Magic is one of the most powerful and dangerous forces in the Marvel Universe. Although loose costs and rules restrict it, magic can still accomplish virtually anything if the sorcerer is skilled enough. It’s been used to resurrect the dead, ensnare cosmic beings, and even rewrite reality. The greatest magic user of all is the Sorcerer Supreme. They are a magician chosen by the Elder Gods, the Vishanti, to defend Earth from all manner of mystical threats. There has been a Sorcerer Supreme since 1,000,000 BC, with a new worthy recipient chosen as their predecessor deems them ready.

Although Doctor Strange is Marvel’s most famous Sorcerer Supreme, the title actually gets passed around quite often. Many magicians have challenged Stephen for his role, and others have taken it up when he was out of commission. While plenty of people have held it for a fleeting moment, today, we’re going to take a look at every Sorcerer Supreme who left an impact on the world in the modern age and rank them by how good they were at fulfilling their duty.

Doctor Doom

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Doom tricked Doctor Strange into giving him the title of Sorcerer Supreme during the Blood Hunt event, and used his newfound power to declare himself emperor of the world. Although he brought a measure of forced peace and did defend the world from Dormammu’s invasion, you’d be insane to call him a good Sorcerer Supreme. For one, he used his position to literally enforce a fascist dictatorship on the entire planet. Beyond that, his incredible strength was forged on the back of Latveria’s suffering, with everyone in Doom’s country locked in eternal torture to generate magical power. His brief rule left the world in a much worse place than ever before.

Scarlet Witch

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While Wanda hasn’t done anything nearly as terrible as Doom, as of the writing of this list, she hasn’t done much of anything. The Scarlet Witch declared herself the Sorcerer Supreme after the Eye of Agamotto and Cloak of Levitation chose her, but in doing so, drew the ire of the Vishanti. Wanda is currently vying for the throne against her mentor and friend, Agatha Harkness. It remains to be seen what Wanda’s impact on the world will be, but it can’t possibly be worse than Doom’s, so she’s safe to take sixth place.

Loki

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Much like Doctor Doom, Loki swindled the title from Doctor Strange. The difference is that, instead of vying for personal power, Loki did it to save the world. The God of Storytelling had foreseen the coming of the Void and knew that Strange couldn’t stop him on his own. As such, Loki concocted this plan to force Strange to see things their way. The two eventually combined forces to defeat the Void, and Loki returned the title. The Asgardian might have only held the rank for a single storyline, but they did help save the world, so that earns them some big points.

Clea Strange

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While Clea has always retained her position as the Sorcerer Supreme of the Dark Dimension, she temporarily served as the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth as well. In that role, she defended the planet from the nefarious Blasphemy Cartel when they tried to usurp Death with their army of undead Revenants, led by an undead Sentry. Together with Stephen, then Death’s servant, they defeated the Cartel and saved the planet. Clea’s reign as Sorcerer Supreme of Earth was brief, but she showed that she was more than capable of defending the world and marrying her magic with its own, something that once seemed impossible.

Doctor Voodoo

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Jericho Drumm was first gifted the title of Sorcerer Supreme after Strange relinquished it, feeling he’d betrayed its principles. Doctor Voodoo was chosen for his pure heart, and although he was only a master of one type of magic, he rose to the occasion with all the grace and power of any of his predecessors. He served the longest real-world time of anyone not named Stephen Strange, over three years. Doctor Voodoo saved the world countless times, and although his tenure was relatively short, he more than showed that he was one of the most capable people at handling any magical threats that the Earth faced.

The Ancient One

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Yao was born over five hundred years ago and quickly proved himself to be one of the most talented magicians to ever live. He rose to the rank of Sorcerer Supreme and would routinely pass on the title to a champion, only to take it back when they died. He’s served more times than anyone else, always waiting in case the world needed him to step up once again. He’s the legendary master who taught Doctor Strange everything he knows, and battled every magical threat you can imagine during his centuries-long tenure. He’s saved the Earth literally countless times, but even he admits that his glory days are long past him. He only holds the title out of necessity and only to find a better candidate.

Doctor Strange

Naturally, the greatest Sorcerer Supreme of all could only be the one and only Stephen Strange. He started as nothing more than an arrogant doctor who lost everything, but upon hitting rock bottom, he was shown a better path. He’s stumbled plenty along the way, but he always pulls himself back up when the world needs a hero. He’s the most skilled magician alive, having mastered every art there is to know. He’s defeated Dormammu and every other magical threat the world has faced, and he’s done it all with a hero’s heart. Doctor Strange is Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme, and while he may lose the title now and then, it’s never stopped him from acting like it.

So there we have the seven most important people who have served as Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme in the modern day. Which of these masterful magicians is your favorite? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!