Clea
Clea is a female comic character who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Clea was a female humanoid who was the daughter of Prince Orini and the Faltine Umar after she and her brother Dormammu took up residence in the Dark Dimension. Her mother was driven by curiousity and took on a human form where she had an affair with the young prince where she became pregnant from their encounter. At first, Umar was disgusted at the life growing in her but she gave birth to a daughter that was Clea who was given to Orini to raise where he kept the secret the identity of her mother. (Doctor Strange v2 #9) As a child, Clea and her family had been subject to every whim of Dormammu. She remained close to her father growing up, and worshipped both his actions and those of Dormammu, even though other children shunned her and her father rarely had anything to do with her. (Doctor Strange v2 #8) Her father had told her stories of the Ancient One who had battle Dormammu long ago. (Strange Tales v1 #126) Dormammu held the dangerous Mindless Ones behind a mystic wall, ensuring his control of the Dark Dimension as no one dared fight against him for fear the wall would be dropped. (Strange Tales v1 #127) Clea was raised while Dormammu was in power and Umar was in far exile. (Doctor Strange v2 #73) Dormammu came to warn Clea not to aid any outworlders but during World War II on Earth she came to take pity on Nick Fury and the Howling Commandos. She directed them to their captive allies and later watched them battle her uncle alongside his human ally the Red Skull and the Mindless Ones. The encounter was the first time Clea began to believe that Dorammu may not be completely right about everything. (Captain America - Nick Fury The Otherworld War v1 #1)
Within the dark realm, she came to notice a sorcerer named Doctor Strange who was defying he Dread Dormammu where she became impressed at his courage. She saw him battle through his horde of followers in order to confront Dormammu himself where she sought to warn him against confronting the demon due to his great power. However, Doctor Strange went forward as he felt it was duty to stop the demonic beings evil plans. (Strange Tales v1 #126) A magical duel was agreed to be fought between the pair where during the interlude Clea once again attempted to convince Strange from fighting in it. She revealed that it was not simply a concern for his safety but that defeating Dormammu would weaken the mystical barrier that kept back the Mindless Ones. Thus, Dormammu's defeat would allow the creatures to run rampant through the dimension. Despite this, Doctor Strange felt a duty to protect his world and decided to fight in the upcoming mystical battle. For aiding an enemy, Dormammu came to imprison Clea as he saw this as an act of betrayal. The magical battle then commenced where the intensity was to such an extent that Dormammu's mystical wards protecting his dimension began to weaken. This allowed the Mindless Ones to enter where they nearly attacked Clea and Dormammu had to divert his attention to strengthening his barrier. Doctor Strange could have struck at his foe but instead decided to aid him in the conjuring of the mystical barrier thus saving the dimension. Thus, an angry Dormammu was indebted to Doctor Strange who requested that he release Clea and the dread demon agreed to this term. Strange then offered for her to join him but Clea stated that the dark dimension was her home and stayed behind but thanked the human for his aid. (Strange Tales v1 #127)
Afterwards, Clea began to notice Dormammu dark and brooding and she feared he was doing something against Strange. She asked Orini about it, but he simply silenced her concerns. (Strange Tales v1 #132) She eavesdropped on Dormammu and learned that he'd allied with Earth's Baron Mordo to defeat Strange, and that Strange had fled to another dimension. Clea wished she could warn Strange, but knew no way to find him. (Strange Tales v1 #133) Whilst eavesdropping, Clea learned that Strange was back on Earth. She vowed to help him, and used a stolen device to weaken the wall holding the Mindless Ones, allowing them to go free. Dormammu was forced to draw his power away from Mordo to tend to the Mindless Ones, and Clea worried what would happen if Dormammu learned what she'd done. She later quietly returned the device. (Strange Tales v1 #134) Dormammu later learned that Clea had been the ones to set the Mindless Ones free. (Strange Tales v1 #135) Dormammu had Clea apprehended and trapped her in a spell, vowing to make her watch Strange be destroyed. (Strange Tales v1 #136) Dormammu continued taunting Clea. (Strange Tales v1 #138) Dormammu forced Clea to watch as Strange and Mordo engaged in a massive battle. Though it seemed she and Strange were both doomed, Clea did not regret her actions. She watched in tears as Mordo grew close to victory, begging for more and more power from Dormammu. Eventually it appeared as if Mordo would be defeated, so Dormammu knocked Clea aside and entered the battle himself. (Strange Tales v1 #139)
Doctor Strange
He then continued her training where he wanted her to summon all seven of the mystical Rings of Raggadorr. Strange then conducted a mystical attack on her to test her ability to maintain her concentration when under onslaught. She performed admirably until Stephen used the Crimson Band of Cyttorak on her with her failing her construction. Upset, she felt that she had failed the test but Doctor Strange revealed that she had in fact passed it. He revealed that she had surpassed his expectations and even recovered quickly from the mystical backlash. Stephen then said that she was ready for the second stage of her training in the mystical arts and provided Clea her own book of spells. It was then that Doctor Strange's mind was drawn to a mystical disturbance in the remote town of Norcross with him and Clea going to investigate. Whilst on the plane, he dispatched his astral self to investigate the university where he found a mystical force preventing him from looking into one of the rooms. Upon landing in the region, Clea and him went to the university to meet with its Dean. Clea and Strange tried convincing Dean Batiuk to evacuate the campus where the threat was located, then they rushed to hold off attacking students who were under the influence of the enemy, who was soon revealed to be Ikonn. Clea wondered at the strangeness of their foe. As Strange battled Ikonn, Clea kept his human thralls mesmerized, protecting them from harm. Though she was nearly overwhelmed, Strange repelled Ikonn and things returned to normal. (Doctor Strange v2 #47)
