The Marvel Cinematic Universe is preparing for its next massive crossover event with Avengers: Doomsday, a film poised to unite an epic ensemble of heroes against a new multiversal threat. Helmed by the Russo Brothers, the directors behind Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, the movie is set to feature the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and many more fan-favorite characters in a story that promises to reshape the franchise before Avengers: Secret Wars reboots the universe. However, the most significant Doomsday reveal has been the casting of Robert Downey Jr. as the iconic villain, Doctor Doom, the Latverian tyrant defined by the metallic mask he wears to conceal his horribly scarred face.
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The decision to cast Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom sparked a firestorm of speculation about this new villain’s origins and connection to the MCU’s history. Theories have ranged from Doom being a malevolent variant of Tony Stark from another reality to the idea that he might be using the deceased hero’s corpse as a grotesque disguise to manipulate his former allies. Now, an intriguing new theory posted by Reddit user TheGreatMason in the r/MCUTheories subreddit offers a compelling explanation for how the MCU’s Doctor Doom may have gotten his infamous scars, tying his origin directly to one of the most pivotal moments in the Infinity Saga.
In the MCU, The Infinity Stones Hurt Their Wielder
Long before anyone assembled the Gauntlet, direct contact with a single stone proved lethal for most mortals in the MCU. In Thor: The Dark World, the Aether, or Reality Stone, slowly poisoned Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), its parasitic energy consuming her from the inside. The danger was made even more explicit in Guardians of the Galaxy, when the Power Stone instantly obliterated the Collector’s (Benicio del Toro) servant who dared to touch it. Furthermore, the Guardians themselves only survived wielding the Power Stone for a few moments by sharing the burden, an act that nearly tore them apart and was only possible due to Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) half-Celestial physiology.
While a single stone was deadly, wielding the combined cosmic power of all six through the Infinity Gauntlet escalated that threat. After achieving his victory in Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos (Josh Brolin) was left with a charred and useless arm, the power of his snap having permanently crippled the Mad Titan. The effort of using the stones a second time, to destroy them, nearly killed him and left him a broken shell of his former self, easily dispatched by Thor (Chris Hemsworth).
Avengers: Endgame drove the point home by having the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), a creature born from gamma radiation and arguably one of the few beings strong enough to even attempt the feat, be maimed by the effort of reversing the Blip, his arm left scorched and seemingly beyond repair. The ultimate price, however, was paid by Tony Stark. His mortal body, even protected by his most advanced suit of armor, was no match for the raw cosmic power he unleashed to defeat Thanos with the Infinity Gauntlet.
Did the MCU Doctor Doom Use the Infinity Gauntlet?
The Reddit theory from TheGreatMason builds directly upon this established lore to propose a fascinating origin for Doctor Doom’s scars. The theory points to a key detail from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which confirmed that other universes found their own ways to defeat Thanos. From this, TheGreatMason posits a compelling scenario: “So, what if Doom comes from a universe where he used the Infinity Stones to defeat Thanos but still managed to survive thanks to his knowledge of the mystic arts?”
In this alternate reality, Victor Von Doom would have been the one to step up and make the ultimate play by holding the Infinity Gauntlet to destroy Thanos, just like Tony Stark did in Avengers: Endgame. His unique mastery of technology and magic, vastly explored in Marvel Comics, would make him a far more plausible survivor of the Gauntlet’s power. This heroic sacrifice, however, would have come with the same terrible cost. As the theory compellingly argues, Doom’s “face could be scarred the same way Tony’s face was scarred at the end of Endgame, and he could be the celebrated main hero of his home world.”
If Marvel Studios goes along this route, showing how Doctor Doom defeated Thanos could be a great way to tell audiences how powerful the new MCU villain is. In addition, the shared trauma between Doom and the Avengers of the Sacred Timeline, both having survived Thanos’ invasion, would make it easier for the villain to manipulate the heroes. As TheGreatMason posits, “if he has the same exact scar as 616 Tony because he is the hero who saved that world from Thanos, there are more reasons to trust him.”
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.
What do you think of this theory for Doctor Doom’s origin in the MCU? Join the discussion in the comments!
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Image courtesy of Netflix
