Whereas The Improbable 4: First Steps introduces a recent set of faces for the MCU, there’s one villain that followers have been ready with bated breath to see on display screen.
Spoilers for The Improbable 4: First Steps and doable future MCU content material under – the most recent Marvel movie is out now within the UK
As the principle villain of Marvel’s Multiverse saga, everyone seems to be anticipating Victor von Doom’s arrival.
Marvel has already made it clear that Robert Downey Jr. will likely be returning to play the character, however aside from that, Kevin Feige and co. have remained tight-lipped about after we can count on to see one of many OG unhealthy guys.
As a particular villain to this collection, many expect Physician Doom to make an look in The Improbable 4: First Steps. However did that truly occur, or was it wishful considering? Hold studying to seek out out.
Does Physician Doom seem in The Improbable 4: First Steps post-credits scene?
Sure, Physician Doom seems within the post-credits scene. The scene is ready 4 years after the occasions of the movie. Sue Storm is studying The Very Hungry Caterpillar to Franklin earlier than handing her son a special e-book.
When she turns again round, a mysterious cloaked determine is face-to-face with the kid, holding Physician Doom’s iconic silver masks. So, you’d in all probability assume that it truly is him through the post-credits scene.
Nevertheless, everyone knows that Marvel loves a double-bluff, so there’s all the time an opportunity that the cloaked determine isn’t truly Physician Doom in any respect – they only occur to have his masks. And not using a good glimpse of the face, it’s tough to know for positive, however it does seem to be probably the most believable rationalization.
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Wait, who’s Physician Doom?
Physician Doom, who’s also referred to as Victor von Doom, is likely one of the Improbable 4’s most fearsome enemies.
He was first launched in 1962 as a scientist from fictional Japanese European nation Latveria. Doom and Richards go approach again, with the pair assembly as college students. However since then, it’s truthful to say that Doom took a special path.
He ended up getting horribly scarred after a machine he invented exploded, which led to him sporting a masks and a go well with of armour. He later returned to Latveria as its monarch, however after that style of energy, he determined he needed world domination. Therefore, his conflicts with the Improbable 4 and different Marvel heroes.
What’s fascinating in regards to the MCU’s Doom is who’s taking part in him. Although, to be clear, we by no means see this actor’s face in The Improbable 4: First Steps.
Why is Robert Downey Jr. again within the MCU?
When Tony Stark was killed off again in Avengers: Endgame, no one anticipated to see Robert Downey Jr. within the MCU once more. Nevertheless, this all modified in 2024, when it was introduced that he was the person behind that iconic-as-ever masks.
Whereas it would seem to be a random selection, it truly makes lots of sense if you happen to dig deeper. One of many largest modifications within the Multiverse Saga was the introduction of Variants, which resulted in a few of our favorite characters taking over completely new super-identities in numerous realities.
If we are able to have Peggy Carter taking over the long-lasting defend utilized by Steve Rogers, and Maria Rambeau as Captain Marvel, it makes good sense for a Variant of Tony Stark to turn into Physician Doom — particularly if he by no means has the redemption arc that led to him turning into Iron Man within the first place.
It’s price remembering Stark and Doom have lots in frequent — they’re each tech geniuses with extraordinarily highly effective, armoured fits. They only took very totally different paths to get to that time, and use their powers in a different way.
Certainly, within the 2016 comedian, The Notorious Iron Man, Doom truly turns into Iron Man, donning his armour and trying to show over a brand new leaf following Stark’s (non permanent) loss of life. Feige could also be engaged on a twistier model of that storyline.
The choice to not present Doom’s face in The Improbable 4: First Steps is fascinating. Maybe the villain chooses to change his look to mess with the Avengers intentionally? We don’t know for sure but.
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What Physician Doom means for the MCU
Up to now, the Multiverse saga has been all about world-building and establishing a brand new era of Avengers. However with the arrival of Physician Doom, issues are set to gear up a notch.
He’s anticipated to make his first look in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday, which is essentially based mostly on the Doomsday comedian e-book storyline. This explores the idea of incursions, the place totally different universes collide. Naturally, the Avengers, Improbable 4, and X-Males got down to cease issues from taking place, as confirmed by the insane forged checklist:
The upcoming film differs from the comics as a result of Doom is anticipated to play extra of an expansive villain function to arrange his remaining battle with the Avengers in Secret Wars.
So, in brief, Physician Doom represents the principle antagonist of all the Multiverse Saga, very similar to Thanos did within the Infinity Saga.
Why The Improbable 4 are key for the subsequent Avengers movie
Provided that Physician Doom is technically a Improbable 4 villain, it’s truthful to say that Marvel’s first super-family is ready to play a big function within the films to come back.
As established within the post-credit scene, Doom is enamoured by Franklin’s reality-bending powers. Whereas his villainous motives appear unclear for now, the comics have all the time depicted Doom as wanting to make use of Franklin’s powers for his personal achieve. Naturally, we are able to count on some pushback from his mother and father, Reed Richards and Sue Storm. Maybe the inevitable kidnapping of Franklin is what places all the pieces into movement.
© 2025 twentieth Century Studios / © and ™ 2025 MARVEL.
Richards additionally performs a pivotal function within the Secret Wars comedian storyline. It’s he and Doom who conflict in an epic battle to find out the destiny of the multiverse. Reed additionally performs a giant half in placing actuality again collectively.
Whereas they’ve Professor Hulk on-side, one of many issues the Avengers is missing is a strategic thoughts — and with Richards becoming a member of the fray, the multiverse might effectively find yourself being saved in spite of everything.
Finally, the arrival of the Improbable 4 and Physician Doom ushers in a brand new period for MCU, and it seems to be prefer it’s going to be probably the most thrilling one but.
The Improbable 4: First Steps is out now in cinemas within the UK, and drops tomorrow within the US. UK readers can e-book tickets on Vue, Showcase, Odeon or Cineworld. US Marvel followers can pre-order them from AMC Theatres, Fandango and Atom Tickets.
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