Just who is that woman who appears in the mid-credits scene of "Doctor Strange in the
Multiverse of Madness"? What's her role in the comics? Keep watching for the answers.
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
You opened the doorway between universes, and we don't know who or what will walk through it."
It really wouldn't be a Marvel movie if it didn't end with some massive hint at the
future of the MCU accented by the appearance of a wild new character. Of course, now that the barn
doors to other universes have been thrown wide open, the potential guest list for the closing
moments of future Marvel movies is a lot longer. "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness"
chooses to cap things off by introducing a major player in Stephen Strange's comic book history
Much of the fun of "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" turns on these anticipated
cameos, but director Sam Raimi saves the final shock appearance for a future love interest for
the good doctor: Charlize Theron's Clea, who appears during an ominous mid-credits sequence.
Theron's an Oscar winner who has played characters that have caused issues for
Dominic Torretto in the "Fast and the Furious" franchise and has fought alongside Tom Hardy's
road warrior in "Mad Max: Fury Road." Now, Theron has made her MCU debut in "Doctor
Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." Clea may bring a blend of good and bad for the doctor,
given her connections with other characters in the Marvel universe.
The mid-credits scene goes like this: Stephen walks down a road only to be interrupted by a
wielder of the mystic arts we haven't met before. Theron's character appears through another tear
in reality, and though she never reveals her identity, she is listed as Clea in the credits.
She warns Stephen of more dangers on the way following his multiversal meddling. Clea reveals
that Strange has created another incursion between dimensions that needs to be addressed.
Taking this complete stranger on her word, Strange's third eye opens, and he hops into
what remarkably looks like the Dark Dimension, last seen in the first "Doctor Strange" movie.
So just who is Clea, and what role does she play in the magical corner of the Marvel universe?
Clea first appeared in comics in 1964 in Strange Tales #126, where she squared off
against Doctor Strange at the behest of her uncle, Dormammu. Movie fans will remember Dormammu as the
entity Doctor Strange faced down in an eternal stalemate in the 2016 "Doctor Strange" film.
"Dormammu, I've come to bargain."
"You -- what is happening?"
Comics Clea eventually switches sides and even falls in love with Strange.
Eventually, the two were joined in a marriage. But given her extra-dimensional nature,
Clea couldn't stay on Earth permanently, and they broke it off. Recently,
Clea was appointed Sorcerer Supreme following the death of her beloved in the miniseries "The
Death of Doctor Strange." At that point, she even adopted the last name "Strange."
So could this new character and the well-known path she takes in the comics be setting up
another piece to an even grander puzzle in the MCU? The MCU sure isn't what it used to be,
at least in terms of its occupants. Many of the core members of Earth's Mightiest Heroes
are no longer around, and those that remain may be about to age out of their tights.
With that in mind, could Theron's arrival in the MCU be another introduction to a replacement?
Various heroes in the MCU over the last year have passed, or may be in the process
of handing their heroic moniker over to someone else. So far, we've had a new Captain America,
the arrival of a new Black Widow, and a young Hawkeye apprentice. Let's not forget that
we're also getting a new Thor in a matter of months. With these superhero shifts in mind,
might Clea's current title in the comic books set a precedent for her place on the big screen?
It could well be the case. Either way, you can see her make her brief appearance
in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" in theaters now.
Just stick around for a bit after the credits start to roll.
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