Summary
The immediate future of theMCUis straightforward in terms of what direction the stories will go.Secret Warsis the nextAvengersfilm that will serve as the newEndgame, and one name is tied more to this story than any other:Doctor Doom. The role played by Robert Downey Jr.,formerly Iron Man of the MCU, will bring Marvel’s greatest villain of all time to the big screen. The task of bringing Doctor Doom to life is no easy feat. The question of what version of Doom theMCUwill portray is one many fans have been asking themselves in the months since RDJ was given the role.
One aspect of Doom that feels integral to the story being told and the narrative surrounding the villain, in general, is his power set. Many fans will know that Doom is Reed Richards’s rival in terms of The Fantastic Four and their respective genius minds. However, Doom is so much more than that, and his history goes much deeper into the fabric of the Marvel Universe. Doom is not only the leader of an entire nation, but has also found a means of blending technology with magic.Robert Downey Jr. and the MCUmust ensure and embrace his use of both technology and magic to give Doctor Doom the gravitas he needs to lead bothAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars.
Doom’s Powers in the Comics, Explained
Many fans know Doom for his powerful mind and mastery of advanced technology. He often finds himself at odds with Reed Richards as they each build more and more advanced tech. Doom’s ability with tech has allowed him to master everything from time travel technology (frequentlycombating Kang the Conquererin the process) to Doombots, advanced robots that look like him and serve the will of Doom. Yet his technological mastery is not his only skill set.
Long before he became Doctor Doom, the leader of Latveria, Victor Von Doom was born the son of a medicine man and a local witch named Cynthia Von Doom. Victor’s family was driven out by a local Baron and warlord, and he would return to take the throne of Latveria for himself years later after training under Tibetan monks to learn as much about magic as he could. He also faces the likes ofMephisto, a devil of the Marvel universe, to save his mother’s soul in the process.
The specific magic that Doom wields ranges from shields and healing spells to the ability to absorb and distribute energy and control electricity. He has also gained more knowledge of the use of magic from beings like Morga La Fey. He also can dimension hop, and in recent comics, has assumed themantle of Sorcerer Supreme from Doctor Strange. Yet it is the fact that Doom managed to master magic in general that seems to be his greatest gift. It gives him knowledge about an area that Reed Richards, his longtime foe, has never been able to grasp. Often, Reed has had trouble making magic fit into the scientific field he is known for.
The MCU Needs Doom to be Both Technological and Magical
Recent films and shows likeWandavision,Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Magic,and the recent hit showAgatha All Alonghave all dived deeper and deeper into the lore and mythology surrounding witchcraft and sorcery in the MCU. Soon, more films depicting an age of science will also arrive. One of these isFantastic Four: First Steps, sharing The Fantastic Four’s retro-futuristic world and the marvels of futuristic technology. When Doctor Doom finally make his MCU debut, these concepts in the MCU need to fuse in just the right way.
Fans are already used to Robert Downey Jr. representing one of theMCU’s most intelligent and technological minds, Tony Stark. There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that he can bring that aspect of Doom to life. Yet that is just one part of who Doom is. The villain is arrogant, holds a significant god complex, and uses his genius-level intellect for scientific discovery and magical work that splits the world between dimensions, time barriers, and more. As he would put it, Doom knows all.
For a villain of that magnitude, capturing his magical nature is essential to the future of the character and the MCU. The wild, god-like powerDoom wields in theSecret Warscomic series of 2015 requires a powerful tech suit like the one built into his armor, as well as an understanding of the arcane magic and energies of the cosmos. That balance of magic and technology is what fuels the powerful world of Battleworld and the events of that crossover event. That fusion of magic and technology may also hold the key to Doom’s arrival overall into theMCU.
