This Important Cameo Sets Doctor Strange's Future After 'MoM'
In one of the most recent interviews Benedict Cumberbatch teased something big for Steven Strange's future after the events of 'MoM', and now, having checked out that one post-credits scene in 'Multiverse of Madness', we tend to agree: a surprising cameo sets very intriguing future for Doctor Strange and the MCU, and we can't wait to find out more about it.
If you have yet to see 'Multiverse of Madness',
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!
While presenting new Marvel projects at CinemaCon in April, Kevin Feige told the audience that the studio already has some very ambitious plans for the next ten years of the MCU future. It looks like an important cameo in 'Multiverse of Madness' plays at least some part in establishing that future – and we got Charlize Theron to thank for that.
In mid-credits scene in 'Multiverse of Madness' Charlize Theron's character introduced as Clea. In Marvel comics Clea has a very intriguing background, complicated love-hate relationship with other Marvel superheroes (and villains). Ultimately Clea becomes disciple and then successor of Strange's Sorcerer Supreme. Moreover, Clea is a lover and eventual wife of Doctor Stephen Strange in the comics.
So there you have it. With Christine Palmer now happily married to another man, Stephen Strange might just got himself a potential love interest (and let's be honest, Charlize Theron being your girlfriend? Not the worst scenario).
But, as interesting as Sorcerer Supreme love life is, what's even more important is a potential introduction of the next Big Baddie.
There're, of course, some big shoes to fill after Thanos, but, thankfully, Marvel comics got us covered – and now, after that post-credits scene, it is established that there's someone "very powerful", as Clea puts it, threatening the universe. In the comics Clea is related to Dormammu, the ruler of the Dark Dimension (her mother, Umar, is actually Dormammu's sister). So the main fan theory right now is that Stephen Strange is once again set to confront Dormammu, as he did once already in 'Doctor Strange ' in 2016 (so many memes were created based on "I've come to bargain" alone!).
However, there's another theory about who's the next big villain in the MCU is, and this is where it gets even more interesting. Many Marvel fans think that Clea actually refers to Kang the Conqueror (now that name sure has a nice ring to it, right?).
In the comics Kang is a time-traveling enemy of the Avengers and the ruler of Chronopolis, and in the MCU he is set to appear pretty soon – in 2023 film 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania'.
So maybe Clea asking for help is actually foreshadowing the events of yet another Marvel movie, given how the MCU's Phase Four seems to be centered on a Kang endgame so far.
One thing we know for sure at this point: the MCU is clearly not done with Stephen Strange yet.