[[{“value”:”
The MCU has its latest arch-villain in the form of Doctor Doom, who is set to star in Avengers: Doomsday raising the question of how powerful he will be compared to Thanos. The ripple effects of Thanos’ explosive MCU arc is still being felt two phases into the Multiverse Saga, with the aftermath of the Snap still taking its toll on the denizens of the MCU. With Avengers: Secret Wars promising to deliver cameos aplenty as multiversal variants converge in the Multiverse Saga‘s finale, Thanos may even appear once more in the future.
Should that be the case, then he may find himself up against the Multiverse Saga’s newly appointed big bad, Doctor Doom. This showdown should only end one way, with Doctor Doom cementing himself as a worthy successor to the villain that decimated half of Earth-616’s universe. Still, whether this is truly how things would transpire if the two villains went head-to-head is another matter given Thanos remains one of the Marvel Universe’s most powerful characters.
Thanos Is Physically Much More Powerful Than Doctor Doom
Thanos’ Titan Physiology Is No Joke
Whether Thanos could beat Doom in a simple brawl is hardly up for question. Avengers: Infinity War opened with Thanos swiftly defeating Hulk, one of the MCU’s physically strongest characters, in a straight fistfight aboard the Statesman. This is thanks to his Titan physiology, which was also shown to grant him immense durability as he could freely handle the Infinity Stones. Furthermore, a distinctly stone-deprived Thanos was able to hold his own against the Avengers’ Big Three during the Battle of Earth.
Doctor Doom’s armor is possibly enough to give Thanos cause for concern as it enhances his strength and durability to the point that he can also go toe-to-toe with Hulk.
Doctor Doom, meanwhile, is a human. While, like most Marvel heroes, Doom trains his body to be in the peak physical condition, his strength is not bolstered through something like the super soldier serum or a mutant gene. If Doom were to face Thanos in a fair fight devoid of magic or other external aid, there is no question that Thanos would beat him in seconds. Of course, having the two hash it out under such conditions is unlikely and unnecessary – and Doom has plenty of tricks up his titanium sleeve.
Doom’s Intelligence Is What Makes Him A True Powerhouse
Doctor Doom Is A Super-Genius And Brilliant Strategist
Doctor Doom is a super genius on par with his arch nemesis, Reed Richards, AKA “The smartest man alive.” While Thanos has also demonstrated strategic brilliance, Doom is on another level entirely, with his genius being the greatest weapon at his disposal. This allows him to create and wield an arsenal of powerful weapons (most commonly Doombots) which might be sufficient in helping him get the upper hand on Thanos. Iron Man was, after all, able to hold his own against the Mad Titan twice with his own nanotechnology.
What Is Doomsday? Avengers 5 Title & Story Clues Explained
The title of Avengers 5 was confirmed as Avengers: Doomsday at SDCC 2024, begging the question of whether the title holds any deeper meaning.
An extra facet of Doom’s intelligence, however, is his access to sorcery. Doom is one of the universe’s most talented and powerful sorcerers, even being offered the role of Sorcerer Supreme when Doctor Strange stepped down. Doctor Strange was also able to give Thanos a run for his money in the Battle of Titan, though Thanos’ possession of several Infinity Stones made it a futile fight. A commonly held belief, however, is that Doom can defeat just about anyone with enough preparation as his strategic mind is second to none – something he once proved with Thanos himself.
Doctor Doom HAS Beaten Thanos… But Only With A Massive Power Boost
Doctor Doom Vs. Thanos Wasn’t Even A Fair Fight
Marvel Comics has already answered the question of which iconic Marvel villain would win a fight. When Thanos challenged him, Doctor Doom was able to effortlessly rip the Mad Tian’s skeleton from his body, a “Fight” that took place in just a few comic book panels. Typically, this would have been a particularly unusual physical feat for Doctor Doom to pull off against the incredibly strong Mad Titan, hence Thanos’ misplaced confidence – but Doctor Doom did, in fairness, have a significant power boost.
Furthermore, Thanos did not possess the Infinity Gauntlet and the godlike powers it also grants, putting him at an even greater disadvantage.
When Doctor Doom ripped Thanos’ skeleton from his body he was boasting the powers of the Beyonder, one of Marvel Comics most powerful godlike beings. While in possession of this power, Doctor Doom is known as God Emperor Doom, allowing him to subjugate an entire world of superpowered individuals with little recourse for them to rise up against him. Furthermore, Thanos did not possess the Infinity Gauntlet and the godlike powers it also grants, putting him at an even greater disadvantage.
Secret Wars Is The Story That Gave Doom His Power-Up
Avengers: Secret Wars Will Presumably Adapt This Comic Run
This particular event took place in 2015’s Secret Wars #8, part of one of Marvel Comics’ most iconic runs. This story depicts Doom as a savior and subjugator, ruling over a cobbled-together “Battleworld” that he created out of the pieces of a destroyed multiverse. After saving countless lives, however, Doom predictably assumes his place as Battleworld’s God Emperor. Despite being the savior of the multiverse, this makes Doom the series’ arch-villain as myriad heroes (and villains) from across the multiverse band together to bring him down.
The first run of
Avengers: Secret Wars
was published in 1984 but deals much less with the multiverse.
This is presumably the same story that Avengers: Secret Wars will adapt in 2027. While story details for Avengers: Secret Wars are to be confirmed, it will presumably follow a similar story to the 2015 comic. This, then, could be where Doom vs. Thanos plays out on-screen, recreating the gruesome moment from the comics. Not only would this be a stark demonstration of God Emperor Doom’s power levels, but it would also be the perfect way to have Doom assert his place as Thanos’ more powerful successor.
Doctor Doom Will Be A Worthy Successor For Thanos In The Multiverse Saga
If Anyone Can Fill Thanos’ Shoes, It’s Doctor Doom
Thanos is a tough act to follow, and not just in terms of power levels. Thanos remains one of the foremost sympathetic villains in the MCU and one of the most iconic villains in cinema. There is, after all, a reason the MCU keeps returning to the villain several years after his death, with his voice even being used to help promote The Marvels when the prognosis started looking poor regarding its theatrical success.
The Marvels remains the MCU’s lowest-grossing movie ever.
Thankfully, Doctor Doom is one of the most beloved villains in Marvel Comics – and for good reason. While he is not as physically threatening as Thanos, his powerful sorcery and brilliant mind make him just as formidable a foe for Marvel’s greatest heroes to face. He is also an inherently sympathetic villain, with his motives mostly centering around protecting humanity and his backstory being filled with tragedy.
Affording the arch-villain two climactic movies is a positive step in the right direction as it gives the MCU the widest possible space in which to ensure its Doctor Doom is fully fleshed out, as it did with Thanos.
This does, of course, mean that the pressure is on for Marvel Studios to do justice to Doctor Doom. Bringing in Robert Downey Jr to the role has been a divisive decision by Marvel studios but is more likely a stroke of genius that will help to bring even greater depth to Doom and his part to play in the Multiverse Saga. Affording the arch-villain two climactic movies starting with Avengers: Doomsday is a positive step in the right direction as it gives the MCU the widest possible space in which to ensure its Doctor Doom is fully fleshed out, as it did with Thanos.
Upcoming MCU Movies
“}]] Which Avengers villain is strongest? Read More