Strange later told Clea of a bank robbery he had thwarted and a strange woman who'd been able to see his astral projection, and she worked to comfort him with humor. Determined to celebrate, she made popcorn, but was shocked when Brother Voodoo entered through the fireplace, telling them of the enemy of Damballah. Strange exorcised Damballah from Voodoo, then departed to handle the demon, leaving Clea to tend to Voodoo. After comforting Voodoo, Clea sensed Damballah's return and conjured a Seraphamic shield to protect her, Voodoo, and Wong, though she was soon overwhelmed. Strange managed to defeat Damballah from afar with his cloak and amulet, then banished him with a blinding spell. (Doctor Strange v2 #48) Strange and Clea traveled astrally through a few dimensions in a tantric exercise that Clea loved, leaving her wanting to do it again, but Strange insisted that she get back to studying. Later, she felt a mystic summons and checked with Sara to see where Strange was, but he was still out. Clea went to the Orb of Agamotto to find the source of the summons and was shocked to see four of her former allies from the Dark Dimension contacting her. They informed her that Dormammu had disappeared and Umar was weakened, and they desired Clea to return and lead them. She angrily reminded them of their refusal to stand against Dormammu previously and refused to aid them this time. (Doctor Strange v2 #49) Clea was surprised to see that Strange had a caller, Morgana Blessing. Strange explained that Mordo had tried attacking Strange through Morgana, and that Morgana seemed to have some sorcerous tendencies. He and Morgana moved to another room to study, leaving Clea with thoughts of the secrets they kept from each other. When a cat emerged from Morgana's bag, Clea picked up and was caught, with Wong, in a spell when the cat transformed to Mordo. Strange and Mordo had a mystic battle, then Mordo grabbed Clea and Morgana and teleported away. They arrived in London in the early 1940s, and Mordo allied with Viscount Krowler and Sir Anthony Baskerville, who themselves were allied with Dormammu in an attempt to rule the world. Clea was kept unconscious. (Doctor Strange v2 #50)
Ruler of the Dark Dimension
During her exile, Brunnhilde offered her shelter in Valhalla as a place of a refuge and a site where she could plan her next action. It was then that Dormammu hired a band of Murder Trolls to kill her with them pursuing her into Valhalla. Valkyrie managed to kill a few of them with Clea charming the others with magic and using mind control to send them back to their masters with the goal of attempting to assassinate Dormammu when he let his guard down. Brunnhilde then asked Clea a favour to help in the resurrection of Anaballe Riggs who was a mortal that Valkyrie had killed accidentally and was now in Valhalla. At first, Clea refused but relented where she helped bond Annabelle's spirit to Valkyrie thus leading to the two sharing a body for a time. Upon returning to Earth, Clea was then recruited to join the newest incarnation of the Defenders. (Fearless Defenders v1 #7)
Sorcerer Supreme
Afterwards, Clea remained in the Dark Dimension until the magical realms came under siege from the Three Mothers who emerged from the Outer Planes. They began capturing magical beings in order to feed the Peregrine Child creating havoc amongst the mystical warlords. At this same time, Doctor Strange came to be murdered on Earth with his soul being stolen preventing the rise of a new Sorcerer Supreme. His death not only removed all the mystical wards protecting Earth but also allowed Clea to remember her life with him that had formerly been taken away due to the deal with Mephisto. Clea came to seek out Stephen Strange's aid only to find her love had been killed but that he had severed a part of himself from his early history to handle his final affairs. This version came to aid in the battle against the Three Mothers after Clea briefed him and the Avengers of the threat. To escape the Three Mothers, four surviving magical warlords came to flee to Earth where they established strongholds to protect themselves against this foe. (Death of Doctor Strange v1 #3) This other Stephen Strange later came to determine that his murderer was Kaecilius who had stolen the Sorcerer Supremes' hands to gain their power. (Death of Doctor Strange v1 #4) In the battle against him, the real Doctor Strange came to be reborn using Kaecilius's body where he and his past self worked with Clea to battle the Three Mothers and the Peregrine Child. The Sorcerers Supreme came to re-establish the mystical wards protecting the planet but this came at the cost of Stephen Strange's life where he shared a final kiss with Clea as he passed his mantle to her. (Death of Doctor Strange v1 #5) Per his last wish, the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme came to go to Clea who became the mystical protector of Earth. At first, Doctor Doom looked to claim the title for himself but Clea rebuffed his efforts. (Strange v3 #1)
