How Powerful Is Doctor Doom Really?
Robert Downey Jr. is back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom, but is the villain really powerful enough to give the Avengers the kind of trouble Thanos (Josh Brolin) once did? The answer is a fairly resounding yes, and Looper's video above will give you an idea of just how dangerous Doctor Doom can be.
When the first proper "Avengers: Doomsday" trailer revealed Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, it made clear that the character was a true powerhouse who can stand up to Thor (Chris Hemsworth) himself, blocking the mighty Stormbreaker's blade with seemingly little effort. The MCU Thor is extremely strong and famously wounded Thanos with the same weapon and a similar attack in "Avengers: Infinity War," so this is no small feat. The MCU Doom, in other words, is a major problem — and if he's even a fraction as frightening as his comic book counterpart, the Avengers are in for the ride of their lives.
If Doctor Doom lacks power, he finds a way to acquire more
In the comics, Victor von Doom is the ruler of Latveria and a complex supervillain whose tangled motivations and well-developed ego can cast him in virtually any role from an extremely dark antagonist to a morally grey antihero. He's a master of both magic and technology, and has implemented the best of both worlds in his highly advanced suit of armor.
While a tech whiz-slash-sorcerer who rules his own country would already be a pretty huge threat, Doctor Doom's true danger stems from his never-ending quest for more power. He's spent some time as the Sorcerer Supreme — a position usually held by Doctor Strange. He's stolen the abilities of some of the most powerful characters in the comics on various occasions and, fittingly enough considering his MCU actor, even took the mantle of Iron Man at one point. Once, Doom even became a virtually omnipotent being known as God Emperor Doom.
While he's primarily seen as an enemy of the Fantastic Four and Mister Fantastic in particular, these power-ups and his general cunning often make him everyone's problem. Many of the worst things Doctor Doom ever did in Marvel comics beggar belief — and Looper's video above will let you know what you should expect when the MCU version faces Earth's mightiest heroes in "Avengers: Doomsday."