Avengers: Doomsday is more in the mystery-creation phase of its life than in the mystery-solving one. Marvel Studios doesn't want to put the cart before the horse with its latest team-up movie, especially when it comes to its new big bad, Doctor Doom. The iconic Fantastic Four villain is ready to put the entire MCU on notice, but he'll need some help. Well, a new theory suggests the powers that be are pulling back the green curtain a bit on Doom and his interaction with Franklin Richards.
As part of a collaboration with Major League Baseball, Marvel Studios released a new Doomsday teaser. The footage focuses on Scott Lang trying to figure out who to call Captain America, while Steve Rogers messes around with Thor. Easy to overlook are the Fantastic Four scenes, which show Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm being honored on a baseball field and getting some work in.
While the baseball footage may have been filmed with the intention of airing in an ad during the World Series, there's another explanation. The three members of Marvel's First Family present in the teaser were notably absent from another major scene that has major implications for Doomsday: The Fantastic Four: First Steps' post-credits scene.
At the end of First Steps, the titular team, with a bit of help from Silver Surfer, sent Galactus across the universe without his ship. Life on Earth returned to normal, and the Fantastic Four were once again seen as heroes. All was so good, in fact, that the post-credits scene jumped four years into the future because nothing major had happened. But the movie's stinger turned things up a notch by introducing none other than Doctor Doom.
Sue Storm returned from grabbing a book to find the mask-wearing man standing next to her son, Franklin. She couldn't get a word out before the screen turned to black. The lack of mention of Reed, Ben, or Johnny raised a few red flags. In the comics, Doom has it out for each of them and typically doesn't hesitate to eliminate them if the oppurtunity arises.
Doom doesn't look to up to his old tricks in the MCU, at least not at first. His arrival at the Baxter Building while most of the team is away at a sporting event might be more about the need for speed with incursions on the way than about getting the drop on anyone. And that's why his eventual betrayal will sting Reed and Co. more than most.
Doctor Doom's Relationship With the Fantastic Four Must Take Precedence in Avengers: Doomsday
Making Doctor Doom the villain of an Avengers movie is interesting, to say the least. He started in Marvel Comics as a thorn in the Fantastic Four's side before growing into a threat to every hero. Marvel Studios is letting Doom walk to the front of the line without doing any extra work. But that doesn't mean he'll forget where he came from.
The special look at Doomsday that preceded the World Series teaser shows Sue Storm giving her new allies the skinny on what they're up against: Doom is far smarter than the average villain and has an edge because of a great tragedy he's suffered. As the trailer goes on, Doom starts to drop whatever facade he has on and show his true hand.
Reed doesn't like what he sees and confronts Doom about his actions. However, their conversation is cut short because Robert Downey Jr.'s character picks a fight with Thor over Mister Fantastic. That gives off the impression that Doom is looking over his shoulder for the Avengers, not the Fantastic Four. And additional evidence supports that claim, with Doom recruiting the Hulk in Avengers: Endgame Encore's post-credits scene.
There's no reason to believe Doom did the same to Franklin Richards; the Fantastic Four wouldn't work with him if he had. He's sure to have something else up his green sleeve for them, though, a transgression bad enough to lay the groundwork for one of Marvel's most iconic rivalries.
That way, by the time Avengers: Secret Wars rolls around, Reed will be ready to strike back. It shouldn't surprise anyone if he uses his big brain to land the final shot on Doom and restore the multiverse to its former glory, because Marvel Studios can't afford to take chances with so much on the line heading into the Mutant Saga. If anyone else gets that opportunity, whether it be Thor or Steve Rogers, they risk throwing everything out of whack.