Despite being Sorcerer Supreme, Clea ultimately looked to find a way to bring back her love Doctor Strange. In this time, Wong helped her adjust to Earth as she resided in the Sanctum Sanctorum where he took her to the Shrouded Bazaar. The location was hidden from human eyes which came under attack from the Blasphemy Cartel with Clea repelling their attack. (Strange v3 #1) Afterwards, she looked to go forward with her plan to resurrect Doctor Strange but faced opposition from the Harvestman that was a position recently created by Death tasked with preventing the dead from escaping her realm. Around this time, souls of the dead were attempting to escape her realm where they began forcing their way into bodies of the deceased. One among these was Thunderstrike Eric Masterson whose remains had to be destroyed by both Clea and the Harvestman. This did not dissuade herself though on her plans to resurrect Strange but she came to learn that whilst she was away that the Shrouded Bazaar was struck by the Blasphemy Cartel who killed many of its magical inhabitants. Such an act made Clea furious as she decided to declare war against the cartel for their actions. (Strange v3 #2)
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Clea was a beautiful silver-haired human looking woman. (Strange Tales v1 #146)
As one of the Faltnine, she acknowledged that she was not really human and that her parentage marked her as one of the magical warlords. (Strange v3 #1)
Her father was once Prince Orini of the Dark Domain until its conquest by the two renegade Faltine. Meanwhile, her mother was Umar after she had taken on human form and had an affair with Orini leading to the birth of their child Clea. (Doctor Strange v2 #9)
Powers and abilities
Among the spells she knew included:
- Rings of Raggadorr :
- Vipers of Valtorr : the spell summoned vicious vipers that attacked her target. (Doctor Strange v2 #22)
- Winds of Watoomb : directing her concentration of cooling breezes, she was able to summon the winds from her hands allowing her to disperse mists around her. (Doctor Strange v2 #47)
- Dyzakk's Cage : a spell capable of entrapping a mystical being within a magical box. (Doctor Strange v2 #31)
- Fangs of Farallah : a fatal spell that she used after she was turned into a form resemble that of the Faltine where she was much more powerful. (Marvel Team-Up v1 #77)
- Shield of the Seraphim : a protective spell that she did not need to speak and could cover her in a shield that could repel attacks such as a gunshot. (Defenders v1 #53)
After completing her first stage of training under Doctor Strange, Clea was provided a grimoire by him in order to record her spells or incantations whether she learnt or even created them. (Doctor Strange v2 #47) She could call upon the power of the goddess Oshtur to create a ball of light in the sky that temporarily blinded people and could serve as a distraction. (Defenders v1 #39) With a gesture, she was capable of immobilizing someone through magic and preventing them from being able to move their bodies. (Doctor Strange v2 #15) Clea was able to enact a spell that could also bring back the recently deceased. (Fearless Defenders v1 #7) In battle, she could summon beings from beyond the veil to serve as her champion ad they fought on her behalf. (Doctor Strange v2 #22) Among these included Flibbertigibbet who could be sent to gather information for her. (Death of Doctor Strange v1 #3)
At one point, the Silver Dagger caused Clea to undergo a transformation where her body seemingly exploded from a magical chrysalis and she emerged as a red energy beat similar to her mother's native demonic form. In this state, she was able to cast spell after spell with a power and skill that she normally did not possess. Such was her strength that she was able to easily ignore the Rings of Raggadorr which she scoffed as being a lesser spell. (Marvel Team-Up v1 #77)
Notes
- Clea was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko where she made her first appearance in Strange Tales v1 #126 (November, 1964).
- On CBR, writer Brian Michael Bendis in an interview talked about candidates for the next Sorcerer Supreme where he commented on Clea, "Clea is the mistress of the Dark Dimension and she's Strange's ex-girlfriend/wife. She was trained by Strange, right there in his home. She was his prized pupil. She was to Strange what he was to the Ancient One [Strange's instructor in the mystic arts]. But as Mistress of the Dark Dimension she hasn't been on this plane of existence a lot lately. And who's going to take her serious in those pants?"
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In X-Men, Clea appeared in a background cameo scene in the setting of the 1990s animated television series in the episode "Nightcrawler".
Films
- In Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme, Clea was referenced in the animated film but not seen in the direct-to-DVD animated film. She was mentioned by Wong as a potential student for Doctor Strange after he became the Sorcerer Supreme.
- In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Clea appeared in a mid-credit sequence in the setting of the live-action film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe where she was portrayed by actress Charlize Theron.
Video games
- In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Clea appeared as a non-playable character in the video game where she was voiced by actor Marabina Jaimes.
- In Marvel Heroes, Clea appeared as a non-playable character in the MMORPG video game where she was voiced by actor Kari Wahlgren.
- In Marvel: Future Fight, Clea was introduced as a playable character in the iOS mobile video game.
Appearances
- Strange Tales v1: (1964)
- Doctor Strange v2:
- Defenders v1:
- Fearless Defenders v1:
- Doctor Strange v5: (2019)
- Death of Doctor Strange v1:
- Strange v3: (2022)
External Links
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