Clea
Encyclopedia
Clea is a fictional character
, a sorceress
in the . She is the disciple and lover of Doctor Strange
. Created by co-plotters Stan Lee
(writer-editor) and Steve Ditko
(artist), Clea first appeared in the Doctor Strange feature in Strange Tales
#126 (Nov. 1964).
Clea is a human-appearing being and maternally related to the other-dimensional Faltine race of energy beings. The daughter of Umar
and the niece of the demonic tyrant Dormammu
, the noble Clea has been, sporadically, ruler of the Dark Dimension, the mystical realm to which Dormammu had been banished and which he subsequently conquered.
in which Doctor Strange confronted Dormammu for the first time. Clea remained nameless for several issues, referred to as the "captive female", or the "mysterious silver-haired girl". It was later noted that her father is Dormammu's closest disciple. However, it was not until two years later that her name was eventually revealed.
Initially, nothing indicates that Clea and Umar are related to or even know each other. Indeed, Dormammu's sister mimics her brother's tactics and goes after Clea as a way of hurting Strange. Later, it was revealed that Umar was her mother, and that her father was Orini, a disciple of Dormammu and ruler of the Dark Dimension.
In 2004, Clea appeared in the Witches
series along with Jennifer Kale
, Satana
, and Topaz
.
in the Dark Dimension, impressed by his courage. She warned Strange against facing Dormammu
, and Dormammu punished her for her betrayal. Strange forces him to release her, however. She becomes Strange's only ally in the Dark Dimension, and soon becomes a captive of her uncle.
Umar
takes Clea hostage and nearly kills her. The Ancient One
sends Clea into a pocket dimension to save her from Umar. Clea was found and freed by Doctor Strange, and went to live on Earth with him.
Clea was later captured by Silver Dagger
. Doctor Strange's spirit cohabited in her body so that they could defeat Silver Dagger. Umar then attacked Clea on Earth, and Clea battled her.
Clea helped save herself from being sacrificed by Dormammu, and came to believe Morganna Blessing loved Strange more than she did. Clea and Strange later helped lead a rebellion in the Dark Dimension. Clea discovered that Umar was her mother, and Clea defeated Umar in a mystic battle. Clea revealed to the inhabitants of the Dark Dimension that her mother didn't care for her subjects at all and was willing to endanger them to defeat Clea. The population became convinced that Clea should be the ruler and the "Flames of Regency" appeared on Clea's head. The Flames of Regency made Clea powerful enough to defeat and banish Umar and her father Orini from the Dark Dimension, and Clea took the throne of the Dark Dimension.
Clea and Strange exchanged vows and became one according to the laws of the Dark Dimension. Several months later, Dormammu returned to the Dark Dimension and claimed the throne again. Clea was held hostage to lure in Doctor Strange, but Strange and Clea managed to escape Dormammu and arrived near Umar. Umar tried to kill Strange, but found out that her spells hurt both Clea and Strange. Clea revealed to her mother that she had married Strange. Umar confessed that she didn't want to hurt her daughter and assisted Doctor Strange and Clea in defeating Dormammu. Umar and her new lover Baron Mordo
claimed rulership over the Dark Dimension, but promised Clea that they would not abuse their powers. Clea reluctantly agreed and returned to Earth with Strange.
Some time later, the Faltinean Flyx appeared to her and told her that Umar and Mordo betrayed her trust. Clea and Flyx gathered an army to defeat Umar and Mordo, but Flyx revealed himself to be Dormammu in disguise. He absorbed the powers of Umar and Mordo and Clea remained in the Dark Dimension as leader of the resistance against Dormammu.
Clea has not appeared herself in Marvel comics for years since this event, though mentioned several times, such as when Doctor Strange told the Illuminati of how she left him to lead the rebellion in Dark Dimension.
Marvel has implied that Clea shall make a return (as a potential candidate) in the search for the new Sorcerer Supreme
in the Dark Reign
after Strange's use of destructive dark magic cost him the station. Marvel ominously describes Clea as, "Though practically the perfect candidate for the job, one might wonder exactly where her loyalties lie..." and "the daughter of the powerful Umar, Clea's toiled to equal and perhaps even exceed her teacher, Stephen Strange."
Brian Michael Bendis
has also described Clea as: "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?"
in single magical combat, and armed with the Flames of Regency, at the peak of her magical abilities, even rivalled her mother Umar
in raw power, thus exceeding that of Doctor Strange himself.
