Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: What is the Book of Vishanti?

In the first few minutes of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the mystic relic said to be a myth makes an appearance as a variant of the titular character and America Chavez run away from a monster and as they draw near the Book of Vishanti, the former tries to take the latter’s power telling her that it is the only way. What is it, anyway, and why is it their target?

Warning! Spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness! Do not read if you haven't seen it yet or if you don't like spoilers!

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: What is the Book of Vishanti?

America Chavez pursues the Book of Vishanti knowing that it is the only one that can counter the force that has been hunting her which turned out to be a Darkhold-consumed Wanda Maximoff who went full-on Scarlet Witch. Wanting to consume the powers of America for herself so she can travel the multiverse and be with her sons, America knew that the Book of Vishanti is the only way.

The Book of Vishanti, in the comics, it has an endless number of pages, and it is made to deflect magic with spells to be used only for defense and never on offense. The holders of the gook get vast knowledge to counter evil or dark magic. With this, it purports that it is the exact opposite of the Darkhold. Agamotto, the very first Sorcerer Supreme, wrote the book.

With Wanda being consumed by the Darkhold, it is logical that the Book of Vishanti would be their go-to weapon. After all, it is the exact opposite of the Book of the Damned, however, when they reached a copy of the Book of Vishanti on Earth 838, as Doctor Strange held the book in his hands, Wanda threw chaos magic on the copy, leaving it burning to the ground.

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The logic goes like this, the Darkhold has various copies and it is seen throughout the film with Wanda having a copy, Sinister Strange having one, too, and of course, its main copy, the inscriptions on the temple of Chthon. Wanda, after realizing what she has become, made a promise to destroy every copy of it in the multiverse so no one else would ever read it again.

This would be the same for the Book of Vishanti. Only one copy has been destroyed, there would surely be other copies of it in other universes, including that of Earth 616. Still, the threat lies ahead after Chthon is made canon into the MCU because if the ancient evil gets summoned, the Darkhold is written within the demon’s mind.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now in theaters.