Doctor Doom is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but there are a number of heroes ready and waiting to challenge Marvel Studio’s most terrifying villain to date. The MCU is packed full of heroes and villains adapted from the pages of the incredibly popular Marvel Comics.
However, with the arrival of Marvel’s First Family in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and their arch nemesis Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday, things are moving to a whole new level. And while there have been several villains who the heroes have come together to put down in the past, Victor von Doom is not quite like any of his peers.
With his extraordinary mastery of the Mystic Arts, and his brilliant scientific mind, Doom presents a threat unlike anything that has come to the MCU before. But, on the flip side, there are several key heroes who are being set up perfectly to tackle Doctor Doom, and put the multiverse right after his meddling.
8
Ironheart
First up, one of the MCU’s newest arrivals, Riri Williams, is in a prime position to fight Doctor Doom. Initially introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri has since starred in her own Marvel Television series, and embarked on the difficult road to becoming a hero in her own right.
However, there have been some setbacks in Riri’s way. With her expulsion from MIT, and the loss of funding that she had access to from Tony Stark’s September Foundation, Riri was forced to find some less conventional means of supporting her research. And while this led to some remarkable discoveries in terms of blending magic and science, Riri is on a dark path.
But, despite all the setbacks and the nefarious dealings, Riri’s Ironheart could be a perfect foil for Doctor Doom in the MCU. As mentioned above, Doom is a master of magic and science. This could lead to someone like Riri, a character who is gaining experience in both, being the key to taking Doom down.
7
Spider-Man
Next up is another of Marvel’s most iconic figures, Spider-Man. While Peter Parker is still a kid, and Doom is typically portrayed as a fully-grown man, these two have a history of clashing in the comics. And thanks to Spidey’s determination and incredible strength, he manages to hold his own.
In the MCU, Peter Parker is entering his college years, while Robert Downey Jr. is trading in his iron suit for a metal mask to become Doctor Doom, though how and why this makes sense in-universe is unclear as of yet. However, the pre-existing relationship between Peter Parker and Tony Stark is the thing that makes this reunion particularly compelling.
The Multiverse Saga has already highlighted that different realities have different variants. And, beyond that, some characters like Steve Rogers in Earth-616 look identical to others, like the Johnny Storm that ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool met in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine. So, if Doom’s face is shown, and it’s likely it will be, then that adds several layers of complexity for a character like Peter Parker in the MCU.
6
Captain America
When referencing Captain America, I am of course referring to Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers’ successor in the MCU. However, it would be interesting to see Steve Rogers return as a variant for similar reasons to the ones outlined for Spidey. But, for now, this is about a Sam versus Doom brawl.
Sam Wilson has been fighting hard to firstly earn the name Captain America, but secondly, to put the world right after the devastation of Thanos’ snap. And while not everything is on the up and up, Sam has proven to be a worthy and capable leader and hero deserving of the shield. And with that, Sam has now embarked on a mission to form a new Avengers team (not to be confused with The New Avengers).
As the leader of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, it makes sense for Sam to be on the frontlines, which positions him squarely in opposition to a villain like Doctor Doom. It just makes sense for these two to come to blows, and while Sam doesn’t have any powers, he has a lot of determination, and the ability to inspire hearts and minds, which will undoubtedly prove useful.
5
Doctor Strange
Back to discussing the Mystic Arts, Stephen Strange, formerly the Sorcerer Supreme, has had a rough time since returning after the blip. With Wong taking over in Stephen’s absence, the chain of command appears to have forgotten Strange.
In what appears to be not-so-subtle acts of rebellion, Strange has been causing mayhem by creating spells that interact with the Multiverse, though at times this did lead to him temporarily holding things together. However, Strange is still clearly one of the most skilled masters of the Mystic Arts in the MCU.
As such, when Doom arrives, and shows off his expertise, it would be great to see him compete against the very best. While other characters are learning to wield magic, and others still are not necessarily aligned with the heroes, Stephen is one of the most powerful, skilled, and experienced Avengers. It makes sense to have him join the fight against Doom.
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ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool
ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool is obviously a very different character tonally. While the other heroes tend to have serious tones, and may share humor and upbeat sentiments, Wade Wilson finds it hard to communicate in anything but wisecracks and sᴀssy quips. But that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be paired up with Doom to put on an impressive show.
ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool in the comics has, on multiple occasions, destroyed the entire Marvel Universe. So, clearly, he has the powers necessary to make a mess. But, more than this, he is one of the most engaging and compelling characters to join the MCU.
Not including him, and having this mouthy, quick-healing, anti-hero face off against Doctor Doom would be a huge missed opportunity. It doesn’t need to be the final fight, but it could showcase Doom’s strength to dismantle and destroy Wade repeatedly as he keeps coming back for more.
3
Hulk
While fighting Thanos, the Hulk got his ʙuтт handed to him all the way back at the start of Avengers: Infinity War. From that point onwards, the Green Goliath has struggled to show his true power on the big screen.
Even when the story progressed in Avengers: Endgame, and Bruce managed to reconcile with Hulk to become the Smart Hulk, it seemed like his powers were generally a lot less impressive. But facing off with Doom could be the perfect way to prove Smart Hulk is not weak.
Alternatively, if the movie provides a way for Hulk to resurface in Banner’s mind, and take control, it could lead to a spectacular duel between Hulk and Doom that would shake up the MCU in an incredibly satisfying way.
2
Sentry
Bob Reynolds, aka Sentry, arrived in the MCU in Thunderbolts*. At this point, it’s clear that Reynolds has no real control over his powers, and when he does use them, they can lead to his darker half, The Void, taking over.
However, Sentry is also positioned to be one of the most powerful characters in the entire MCU, with powers that could even rival DC’s flagship hero, Superman. So why not pit this Golden Guardian of Good against Doctor Doom?
Obviously, it may not be as straightforward as that. But, presuming the heroes get desperate, and it’s almost guaranteed that they will fight against Doom, then it may become necessary for Bob to step up, and unleash his full powers.
1
Reed Richards
Finally, the arch rival of Doctor Doom himself, Reed Richards, needs to confront his long-standing foe. Reed is not the most powerful hero. He doesn’t possess a mastery of magic. And since The Fantastic Four of his reality are the only heroes, it’s unlikely he has much experience fighting supervillains.
However, Reed is often regarded as the most intelligent hero in Marvel Comics. While his body can stretch beyond comprehension, and that makes him worthy of being a member of The Fantastic Four, it’s his brain that makes him worthy of being called Mister Fantastic.
Whatever happens, and however Reed and Victor’s stories line up, they need to face off against each other. Victor is an extraordinarily brilliant man, whose mind is largely unparalleled, but Reed is on another level. And when it comes to who can put a stop to Doctor Doom’s reign in the MCU, Reed Richards may prove to be everyone’s last and greatest hope.
