Warning: This article contains major spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness!
No MCU movie is complete without a mid-credits scene setting up the next sequel, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness doesn’t disappoint. No sooner does Benedict Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange come to terms with a third eye growing out of his forehead than he’s greeted by a mysterious, portal-hopping sorceress. Clea has officially joined the MCU, and she’s played by none other than Charlize Theron.
Not since Thanos’ cameo in The Avengers has the appearance of a strange, purple character caused so much confusion and speculation. We’re here to break down what you need to know about Clea’s Marvel background and what role she may be playing in the future of the MCU. These are the topics we cover here:
- Doctor Strange Post-Credits: Who Is Charlize Theron's Clea?
- Clea’s Marvel Universe Origins
- Clea’s Magical Powers
- Clea in Marvel's TV and Games
- Clea’s Future in the MCU
Doctor Strange Post-Credits: Who Is Charlize Theron's Clea?
Stephen Strange may usually hold the title of Sorcerer Supreme in the Marvel Universe, but his authority doesn’t extend to other dimensions and realities. Clea holds that title in the Dark Dimension. Despite being the niece of Strange’s greatest foe, Dormammu, Clea is a powerful force for good and arguably the love of Strange’s life. Their relationship hasn’t necessarily worked out long term, but Clea will always be one of Doctor Strange’s most important allies in the neverending battle against the supernatural forces of darkness.
"Their relationship hasn’t necessarily worked out long term, but Clea will always be one of Doctor Strange’s most important allies in the neverending battle against the supernatural forces of darkness."
Clea’s Marvel Universe Origins
Clea was originally created by the Marvel Comics super-team that was Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, debuting in 1964’s Strange Tales #126. However, it would be some time before readers learned much about this character, as she spent most of her early appearances as a captive of either Dormammu or his sister Umar.
Over time, Strange learns about Clea’s troubled background. She may look like an ordinary human with a peculiar fashion sense, but Clea is actually a member of a race of energy beings known as the Faltine. Clea is the daughter of Umar, making her Dormammu’s niece and a potential heir to the throne of the Dark Dimension.
Strange is eventually able to free Clea and brings her to live at the Sanctum Santorum. The two fall in love and even become legally wed (at least under the kooky laws of the Dark Dimension). That has the added benefit of making Umar unable to hurt Doctor Strange without also affecting her daughter.
As with most superhero romances, Strange and Clea’s marriage doesn’t last. However, they remain close allies. Strange helps Clea take advantage of the power struggle in the Dark Dimension. At different points, Clea has led the underground resistance against Dormammu and even sat on the throne herself.
Until recently, Clea had faded into the background of the Marvel Universe. However, with 2021’s The Death of Doctor Strange living up to its name, Earth is in need of a new Sorcerer Supreme to hold back the darkness. Clea has now taken up her ex-husband’s mantle, and her adventures are chronicled in a new series simply titled Strange.
Clea’s Magical Powers
As an energy being with a lot of experience wielding the mystic arts, Clea is a sorceress with the power to rival even Doctor Strange himself. Name a magic spell and she can probably cast it - from levitation to mind-control to casting illusions. Her Faltine biology also gives her other useful powers, including a longer lifespan and enhanced physical strength.
Clea has also received some significant power boosts over the course of her magical career. When she ruled over the Dark Dimension, the faith and support of her subjects unlocked the Flames of Regency, which amplified her already impressive abilities. And now that Clea has replaced Strange as the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth in the comics, she has access to all his magical tools and resources.
Clea in Marvel's TV and Games
Despite being one of the most important supporting characters in the Doctor Strange comics, Clea hasn't often made the jump from page to screen.
- TV: Clea and Doctor Strange both make silent cameos in the X-Men: The Animated Series episode "Nightcrawler." Clea was also portrayed by Anne-Marie Martin in the 1978 Dr. Strange TV movie. However, the film featured a pretty loose adaptation of the source material, depicting her as an ordinary, human woman named Clea Lake who becomes a pawn in Morgan le Fay's feud with Stephen Strange.
- Games: Clea has appeared in a handful of contemporary Marvel games, both as an NPC character in games like Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and a playable character in LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 and the mobile game Marvel Future Fight.
Clea’s Future in the MCU
Now that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has introduced Charlize Theron as a much more comics-inspired version of Clea, it’s safe to say this character has a key part to play in the MCU’s future.
Though Theron’s character only appears for a few seconds, that’s enough to clue us into what she wants with Strange. Clea is annoyed at Strange for causing an Incursion, one of those breaches in reality where two parallel universes collide. Clea, like America Chavez, apparently has the power to travel freely between universes, and she recruits Strange to help her seal off the Incursion and prevent the two worlds from being annihilated.
That may be a hint as to the plot of the inevitable Doctor Strange 3, or wherever we see these Masters of the Mystic Arts show up next. The next sequel may delve even deeper into the multiverse, showing us Strange and Clea’s quest to stop the Incursions from destroying entire universes. As anyone who’s read Marvel’s 2015 Secret Wars crossover knows, that’s far easier said than done. [note- check back soon for a more in-depth feature on the Incursions and what they mean for the MCU's future]
Clea’s debut may also bring her uncle Dormammu back into the forefront of the MCU. Dormammu turned out to be the final villain of 2016’s Doctor Strange, but our hero didn’t defeat Dormammu so much as trick him into giving up his plan to absorb the MCU into the Dark Dimension. Could Dormammu be behind the Incursion phenomenon?
It’s probably also safe to assume Clea will replace Rachel McAdams’ character Dr. Christine Palmer as Strange’s love interest. We’ve now seen firsthand that the Strange/Christine romance doesn’t work out in any universe, and Multiverse of Madness basically closes the book on that part of his life. Better Strange move on than turn out like the version we saw in Marvel’s What If…?
Are you psyched to see Clea in the MCU at long last? Is Charlize Theron the right choice to play Marvel’s newest superhero sorceress? Let us know your thought in the comments. And be sure to also check out our Multiverse of Madness ending explained, our biggest Doctor Strange WTF questions, or our look at what could be next for the Marvel Illuminati like Reed Richards and Black Bolti!
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
