What if the main character of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was not Doctor Strange, but a young heroine? The good doctor is somewhat upstaged by America Chavez, a teenager with astonishing powers and destined to make a name for herself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Origins, MCU, controversy, etc. who really is America Chavez?
Summary
- Comics: the origins of America Chavez
- America Chavez, version MCU
- A “controversial” LGBTQ+ character
America Chavez is originally a fictional House of Ideas character created by Joe Casey (Uncanny X-Men, The Intimates, Adventures of Superman) and Nick Dragotta. This heroine first appeared in the comic book Vengeance #1 published in September 2011, then later joined the Young Avengers, a group of superheroes evolving in the Marvel universe. In March 2017, she obtained her own series, a story supervised by author Gabby Rivera.
Also known as “Miss America”, America Chavez openly declares herself as a lesbian in the comics. It is the first Latin American character belonging to the LGBTQ+ community to receive the honors of a dedicated publication and soberly titled “America”. Beyond her superhuman strength and speed or even her (relative) invulnerability, this heroine can open portals between dimensions that take the form of stars. She can therefore easily travel between universes… and even through time.
The comics have been adapted very little since 2011. With the exception of an appearance in the animated series Marvel Rising and then the movie Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors, the character had to wait until 2022 and the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to land in cinemas. As far as video games are concerned, America Chavez has mainly distinguished herself on mobiles with Marvel: Future Fight, Marvel Puzzle Quest, Marvel Strike Force and Marvel Contest of Champions as well as in the LEGO saga with Marvel’s Avengers and Marvel Super Heroes 2.
America Chavez, version MCU
The character being recent in comparison to the other Avengers, America Chavez has changed very little during his passage from the paper format to the film format. The heroine imagined by the Marvel Studios teams is more or less the same as that of the comic book series “America”both in terms of visuals and her supernatural abilities, though the circumstances of her two mothers’ deaths, and therefore her Origin Story, differ greatly.
America Chavez, Marvel Cinematic Universe version, comes from an Earth parallel to Earth 616 (that of the MCU). Still young, she unwittingly opens a dimensional portal that takes her parents to another universe. We find her again several years later as she explores realities and aids one of the many Doctor Strange populating the multiverse. The heroine played by actress Xochitl Gomez, notably seen in the Netflix series The Baby-Sitters Club (2020), has powers similar to those of her paper alter ego… interdimensional portals and Star Blast in mind.
A “controversial” LGBTQ+ character
A few days before the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Kuwait banned the film on their territory. What is the reason given? The presence of the character of America Chavez, a member of the LGBTQ+ community raised by two mothers, and her supposed sexual orientation (if the MCU respects the comics) are problematic in certain countries in the Middle East. The importance of the heroine in the plot even prevents any censorship from the American firm. The film directed by Sam Raimi is not being released in the previously mentioned territories, and this situation is likely to be repeated in the future.