‘Doctor Strange 2’ Illuminati, Explained: Who Are These Elite Marvel Heroes? – CNET

Xavier displays more compassion than his fellow Illuminati, who don’t trust Earth-616 Strange due to his Earth-838 counterpart destroying a reality in his Darkhold-assisted quest to defeat this reality’s Thanos.
Peggy lived a life of excitement in multiple realities.
She asks if their mom is alive, to which he responds in the affirmative. In the comics, Reed is married to fellow FF member Sue Storm (aka Invisible Woman) and their children are Franklin and Valeria.
“Just because someone stumbles and loses their way doesn’t mean they are lost forever,” he says.

He used this ability to execute the Darkhold-corrupted Earth-838’s Strange at the behest of his fellow Illuminati.
On Earth-616, Rambeau didn’t get powers. She was a founding member of Sword, an agency that defends the planet against extraterrestrial and extra-dimensional threats, and died of cancer sometime after Thanos’ genocidal Snap. Her daughter Monica gained energy based powers during the events of WandaVision, suggesting the Rambeaus are destined for superheroics.

“Stephen Strange. The Illuminati will see you now,” says Karl Mordo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, hinting at a magnificent encounter with some awesome old and new heroes for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic

Fear the Scarlet Witch.
Hayley Atwell has played the non-powered Earth-616 Carter multiple times and voiced Captain Carter in the animated series, but it’s our first time seeing her playing a superpowered take on the character in live-action. Unlike her What If…? counterpart, she augments her abilities with a jetpack, and it’s extremely cool.

We last saw Black Bolt in the Inhumans series, nobody’s favorite Marvel show.
A murderous Wanda is determined to steal America’s ability to create doors to alternate realities, which will allow her to reunite with her lost sons, Billy and Tommy, by seizing control of the multiverse. America and Strange flee to a futuristic reality designated Earth-838. The MCU is Earth-616, which happens to be the same designation given to the mainline comic universe — suggesting each is considered the prime reality of its medium.
Let’s step into a star-shaped portal and take a closer look at some of these fantastically SPOILERY cameos. We also have explainers for the movie’s ending and post-credits scenes, as well as a list of unanswered questions.
Earth-838 had a similar lineup — it’s likely Marvel decided it was too early to bring Tony back in any universe after his heroic sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. Atlantean prince Namor has yet to appear in the MCU, but it’s likely he’ll appear soon, given his long comic history with the Fantastic Four.
“The film wears its continuity lightly, using the multiverse concept to go large with cameos and twists on Marvel lore that will no doubt draw whoops of delight in packed theaters,” CNET’s Rich Knightwell said in his review.

Charles Xavier/Professor X

The 28th MCU movie landed in theaters last weekend and sent the ex-Sorcerer Supreme (Benedict Cumberbatch), Avenger/Disney Plus star Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and new hero America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) on a wild ride through multiple realities. This brings them into contact with some iconic characters.
Captain Carter was pretty spectacular in What If…? In the comics, the Illuminati is a group of superhero leaders who meet and share information to avert disaster. The original roster included Tony Stark, Namor the Submariner, Reed Richards, Black Bolt, Doctor Strange and Charles Xavier.
We don’t know where Earth-616 Black Bolt is — the show ended with him leading the Inhumans from their old home on the moon to Earth and making it their home. Don’t watch it though, it isn’t good.
In Earth-616, Carter lived through World War II and had a bunch of adventures in her two-season TV show. She co-founded espionage organization Shield, grew old and died peacefully in her sleep in Captain America: Civil War. Steve Rogers also went back in time and married a different version of Carter in Avengers: Endgame.
Marvel knows how to maximize Xavier’s emotional impact, putting the hero in his signature yellow hoverchair from the comics and giving us a hint of the ’90s X-Men animated series theme when he enters (the show is also getting a Disney Plus revival).

This is the one that probably made your theater scream with joy. Reed Richards is the leader of the Fantastic Four, Marvel’s first superhero team. The supersmart scientist can stretch his body into pretty much any shape.

Blackagar Boltagon/Black Bolt

Seeking help from this world’s Strange, they discover he died heroically and has been replaced as Sorcerer Supreme by Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Earth-616 Wanda pursues her prey across realities, using forbidden Darkhold magic to possess the body of her Earth-838 counterpart.

Reed doesn’t always have a beard, but he looks great with one.

Maria Rambeau/Captain Marvel

We haven’t seen this character’s Earth-616 counterpart yet. It’s unclear whether Krasinski will reprise his role in the upcoming MCU Fantastic Four movie or if this was just a nod to fans who’ve been wishing for him to be cast. He’s perfect for this part, but it could be a little too obvious.
We last saw the What If…? Captain Carter working as a Shield agent in that show’s season 1 finale.

Captain Carter

“I have children of my own. I understand your pain,” he says, in an attempt to reason with her. 

In this reality, Mordo and Strange’s friendship was eroded when Mordo became intensely jealous of Strange’s power and influence. After the Darkhold-corrupted Sorcerer Supreme was killed by his allies, Mordo assumed the title and took his place among the Illuminati.
“Higher, further, faster, baby.” Maria Rambeau got to fly without a plane in Earth-838.

Unfortunately, she’s no match for Wanda. When Carter flings her Union Jack shield at the Scarlet Witch, it’s sent flying back at her and we see what happens when you fail to catch the vibranium disc. You get sliced in half at the waist, Darth Maul-style.
Earth-838 Maria is wearing a green Starforce uniform, suggesting that she might have remained an ally of the Kree  — Danvers turned against the alien race on Earth-616. She’s confident she can beat Wanda and puts up a decent fight, but ends up being crushed by a statue (it looks a bit like Jocasta, the female version of Ultron).

Karl Mordo

This guy has the most cinematic history of the Illuminati members, with Patrick Stewart returning to the role he originated in 2000’s X-Men. This isn’t the same version of the powerful psychic mutant we saw in those movies, but it’s pretty thrilling to see Stewart coming back.

Inhuman king Black Bolt is played by Anson Mount, who previously portrayed the character in the bad 2017 Inhumans TV show (and more recently appeared in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds). As the leader of a near-human species, who gains random superpowers through contact with Terrigen Mist, his voice holds incredible destructive power.