Doctor Doom has officially arrived in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After a quick cameo at the end of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Robert Downey Jr.’s highly anticipated supervillain will wreak havoc on the multiverse in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday. As the first Avengers-level threat since the Mad Titan Thanos, Doctor Doom’s arrival will change the MCU forever.
The Avengers will throw everything they have at Doctor Doom when he finally shows up in 2026, and this time, they’ll be teaming up with several new superhero teams, including the New Avengers, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four. But only one hero will have the honor of finally defeating Doom, as Iron Man defeating Thanos in the finale of Avengers: Infinity War. While there are plenty of heroes who would want a shot at Doom, these characters have the best shot at defeating the vile villain.
The X-Men’s Combined Power Could Defeat Doctor Doom
The 2000s-era live-action X-Men ensembleImage via Fox / Marvel
Several of Fox’s X-Men are set to return in Avengers: Doomsday, including Professor Charles Xavier, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Beast, Mystique, and Magneto. Even Channing Tatum’s Gambit is set to fight alongside his fellow mutants for the fate of their home universe. While not officially confirmed to appear in the film, Deadpool and Wolverine both seem likely to team up with the other X-Men in their next adventure, giving the team an impressive roster capable of taking down a villain like Doctor Doom.
Doomsday seems to be a sendoff for Fox’s version of the X-Men, acting as their last outing before the team is rebooted in the next MCU saga. Though their franchise had its ups and downs, this version of the X-Men helped kickstart the modern age of superhero movies and deserves to play a key role in the Multiverse Saga’s epic finale. As this team’s story comes to an end, it would make for an emotional conclusion if their last act was to save the multiverse by defeating Doctor Doom.
Doctor Strange is One of the MCU’s Most Powerful Heroes
Doctor Strange is one of the MCU’s most powerful characters and one of the few Avengers with a chance of taking down the villainous Doctor Doom. In the comics, Doctor Doom is a Master of the Mystic Arts, making him the perfect villain to contend with the Sorcerer Supreme. As one of the only Avengers well-versed in sorcery, Doctor Strange stands a strong chance of being the one to take on Doctor Doom when he finally arrives.
Although it is hasn’t been officially announced that Doctor Strange will appear in Avengers: Doomsday, fans can rest assured that he will have a key role in the battle against Doctor Doom. Kevin Feige has called Benedict Cumberbatch’s sorcerer the “anchor” of the Multiverse Saga, suggesting that he has a bigger role that has yet to be revealed, which might involve bringing about Doom’s doom.
Black Panther Deserves to Be a Leading Hero in the MCU
Black Panther has had a difficult run in the Multiverse Saga. Marvel was forced to pivot its plans for the character after Chadwick Boseman’s tragic death in 2020, leaving Letitia Wright’s Shuri to fill T’Challa’s shoes as the new defender of Wakanda. Shuri is confirmed to return in Avengers: Doomsday, giving her a chance to prove her merits by going toe-to-toe with Doctor Doom.
In the Secret Wars comics on which the Multiverse Saga finale is based, Black Panther has a key role in the story. While T’Challa may not be able to fill this role, Shuri can. Alternatively, some rumors suggest that Marvel is looking to reboot the character of T’Challa, with Damson Idris as a possible actor to take over the mantle. Doomsday could reveal an alternate-universe Black Panther strong enough to contend with the MCU’s most terrifying new villain.
Captain America Needs to Prove Himself as the Avengers’ Leader
During the Multiverse Saga, Sam Wilson earned the mantle of Captain America, as seen during the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Captain America: Brave New World. However, he has yet to prove himself as the new leader of the Avengers. The best way for Sam to put any doubts about his leadership skills to rest is by heading up the effort that finally brings down Doom at the end of Phase 6.
While Sam Wilson’s Captain America may not be inherently powerful enough to defeat a god-powered Doctor Doom, he should be the one behind the effort to unseat the villainous dictator. By expertly commanding the Avengers in the fight against Doom, Captain America could be the key to defeating their most dangerous new enemy.
Loki Is the Only MCU Character Stronger Than Doctor Doom
Loki appears stoic while surrounded by timelines in Loki season 2Image via Marvel Studios
Tom Hiddleston’s Loki has undergone a massive power-up since he last encountered the Avengers. During the events of his self-titled Disney+ series, Loki learned the true meaning of “glorious purpose,” and the burden that it carries. In the series finale, Loki takes He Who Remains’ place at the center of the multiverse, exchanging his title of “god of mischief” for “god of stories.”
