With the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. is set to return to the MCU as Doctor Doom. Fans of the movie who have not yet read comics might be wondering who is Doctor Doom?
Who is Dr. Doom: Origins of Doctor Doom
Victor Von Doom was born in the small European country of Latveria, a fictional nation that he would later come to rule with an iron fist. Doom’s parents, Werner and Cynthia Von Doom, were members of a Romani tribe. His mother, Cynthia, was a witch who dabbled in dark magic, which eventually led to her death at the hands of Mephisto, a powerful demon. This loss left a profound impact on Victor, fueling his desire to master both science and magic in an attempt to free his mother’s soul from Mephisto’s clutches.
Victor’s intellectual brilliance became evident early in his life. He was a prodigy in science, particularly in physics and engineering, which earned him a scholarship to Empire State University in the United States. However, his arrogance and obsession with rescuing his mother led him to conduct a dangerous experiment involving interdimensional communication. The experiment backfired, scarring his face and leading to his expulsion from the university.
Blaming others for his failures, Victor travelled the world and eventually found refuge in a Tibetan monastery, where he refined his knowledge of both science and sorcery. During his time there, he created his iconic suit of armour, which not only enhanced his physical abilities but also became a symbol of his desire for control and power. With his newfound strength, Victor returned to Latveria, overthrew its ruler, and declared himself Doctor Doom, the sovereign ruler of the nation.
Who is Dr. Doom: Power And Abilities Of Doctor Doom
In Marvel Comics, Doctor Doom possesses vast amounts of power, wealth, status, and technical expertise. In the Marvel Universe, Doctor Doom is considered the most dangerous villain on Earth. Doom possesses a genius-level intellect and is a polymath. He has invented several doomsday machines and robots. He can even exert technopathic control over certain machines as well.
Doom possesses an armour that augments his natural physical strength and durability to superhuman levels. Even without his armour, Doom has proven himself to be a skilled combatant. In one comic, he even killed a lion with a single punch. As the absolute ruler of Latveria, Doctor Doom governs the nation with an iron grip, often leveraging his political authority for personal gain. He has moulded the country to reflect his own vision, even going so far as to rename its capital city from Hassenstadt to Doomstadt and its central fortress from Castle Sabbat to Castle Doom.
Robert Downey Jr. Is Set To Return To MCU As Doctor Doom
At the San Diego Comin Con, Marvel’s Kevin Feige announced that Robert Downey Jr. will be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, he won’t be reprising his old role as Iron Man. Instead, he’ll be starring in the role of Victor Von Doom aka Doctor Doom, a fierce villain.
While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter Podcast, Downey shared some details about how Kevin Feige approached him with the role and why he agreed. He explained that it was a casual conversation with Feige that led to his casting. At first, Downey expressed some concerns about meeting prior expectations but then Disney CEO Bob Iger expressed enthusiasm over the idea.
Robert Downey Jr.’s announcement of his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe left many Marvel fans bewildered and shocked. Everyone is full of questions after this announcement, with many raising a valid concern, “How will the studios justify why Tony Stark and Dr. Doom look identical?”
Many have theorised that the version of Doctor Doom that we will be seeing is an evil version of Tony Stark from an alternate dimension who has gone crazy. However, Downey quickly put these rumours to rest and said that his version of Victor Von Doom is completely separate from Tony Stark.
