Clea's Existence Means Dormammu's SISTER Can Be Doctor Strange 3's Villain

Clea's debut in the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness post-credits scene could open the door for one surprise villain's introduction in Doctor Strange 3. Charlize Theron made a shock appearance as Clea at the end of Multiverse of Madness, warning Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) that his multiversal antics had caused an incursion, leading the pair to travel through a dimensional gateway into the Dark Dimension, directly setting up the events of Doctor Strange 3. The Dark Dimension had previously been seen in 2016's Doctor Strange, which last saw the titular MCU hero battle the evil Dormammu, who shares an interesting relation to Clea herself.

In Marvel Comics, Clea debuted in 1964's Strange Tales #126 as a sorceress, Dormammu's niece, and eventual wife to Doctor Strange, as well as his successor as the Sorcerer Supreme. Her appearance in the MCU was highly anticipated, but came as a surprise in the final moments of Multiverse of Madness, though this does help to set up some perfect storylines for the next installment in Doctor Strange's MCU trilogy. While the return of Dormammu in Doctor Strange 3 has been teased, it's more likely that Marvel Studios will want to introduce a new villain, fortunately, the best potential new villain can also be found in the Dark Dimension.

Doctor Strange 3's Villain Can Be Umar, Clea's Mother

Clea shares several connections to iconic Doctor Strange villains from Marvel Comics, so her appearance in the MCU could mean that these villains are right around the corner. Not only does this include the hero's uncle, Dormammu, but also her own mother, Umar, Dormammu's sister. Umar debuted in the comics during 1966's Strange Tales #150, and has often been described as one of Doctor Strange's most iconic villains. Umar is a Faltine, a higher-dimensional being who is trapped in a human body, and her powers exceed that of any of Earth's sorcerers, making her a formidable adversary to Doctor Strange on many occasions.

Umar and Dormammu renounced their species and conquered the Dark Dimension, which they ruled over with an iron fist. This could also be the case in the MCU, even though only Dormammu was seen in the Dark Dimension during Doctor Strange. Over the years, Umar battled the likes of the Scarlet Witch, the Vision, and Agatha Harkness, while also eventually ruling over the Dark Dimension with Baron Mordo at her side. Her inclusion in Doctor Strange 3 could pay off Mordo's unfinished story that Doctor Strange started, but wasn't mentioned during Multiverse of Madness. Umar would be the perfect villain for Doctor Strange 3 after Clea's shock post-credits entrance.

How Multiverse Of Madness Sets Up Doctor Strange 3

clea and doctor strange with a third eye in the multiverse of madness post-credits scene

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness featured Stephen Strange recovering in the wake of the epic, and traumatic, events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Strange's multiversal adventure with America Chavez helps to lay the foundations for much of the Multiverse Saga going forward, but it also directly sets up its sequel, the as-yet-unconfirmed Doctor Strange 3. The post-credits scenes reveal that the abuse of the Darkhold has caused Strange to manifest a third eye, and also see the dramatic and sudden entrance of Clea, who steals Strange away to the Dark Dimension, which would be the perfect place for Doctor Strange 3 to pick up.

Multiverse of Madness also introduced the idea of incursions into the MCU, which will surely become hugely important in future projects, particularly Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. It's been speculated that Doctor Strange 3 will release before Phase 6's climactic Avengers films, so some key plot points featured in Multiverse of Madness can be developed even further before coming to a head in an epic crossover event. Among the things that need to be addressed are the Scarlet Witch's apparent death, the destruction of other realities due to incursions, and Clea's debut, which could set up the perfect villain for Doctor Strange 3.

How Dormammu Can Also Return In Doctor Strange 3

Stephen Strange's first adventure in the MCU saw him go head-to-head with Dormammu and his disciples, finding himself in the Dark Dimension. There, he used the Time Stone to trap Dormammu in a time loop that saw Strange repeatedly defeated until Dormammu relented and fled with his disciples, including Mads Mikkelsen's Kaecilius, a former student at Kamar-Taj, into the depths of the dark dimension. While it seemed like this could have been the last audiences would see of Dormammu and the Dark Dimension, Clea's appearance in the post-credits scene of Multiverse of Madness saw the return of the Dark Dimension, as she and Strange travel there to stop an incursion caused by the latter.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could have set up Dormammu as the primary antagonist of Doctor Strange 3, especially since it would probably be a more dramatic battle now that Strange no longer has the Time Stone. However, it's unlikely that Marvel Studios will want to recycle the same villain, as that runs the risk of making the Doctor Strange trilogy feel stale, especially when there's a plethora of incredible villains who could seriously shake up Strange's next adventure. If Umar is introduced as the main enemy in Doctor Strange 3, Dormammu could certainly still make an appearance, but he shouldn't be the one to face Strange again.

What Umar's Appearance Would Mean For The MCU

If Umar debuts in Doctor Strange 3, Marvel Studios can stick to their family-centric themes, which have most notably been shown with Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) sacrifice to save his family in Avengers: Endgame, and the focus on Clint Barton's (Jeremy Renner) family in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Hawkeye. Umar's introduction would help to flesh out Clea as a character, and perhaps bond her and Stephen Strange further as they battle together against the former's own mother. This would also create the opportunity for several future MCU storylines, as Umar becomes involved with several characters who have already been established in the MCU.

Not only does Umar already have a connection to both Clea and Dormammu, but she has also gone head-to-head with some of the MCU's most recognizable sorcerers, including the Scarlet Witch and Agatha Harkness, who is set to have her story developed further in Agatha: Coven of Chaos. Umar has also battled the Black Knight, who debuted during Eternals, and has even fought an avatar of Eternity, first seen during the MCU's Thor: Love & Thunder. Doctor Strange 3 is one of the most highly-anticipated projects in the MCU's future, and with Umar potentially making her first MCU appearance, it will surely be an epic adventure.

More: Marvel's Doctor Strange Problem Will Only Get Worse