Clea possesses vast knowledge of magical lore through extensive studies of sorcery under Doctor Strange, who also trained her in hand-to-hand combat.
1602
, set in American colonial days, the Clea of the Earth-311 is the wife of English court physician Dr. Stephen Strange. When Strange dies, she opens a portal and goes back to her own world.
series Earth X
, Clea is revealed to have betrayed Doctor Strange and to have killed him at the behest of her lover, Loki
, becoming the Sorceress Supreme of that reality. Her treason is discovered by Bruce Banner, and she is quickly taken away by Thor
and imprisoned in Asgard.
Eventually, Doctor Strange, feeling regret at his apparent emotional neglect of her, travels to Asgard with Xen (an Asian team of super-beings), to free her. He succeeds and attempts to rekindle the love between them, but Clea rejects him, saying that he still does not understand her.
".
Clea appears as the former wife of Stephen Strange who tried to raise their son away from magic, blaming it for the loss of her husband. This Clea appears to have no magical background or be related to any magical beings.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a sorceress
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
in the . She is the disciple and lover of Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
. Created by co-plotters Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
(writer-editor) and Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko
Stephen J. "Steve" Ditko is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange....
(artist), Clea first appeared in the Doctor Strange feature in Strange Tales
Strange Tales
Strange Tales is the name of several comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics. It introduced the features "Doctor Strange" and "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.", and was a showcase for the science fiction/suspense stories of artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, and for the...
#126 (Nov. 1964).
Clea is a human-appearing being and maternally related to the other-dimensional Faltine race of energy beings. The daughter of Umar
Umar (Marvel Comics)
Umar is a fictional character who resides in the "Dark Dimension" of the Marvel Comics multiverse. She is a Faltine, but is trapped in human form. Although she is a sorceress and has vast magical powers, she is still second to her brother Dormammu...
and the niece of the demonic tyrant Dormammu
Dormammu
Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a...
, the noble Clea has been, sporadically, ruler of the Dark Dimension, the mystical realm to which Dormammu had been banished and which he subsequently conquered.
Publication history
The character was introduced during a story arcStory arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
in which Doctor Strange confronted Dormammu for the first time. Clea remained nameless for several issues, referred to as the "captive female", or the "mysterious silver-haired girl". It was later noted that her father is Dormammu's closest disciple. However, it was not until two years later that her name was eventually revealed.
Initially, nothing indicates that Clea and Umar are related to or even know each other. Indeed, Dormammu's sister mimics her brother's tactics and goes after Clea as a way of hurting Strange. Later, it was revealed that Umar was her mother, and that her father was Orini, a disciple of Dormammu and ruler of the Dark Dimension.
In 2004, Clea appeared in the Witches
Witches (Marvel Comics)
Witches is a supernatural comic book limited series that was published by Marvel Comics in 2004. Plotted by Bronwyn Carlton, with scripts by Brian Walsh, it featured art by Mike Deodato and Will Conrad.-Publication history:...
series along with Jennifer Kale
Jennifer Kale
Jennifer Kale is a fictional character, a sorceress in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Jennifer Kale was created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik, and debuted in Adventure into Fear #11 . She is the cousin of Ghost Riders Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch, and a founding member of the...
, Satana
Satana (Marvel Comics)
Satana is a fictional character, a comic book half-demon appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. She is the sister of Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan.Satana first appeared in Vampire Tales #2 in October, 1973...
, and Topaz
Topaz (Marvel Comics)
Topaz is a fictional character, a sorceress in the Marvel Comics universe. She debuted in Werewolf By Night v. 1 #13 .-Fictional character biography:...
.
Fictional character biography
Clea observed Doctor StrangeDoctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
in the Dark Dimension, impressed by his courage. She warned Strange against facing Dormammu
Dormammu
Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a...
, and Dormammu punished her for her betrayal. Strange forces him to release her, however. She becomes Strange's only ally in the Dark Dimension, and soon becomes a captive of her uncle.
Umar
Umar (Marvel Comics)
Umar is a fictional character who resides in the "Dark Dimension" of the Marvel Comics multiverse. She is a Faltine, but is trapped in human form. Although she is a sorceress and has vast magical powers, she is still second to her brother Dormammu...
takes Clea hostage and nearly kills her. The Ancient One
Ancient One
The Ancient One is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. He was the mentor of Doctor Strange and preceded him as Sorcerer Supreme.-Fictional character biography:...
sends Clea into a pocket dimension to save her from Umar. Clea was found and freed by Doctor Strange, and went to live on Earth with him.
