Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man titles are full of easter eggs and references hinting at Marvel universe and players have come across several of them in the latest Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Players have come across Avengers Tower, Nelson, and Murdock’s attorney’s office, Josie’s Bar, Jessica Jones’ Alias Investigations, and many other Marvel Universe places as well as some Avengers.
However, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 did something better than the previous games and features a reference and cameo that players would be thrilled to know about. It’s none other than Sanctum Sanctorum, the home of NYC sorcerers Doctor Strange and Wong.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Features Doctor Strange
The popular Marvel landmark, Sanctum Sanctorum has been in the original Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales side story but the characters weren’t specifically mentioned. After players were able to find the Sanctum Sanctorum, they could swing past it, that Insomniac’s Spider-Man existed in the Marvel universe and this was also referenced in Across the Spider-Verse movie.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 takes it up a notch with Sanctum Sanctorum, featuring a Doctor Strange and Wong cameo, although not on screen unfortunately. Sanctum Sanctorum returns in the game in the same spot as it was in the previous two games and the appearance of the building is almost the same but Insomniac has reworked the stained-glass window of the iconic building. The glass window now features brighter yellow coloring instead of dark orange and red color in the last games.
However, that’s not the cameo the Doctor Strange reference in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 if you’re wondering. In the story chapter early on in the game, players play as Miles Morales and try to track down Felicia Hardy AKA Black Cat, and let her know about Kraven the Hunter and his goons. After Miles locates her movements on a rooftop, he finds a safe that has a piece of paper with a mysterious artifact named Wand of Watoomb mentioned on it.
This hints at Black Cat’s next steps and where she is headed. Even the casual Marvel fans will get this hint, but for those unaware, it is a reference to Doctor Strange and Sanctum Sanctorum. When players arrive at the Sanctum Sanctorum, they must now track down Kraven’s hunter around the building and while they are busy battling it out with these hunters, they will hear loud noises and bangs from inside the building. This is seemingly the sorcerers at the Sanctum trying to stop Black Cat from stealing the Wand of Watoomb artifact.
Once players are done dispatching the hunters, they will see Black Cat at the top of the Sanctum Sanctorum, soon leaving using the orange portal that is created by the artifact. Players will then wander around New York City in search of Black Cat who is transporting to various places in and out of the city using the portal.
Later, when Miles Morales and Black Cat meet, she explains that she needs the Wand of Watoomb so that she can teleport to Paris, escape Kraven, and finally meet her girlfriend. Miles then agrees to help her.
Black Cat then opens up a portal to Paris using the Wand of Watoomb and gives it to Miles and after she’s gone to Paris, the wand gets surrounded by orange sparks and disappears from his hands. In place of the wand, Miles gets a note from Wong: “Sorry. Just got back from Nepal. The Doctor and I owe you one – Wong,” confirming the existence of Doctor Strange in Insomniac’s Marvel universe.
To put it in context, Kamar-Taj is located in Nepal and that’s where Doctor Strange learned magic from Ancient One with other superior sorcerers. This is not a strong indication that players could see Doctor Strange in the next Spider-Man game but it is worth discussing the possibility of it.
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