Landing in theaters on May 6th, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness promises to address the fallout from Spider-Man: No Way Home and events in WandaVision and Loki, seeing Strange traversing the multiverse in order to fix the fabric of reality. The movie is also introducing the character of America Chavez, giving audiences that may be unfamiliar with the character a chance to learn about her diverse background and unique powers.
However, with the movie already jam-packed with plot and existing characters, there is a definite risk that America Chavez could be lost in the noise. America is an important character for representation for Latin-Americans and LGBTQIA audiences and just shoehorning her in as a plot device is not going to be enough.
Up and coming 15-year-old actress Xochitl Gomez is playing America Chavez in the film, already an important step toward accurate representation. To understand the importance of accurate representation and why America Chavez is such an important character, it's necessary to dive into the history of her character, who she becomes, and what she means to audiences.
America was introduced in Marvel Comics in 2011 when she was featured in a limited run series Vengeance. From there the character went on to join The Young Avengers and A-Force and went on to have her own series America. The character has an interesting origin story. In her memory, she comes from an alien reality called the Utopian Parallel where she was raised by her 2 moms and given powers by an entity known as the Demiurge. When she was young destruction came to the Utopian Parallel in the form of a black hole and her mothers sacrificed themselves to save the Parallel.
The powers imbued to her by the Demiurge are superhuman strength, durability, and flight. As well as those already impressive abilities, America possesses the ability to literally kick open star-shaped portals to other realities allowing her to move at super speed. As she developed her powers she also learned to punch enemies and reduce them to star-shaped pieces and create energy bursts at times of extreme duress.
These powers will be an interesting addition to the MCU, as well as a point of contention for Strange and Wong. The sorcerers have made it their job to preserve the fabric of reality, despite Strange's recent efforts otherwise, and America's ability to simply hop in out of the multiverse whenever she feels like it is certain to cause at least a little of friction.
The trailer has also shown a hint at America's sexuality. In the comics, America is canonically lesbian and comes from a family of 2 mothers. The trailer has hinted at this in the details: America has an LGBTQIA inclusivity flag pin on her signature Stars and Stripes denim jacket. It's a small nod and hopefully not the only reference to her sexuality that we see. Merchandise previews have also referenced the flag. As the first queer Latin-American lead hero in a Marvel series, it is absolutely paramount that she is fully represented. Her character is a milestone in representation for the Marvel universe and the diverse audiences that read the comics and watch the movies need and deserve to see themselves on screen.
Some might say this burden of representation is a lot to put on a 15-year-old actress, but it's important to remember that LGBTQIA teenagers exist. POC exist. Not including a diverse range of characters from different backgrounds is a disservice to audiences and only serves to alienate huge swathes of people. When people see themselves on screen it can be life-changing and life-affirming. When Black Panther came out, it meant a huge deal to Black audiences. Hopefully, Marvel has considered the positive impact of the previous representation and is going to do right by the character of America Chavez.
As a superhero, America Chavez is incredibly powerful. She could pave the way for The Young Avengers to enter the MCU, and she could easily have her own solo series exploring the multiverse. In a possible future, she has even been portrayed as Captain America. With an upcoming She-Hulk series, there's also great potential for the two characters to interact. In the comics, America joined A-Force which She-Hulk was also a part of. There is definite scope for Marvel to create an A-Force movie or series bringing fans an all-female superhero team.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is shaping up to be an interesting entry into the MCU. The elements of horror, the possible introduction of the Illuminati, and the introduction of America Chavez are all big milestones for the MCU. The only way it could go wrong is if too much is being crammed in. Burying the uniqueness of America Chavez and reducing her to a plot device and token representation is a real worry in a film that has so much going on and would be a disservice to fans and her character.