail to follow back to the real world.
“Welcome to Sage Freehaven’s Organ Emporium! We have kidneys, we have livers, we go your gall bladders and your testicles! Come on down for this weeks specials! Pituitary glands are half-off! Frontal lobes come with a free lung! And our bloody good deal of the week: A free duodenum with every heart!”
Which makes wonder: what exactly is the exchange rate on internal organs? And are they duty-free?
Alas, the Ancient One never thought of having Strange construct a tiny sock golem so that he may always be prepared for sock-related emergencies.
Fess up. The Path in Winter leads to, and is how the Sorcerer Supreme discovers, the ultimate location of where the socks lost in the dryer end up. Which is important to know, since it’s an endless (TM DC) source of socks.
And you most need socks in winter, thus why the path appears then.
TWIST: The Path In Winter appears right in the middle of Radical Steve’s winning run at the world skateboard championships. With his Subway subs sponsorship on the line, will Steve follow the path or do an awesome inverted kickflip?
Sock golems are fueled by energies from the Land of the Darned.
Which hemisphere’s winter? If it’s dependent upon which hemisphere the Sorcerer Supreme is in at the time, that could cause (entertaining) complications for them.
Indeed. Let’s tie a note to Sage’s kidney and throw it through Quesada’s window. But what should the note say? I’m thinking “Hire Christopher Bird or there’ll be more where this came from!”
Incidentally, this “Path in Winter” thing sounds like an interesting story springboard for another reason: if walking the path actually takes time in the real world, then you can write comics exploring Strange’s lackeys (or “companions”) who are left behind while he’s not doing this.
The exchange rate for internal organs is thus: the more important the organ the higher the price. For example, one heart is worth a kidney, spleen, gallbladder, and lung (preferably the left lung). Also internal organs are duty free. External orangs, (skin, hair, nails, and eyes) however are not.
Mage (the old RPG i keep mentioning) had this great mechanic for ‘leveling up’ your magical power. Each Mage had to go on a mini-adventure suited to their character. like my bluesman/vooodoo/Catholic had to walk into the Australian desert and convert a deserted church full of ghosts. that sort of thing
It’d be more interesting if he didn’t.
Pedantry time: Doctor Strange has already met Death, and undergone a mystic trial that all Sorcerers Supreme undergo which made him immortal. He can be killed, but he’s never going to die of old age.
Yeah, and they said Bucky was dead forever.
While you’re on the path, you should see visions of what’s happening back in the real world, just so you can be tormented by if you hadn’t started the Long Walk.
That Mage mechanic (raising Arete), like a LOT of White Wolf RPG mechanics, becomes a lot less cool when your group gets past, oh, four-five players.
Having four guys sitting around or playing NPCs they could care less about while one guy gets his level-up is suboptimal.
“Strange appears to be marking his magical territory all over the winter path.”
Hey, sometimes you just have to drain the dragon.
Reason #8 + Reason #7: The Path appears as Dr. Strange confronts Vincent Stephens… and they BOTH follow the path!
RE: The socks thing. I bet you 616 Strange steals his socks from our dimension. It explains EVERYTHING! DAMN YOU ANCIENT ONE!!!!