Avengers: Doomsday might be the setup Marvel needs to kick off the Secret Wars saga—and if Marvel stays true to the comics, Doctor Doom could be at the center of it all. But why would Marvel cast Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom? The answer might lie in a mind-blowing twist involving time travel, magic, and a universe-ending snap.
The Birth of Battleworld
In the comics, Doctor Doom creates Battleworld by merging fragments of dying universes into one planet. Why? Because of Incursions—a catastrophic event that happens when someone from one universe travels to another, causing both universes to gravitate toward each other and eventually collide. One—or both—will be destroyed.
And this isn’t a one-time event. Surviving one Incursion doesn’t save you. It only delays the inevitable, as another universe will follow and collide next. It’s a chain reaction—a domino effect destined to end with only one universe remaining.
The Multiverse Is Already Doomed
We’ve already seen plenty of hints that Incursions are happening. Variants are scattered across the multiverse:
- Gamora’s variant lives in the Sacred Timeline.
- Wolverine, Laura, and Monica Rambeau (Rambeau’s variant) exist in the X-Men universe.
- TVA agents, revealed in Loki Season 2 to be variants, have been traveling freely across timelines.
And in the post-credit scene of Thunderbolts, we see the Fantastic Four fleeing their universe—likely destroyed by Galactus—and entering the Sacred Timeline.
In short: the multiverse is collapsing, and no one seems to be stopping it.
Enter: Doctor Doom
So how would Doom create Battleworld in the MCU? Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what Avengers: Doomsday could look like:
Step 1: Awareness
Doom becomes aware of the multiverse and the Sacred Timeline. He learns of Iron Man’s sacrifice. Maybe he even defeats a powerful variant—perhaps Kang or even a version of Doctor Strange. The key is: Doom knows.
Step 2: Infiltrate the TVA
Doom targets the TVA, blaming them for the Incursions caused by unchecked variant travel. But he’s not just there for revenge—there’s something he needs from within.
Step 3: Magic and Mayhem
In the comics, Doom is a master of both science and sorcery. There’s a rumor that Scarlet Witch survived the Multiverse of Madness and that the TVA has her body. Doom defeats her and uses runes to absorb her chaos magic.
Step 4: Steal the Power of Stories
Next, he confronts Loki—now the God of Stories, who holds the multiverse together. With Scarlet Witch’s chaos magic and his runes, Doom defeats Loki and absorbs his reality-shaping powers.
Step 5: Dreamwalk Into the Past
Using both Loki’s and Wanda’s magic, Doom dreamwalks into the body of Iron Man—not a variant, but the original Tony Stark in 2023, during Avengers: Endgame. His immense power bypasses the usual rules of dreamwalking.
Step 6: Snap
In Iron Man’s body, Doom faces Thanos. The Infinity Stones fly into his hand. And instead of wiping out Thanos’ army, he creates Battleworld.
“And I… am Doom.”
This moment not only creates the new reality, but also explains a bold theory: why Robert Downey Jr. was rumored to return as Doom. Doom now wears Iron Man’s face, tying his legacy to Tony Stark forever.
Final Thoughts
Of course, this is all just a theory. Take it with a grain of salt. But it would be a thrilling, logical setup for Secret Wars—one that honors the comics and makes full use of Marvel’s multiversal chaos.
As for the roles of the Avengers, Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, and X-Men? That’s a story for another day.
Author
About the Author
