Doctor Doom: The Shiniest Evil Villain You Ever Did See
Doctor Doom is the new MCU big bad (Kang the Conquerer? I never even heard of her!) Now that he joins the MCU, let’s talk about Doom.
Victor Von Doom is one of the most powerful villains in the Marvel comics universe. It’s no surprise then that during SDCC 2024, Marvel/Disney announced that Doctor Doom would be the new mega-badguy for the next phase of MCU films. But who is he really and why is he being played by rewind-it-back Tony Stark?
Victor Von Doom: A Brief(ish) Comic Book History
Doom was born in Latveria, a small (fictional) country in Eastern Europe. His mother, who had been trained in the dark arts, made a deal with Mephisto in order to gain dark magical power. But when she went to punish a local Baron and his men for persecuting her people, a “be careful what you wish for” scenario played out that left her dead (Mephisto, amirite?)
A young Victor’s father would soon also pass away. As the orphaned child grew up, he sought out knowledge of science and magic, believing that he could eventually free his mother from eternal hellstuffs in Mehpisto’s realm.
In college, a prodigal Victor met Reed Richards and Ben Grimm. Doom and the future Fantastic Four members were frequent academic rivals. Victor spent his school years working on an astral projector, but due to a miscalculation (pointed out by his nemesis Reed) the machine backfired and left Doom permanently scarred and booted out of school.
As you can imagine, Doom took this very well—went to therapy, worked on himself, got a new hobby…
Just kidding. Instead, he let his bitterness turn him into a real a-hole. He got himself a scary suit of armor, went back to Latveria, did a coup, and took the crown for himself.
Doctor Doom vs. the Fantastic Four
Never was there a tale of two egos clashing like Reed Richards and Doctor Doom. Man, that guy really knew how to hold a grudge. Victor von Doom actively sought out and picked fights with the Fantastic Four in the beginning, often usiong them as means to retrieve other cosmic powers in the quest to save his mother.
READ MORE: Who is Namor, the Proud Prince of Atlantis?
Doom’s role as a supervillain is made more complicated by his diplomatic status as the leader of Latveria. And due to the scope of various powers, magics, and technology he’s able to collect, many heroes in the Marvel universe, including Reed Richards himself, have worked alongside him—usually when there’s no other choice. Which makes sense because it often leads to some kind of double-cross.
Doctor Doom’s Powers
Doom’s powers are really just wielding lots of magic, being super good at science, and having the biggest ego in the room (and on the planet). He’s terrifying because he is willing to do anything to achieve power. When he was finally able to free his mother from hell, he had to do so many messed up things that she was disgusted with him and shunned him forever. But dude was totally fine with it—she was free, after all.
Victor is a big deal when it comes to magical abilities. His magical powers are such that he was considered for the role of Sorcerer Supreme. Can you imagine?! He has been known to, among other things, teleport, time travel, absorbing other people’s powers, cast protective spells over Latveria, summon demon creatures, telekinesis, dimensional travel, hypnotism, and so much more.
He’s got that super-genius intelligence, and has used it for some pretty evil stuff. He was also a pioneer in the AI space (barf!) One of his most famous inventions is the Doombot: a mechanical copy of himself that he can just create a bunch of and send them to do his bidding. They also make for a really handy plot device when you want to fake a villains death only to BRING HIM BACK AGAIN!
Is Doctor Doom Replacing Kang?
At SDCC 2024, the Marvel Cinematic Universe panel discussion revealed that Doctor Doom will be the new Big Bad moving forward. After sexual assault allegations against Kang the Conquerer actor Jonathan Majors surfaced, the MCU has decided to “go in another direction”. And that direction is… Robert Downey Jr.?!
There are a variety of theories about the return of the actor who arguably launched the MCU into the franchise we know today. Some theorize that he’ll play a multiversal Tony Stark who became Doom somehow.
A Controversial Casting: Victor von Doom’s Romani Heritage & More
This isn’t the first time Victor von Doom has made his way to the silver screen. Of course, those Fantastic Four movies inspire many opinions, and rightfully so. This particular casting has brought up a valid criticism with regard to the character’s backstory.
In the comics, Victor von Doom’s mother is Romani, meaning Victor is also of Romani heritage. Despite comic book canon, Hollywood productions have repeatedly cast white actors to play him.
There are, of course, other criticisms of the latest Doctor Doom casting. Some fans wanted to see Kang the Conquerer recast. Some feel like RDJ is a ploy to put viewer butts back in seats. Though truthfully, the mention of Doom himself, for many, is a huge draw in itself.
Doctor Doom in Other Media
Lots of popular Marvel characters are available to play in various games. There are more video games to mention, and lots of ’em feature Doctor Doom.
When it comes to board games and TTRPGs, Marvel once again is available to play. Doom… not so much. You still can’t play Doctor Doom in Marvel Crisis Protocol—not that we haven’t brought it up before. Doom also isn’t included in the Marvel Multiverse RPG.
It makes sense that as this character’s popularity grows, the demand for his appearance will increase. DOOM DEMANDS IT!
