Why America Chavez's Superpowers Are Perfect For Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
America Chavez hasn't even made her debut in "Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness" yet, and I already feel like I know her better than my own sister. Thank you, Marvel marketing. We've heard all sorts of things about Chavez and the actress who is playing her, Xochitl Gomez — like how her costar Elizabeth Olsen has been giving her advice on the "Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness" set, and how her character was originally set to debut in "Spider-Man: No Way Home."
You know the drill: America Chavez can punch holes through reality in the shape of a star. It's why she wears that star on back of her jean jacket. These portals enable her to travel across the multiverse and even through time, given the right conditions. In "No Way Home," she was originally supposed to be the one who brought Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire's Spider-Men through a portal into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
By now, you've had a chance to absorb all of this info and read every explainer and trailer breakdown related to Chavez and "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." So maybe you, too, feel like you know her as well as family. However, there's arguably no one who knows her better than comic book writer Joe Casey, who created the character with artist Nick Dragotta. In a recent interview with CBR, Casey touched on the character's history and why Chavez's abilities make her the perfect new hero for the upcoming 28th film in the MCU. He said:
"I think it comes down to the nature of her powers, and the fact that the title of the film contains the word 'Multiverse' in it — seems like a no-brainer to me."
"The MCU is an opportunity to distill the character down to her basic essence"
Casey touched further on Chavez's history in Marvel Comics, and how the MCU presents a chance to simplify some of that history and make the character more accessible to moviegoers who are meeting her for the first time. He continued:
"I think we all know she's had a weird journey in the comics when it comes to the consistency of her depiction. Obviously, her introduction into the MCU is an opportunity to distill the character down to her basic essence and strip away some of the baggage that may or may not have been weighing her down in the comics over the last decade. I have to be honest, when I created this character way back in 2010 — a time when we were already well into what became known as 'Phase One' of the MCU — I never even considered that she might actually end up in one of these movies. It's a wild thing to see happen."
Are there any PhDs reading this who are Marvelites and have already written their thesis on America Chavez, or is it too early for that? Bring your notepad to the theater when Gomez/Chavez portal into "Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness" with Olsen, Benedict Cumberbatch, and company on May 6, 2022.