Doctor Doom Has a Surprising Ally… in the Fantastic Four?

One World Under Doom is 2025’s big Marvel crossover, and part of the massive Doctor Doom media blitz Marvel has been hitting the world with since 2024. One World Under Doom, by Ryan North and R.B. Silva, sees Doom actually take over the world, with the world leaders ceding leadership to him and making the world a part of the kingdom of Latveria. Doom is basically saving the world, giving people the world over better healthcare and education, as well as destroying Hydra. This leads the heroes to figuring that something is rotten in Denmark, but being completely out-maneuvered by Doom. One World Under Doom #2 opens with the Fantastic Four trying to figure out how to deal with Doom. However, not everyone in the Fantastic Four’s family is so anti-Doom, and one of them decides to go visit Doom for a conversation — Valeria Richards.

Doctor Doom and Valeria Richards have long had a special relationship. This relationship has changed the way the Fantastic Four and Doom interact. Valeria Richards is among the most intelligent people in the entire universe, partly because of her relationship with Doom. Doom has an ally in the team he hates the most, something that could play a role in the story in the months to come.

Valeria and Doom Consider Each Other to be Family

Doctor Doom played a key role in Valeria’s birth. Valeria was conceived in the Negative Zone, which isn’t the best place to conceive something as fragile as a human baby. Add to that the radiation saturated systems of the Richards’ — which had already cost them a baby in the past — and there was a good chance that Valeria would have ended up stillborn. However, there was one person who could make sure Valeria was born safely, with no complications from all the radiation that she was exposed to in the womb. Doom had the intelligence and tech to make sure that Valeria was born safely, and basically played midwife for the birth of Valeria Richards. However, Doom wasn’t going to do anything for Mr. Fantastic for free, so he wanted to name the child and be her godfather. Reed and Sue agreed, and Doom named her Valeria.

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Valeria is a name that plays a very important role in Doctor Doom’s life. Victor Von Doom grew up with a girl named Valeria when he lived with his fellow Romani in the woods of Latveria. The two of them fell in love, but the tragedies of Doom’s life took him away from Valeria, which led to him taking over Latveria and becoming Doctor Doom. Eventually, the two reunited, but Doom commited his monstrous acts — in order to gain the power to destroy the Fantastic Four, he sacrificed Valeria to demons. In return, he’s given magical leather armor made from Valeria’s skin. Doom chose hate over love, and paid the price, losing the power to defeat the FF and the woman he loved in a moment. Doom and Valeria Ricahrds would go on to have an interesting relationship, with Doom acting as her beloved uncle. Doom respects Valeria’s intellect, and constantly runs his ideas past her. Valeria also has a strange view of Doom; while she definitely knows he’s evil, she can see the good man underneath it all, which leads to her seeing her uncle Doom to ask why he’s doing what he’s doing.

Doom Has a History of Betraying Women Named Valeria

Doom and Valeria’s relationship is one of the most unique in Doom’s life. He seems to truly love Valeria, and has worked with her when ever possible. The two of them have a very sweet relationship, but Doom is known for using everyone to meet his goals. Valeria completely trusts Doom, but she isn’t the first woman named Valeria to trust Doom. Doom and Valeria’s relationship gives Doom a window into the world of the Fantastic Four he never had before; Valeria even lies to her parents about where she’s going in order to go see Doom in this issue. This says a lot about her relationship with Doom and opens up some very dangerous paths.

Readers have wondered when Doom would use his relationship with Valeria as a way to get back at the Fantastic Four. Doom is a great ruler and has his good points, but Doom is a monster. If he can figure out a way to use Valeria to hurt the Fantastic Four, he definitely will. While their meeting ends in the best way possible this time, there’s a chance that One World Under Doom may be the place where Doom finally pulls the trigger on using his beloved ally in the worst possible ways.

One World Under Doom #2 is on sale where ever comics are sold.