Is One World Under Doom Setting Up a Different Villain Conflict?

One World Under Doom has seen Doctor Doom’s plan come to fruition. Doom has taken over the world, and everyone is seemingly going along with it. The Fantastic Four and the Avengers have done their best to fight back against Doom, but he’s defeated them at every turn, making them look like rank amateurs. This has forced the Avengers to team up with the Masters of Evil. The newest incarnation of the Masters — consisting of Doctor Octopus (a former leader of the team), Baron Mordo, MODOK, Arcade, Madelyne Pryor, and Mysterio — agrees to help the team, and two members of the group both want the same thing for helping the heroes defeat Doom. Doc Ock and MODOK want Doctor Doom’s mask to keep as a souvenir.

While this doesn’t really matter to the battle against Doom — the villain is able to survive the battle against the Avengers and Masters, slapping them around pretty easily, before a break out at the supervillain prison the Raft pulls the heroes away. However, this kind of thing shows how big a problem teaming up with the villains can be. Villains working together is like herding cats, and the history of villain team-ups shows the kind of mistake the Avengers are making by teaming with them.

Villain Teams Are Hives of Betrayal

Villain team-ups have been around for as long as superheroes have. Sometimes, this has meant villain teams, and other times it’s meant villains working together in duos and trios. Marvel’s first team of villains as Spider-Man’s Sinister Six in 1964, and they would be followed by the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and the Masters of Evil. All three of these teams show why villain teams don’t really work. Each of these teams are known for squabbling amongst themselves, their lack of unity making them easy pickings for the heroes. In fact, most major team versus team stories involve the villains fighting against each other. Often times, it’s because one or the other wants to be the leader or they think their plan is better and go off book. The problem with villains is they are defined by their greed; whether they want to take over the world or rob banks, a lot of villains are just genuinely greedy people using their powers or technology to take whatever they want.

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Doc Ock and MODOK both wanting Doom’s mask is an example of the petty greed of supervillains. There is no real reason for them to want Doom’s mask other than bragging rights. While there is certainly some cool technology in Doom’s mask, there’s nothing that would make that much of a big deal for Ock and MODOK. They just want to be able to say that they have something that other villains don’t. That’s greed. Teaming with the Masters of Evil could be a huge mistake for the Avengers. Ock and MODOK wanted something for their helping the heroes. Who’s to say that another member of the Masters of Evil may not be working for Doom secretly or join him at any time during the team-up? One World Under Doom #3 reveals exactly how Doom was able to convince the world’s leaders to cede control to him — negotiation. Doom made promises to the leaders that they would get what they wanted from him. Who’s to say that he hasn’t negotiated with members of the Masters? Could Mordo be working for Doom, promised some powerful magical items? Arcade just wants money — Doom has money to spare. There are way too many variables.

Will Ock and MODOK Come to Blows?

Doc Ock and MODOK didn’t get close to getting Doom’s mask; he ran through the combined forces of the Masters and the Avengers like a hot knife through butter. However, this might not be the end of the feud between the two. MODOK has been making moves lately, and may want to press the issue of getting Doom’s mask. Ock has been spending a lot of time doing hero stuff as the Superior Spider-Man, so maybe he wants to remind everyone that he’s just as dangerous as he always was. On top of that, while this seems like a throwaway line, there’s a good chance that we’re getting to see the seeds of the Masters and the Avengers dissolution when these two come to blows.

Look, the Avengers and the FF definitely need more help against Doom. However, going to the Masters of Evil is the worst idea imaginable. The Masters of Evil are known for falling apart into squabbling villains without someone with a powerful will leading them. Ock and MODOK could be playing typical villain games of one upsmanship, but it could also a clue to what’s coming down the road. The Avengers and the Masters are going to fall apart at some point, and situations like this could easily be the reason why.

One World Under Doom #3 is on sale now.