Clea was later captured by Silver Dagger
Silver Dagger (comics)
Silver Dagger is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:Silver Dagger was a former criminal who was also a former Cardinal in the Catholic Church. He was driven mad by reading the Darkhold in the form of the Shiatra Book of the Damned...
. Doctor Strange's spirit cohabited in her body so that they could defeat Silver Dagger. Umar then attacked Clea on Earth, and Clea battled her.
Clea helped save herself from being sacrificed by Dormammu, and came to believe Morganna Blessing loved Strange more than she did. Clea and Strange later helped lead a rebellion in the Dark Dimension. Clea discovered that Umar was her mother, and Clea defeated Umar in a mystic battle. Clea revealed to the inhabitants of the Dark Dimension that her mother didn't care for her subjects at all and was willing to endanger them to defeat Clea. The population became convinced that Clea should be the ruler and the "Flames of Regency" appeared on Clea's head. The Flames of Regency made Clea powerful enough to defeat and banish Umar and her father Orini from the Dark Dimension, and Clea took the throne of the Dark Dimension.
Clea and Strange exchanged vows and became one according to the laws of the Dark Dimension. Several months later, Dormammu returned to the Dark Dimension and claimed the throne again. Clea was held hostage to lure in Doctor Strange, but Strange and Clea managed to escape Dormammu and arrived near Umar. Umar tried to kill Strange, but found out that her spells hurt both Clea and Strange. Clea revealed to her mother that she had married Strange. Umar confessed that she didn't want to hurt her daughter and assisted Doctor Strange and Clea in defeating Dormammu. Umar and her new lover Baron Mordo
Baron Mordo
Baron Karl Amadeus Mordo is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by Marvel Comics and appearing as an enemy of Doctor Strange...
claimed rulership over the Dark Dimension, but promised Clea that they would not abuse their powers. Clea reluctantly agreed and returned to Earth with Strange.
Some time later, the Faltinean Flyx appeared to her and told her that Umar and Mordo betrayed her trust. Clea and Flyx gathered an army to defeat Umar and Mordo, but Flyx revealed himself to be Dormammu in disguise. He absorbed the powers of Umar and Mordo and Clea remained in the Dark Dimension as leader of the resistance against Dormammu.
Marvel has implied that Clea shall make a return (as a potential candidate) in the search for the new Sorcerer Supreme
Sorcerer Supreme
Sorcerer Supreme or Sorceress Supreme is a title granted in the fictional Marvel Universe to the "practitioner of the mystic or magic arts who has greater skills than all others or commands a greater portion of the ambient magical energies than any other organism on a given world or dimension". By...
in the Dark Reign
Dark Reign (comics)
"Dark Reign" is a 2008–2009 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. It deals with the aftermath of the "Secret Invasion" storyline, which led to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn. The title "Dark Reign" refers to Osborn's rise to national power and the...
after Strange's use of destructive dark magic cost him the station. Marvel ominously describes Clea as, "Though practically the perfect candidate for the job, one might wonder exactly where her loyalties lie..." and "the daughter of the powerful Umar, Clea's toiled to equal and perhaps even exceed her teacher, Stephen Strange."
Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis is an American comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim for his self-published, Image Comics and Marvel Comics work, and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics, with his books selling consistently highly for over a...
has also described Clea as: "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?"
Powers and abilities
Clea is the Sorceress Supreme of the Dark Dimension, possessing vast powers involving the manipulation of the forces of magic for a variety of effects. She has exhibited such abilities as transmutation, forming and throwing magical bolts of concussive energy, magically constructed animate beings, conjuring objects and energies, teleporting, telekinesis, levitation, mesmerism, thought-casting, controlling others' minds, casting illusions, and the tapping of extra-dimensional energy by invoking entities or objects of power existing in dimensions tangential to Earth's through the recitation of spells. Presumably, she is capable of replicating any spell performed by her former mentor, Doctor Strange. As she is descended from the Faltine race of beings, it is suggested that she can generate her own mystical energy, like Umar and Dormammu, and draw upon it to fuel her magic. She also possesses greater strength and body density than that of a normal Earth human. Her age is indeterminate and the rate at which she ages is unknown, having lived for centuries but having the form and demeanor of a twenty year-old woman. Clea has defeated the EnchantressEnchantress (Marvel Comics)
The Enchantress is the name of two fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe, the first of which is a powerful sorceress named Amora and is one of the most notable antagonists of Thor.-Publication history:...
in single magical combat, and armed with the Flames of Regency, at the peak of her magical abilities, even rivalled her mother Umar
Umar (Marvel Comics)
Umar is a fictional character who resides in the "Dark Dimension" of the Marvel Comics multiverse. She is a Faltine, but is trapped in human form. Although she is a sorceress and has vast magical powers, she is still second to her brother Dormammu...
in raw power, thus exceeding that of Doctor Strange himself.
