Who is Doctor Strange 2’s America Chavez in Marvel Comics?

Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness isn’t just about Stephen Strange and his personal problems — the Sam Raimi movie also introduces a brand new superheroine to the Marvel Cinematic Universe: The star-spangled America Chavez.

America Chavez, who are you? What made her become America Chavez? You can read the Marvel Comics story about this woman who is able to kick holes anywhere in the universe.

[Ed. note: This post contains spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.]

Image: Marvel Studios

America Chavez, a young actress XochitlGomez plays the role of America. Doctor Strange is attracted to her abilities to make portals across dimensions. America Chavez can also create star shapes in the sky that she can punch or kick to smash them open.

Film adaptations that use a high-concept superpower, and a high conception origin story. Multiverse of Madness’s version of America is surprisingly accurate to her Marvel Comics incarnation — minus some confidence and experience. Gomez claims that it was done deliberately.

“You can definitely see the beginning stages of what future America might become,” the actress told Marvel.com. “I took stuff that was in the comics, and kind of lightened it up since she’s less experienced. She’s younger than any of her known appearances in the comics, and I think you can see that. The challenge was fun, as it allowed us to see what an American younger than her would be and hint at the serious leader that she will soon be. I wanted to keep that kid energy and a little bit of that fake-it-till-you-make-it confidence.”

Multiverse of Madness gives only a glimpse of America’s home dimension, and her moms, before her powers manifested for the first time and she accidentally threw herself and her family to different universes. But for hints on where America has been and where she’s going, we can look no further than the comics.

Who is America Chavez in Marvel Comics?

Image by Al Ewing and Kenneth Rocafort/Marvel Comics

Though she was created by Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta for 2011’s Vengeance #1, America’s backstory, her iconic star-kicking power, and her lesbian identity wouldn’t be enumerated until 2013’s Young AvengersJamie McKelvie & Kieron Gillen created the e-book.

In an issue drawn by Christian Ward, Ward and Gillen established that America hailed from a dimension called the Utopian Parallel, where her parents were a lesbian-couple-slash-co-rulers of a utopian paradise universe. America put aside her doubts that problems could be solved or heroes to perform, and instead used her multiverse power to search for an area in which she had super strength. Great power is accompanied by multiversal responsibility.

America appears in many comics throughout the years. Some are better than others. Her team books would be the best. Young Avengers (2013), Ultimates(2015). West Coast Avengers (2018). Most recently, America’s whole backstory was retconned to be much more mundane, but with Doctor Strange and The Multiverse of Madness taking the Utopian Parallel route, it’s a decently safe bet that her comics will trend back in that direction eventually as well. It was dumb, and it was a pity..

Oh, also! America does have a superhero codename — Ms. America — but she hardly ever uses it.

Is Marvel planning to give America Chavez more?

Marvel Studios is not planning to utilize America Chavez again in any upcoming Disney Plus movie or series. In the classic MCU fashion, Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness neatly situates America in place for her next adventure: She’s learning how to control her portal powers in Kamar-Taj, and she’s got a couple of moms to find and rescue somewhere in the multiverse.