The MCU might have already given us clues about Doctor Doom‘s plans without making them obvious. Following the ‘VisionQuest’ post-credit scene, an interesting theory is beginning to emerge: Doom may have been living on Earth-616 long before the Fantastic Four arrived in the main MCU timeline.
Doctor Doom Brought Wanda Back
The post-credit scene revisits the aftermath of ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’, revealing Doctor Doom standing among the ruins of Mount Wundagore, where Wanda seemingly sacrificed herself.
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However, Doom uses his powers to lift the rubble and discovers that the Scarlet Witch is still alive. This suggests that Doom intends to use Wanda’s reality-altering abilities for his larger plans, potentially making her one of the most important pieces in his upcoming battle against the Avengers.
To understand how the fan theory works, we need to look at the timeline of recent Marvel projects, particularly ‘Avengers: Endgame’, ‘Loki’ and ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’. While the events of ‘Loki’ largely take place outside the conventional flow of time, ‘Multiverse of Madness’ happens in the MCU’s 2024 timeline.
This gives a window for Doom’s arrival. According to this theory, Doom originally belonged to the Fantastic Four’s universe, where he remained until Steve Rogers’ actions in ‘Endgame’ somehow caused him to lose his family. Remember, Steve travelled back in time to return the Infinity Stones but ultimately chose to live in the past with Peggy Carter.
His decision created a complicated timeline situation, and it’s possible that its consequences extended beyond what the Avengers realised. If Doom somehow connected Steve’s actions to the destruction of his family, his hatred could become deeply personal.
Rather than simply wanting power, he might see the Avengers and their interference with time as the reason his world fell apart. This could also explain why Doom wasn’t present during the events of ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’. While Reed Richards and his team were dealing with their own universe’s problems, Victor may already have been pursuing a completely different path.
Has Doom Been Hiding On Earth-616 All Along?
This is where the ‘VisionQuest’ post-credit scene becomes particularly interesting. If Doom arrived on Earth-616 around the events of ‘Multiverse of Madness’, he could have spent years studying its heroes, technology, and vulnerabilities while quietly preparing his next move.
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There’s even a possibility that he somehow intervened in Wanda’s story, potentially rescuing her after the events of the film. It could explain why Doom has an interest in some of the MCU’s most powerful individuals. His interest in Bruce Banner could be part of that larger strategy.
If Doom eventually collects Banner following the events of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’, he might be looking for more than just another powerful Avenger. Banner’s scientific knowledge and connection to gamma radiation could prove extremely valuable to whatever Doom is building.
Of course, Marvel hasn’t confirmed any of these connections. But what if Doom isn’t arriving in the MCU for the first time in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’? He might’ve been living on Earth-616 for years, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal himself.
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