New Captain Marvel Actor In Doctor Strange 2 Is An MCU Callback

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

As part of the Illuminati, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness introduced a new Captain Marvel, played by an actress who already has ties to the MCU. Director Sam Raimi’s first Marvel film in 15 years continues Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) arc in the franchise. It also further tackles the concept of the multiverse, giving the studio an opportunity to debut the MCU’s version of the Illuminati with both new and returning actors.

Set up by the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness sees the eponymous sorcerer learning more about the multiverse after dreaming about an alternate version of him on an adventure with MCU’s newest hero, America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez). They eventually meet and America explains what’s going on—she is being hunted down by a creature who wants her unique power to easily travel through the multiverse. Eventually, it’s revealed that Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) is behind the scheme, determined to reunite with her children by any means necessary. This brings her face-to-face with Strange, Chavez, and the Illuminati on Earth 838.

Per Marvel Comics, the Illuminati are a secret team of extremely powerful superheroes who make decisions on important issues. The original Marvel Illuminati line-up includes Iron Man, Black Panther, Black Bolt, Namor, Professor X, Mister Fantastic, and Doctor Strange. Marvel Studios changes things up with a revamped roster that includes Peggy Carter’s (Hayley Atwell) Captain Carter, Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), and Captain Marvel—but one not played by Brie Larson.

Doctor Strange 2’s Captain Marvel Is Played By Lashana Lynch

The version of Captain Marvel in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is played by Lashana Lynch, who already has ties to the MCU, appearing first in Captain Marvel. Lynch played Maria Rambeau, Carol Danvers’ best friend in the Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck MCU prequel. As the mother of future SWORD agent Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), Lynch is expected to reprise her role as the government agency’s founder Maria Rambeau in The Marvels.

Does Maria Rambeau Become Captain Marvel In The Comics?

Intriguingly, Maria Rambeau is more of an obscure character in Marvel Comics. Unlike the MCU’s version of the character who’s also an accomplished air force pilot like Carol Danvers and the eventual founder of S.W.O.R.D., she’s more of a civilian in print. Instead, it’s her daughter, Monica who becomes Captain Marvel. Currently, Marvel Studios’ iteration of Monica has already acquired her powers—as seen in WandaVision—essentially bringing her a step closer to officially assuming the superhero persona, Photon.

What Happened To Maria Rambeau In The MCU

Maria is instrumental in Carol Danvers learning about the truth regarding her origins in Captain Marvel. After regaining her memory, Captain Marvel teams up with Maria, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and the rest of Talos’ (Ben Mendelsohn) Skrulls to fight the evil Kree. At the end of Captain Marvel, Danvers decides to accompany the Skrulls in their cosmic quest to find a new home planet, resulting in her separation from Maria again. Fury did offer the elder Rambeau a position in S.H.I.E.L.D., but it’s unknown whether or not she took it. By WandaVision, however, it was revealed that after founding and running S.W.O.R.D., she was diagnosed with cancer. She was undergoing her final round of treatment when Thanos’ (Josh Brolin) snap happened, which affected her daughter. When Monica returned five years later, it was revealed Maria has succumbed to her illness.

How Powerful Is Maria Rambeau’s Captain Marvel Compared To Carol Danvers?

It’s no secret that Carols Danvers is one of the most powerful MCU characters, and that’s emphasized in all the films that she has appeared in. She functioned as the last hope for the Avengers in Avengers: Infinity War, and while she wasn’t able to stop Thanos’ snap, her involvement in Avengers: Endgame, albeit minimal, showcased just how powerful she is. Her most notable fight scene in the universe thus far is her one-on-one battle against the Mad Titan, where she easily handled herself until he used the Power Stone against her. Marvel’s What If…? features an alternate version of Danvers’ Captain Marvel but it double downs on the idea of her being all-powerful just like she in the Sacred Timeline.

Meanwhile, despite previously appearing in the MCU in Captain Marvel, Lashana Lynch’s Illuminati Captain Marvel appears for the first time in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It’s difficult to gauge how powerful she is exactly. She put up quite an impressive fight against the Scarlet Witch at her most powerful and most ruthless, fairing far better than her fellow Illuminati members, who represented some of the most powerful heroes in the MCU. That being said, based exclusively on what’s been revealed about Ramebeau’s and Danvers’ version of Captain Marvel, it seems like the latter is stronger than her Earth 838  counterpart.