Clea possesses vast knowledge of magical lore through extensive studies of sorcery under Doctor Strange, who also trained her in hand-to-hand combat.
1602
In the alternate-reality miniseriesMiniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
1602
Marvel 1602
Marvel 1602 is an eight-issue comic book limited series published in 2003 by Marvel Comics. The limited series was written by Neil Gaiman, penciled by Andy Kubert, and digitally painted by Richard Isanove; Scott McKowen illustrated the distinctive scratchboard covers...
, set in American colonial days, the Clea of the Earth-311 is the wife of English court physician Dr. Stephen Strange. When Strange dies, she opens a portal and goes back to her own world.
Earth X
In the alternate-realityParallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
series Earth X
Earth X
Earth X is a 1999 comic book limited series written by Jim Krueger with art by John Paul Leon and published by Marvel Comics. Based on Alex Ross' notes, the series features a dystopian future version of the Marvel Universe....
, Clea is revealed to have betrayed Doctor Strange and to have killed him at the behest of her lover, Loki
Loki (comics)
Loki is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. He is the adoptive brother and archenemy of the superhero Thor. He is based on the being of the same name from Norse mythology...
, becoming the Sorceress Supreme of that reality. Her treason is discovered by Bruce Banner, and she is quickly taken away by Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
and imprisoned in Asgard.
Eventually, Doctor Strange, feeling regret at his apparent emotional neglect of her, travels to Asgard with Xen (an Asian team of super-beings), to free her. He succeeds and attempts to rekindle the love between them, but Clea rejects him, saying that he still does not understand her.
Strange (2005)
Clea is introduced as somewhat of a guardian figure, who spends all her time playing babysitter for Doctor Strange and giving him a lot of "tough loveTough love
Tough love is an expression used when someone treats another person harshly or sternly with the intent to help them in the long run. The phrase was evidently coined by Bill Milliken when he wrote the book Tough Love in 1968 and has been used by numerous authors since then.In most uses, there must...
".
Ultimate Clea
In Ultimate MarvelUltimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series...
Clea appears as the former wife of Stephen Strange who tried to raise their son away from magic, blaming it for the loss of her husband. This Clea appears to have no magical background or be related to any magical beings.
Film
- In the Dr. StrangeDr. Strange (1978 film)Dr. Strange is a made-for-TV movie based on the Marvel Comics fictional character Dr. Strange, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. It was both directed and written by Philip DeGuere...
movie, a young woman named Clea Lake becomes a pawn of the Sorceress Morgan LeFay (from the legends of King ArthurKing ArthurKing Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
). To save Clea and thwart Morgan's plans, Strange must enter the mystical world, wherein the battle between good and evil is played out on a magical level.
- In the animated direct-to-DVDDirect-to-videoDirect-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
movie Doctor Strange, Clea is mentioned by WongWong (comics)Wong is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is the sidekick and manservant of Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth. Wong was first mentioned in the comic Strange Tales #110 and first appeared in Strange Tales #147. In the 2006 miniseries Dr. Strange: the Oath, it was revealed...
as a potential student for Doctor Strange as they enter the Sanctum SanctorumSanctum SanctorumThe Sanctum Sanctorum is a fictional building in the Marvel Universe. It first appeared with Doctor Strange in his debut in Strange Tales #110 .-Location:...
mansion but is not actually seen.
Video games
- Clea appears as a non-playable character in the video game Marvel: Ultimate AllianceMarvel: Ultimate AllianceMarvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Xbox 360 by Raven Software and published by Activision. The game was simultaneously ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii by Vicarious Visions, and to Microsoft Windows by Beenox...
voiced by Marabina Jaimes. She can be seen in Sanctum Sanctorum. She has special dialogue with Doctor Strange. A simulation disk starring Doctor Strange has Clea being protected by him from Baron Mordo while in Mephisto's Realm.