Marvel's Ironheart Makes One Thing Clear About Avengers: Doomsday (And Doctor Doom)

This post contains spoilers for "Ironheart" season 1.

With the inclusion of The Hood, aka Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos), things were always going to get a little magical for Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) in "Ironheart," but what might've surprised some viewers was seeing her actually end up fighting magic with mechanized magic to bring him down. Seeking aid from Zelma Stanton (Regan Aliyah), Riri managed to get her latest suit tooled up with all kind of charms and mystical tricks to ensure she could hold her own against the villain that was becoming possessed by a very vicious entity. What's perhaps the most impressive thing about their final battle is just how well-handled the merging of both power sets were as they intertwined with one another. Blending magic and mechanics marks a first for the MCU, while unintentionally laying the groundwork for another character's arrival that's a master of magic: The nefarious Doctor Doom, who will be making his first big screen appearance in "Avengers: Doomsday" (or maybe "The Fantastic Four: First Steps").

During his two notable appearances on the big screen, firstly played by Julian McMahon in the Tim Story-directed "Fantastic Four" films and then by Toby Kebbell in the 2015 failed reboot, Victor von Doom was presented with powers born more out of scientific mishaps than magical means. But in the pages of Marvel Comics, Latveria's leader was the son of a witch and perfected both fields in a quest for vengeance when his mother died at the hands of none other than the MCU's devilish new villain, Mephisto (Sacha Baron Cohen).

In the comics, Victor was born to a Romani witch named Cynthia and her husband, Werner von Doom. Sadly, her people were regularly attacked by a Latverian baron, forcing her to turn to unspeakable means to defend them by making a deal with Mephisto and tap into an even greater power in exchange for her soul. The agreement led to Cynthia being able to kill the Baron's men, but also involuntarily taking the life of every child in the village as well. Grief-stricken by her actions, she allowed herself to be fatally stabbed, and in her last moments, begged her husband to make sure that Victor wouldn't follow in her footsteps and learn the art of magic. Unfortunately, her son developed a mastery of the mystic arts, and with his high-level intellect, he became one of the most powerful threats in the Marvel universe, even making a deal with the demonic figure in his adult years to bring Cynthia back.

It's unlikely this origin story will find its way into the first appearance of Robert Downey Jr.'s impending portrayal of the character, but it feels like, after the second half of "Ironheart," audiences would be able digest Doom dishing both magic and science against his foes in the not-too-distant-future. Also, with Kevin Feige not confirming the full cast list of the film quite yet, there might be space for Riri to share what she's learned in her latest battle when "Avengers: Doomsday" arrives in theaters on May 1, 2026.