Who's Clea in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'?
What's the story
On May 6, Marvel released its next addition to Phase-IV: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The Benedict Cumberbatch-led film introduced us to many universes with new characters. The movie also had a post-credit scene where a never-seen-before female character had come to collect Doctor Strange. Who was she and how will she impact future tales? This article contains spoilers.
Identity
Clea is the niece of Dormammu
Played by Charlize Theron, the new character who stepped into the film (and Doctor Strange's life) through a portal from the Dark Dimension is sorcerer Clea. She is the daughter of Prince Orini and Umar, the sister of Dark Dimension's ruler, Dormammu. Sourcing her powers directly from the said Dimension, Clea is one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Twitter Post
Theron gave us a close-up shot at Clea on Wednesday
Meet Clea. pic.twitter.com/l3U7UNMo5g
— Charlize Theron (@CharlizeAfrica) May 10, 2022
Comics
How is Clea related to Doctor Strange?
While Clea's arc remains unknown in the films, she is quite intricately associated with Doctor Strange in the comics. She initially helps Strange in his battle against Dormammu. Following that Clea comes to Earth with Strange, becoming his disciple to learn the mystical arts. Ultimately, she goes on to become both the ruler of Dark Dimension and Sorcerer Supreme at separate points in time.
Possibility
She might be Strange's next love interest
Another factor that we know from the comics is that Clea is Strange's significant romantic interest. In fact, the two sorcerers are married. Normal marriage won't work because they're from different dimensions, so they create a magical bond to function as such. Given (spoiler alert) Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) is now married in the movies, this was strategically the right time to introduce Clea.
Upcoming
What can we expect from Clea's character in MCU?
When Clea arrives in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, she informs Strange that his actions have triggered an incursion, which he must help to correct. Then they both walk into the Dark Dimension. Now we can expect follow-up Doctor Strange movies to focus on his fight with Dormammu, thereby leading up to his bond and eventual romance with Clea.