Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness was released in theaters on May 6th, 2022. The film got a thunderous response from the audience. The new Doctor Strange film introduced and re-introduced many characters. We saw America Chavez, the first Latin-Lesbian superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Professor Xavier from the X-men made the fans excited since the trailer release. But, finally, we could witness the love interest of Stephen Strange, Clea played by Charlize Theron. Let’s dive deeper into Clea, the romantic interest of Doctor Strange.
Who Is Clea? The Origin And The Doctor Strange Angle
In the mid-credit scene in Doctor Strange 2, she asks Doctor Strange to accompany her to the Dark Dimension. In the Comics, Clea makes a debut in Steve Ditko and Stan Lee’s Strange Tales. So, who is Clea? Clea is the daughter of Prince Orini and Umar, the sister of the ruler of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu. The Marvel Universe is composed of many dimensions and races. She materially belongs to the Faltine race, born out of magic. Both Clea and Orini worshiped Dormammu without knowing that he is the evil reason that her mother was banished to another dimension.
Dormammu was on a mission to conquer all the dimensions including Earth. The Ancient One chooses Doctor Strange for the task to prevent Dormammu’s encroachment plan. Clea stalks Dr. Strange from the Earth, and as he impresses her, she assists him in defeating Dormammu. However, due to betrayal, Dormammu holds Clea captive. Before the battle, the news of the Mindless Ones escapes, which makes both Dormammu and Doctor Strange join hands to defeat them. As a favor, he sets Clea free and abandons his plan to colonize Earth.
In another Strange Tales edition, we see a battle between Baron Mordo, Strange’s nemesis, and him. During the battle, Clea gets imprisoned again to witness the battle between both of them. Doctor Strange takes aid from Eternity, one of the Abstract Entities, to defeat Mordo.
Clea Becomes The Disciple And Lover Of Doctor Strange
Post the Mordo-Strange battle, Clea hops from one dimension to another risking her life by encountering Dormammu in another dimension. In no time, Doctor Strange finds her and history repeats itself! Doctor Strange gets convinced that Earth is the only dimension where she will be safe. So, she resides with him, and to regain the lost power on Earth, Clea gets engrossed in studying at Sanctum Sanctorum’s library. After Doctor Strange becomes the Sorcerer Supreme, he invites her to become a disciple of him.
Under his tutelage, she becomes equally acquainted with the mystic arts. In the process, the two fall in love with each other, but the inception of love goes through several tribulations! Clea gets converted into an evil energy being with double powers. With them, she almost kills Doctor Strange, but with Spiderman and Ms. Marvel’s aid, he brings her to her original form. However, after Eternity vanishes Dormammu, the throne of the ruler in the Dark Dimension gets vacated. Though Stephen begs and convinces Clea not to return, unfortunately, it all falls on deaf ears!
Returning to her homeland, Clea battles Umar to dethrone her from the ruler’s throne. During the battle, she realizes that she is fighting her mother. The battle results in the banishment of Umar and Orini to another dimension making Clea the ruler. Clea wants Strange to be with her, but he refuses to cite that she does not need his wisdom or power anymore. But, love did not keep them apart for long. They meet each other and Doctor Strange confesses that he is tired of running away from love, and wants to be with her. So, rather than a legal marriage, the couple gets into a mystical union via magic rings that bind them for eternity!
Michael Waldron, Writer Of Doctor Strange 2 Explained Why They Introduced Clea?
In an interview, Michael Waldron, Executive Producer, and Creator of Loki as well as writer of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness said, “We knew that we wanted to introduce Clea. She’s Strange’s great love in the comics and it was felt to me like Strange wasn’t at the point at the start of our movie where he was ready to meet the love of his life. It felt like we had to close the loop with him and Christine Palmer. And so after she gives him her wisdom to not be afraid of loving someone, then it felt like we were right to tease what could be eventually with him and Clea.”
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