Loki is now one of the most powerful characters in the MCU, boasting a supernatural control over the multiverse and all the universes within it. Audiences can rest assured that he will have a confrontation with Doctor Doom at some point in Doomsday or Secret Wars. He is one of the few characters with enough power to defeat Doom, though his victory may come at a great cost.
Spider-Man Is Street-Level But Incredibly Strong
While it hasn’t yet been confirmed what his role will be, Spider-Man is expected to return in Doomsday. While the street-level superhero doesn’t have the cosmic, godlike power of some of his teammates, he stands a strong chance of taking a central place in the fight against Doctor Doom. Tom Holland’s Peter Parker had a special connection with Tony Stark before he died and, when facing a villain with the same face as his former mentor, would have all the more reason to fight as hard as he can in Doomsday.
Spider-Man is also a character with heavy connections to the multiverse. His connections to the Web of Life and Destiny give him extra resources when combating a multiversal threat like Doctor Doom. Spider-Man could call on his variants from other universes, some of whom he met in No Way Home, to make the final stand against the Multiverse Saga’s big bad.
Thor Could Redeem Himself After Infinity War
Chris Hemsworth is confirmed to reprise his role as Thor in the upcoming Multiverse Saga finale. As one of the few original Avengers set to appear therein, Thor will most likely have a crucial role in the battle against Doctor Doom. With rumors now stating that Thor could die in Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars, the MCU can give the god of thunder a much-deserved heroic sendoff by having him defeat Doctor Doom in the end.
As a Norse god and an original Avenger, Thor is more than powerful enough to stand up to Doctor Doom. More importantly, defeating Doom would make for an important piece of his character arc. Thor’s failure to defeat Thanos during Avengers: Infinity War still haunts him to this day, but he could finally forgive himself if he avoided the same mistakes with Doctor Doom. There may not be a better way to end Thor’s story in the MCU than by having him finally redeem himself for his failure with Thanos.
Iron Man Could Return to Defeat His Doppelganger
Robert Downey Jr. is officially coming back to the MCU as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, but his return could be much more than a heel turn. With the multiverse on the verge of utter collapse in Phase 6, anyone and everyone from other timelines could show up in the two-part crossover finale. This includes a variant of Tony Stark/Iron Man, who could be the one to finally defeat Doctor Doom at the end of Secret Wars.
Tony Stark’s return seems inevitable with Downey coming back to the MCU for a brief run as Doctor Doom. By having Iron Man be th eone to defeat Doom, Marvel can once again solidify him as one of the greatest heroes in the history of the franchise. This would also given Stark the honorable distinction of defeating both of the MCU’s major villains: Thanos and Doctor Doom.
Mister Fantastic Is Doctor Doom’s Biggest Rival
Mister Fantastic and Doctor Doom have one of the most iconic rivalries in the history of comic books, spanning all the way back to their history as college roomates long before assuming their super-powered personas. It would be a dissservice to both characters for Avengers: Doomsday not to play up the feud between Reed Richards and Victor von Doom. As his chief rival, Mister Fantastic stands a strong chance of being the one to defeat Doom in the end.
Doctor Doom is expected to attain godlike powers during the events of Doomsday, which could make it tricky for a character like Mister Fantastic to land the final blow. However, Reed’s stretching abilities are rarely what help him defeat Doom in the comics. Instead, it is his incredibly mind that prevails in the end. Reed could be the one who comes up with the plan to defeat Doctor Doom in the next Avengers film, proving once and for all that he is the more intelligent of the two.
Franklin Richards Is One of the Most Powerful Beings in the Universe
Franklin Richards and Doctor Doom in The Fantastic Four: First StepsImage via Marvel Studios
Franklin Richards, the son of Reed Richards and Susan Storm, will play a key role in Avengers: Doomsday. The child’s powers made an early appearance at the end of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, where he resurrected his mother after her fatal confrontation with Galactus. Fans of the comics know that Franklin is one of the most powerful Marvel characters of all time, with myriad abilities that include reality manipulation on a universal scale.
In the 2015 Secret Wars comic, Franklin Richards plays a key role in rebooting the universe. It seems likely that the MCU will take inspiration from the comic in this way by making Franklin a major player in its own Secret Wars event. This much was confirmed when Doctor Doom arrived to meet a young Franklin in First Steps’ post-credits scene. The child’s growing power may be what Doom needs to accomplish his evil plans, but they could also be the villain’s undoing.