Even though it was on the verge of becoming one of the most successful films of the year, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is facing some display issues. Sam Raimi’s film will not be shown in theaters in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Egypt. Cause? Twelve seconds in which America’s character Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) explains his origins. The scene shows come back and reveal which caused controversy in several markets in the Middle East. That the new Marvel superheroine is the daughter of two mothers.
How explicit is the scene that caused the censorship? In fact, one could say that this is a contextual sequence that allows us to better understand the new Marvel character. Apart from his sexual orientation, which is quite obvious in the comics, this is a direct reference to the biological history of the character. The comic tells two origin stories about the birth of America, similar to each other, but with noticeable differences that can be confusing. Behind Doctor Strange sequel in the multiverse of madnessscreenwriter Michael Waldron explains which one is correct, as well as the origin of his powers.
The controversial scene, just twelve seconds long, subtly details the mystery surrounding America. The sequence takes place after Strange and America’s dizzying journey through multiple universes. Finally, both of them manage to create an idyllic looking multipurpose line with cutting edge technology. Once they decide to explore it, they walk down a busy street that shows what appears to be a popular invention in that reality.
It is a system that allows memories to be analyzed as projected images “before they can be forgotten.” Strange tries the novelty and for a few moments, an image of one of his dates with Christine Palmer is seen, in which both of them are noticeably younger. A few minutes later it was America’s turn. To Strange’s surprise, the technology reveals that the character is a girl living on a bright and shining planet. And that’s when America Chavez’s mothers show up. Both exchange smiles and gentle gestures before an unstoppable tragedy occurs, the result of their young daughter’s strength.
Doctor Strange’s Twelve Seconds of Discord in the Multiverse of Madness
The exposure was not acceptable for some countries with strict rules regarding the LGTBIQ+ community. In fact, in some the mere mention of sexual orientation is prohibited. Several media regulators and those in charge of foreign film approval have asked Marvel to remove conflicting scenes. This includes the entire sequence and at least three other references to the character’s family. Marvel refused the request, so the continuation Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cannot be exhibited in full in at least five countries.
This isn’t the first time Marvel has refused to remove footage, information, or scenes from its films due to censorship requirements. The latest reason Eternal could not be exhibited in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar. The decision was also driven by an entire scene in which the plot explores the sexual orientation of one of its characters. The frame shows how Fastos exchanges tender phrases and even kisses with her husband.
However, in the case of America Chavez, a character openly associated with the LGTBIQ+ community in movies, the dilemma is more complex. It’s not just about the sexual orientation of the new heroine of the franchise. Also its origin makes it clear that it belongs to a couple of women. Even if this is a story clearly taking place in another universe and place, the information was scandalous for the governing bodies of the Middle Eastern countries.
This inconvenient business of representation
scene Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness which caused censorship in different countries, is not as obvious as in eternal. Actually, this is a confirmation of the origin of the character. America’s first appearance in the comic world in 2011 reveals that the character was born on the all-female planet Utopian Parallel. Comic for 2021 America Chavez: Made in the USA rewrites history and gives you a more conventional one.
According to the story, authored by Kalinda Vasquez, America and her hitherto unknown sister Catalina lived with their mothers on an island on earth. Also called the Utopian Parallel, it was the alleged center of an investigation that was thwarted by the greed of the project’s mysterious backer. Finally, it is clear that the story that will hit the big screen will present America as an alien being with inexplicable abilities.
Source: Hiper Textual
