Marvel Cinematic Universe fans have been clamoring for a lot more horror and supernatural stories on screen, and WandaVision increased the demand thanks to the Scarlet Witch’s connections to the Darkhold and Agatha Harkness, using Chaos Magic and hexes to build on the foundation Doctor Strange started. It’s why in Phase Four many kept seeking out clues, especially during Spider-Man: No Way Home’s spells, for Mephisto’s arrival. It’s become something of a running gag to try to find the devil in the details, and while Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness did indeed set up the MCU’s next demonic threat — it’s not Mephisto.
This is Doctor Doom, the sadistic tyrant from Latveria who caused the Avengers and Fantastic Four so much trouble across decades of comics, cartoons and more. Here, Doom’s arrival was foreshadowed thanks to two major bombshells in the Doctor Strange sequel, the first being John Krasinski debuting as Reed Richards. He appeared with the Illuminati on Earth-838, only to get killed off quickly when Wanda went into berserker mode.
Still, Reed’s conversations on scouring the Multiverse for threats like Thanos — and Strange-616 himself quipping how the Richards’ were MIA for years — opens the door for Doom. It could be Doom marooned the First Family somewhere like the Negative Zone, or they all were trapped in some other dimension. With the Multiverse fraying due to Loki’s tragic ending, it’s easy to have them and Doom finding a way back, especially with Wanda trying to use America Chavez’s powers to world-hop, where the witch “dream-walked” and possessed other versions of herself and demons in various Earths.
This can contribute to Doom using the residual portal magic — whether it’s via his science or mystical studies — to return. After all, Earth-838 spoke of incursions that broke planets, akin to Secret Wars, where Doom tried to become a god and emperor, which sets the perfect stage for Doom to harness magic from various hubs and become a warped savior of the MCU. In that sense, he could take on the Illuminati’s mission, but for all Earths.
The second connection came in the movie’s ending where Wanda realized the Scarlet Witch within was a monster and brought Mount Wundagore down on herself. She might not be dead, though, which could create another emotional story akin to Avengers: Children’s Crusade, where Doom was engaged to her after she lost her memory. They fell in love following her House of M drama, with Doom eager to fix her mind.
The MCU can remix this where he’s actually trying to harness her dark magic and the last of the Darkhold. It’d fit how Doom uses people as pawns, tie into his magical history where he tried to become the Sorcerer Supreme and address how he manipulated Wanda. Attempting to weaponize the Scarlet Witch would provide an organic enemy for sorcerers like Wong, the new Vision or even Agatha in her planned spinoff. Ultimately, it’d offer Wanda another false utopia with Doombot kids she wouldn’t want taken away, giving the Avengers, X-Men or Fantastic Four a monstrous threat in the arrogant dictator and Scarlet Witch. It’d also craft a story of love, gaslighting and immense power, which fits all parties involved.
See how Reed’s mission and Wanda’s tragedy set up Doom’s entrance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, now in theaters.
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