Avengers: Doomsday is set to bring Doctor Doom to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in a big way, and his mother could be the key to why he arrives on Earth-616. Marvel’s Multiverse Saga is racing towards a climactic conclusion, with several superhero teams in place, and new rivals entering the frame.

And yet, while Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom is confirmed to be the primary antagonist of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, it’s still unclear why and how he will make his debut in the Sacred Timeline.

Despite this, there is one theory that appears to be shaping up when looking at the most recent Marvel releases, which could suggest Doctor Doom’s motivation is pulled straight from the comics. If true, Victor von Doom’s motives for crossing the multiverse may actually resonate with Marvel’s First Family.

Doctor Doom’s Efforts To Save His Mother Involve Franklin & Mephisto In The Comics

Doctor Doom Has A Layered History In The Marvel Comics

As with all characters who have such an extensive backstory in the comics, Doctor Doom and his origins have evolved and shifted over time. However, one important detail is his desire to acquire and accumulate ever more power, and earn the status of a god.

This stems from Doom’s extreme pride, arrogance, and the genuine belief that he is the person most qualified to fulfill this role in the universe. But, there is another reason that Doom seeks out power which actually connects to the familial nature of the Fantastic Four.

Cynthia von Doom, Victor’s mother, was greatly concerned for the people in her community, and in order to try and protect them, she made a deal with Mephisto. However, when she eventually died, her soul was taken to Mephisto’s hell realm, where she would reside for all eternity.

In order to spare his mother from this eternal suffering, Doom is constantly seeking out the powers required to face the lord of the hell realm, Mephisto, and rescue his mother’s soul. Eventually, Doom recognizes that Franklin’s powers could be exactly what he needs, leading him to kidnap the boy to deal with Mephisto in 1963’s Fantastic Four Annual #10.

This Marvel Storyline Is Already Very Much Set Up For Avengers: Doomsday

The MCU Has Already Put All The Pieces In Place For Doctor Doom’s Conquest For Power

Just weeks before The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ mid-credits introduced Doctor Doom in a brief scene where he speaks with Franklin, the MCU put several other pieces in play to set up this storyline around Doom and his mother.

Ironheart focuses on the story of Riri Williams, a young woman who builds a high-tech supersuit not entirely dissimilar to the Iron Man suits Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark made. After years of build-up, the MCU debuted Mephisto in the Ironheart finale thanks to his ties to Parker Robbins, having given him the cloak that makes him into The Hood.

As much as Mephisto’s eventual appearance was teased in several projects throughout the Multiverse Saga, with Loki and WandaVision both inspiring theories about the character’s arrival, and his name being mentioned in Agatha All Along, Ironheart being the show that finally introduces the character is an interesting choice.

In the comics, it isn’t Mephisto who gives Parker the Hood, but Doctor Strange’s old rival, Dormammu. The fact that this detail has been modified for the MCU, and introduced in the show that has such close ᴀssociations with RDJ’s foundational superhero, seems as though it could all be leading to some interesting connections between Mephisto and Doctor Doom.

Following on from this, Doom seeking out Franklin will likely be a pivotal aspect of the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday story. Doctor Doom seeking out the power he needs to bring his mother back may be the perfect way to tie these various storylines together.

Adapting The Marvel Story Would Tie Together So Many Major MCU Threads

The Multiverse Saga Needs To Connect The Dots In Avengers: Doomsday

Throughout the Multiverse Saga, one of the MCU’s biggest issues has been the lack of connection between the stories. Kang was initially a character that was intended to appear in several stories and connect different corners of the multiverse, but with his death in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, it appears that Kang has been relegated to the back bench.

Now, there are various superhero teams, and a handful of villains who all need to come together to make Avengers: Doomsday work. While Sam Wilson’s Avengers and The New Avengers already have links thanks to Bucky and Sam’s relationship, the Fantastic Four exist in a completely different reality on Earth-828.

Much as Scarlet Witch’s mission to retrieve her children turned multiversal in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it would make sense for Doom’s quest to also. Thunderbolts*’ post-credit tease of the Fantastic Four ship arriving in Earth-616 could well be Doom fleeing with Franklin to face Mephisto, or the Fantastic Four looking for help dealing with Doom’s plans.

Whatever the case, it does not seem coincidental that Mephisto was introduced just a few weeks before Doctor Doom. And looking over their extensive comic book history together, it makes sense that the characters may cross paths in the MCU. Which, of course, links back to Doom’s mother, and sets the stage for what may be to come in Avengers: Doomsday.