Right now, MCU fans everywhere are waiting in anticipation for the release ofAvengers: Doomsday, not just because it’s the next big event-movie of the franchise, but because it will see the return of iconicIron Manactor, Robert Downey Jr. RDJ’sTony Stark sacrificed himself inAvengers: Endgame, but that won’t be enough to prevent his return inAvengers: Doomsday, especially since he won’t be coming back as Tony Stark, but another character altogether:Doctor Doom. And, if the MCU wants to do this story right, it needs to lean on aforgottenIron Manplot in Marvel Comics.
TheIron Manplot in question isWhat If? - Iron Man: Demon In An Armorby David Michelinie, Bob Layton, and Graham Nolan. In this one-shotWhat If?story, Tony Stark and Victor von Doom are college roommates. Stark is a source of constant annoyance for Doom, but Victor can’t deny that Tony is a genius - and he’s rich. So, Victor tricks Tony into helping him build a device that will swap their minds, and when Doom activates it, he becomes Tony Stark.
Demon In An Armorintroduces aversion of Doctor Doom who ‘wears the face’ of Tony Stark. As Stark, Doom quickly murders Howard Stark, takes control of his company, and aggressively expands while also eliminating any and all forms of competition. Doom makes it his mission to amass as much global power and influence as possible, and with Tony Stark’s face, that mission is easier than ever. However, there is one misstep in Doom’s plan: he lets the original Tony Stark live.
When Doctor Doom took over Tony Stark’s body, the reverse also happened. Stark’s mind becomes trapped in the body of Victor von Doom. However, Tony Stark proves just how brilliant he is while in Victor’s body, as he becomes just as successful as ‘Tony Stark’ without any of the advantages. This inevitably leads to a final battle between ‘Doom’ and ‘Stark’, where good prevails over evil. But, what if it didn’t? What if Doom stole Tony Stark’s face and life, and suffered none of the consequences? That’s a question the MCU should ask - and then answer.
MCU’s Doctor Doom Should Steal Tony Stark’s Face Before Taking to the Multiverse
The MCU Should FollowDemon In An Armor, but Let Doctor Doom Win
It’s all but been confirmed that the version of Doctor Doom that fans are getting in the MCU is from another universe separate from the main continuity of the MCU. Whether he’ll be from the same universe the new Fantastic Four will be from or not remains to be seen, but it’s clear that this Doctor Doom hails from another reality. It’s also no coincidence that the new Doctor Doom looks exactly like Tony Stark, and there has to be a more substantial reason than Marvel Studios simply wanting to bring back Robert Downey Jr.
Perhaps in whatever universe the new Doctor Doom is from, events played out similar to what fans saw inDemon In An Armor. Tony Stark was rich and arrogant (just like he was in the MCU), and Victor von Doom saw an opportunity to steal everything he had by tricking Stark into switching bodies. At that point, perhaps Doctor Doom didn’t allow the original Tony Stark to live in his old body, and decided to kill him right after the switch was a success.
Doom’s ruthless brilliance merged with Stark’s influence and wealth meant Victor would be free to take over the world in his home-universe. But, perhaps that isn’t enough for Doom. This sets up Doom’s obsession with the multiverse, and with acquiring real power - not just the wealth and influence he got from Stark. Tony Stark could be the first person whose ‘power’ is stolen by Doctor Doom, but as comic fans know, he wouldn’t be the last. And, with that, the MCU has itself a perfect new villain while making sense of RDJ playing Doctor Doom in a satisfying (and comic-accurate) way.
The MCU Could Also Look to the New Ultimate Universe for Doctor Doom Inspiration
Reed Richards is the New Ultimate Doom, Mirroring the Potential for Tony Stark to Be the MCU’s Doom
WhileDemon In An Armorwould be the perfect source of inspiration for the MCU’s version of Doctor Doom (with the aforementioned tweaks to the story, of course), that’s not the only place Marvel Studios can look to craft a story around Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. Inthe new Ultimate Universe of Earth-6160, fans are introduced to an all-new version of Doom - one who is not Victor von Doom, but Reed Richards.
Obviously, the circumstances surrounding Reed Richards taking (or, rather, being forced into) the role of Doom in the Ultimate Universe has nothing to do with Tony Stark, but it does introduce the idea that Doctor Doom doesn’t necessarily have to be a variant of Victor von Doom. Even inDemon In An Armor, Victor von Doom is still his villainous self, he’s just wearing the face of Tony Stark. In the Ultimate Universe, however, Victor von Doom has nothing to do with the ‘Doom’ moniker, as Reed adopted it without Victor’s influence.
Yes, Marvel Just Connected Its Comics Continuity To the MCU, Marking a New Milestone For the Universe
The MCU is connected to the Marvel Comics multiverse, opening the door for heroes & villains to cross over from the comics to the movies seamlessly.
Perhaps the same could be true for the MCU. Maybe (again, in another reality), Tony Stark is simply evil. Perhaps he uses his standing as one of the wealthiest and most influential people on Earth, mixed with his natural brilliance in technological advancement, to basically take over the world. He could suppress the rise of other superheroes, snuff out villains before they become a problem, essentially buy SHIELD and control Hydra, and - of course - craft his iconic armor to ensure that his physical form matches his standard of power - armor with a more striking resemblance to what fans associate with Doctor Doom.
The Ultimate Universe Could Offer Inspiration, but the MCU Should Look To Demon In An Armor
Demon In An Armoris Still the Best Potential Piece of Source Material for the MCU’s Doctor Doom
The Ultimate Universe introduces the idea that a version of Doctor Doom can exist without Victor von Doom, which could be translated in the MCU by introducing a version of Tony Stark who is evil, and who takes the moniker of Doom for himself. However, if the MCU went that route, it would have to offer a pretty convincing explanation as to why Tony Stark would just become Doctor Doom with zero influence, as opposed to simply being an evil version of Iron Man (like what fans saw withSuperior Iron Man).
No, the best option is still firmly the story shown in Demon In An Armor. It would stay true to the origin of Doctor Doom by allowing Victor von Doom to still be the man behind the mask, it would explain why Robert Downey Jr. will be playingDoctor Doomin the MCU, and it would be a perfect adaptation of a forgotten Marvel Comics story. Sure, some tweaks would be needed, but for the most part, thisIron Manplot should be the MCU’s source of inspiration forAvengers: Doomsday.
Iron Man
Anthony “Tony” Edward Stark, AKA Iron Man, is a Marvel Comics superhero who has enjoyed several years of the spotlight and has become a mainstay in several Marvel media franchises. After suffering a critical injury, Tony creates a specialized armored suit powered by an arc reactor, which keeps him alive. Egotistical but good-hearted, Tony utilizes his super intellect and inventions to fight to protect humanity from various threats, eventually becoming a founding member of the Avengers. In 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was kicked off with the film Iron Man, which starred Robert Downey Jr. as the superhero.
