Defeating a major villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is no small feat. Sure, there have been times when the franchise goes for a gag rather than an epic moment, such as Pepper Potts getting the better of Aldrich Killian in Iron Man 3, but those examples are few and far between. Usually, the powers that be set the stage for a bad guy’s defeat early on by giving them beef with a specific hero. In The Avengers, Loki unleashes the Hulk on the helicarrier, and the green monster returns the favor later on by turning the God of Mischief into a ragdoll. Similarly, Thor gets to give Thanos a taste of his own medicine when he takes his head at the start of Avengers: Endgame.
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Well, there’s a new villain in town, Doctor Doom, and while his motivations are still unclear going into Avengers: Doomsday, he’s sure to ruffle his fair share of feathers. However, not every character is going to get the chance to deliver the final blow to the villain. Here’s every hero in Doomsday, ranked by how likely they are to be the one to defeat Doom.
23) Gambit
Channing Tatum’s hilarious mutant will return in Doomsday after his breakout role in Deadpool & Wolverine. While the actor claims his character is going to be more serious this time around, it’s hard to imagine energy-infused playing cards doing much damage against a villain of Doom’s caliber.
22) Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler shows off his incredible skills at the start of X2, breaking into the White House and taking out the president’s security without much trouble. Whatever stronghold Doom puts himself up in is sure to be more formidable than the White House, though, so Alan Cumming’s character may want to sit the final fight out.
21) Beast
In most cases, brains beat brawn, so long as the brain is big enough. Beast is one of the smartest characters in the Marvel Universe, and he’s sure to help come up with a solution to the Doom problem. However, being a new addition to the franchise, it’s hard to imagine him cutting to the front of the line.
20) Cyclops
There might not be a character in Doomsday that needs a win more than Cyclops. The X-Men movies do him dirty, having him play second fiddle to Wolverine before biting the dust. Scott Summers will probably have to wait until the MCU’s X-Men reboot for his big moment, though.
19) Professor X
The leader of the X-Men, Charles Xavier, is one of the most powerful mutants ever to exist. He can control the mind of just about anyone, but the MCU has yet to have him flex his muscles. Scarlet Witch takes him out with ease, and it’s easy to envision Doom doing the same.
18) M’Baku
The characters that live in Wakanda never back down from a fight. In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, M’Baku eats a punch from Namor despite not having any powers. He’s unlikely to survive one from Doom, but his determination counts for something.
17) Red Guardian
The New Avengers might be the most important team in Doomsday, since they’re the ones to discover the arrival of the Fantastic Four’s ship. While there are a few heavyweights on the squad, Red Guardian is just happy to be along for the ride. He’s far more likely to die in the movie than survive until its final moments.
16) Ghost
With her phasing abilities, Ghost is far more capable than a run-of-the-mill human with a few gadgets. Unfortunately, Thunderbolts* proves that it’s not difficult to render her powers useless. Doom is sure to exploit that if Ghost tries to pick a fight with him.
15) U.S. Agent
John Walker will never be Steve Rogers, and it seems like he’s done trying to be. But the newly dubbed U.S. Agent still packs a serious punch, being easily the strongest super soldier on the New Avengers. But a nice right hook will only go so far in a fight against Doom.
14) Falcon
Sam Wilson gives his right-hand man, Joaquin Torres, the honor of being his first recruit for the new Avengers team, granting him a bit of plot armor. The reserve is sure to run out about halfway through Doomsday, though, so the current Falcon can only be so high on this list.
13) Yelena Belova
The leader of the New Avengers doesn’t have super strength or laser vision. However, Yelena Belova has a sharper mind than most, especially on the battlefield. She’s not going to punch Doom’s lights out, but that doesn’t mean she’s useless when the lights get bright.
12) Ant-Man
Scott Lang doesn’t get the credit he deserves for his fighting skills. In Endgame, he holds his own during the Battle of Earth, and in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania, he gets the better of Kang. While Doom won’t fall for any cheap tricks, don’t count Ant-Man out completely.
11) Black Panther
Even when Shuri doesn’t have the power of the Heart-Shaped Herb, she finds ways to make herself useful using her vast knowledge. Now that she dons the Black Panther suit, she’s in a different league. Doom is going to have trouble dealing with Shuri on and off the battlefield.
10) Bucky
In terms of raw strength, Bucky should be much lower on this list, as he’s not even the strongest super soldier in Doomsday. However, never underestimate the MCU’s willingness to pay off a years-old storyline. Bucky and Tony Stark will always be connected, and Doom looking like the late Avenger is sure to give the former assassin extra motivation.
9) Shang-Chi
Since Phase Four, the character who’s been getting overlooked the most is Shang-Chi. Marvel Studios continues to push the character’s sequel aside, but it can make things right in Doomsday. The Ten Rings make Shang-Chi a problem for any bad guy, including Doom.
8) Thor
It’s hard to believe that the God of Thunder is still kicking, since he’s been part of so many major battles. He’s back and better than ever, though, having gotten back in fighting shape in Thor: Love and Thunder. The only thing holding him back is that the MCU might want to put the spotlight on new heroes in Doomsday.
7) Sentry
The Thunderbolts realize they’re in over their heads while fighting Sentry. He’s stronger than all of the Avengers combined and lightning fast. While Sentry is set to return in Doomsday, he may not be able to go all-out, as that could doom the entire world.
6) Loki
The God of Mischief gives up his freedom to protect the stability of the multiverse in Loki Season 2. But his time on the throne may not last long because Doom probably wants it for himself. Facing Loki won’t be an easy task for Doom, as the Asgardian has picked up a few new tricks.
5) Captain America
Steve Rogers, standing alone against Thanos’ army, says all that needs to be said about the Captain America mantle. Sam Wilson is now the Star-Spangled Man, and while he might not have the Super Soldier Serum, he has heart in his corner. Doom shouldn’t underestimate the new face of the MCU.
4) The Thing
As soon as Franklin Richards is born, Ben Grimm starts taking his uncle duties very seriously. He loves his nephew and never wants anything bad to happen to him. Doom doesn’t share that sentiment, which means he’s going to have to deal with The Thing’s wrath.
3) Human Torch
Like his buddy Ben, Johnny Storm is willing to put his life on the line for Franklin. Where the Human Torch has The Thing beat is in the potential department. As soon as Johnny reaches full strength, it’s going to be everything Doom has to stop him.
2) Invisible Woman
The breakout star of The Fantastic Four: First Steps is Sue Storm, who puts the world on her shoulders by taking on Galactus one-on-one. The fight takes her life, and while she gets a second chance, she’s going to be willing to throw it away to save her child.
1) Mister Fantastic
The most important task Doomsday has is building the rivalry between Reed Richards and Victor von Doom, which is crucial in the comics. Reed will surely use all of his brain power to send Doom packing, as failing to get the job done could mean total annihilation.
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.
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