Doctor Strange’s Villain Nightmare is Way More Powerful Than Dormammu

Warning: contains spoilers for X-Men #4!

While Dormammu may be known as Doctor Strange’s most famous comic book (and film, as of Strange’s 2016 cinematic debut) villain, his power pales in comparison to that of the villain known as Nightmare. Doctor Strange is no stranger to battling cosmic entities, hellish demons and otherworldly monstrosities, but Nightmare is on a completely different level. Literally so, for the character rules an entire plane of existence: the Dream Dimension.

Nightmare first appeared in Strange Tales #110, by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (which was also the debut of Doctor Strange, who wouldn’t get a self-titled series until later). This officially makes Nightmare the first villain Strange has ever encountered. As master of the Dream Dimension, Nightmare torments humans and feeds off the psychic energy provided through their nightmares; Nightmare in fact relies on this dream energy to stay alive. Though Strange has defeated him on occasion (temporarily banishing him back to his realm, for example, he can never truly be killed.

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In X-Men #4, Nightmare flies through New York City at night, feasting on anxieties and fears expressed by humans when they sleep. “Usually,” says Nightmare “when I ride across this plane, the Sorcerer Supreme rides out to meet me.” But Doctor Strange is dead, and Nightmare rejoices at his enemy’s demise as he moves from dream to dream. Even if Doctor Strange was alive at this time, Nightmare always proves a difficult challenge; he doesn’t just control dreams, he can turn dreams into reality. 

Nightmare’s immense power allows him to take on celestial, cosmic beings such as Galactus and even the Celestials themselves. These are among some of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe; to most cosmic-level beings, the entirety of humanity is quite literally beneath them. Ego the Living Planet and even Eternity (one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse, perhaps only second to the Living Tribunal). can both be bested by Nightmare. If Nightmare can fight the likes of Eternity, fighting humans – even one such as Doctor Strange – is child’s play. While some mutants such as Jean Grey have powerful psychic abilities and can banish Nightmare from their own minds, most inhabitants of Earth aren not so fortunate.

With his Dark Dimension powers, Dormammu can battle perhaps one of these entities, but Nightmare can face all of them. It’s been heavily rumored that Nightmare will even play a part in the MCU with the release of 2021’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as the main villain. If that’s the case, the Doctor Strange of the MCU will find himself face-to-face with his most powerful enemy he has ever encountered in the comics.

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