Pietro couldn't understand Peter's actions in the video—why would he turn against Doctor Strange just to save a group of villains?
It wasn't just him; many of the viewers watching the live-stream were equally baffled.
Wasn't there a limit to being compassionate?
As Doctor Strange had pointed out in the video, these villains had a destined fate in their respective universes. If Peter altered their destinies, what if it caused even greater disasters in those worlds?
Was it really worth risking countless innocent lives just to save a few villains?
Some people couldn't help but curse:
"This Spider-Man must have lost his mind. Even Batman, who refuses to kill, at least teaches criminals a lesson and hands them over to professionals for treatment. But you? You're just a teenager—what makes you think you have the ability to cure these lunatics?"
"Mercy toward enemies is cruelty to oneself! Just watch—Spider-Man is bound to pay the price for his stupidity!"
"I admit Peter and his aunt are kind-hearted people, but they're clearly too emotional and lack rational judgment. And in situations like this, good intentions often lead to disaster!"
Of course, not everyone were against Peter. Some were genuinely moved by his and Aunt May's compassion.
But at this moment, someone retorted:
"Give me a break. I suggest you stay far away from people with this kind of 'saintly' mindset! Look at the video—Doctor Strange was only helping Spider-Man, yet he ended up causing a massive crisis. And now he has to clean up the mess, but instead of feeling grateful or guilty, this kid actually fights him?
That's the price of befriending someone with a savior complex—one day, they might betray you for the sake of a complete stranger!"
____
Inside the Eternal Space
Peter bit his lip, struggling to defend his future self:
"Mister Strange acted too fast! If I hadn't stopped him, Norman Osborn and the others would have been sent back—and they would have died! I couldn't just stand by and let that happen, even if they were villains. Aunt May was right—I should try to help them..."
He could admit that he had made mistakes, but he refused to believe that Aunt May's teachings were wrong.
She had been his only family, raising him with love and kindness. Her words shaped him into the optimistic, kind-hearted person he was today. If he went against her beliefs now, it would feel like a betrayal.
Doctor Strange sighed and waved his hand.
*"I'm not saying you—or Aunt May—are wrong. Alright, in this case, my future self also made a mistake. Wong was right.
I underestimated the consequences of the Ritual of Koff-Karr, which led to this mess.
But Peter, I hope that in the future, you'll think things through before taking action."
Seeing how Peter looked like he was about to cry, Pietro added:
"Stephen, the kid does have a point. In the video, you didn't even give him a chance to explain. You're just as stubborn as Tony—always refusing to respect other people's opinions."
Doctor Strange's brow twitched. "Just watch the video. I'm curious to see how this little guy managed to defeat me."
In the Video
After Peter snatched box, he was clearly panicked. He never intended to fight Doctor Strange, but he had no other choice.
Holding the box tightly, he didn't know what to do next.
Fortunately, Ned and MJ quickly reminded him to run. His best friend and girlfriend trusted him unconditionally and chose to stay behind to cover his escape.
Of course, they weren't strong enough to stop Doctor Strange.
As soon as Peter swung out of the Sanctum, he instinctively shot out a web to swing away—only to suddenly disappear into a golden portal and reappear back at the Sanctum's entrance.
It was clear that Spider-Man's usual escape tactics were useless against Doctor Strange.
Still unwilling to give up, Peter shot another web to try again—only for Strange to open two connected portals, one in front of Peter and one behind him.
The result?
Peter's own web ended up sticking to his own foot, leaving him hanging upside down in mid-air.
Then, Doctor Strange casually summoned an energy whip, wrapped it around Spider-Man's waist, and yanked him back.
As Peter was pulled toward him, Strange calmly placed his palm against Peter's chest—
And in the next instant, Peter Parker's soul was knocked right out of his body!
This was one of the signature techniques of the Sorcerer Supreme.
The Ancient One had once used this very spell to show Stephen Strange the wonders of magic—and to subdue the Hulk effortlessly.
Now, Doctor Strange used it on Spider-Man—and just as expected, it was ridiculously effective.
Watching this scene, the Peter Parker outside the video was in awe.
"Wow! Mister Strange, your magic is seriously cool! No matter how many times I see it, it's still impressive!"
The little guy had been feeling down just moments ago, but now he was bright-eyed with excitement. He didn't even seem to care that it was his future self getting schooled by Doctor Strange—he just thought the magic looked awesome.
Doctor Strange rolled his eyes. "Which is why I find it so bizarre that I still ended up losing to you."
Hearing this, Peter couldn't help but feel a little proud.
"Well, I guess my future self isn't totally useless, huh? If I can beat someone as strong as you… then I must be pretty amazing too!"
Back in the Video
After knocking Peter's soul out of his body, Doctor Strange reached for the Box—
But to his surprise, Peter's body instinctively dodged him!
Even without a soul controlling it, Spider-Man's body continued to move on its own, reacting quickly to avoid Strange's attempts to take the box.
Doctor Strange was caught off guard.
"What the—? How is his body still moving?!"
It was almost as if Spider-Man's body had a mind of its own—an ability even Peter himself didn't fully understand. But it was likely connected to his Spider-Sense.
As Peter got used to his soul form, he gradually figured out how to move back into his body.
Then—he successfully re-entered his body and web-slung away!
Doctor Strange wasn't going to let him escape that easily, though.
With a flick of his wrist, his Cloak of Levitation flew off his back and chased after Peter, trying to steal the box.
Perhaps because he had lost the upper hand earlier, Doctor Strange was now getting serious.
This time, he didn't hold back—
He sent Peter crashing into the Mirror Dimension!.
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