Ch.42 Million Different Versions of You

"Parallel universe?"

When Ronan introduced this concept, Strange furrowed his brow.

Normally, the things he observed represented the various choices that people like Steve Rogers made and the outcomes that followed.

For example, if it wasn't Hawkeye and Black Widow who went to Vormir, but Tony Stark and Steve Rogers instead, would they have been able to obtain the Soul Stone?

Clearly, they wouldn't meet the conditions for it.

If they hadn't been able to get the stone, they wouldn't have had enough particles to complete their mission. The future they were trying to save would no longer be possible.

That was just one potential outcome.

In the original timeline, Tony Stark and his team chose the best possible path from millions of choices.

That's how they managed to bring everyone back using the power of the Infinity Stones, leading to the final battle.

But Ronan's appearance changed that timeline from the very beginning.

"I don't really understand parallel universes," Strange admitted, sipping his hot cocoa and waiting for Ronan's explanation.

Ronan smiled and waved his hand, and suddenly, a visual appeared in front of both of them—a clear timeline.

"This point here is where Tony and the others set off to retrieve the Infinity Stones," Ronan began. "It seems like they intended to return to the past, gather all six stones, and then put them back."

"This theory is sound," he continued, "but they overlooked the concept of parallel universes."

With that, Ronan manipulated the timeline, creating another line branching off from it.

Though it was connected to the main timeline, it looked quite different.

"The moment they traveled back, I would call it the birth of a parallel universe," Ronan said. "Because of their arrival, a new timeline branched off from the normal flow."

"For instance, Tony Stark accidentally lost the Space Stone, allowing Loki to escape with it," Ronan explained. "That never happened in their original past."

"So, a parallel universe emerged—one where history was mostly the same, but the future turned out completely different!"

Ronan erased the main timeline and zoomed in on the branching line.

Though it appeared as a mere line, for Ronan and Strange, it played out like a movie.

Strange "saw" Loki escape and get captured by the Time Variance Authority (TVA). Of course, there was no Ronan in these scenes. Nor was there any sign of Kang the Conqueror.

"So, you're saying you came to our universe because of this parallel universe?" Strange asked, trying to piece it together. "No, that can't be right."

"If what you're saying is true—that the history is the same but the future is different—you shouldn't have appeared in Kamar-Taj."

Strange stared at Ronan, convinced the key to everything lay with him.

"You're mistaken," Ronan shook his head and altered the visual again. "I said the history is mostly the same, but not entirely identical."

"You know the basic concept of parallel universes, right?" Ronan asked.

Strange nodded. He knew the theoretical foundations well enough.

"In my universe, the culture, history, and technology might all be identical to yours," Ronan explained. "But can you be certain that everyone in each parallel universe is exactly the same?"

"For example, in your universe, Tony Stark has a lovely daughter. But are you sure that, in my universe, he doesn't have a son instead? Or maybe twins?" Ronan pointed out, making the most crucial point.

This was the essence of parallel universes—a world similar, yet not exactly the same.

Hearing this, Strange seemed to grasp something.

"So, you're saying the 'past' Tony and the others traveled to wasn't their actual past, but an unknown parallel universe," Strange reasoned. "In that universe, you were the future Sorcerer Supreme?"

"And I…" Strange hesitated, looking at Ronan.

Ronan smiled and nodded. "In my universe, you're still a world-famous surgeon. And as far as I know, in my universe, you never had that strange car accident."

"In other words, in my universe, you remained an ordinary person, never touching magic," Ronan continued. "But you did marry the woman you love and started a family."

That struck a deep chord with Strange.

If there was one thing he regretted most, it was losing Christine. During the five years he was gone, she had moved on and gotten engaged to another man. It was a mistake he could never undo.

What was lost was lost forever.

"Of course," Ronan went on, "in other parallel universes, you might still be the Sorcerer Supreme, and Christine could still be your love. Or maybe, in some other parallel universes, you've fallen and allied with the Dark Dimension."

"These things can't be predicted," Ronan shrugged, casually tossing out these possibilities.

Though Ronan said it offhandedly, Strange listened intently.

"And what about you?" Strange asked. "Do parallel universes also have different versions of you?"

Ronan shrugged. "Maybe. I don't really know."

"I was just giving examples," Ronan added, "but perhaps in other universes, the Sorcerer Supreme isn't you, me, or even the Ancient One."

Of course, Ronan was making this part up. Based on what the Ancient One had told him, and his own guesswork, it was likely that in most other parallel universes, Strange would still be the Sorcerer Supreme.

Ronan, on the other hand, was the one who had "gone wrong" in the multiverse.

Maybe it was because of his time travel. Maybe for some other reason.

He just didn't know yet.

"So, combining everything I've told you from the start," Ronan said, "there are two possibilities for my appearance and how it changed your so-called history."

"The first is that we are now in a completely different parallel universe."

At this, Ronan glanced at Strange, admitting he wasn't entirely sure himself.

He couldn't tell if he had accidentally created a parallel universe or if he had irreversibly altered the future of the main universe.

"The second possibility is that my appearance was a 'permitted variable,'" Ronan continued. "One that couldn't be detected by the Time Stone but came about through sheer coincidence."

Hearing this, Strange finally relaxed.

In a way, being Sorcerer Supreme meant that he knew more than most. But that also made him aware of unpredictable dangers.

Whether it was a parallel universe or a sanctioned anomaly, Ronan's presence didn't seem to pose any significant threat to their future.

That was enough for him.

"I think I understand what you're saying," Strange finally admitted. "But as for the parallel universe concept…"

"I'd prefer you didn't tell anyone else," he added, after a brief hesitation.

No matter what, Ronan had helped save the world, even if there were things Strange didn't fully understand.

"Of course, I'll keep it a secret," Ronan agreed, nodding. After all, he was about to leave, so there was no need to explain too much about where he came from.

Seeing that Strange believed his story, Ronan felt a sense of relief. Convincing people wasn't always easy.

But now, it was time for Ronan to address his own questions.