‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ brings together a host of characters in cameos, especially when we see the powerful Illuminati, but the most striking has to be the appearance of Clea.
She is in the mid-credit scene and interacts with Strange who is walking down a New York street in Earth-616. Clea asks for Strange’s help to which the sorcerer readily agrees. As she opens a dimensional portal, Strange takes his scarf off, which turns into his cape. He steps up to the woman in purple uniform, and his Third Eye appears as well. The two then step off into a new adventure.
Who is Clea?
Clea first appeared in Marvel comics in 1964, a character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. ‘Strange Tales #126′ marked the sorceress’ debut.
Clea comes from the Dark Dimension, where Strange had initially faced off against Dormammu and happens to be the villain’s niece. Her powers include transmutation, superhuman strength, throwing magical bolts of concussive energy, telekinesis, teleporting, mesmerism, levitation, casting thoughts, controlling others’ minds, and casting spells and illusions.
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Clea also has the ability to harness extra-dimensional energy. She does so by incanting spells, which invoke objects of power, existing in dimensions tangential to the earth.
Being half-Faltine, Clea is also believed to be able to generate her mystical energies like Dormammu or her mother Umar. She can use these to bolster her magic.
Clea and Doctor Strange in Marvel comics
Played by Charlize Theron, in a cameo that the Marvel studios managed to keep under wraps until the movie’s release, Clea first came to Strange’s aid when Baron Karl Mordo sought Dormammu’s power to destroy Strange and the Ancient One.
By offering her help, Clea risked punishment. She eventually became a staunch ally of Strange against Dormammu, to the point Clea had to flee earth fearing for her safety.
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Studying in the Sanctum Santorum and joining Strange on his adventures, the two became closer. Though Clea developed feelings for Strange, she had to return to the Dark Dimension to overthrow the new ruler, Umar, her mother and Dormammu’s sister. This made her the new ruler of the dimension.
Strange and Clea eventually married until the sorcerer made a deal with Mephisto, a demonic creature, for the fate of the universe. Strange saved the day by paying the price of all Clea’s memories of him being erased. They reunited later, but not completely, and Strange died soon after. Clea not only took the last name but also the title of Sorcerer Supreme, which she holds at present.
Where will Clea appear next?
Seeing as Clea mostly operates in Strange’s orbit, the best bet would be for the character to pop up in the next movie about the doctor-turned-magician. However, there is a chance she might be in the upcoming ‘Ant-Man’ movie, considering the Dark Dimension and the quantum realm appear to have some similarities.
Since Clea takes on the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme, as well as the title Strange in comics, it remains to be seen if Charlize Theron replaces Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular sorcerer in the upcoming ‘Doctor Strange’ movies.
