Karl Mordo is a former member of the Masters of the Mystic Arts and was a close ally to the Ancient One. When Mordo met Stephen Strange he let him in Kamar-Taj and had later aided him with the conflict against Kaecilius and the Zealots. After death of the Ancient One and the eventual defeat of Kaecilius Mordo was so mortified by his colleagues' constant violation of natural laws that he turned his back on his allies. Instead he chose to restore balance by stripping sorcerers of all their powers.