Since toy leaks surfaced early last year mentioned that the Avengers would have to take on a larger threat than Thanos comeAvengers: Endgame, fans have long been speculating on who — or what — that threat could be. In one recent fan theory, it’s mentioned that the big bad in Doctor Strange could return to exact revenge on the Master of the Mystic Arts.
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Originally posted by /u/ak2usp, the theory states that since Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) was dusted away during the events of Avengers: Infinity War, Dormammu will realize the deal they agreed on is no longer valid, and will come to consume Earth, presumably wanting to turn all humans into his Dark Dimension minions.
When you stop to think about it, the theory does carry a considerable amount of weight. Assuming the larger threat is a who — and not what — it makes sense Marvel Studios would choose to go with somebody they introduced. With Endgame being touted as the culmination of the past ten years worth of blockbusters, it’d put the studio in an awkward situation to try rushing an introduction for a brand new character, such as the Living Tribunal or Lord Chaos and Master Order.
Since Dormammu was introduced in Doctor Strange, the vast majority of Endgame fans will realize who the larger-than-life being is, and little introduction will be necessary. Beyond the introduction, it’s entirely plausible that Thanos‘ Snap caused some sort of rip in space and/or time, allowing Dormammu to freely move between dimensions — specifically the Dark Dimension and Earth.
If Kevin Feige and company were looking for a world-ending threat, there are only a few characters of that caliber to pull from Marvel Comics lore. One, of course, being Dormammu and the other being Galactus — a character who’s live-action rights are still technically owned by Fox until the impending Disney/Fox deal closes in March.
The theory is also sure to point at that while a cosmic being such as the Living Tribunal has been widely speculated as the larger threat, that doesn’t entirely fit into the characterization of the being. The Living Tribunal isn’t ever really a villain, per se, but rather a cosmic god that wishes the universe follow its natural, god-given path.
What do you think, MCU fans? Could Dormammu be the larger threat in Endgame or is it some one, or something else? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or join the conversation online by hitting me (@AdamBarnhardt) on Twitter to talk all things MCU!
Avengers: Endgame opens up April 26th. Other MCU movies this year include Captain Marvel on March 8th and Spider-Man: Far From Home on July 5th.
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