Doctor Doom and Reed Richard’s Relationship, Explained

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Reed Richards, leader of the Fantastic Four, and his archenemy, Victor Von Doom, aka Doctor Doom, have one of the most complex, compelling rivalries in all of Marvel Comics history. Their long-running feud has been the source of a plethora of incredible storylines across decades, series, and events.

From their early days as competitors and classmates in college to their lives fighting each other as super-powered beings, Reed and Doom are two of Marvel’s most iconic enemies. Their long history together and complex back-and-forth is something that Marvel fans have grown attached to over the course of the characters’ collective time in the pages of Marvel Comics.

Reed and Doom’s Early Days Together

The Two’s Rivalry Started Way Back When They Were Both In College

Before gaining their iconic abilities and costumes, Reed Richards and Victor Von Doom attended the same university, where they quickly became rivals. Victor Von Doom was born to a Romani tribe in the fictional country of Latveria and raised by his mother, a powerful witch. After her death, Victor became obsessed with the occult, practicing his mother’s magic while honing his skills in technology with his brilliant scientific mind. Mastering both science and magic, he used his abilities to protect the people of Latveria from tyrannical leaders. His actions eventually caught the attention of Empire State University in the United States.

After accepting an offer from the dean of Empire State University, Victor moved to the US to pursue a formal education, which is where he met Reed Richards. The two young men quickly became fierce rivals, with each one believing that their own scientific mind was superior to the other’s. Alongside Reed Richards was his best friend, Ben Grimm, another student at ESU. Victor Von Doom’s own personal demons made him isolate himself from the people around him. He believed that the other students were less than him and that he didn’t need to concern himself with their lives.

When Victor began working on a machine that would help him communicate with the dead in the hopes of seeing his mother again, Reed Richards investigated it and pointed out a number of flaws. Believing the supernatural was simply an undiscovered branch of science, Reed insisted Doom’s machine would fail and backfire if used. In his arrogance, Doom refused to listen and, desperate to see his mother, activated the machine. Just as Reed Richards had said, the machine backfired and exploded, permanently scarring Doom’s face.

In his rage, Doom blamed Richards for what had transpired and vowed to make him pay. After being expelled from the university, Doom left to travel the world and hone his abilities. Marvel released a number of Doom-centric books over the years, with Ed Brubaker’s Books of Doom acting as one of the essential comics for fans to understand Doctor Doom‘s origin and character.

Doom is More Than Simply Reed’s Archenemy

The Ups and Downs of the Pair’s History Is Key to Their Relationship

Though Victor Von Doom has been responsible for a number of the most evil deeds in Marvel Comics’ history, his relationship with Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four is far from simple. Doctor Doom is not just another villain for the team to face off against occasionally. His complex history with Reed Richards makes him more than just a supervillain. There is a sort of mutual respect between Doom and Richards, even if neither man can admit it. Though the pair hate each other, they each see so much of themselves in the other. Reed Richards knows that Doom is everything that he could have become had he let himself be wrapped up solely in his ambitions and scientific mind.

Doom is the dark shadow looming over Reed’s conscience. That is what makes the Ultimate Universe’s version of Reed Richards, the underrated Marvel villain known as the Maker, so interesting. This version of Reed Richards is far more like Doctor Doom than he is like the mainline Reed. Knowing that he’s that close to becoming just like Doom is what makes Reed Richards such a compelling character, and it’s what makes his and Doom’s dynamic so much more complex.

Throughout Marvel history, Doom and the Fantastic Four have occasionally set aside their differences to confront greater threats. When the terrifying Onslaught—a villain with the combined powers of Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto—threatened the world, Doom joined forces with Reed Richards and his family to save it. While Doom is certainly a villain, his motivations extend beyond simple “world domination.” He is a complex, three-dimensional character with as much emotional depth as any of Marvel’s heroes.

Doom Is the Godfather of Reed’s Daughter

Their Complicated Rivalry Becomes Even More Complicated When Valeria Richards Is Involved

After years of rivalry and hatred, Doctor Doom did something that he knew Reed Richards would never be able to live down—he saved the lives of Susan Storm and her and Reed’s newborn daughter. With Reed away and incapable of returning to aid his wife as she entered labor, Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, went to the only person who could help with the complications that arose during Susan’s labor: Victor Von Doom.

More than just a mustache-twirling villain, Doom agreed to help Johnny Storm with his sister’s condition and accompanied him to her side. Using his brilliant mind and skills, he saved Susan and her baby from almost certain death. In gratitude, Susan allowed Doom to name her child and made him the baby’s godfather. Victor named the girl Valeria, after his long-lost love from Latveria. When Reed Richards arrived and realized Doom had saved his family, he understood he would forever be in debt to the man he had fought for so long.

As Valeria grew older, she developed a close bond with Doctor Doom, becoming one of the few people he genuinely cares for. This complicated family situation between the Fantastic Four and their greatest enemy makes stories between Marvel’s first family and the ruler of Latveria so much more compelling. It keeps the dynamic between Reed and Doom fresh. Reed and Doom’s shared love for Valeria makes their rivalry all the more tragic as it becomes clearer and clearer that they could so easily come together in peace.

Doom’s Rivalry With Reed Is Rooted in Spite

Doctor Doom Constantly Refuses To Accept Reed’s Superiority

With a rivalry that dates back to their college days, Victor Von Doom has never been able to accept that Reed Richards could be his superior in any way. This aspect of the character continues to pit Doom against Reed and the Fantastic Four. His life and schemes are constant attempts to prove his own power over Reed, but deep down, he knows that nothing will ever prove his superiority. He will always live in Richards’ shadow, if not because of his intellect, then because of his humanity and goodness.

Instead of trying to better himself and live up to the example set by his enemy, Doom’s schemes are rooted in a need to lessen Reed and drag him down to his level. This spiteful, jealous rage that Doom has for Reed is central to their relationship, and it is the reason that their ups and downs over the years have remained so compelling. Doctor Doom is one of the most dangerous people in the Marvel Universe, but his own ego cannot allow him to live down the fact that he is bested on nearly every level by the leader of the Fantastic Four.

During the events of Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 event Secret Wars, one of the best events from Marvel Comics, Doctor Doom takes control of the power of the Beyonder, a being with reality-altering, earth-shaking abilities. With the Beyonder’s powers, Doom salvages what remains of a number of dying alternate universes and creates Battleworld, a fragmented Earth full of multiversal variants of classic heroes and villains—and a place where he rules as “God Emperor Doom.”

When Reed Richards finally faces off with Victor Von Doom, their endless rivalry culminates in a compelling showdown. Reed pleads with Doom, arguing that if he had wielded the Beyonder’s power, he could have restored the world to its original state, not left it a fragmented realm of remnants. In a rare moment of vulnerability, Doom concedes that Reed would have done a better job—admitting, at last, that Reed is superior. This admission shatters a belief Doom had stubbornly held throughout their decades-long rivalry.

After admitting that Reed Richards would have restored the world, Doom relinquishes his power and allows Reed to reshape existence. Once reality is restored, Doom returns to his throne in Latveria. Demonstrating his lack of pettiness or spite, Reed uses this opportunity to heal Doom’s scarred face, something that would not have happened if the roles were reversed. This uneasy respect and honor between foes is what makes the pair’s rivalry one of the very best in comic book history, and it is something that continues to have a significant impact on the Marvel Universe to this day.

“}]] Reed Richards and Doctor Doom have one of the most complex rivalries in comics history, and their stories have been fan-favorites for decades.  Read More