The Ancient One introduced the concept of an "absolute point in time" to explain that Christine's death was a fixed event, unchangeable no matter what Stephen Strange did. Everything he had just attempted was completely in vain.
Watching this, Thor suddenly went quiet, his thoughts drifting to himself and to Asgard. Yes, they'd managed to change a lot thanks to the revelations from the quiz game, but… were some pivotal events truly beyond alteration?
Ragnarök. Odin's death. The fall of Asgard.
They hadn't reached those events yet, but a heavy sense of dread gripped Thor. He shook his head instinctively.
"No. This Ancient One is wrong. Neither my version of the Ancient One nor Stephen ever said anything like that! And it contradicts everything the TVA said about timelines!"
Thanks to Loki, Thor remembered those TVA future videos all too well.
According to the TVA's theory of time, every choice at a critical moment could lead to branching timelines. If that's the case, then the Ancient One's concept of an "absolute point" made no sense at all.
Deadpool shrugged. "Different worlds, different rules. It's not that deep, guys. If you ask me, Stephen, instead of playing with time like it's a puzzle, maybe you should think bigger—like, I dunno, escape the damn universe."
Stephen Strange, devastated and overwhelmed by the thought of losing Christine again, winced in pain at his chest. He looked up sharply. "What do you mean by that?"
"Simple," Deadpool said, waggling his eyebrows. "Send her away. Pop her into another universe. Break the loop, problem solved. Just spitballing here, I'm not offering a money-back guarantee."
Seeing Strange get worked up, Deadpool quickly added, "Don't go full wizard on me—I'm just saying it's possible, not probable."
Annie frowned. "He only managed to change time because of the Eye of Agamotto. But that won't help him escape this universe. Not unless he calls in that Watcher guy—and trust me, that cosmic creep isn't doing anybody favors."
Deadpool scoffed. "Look at us. All from different worlds, all dragged here for some interdimensional quiz show. You gonna tell me this place plays by normal rules?"
Stephen nodded rapidly. "No, you're right. You're absolutely right. There has to be a way. I will save Christine. That's it. That's the path."
Stephen wasn't the type to give up easily. And the version of him in the video was no different—he refused to accept the Ancient One's explanation, stubbornly believing there had to be a way to save the woman he loved.
The Ancient One didn't want him to continue messing with the Time Stone, fearing it would trap him in an endless cycle and bring unpredictable chaos to reality itself.
But no matter how much she pleaded, Stephen wouldn't listen.
He believed the only reason he couldn't break this so-called absolute point was because he wasn't strong enough yet. Not wise enough. But he'd get there—he had to.
After another round of arguing, Stephen finally decided to activate the Time Stone right in front of her.
The Ancient One raised a hand in warning. "If you try that again, I won't hold back."
Stephen just smirked. "Then you'll have to find me first."
He summoned the Time Stone—and that was all the Ancient One needed. She attacked immediately, hurling a surge of energy directly at his chest. Smoke burst in all directions as Stephen Strange vanished in the blast.
The camera cut to a forest. Stephen reappeared, coughing and brushing soot off his chest—the Eye of Agamotto had shielded him from the blow.
As he stood up, he noticed a hooded monk watching him silently.
When Stephen asked who he was, the monk gave no answer—he simply turned and walked away.
Stephen didn't know where he was, but followed anyway. They emerged from the forest and found themselves before a towering, majestic temple.
He smiled. He was sure—he was in the right place.
Outside the screen, Deadpool nudged Stephen. "See that? Told you. Mysterious monk in a forest? Classic mentor material. Want to bet he teaches you the trick to save your girl?"
Stephen looked back at him, eyes blazing with determination. "I'll take that bet. I'm betting on myself."
Deadpool grinned. "Then I'm betting you fall flat on your cloak-covered ass."
Just then, the screen paused, before flashing a new question:
[Will Doctor Stephen Strange ultimately succeed in saving Christine Palmer?]
[A: Yes
B: No]
Stephen tensed up immediately. "A! It has to be A! I can do this!"
"Whoa, take it easy, man," Thor said, trying to calm him down. "Christine's fine—she's probably watching this on the live feed. Don't let emotions cloud your answer."
These binary questions seemed simple on the surface, but they were always trickier than they looked.
This one, in particular, had emotional bait. After all that setup, the audience wanted the answer to be A. But that emotional pull could skew the logic of the game.
Thor had learned the hard way what that kind of bias could cost. He hesitated, then said quietly, "I want it to be A, but my gut tells me it's B. Stephen… try to be rational."
But Stephen couldn't be rational. Not now. Not when Christine was involved.
"I'm going with A. No matter what you all choose—I believe in myself."
This was his first time participating in the quiz, unlike Thor, who had gone through multiple rounds and deeply understood how much this game could affect their futures.
To Stephen, the Ancient One's claim about an unbreakable "absolute point" sounded terrifying. Like fate. Like a paradox he couldn't win against.
He put all his hope into this single question.
The countdown began.
Everyone exchanged looks. Stephen slammed the buzzer first and locked in his answer—A.
Thor and Deadpool both chose B. Hughie, Billy, and Annie sided with Stephen and picked A as well.
When the timer hit zero, the results appeared:
[Player Stephen Strange answered incorrectly. -4 points.
Player Hughie Campbell, player Billy Butcher, player Annie January: incorrect. -1 point each.]
[Congratulations to player Thor Odinson and player Wade Wilson for correct answer. +1 point each.]
Deadpool whistled. "Told ya. Should've bet money, Doc. I'd be rich."
___
🎉 Big Shoutout to Devin Drenovas and Melon!🎉
A heartfelt thank you to Devin Drenovas and Melon for joining my Patreon and supporting this journey! 🙏✨
Your generosity truly makes a difference and helps bring chapters out faster for everyone. 🚀
Welcome to the VIP family, Devin Drenovas and Melon—you both are awesome! 💎🙌