Disney has lit the fuse of speculation once again, this time by putting Doctor Doom center stage in a dazzling lightshow presentation at the Showcase Expo in China. The display, which combined digital effects with iconic comic imagery, included a reimagining of one of Marvel Comics’ most unforgettable moments: the instant where Victor Von Doom ends Thanos’ life during the 2015 Secret Wars saga. In that storyline, Doom punches straight through Thanos’ chest, ripping out his spine in a single, devastating move. 
For longtime readers, it was the definitive image of Doom’s dominance. Now, Marvel fans are wondering if Avengers: Doomsday will mirror that scene – but with a twist that reshapes the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Of course, within the MCU timeline, Thanos is long gone – dusted by Tony Stark’s snap at the climax of Avengers: Endgame. That fact hasn’t stopped speculation, though. Many fans are convinced that Doom’s brutal demonstration could instead be directed toward Kang, a villain whose storyline remains unresolved. After actor Jonathan Majors’ dismissal, Marvel Studios has been coy about how (or if) Kang will return. Still, a clever workaround could show a shadowy Kang variant swiftly eliminated by Doom. This move would neatly close the loop on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania while also establishing Doom as the Avengers’ next great existential threat, no Majors cameo required.
What excites fans most is the idea of Doom’s introduction being both theatrical and ruthless. An opening sequence showing him crushing the final member of the Council of Kangs would immediately set the tone. In one gesture, Marvel could tie up lingering continuity threads while announcing to audiences that Robert Downey Jr.’s Doom is not here to play games. It would also serve as the perfect stage setter for Doom’s larger ambition: mastering the multiverse itself.
The multiverse has been both a playground and a headache for Marvel. From Doctor Strange meddling with dimensional spells to Spider-Man unleashing villains from alternate realities, these incursions have repeatedly fractured reality. Doom, as envisioned in some fan theories, could be the necessary tyrant willing to stabilize the chaos – even if that means crushing both enemies and heroes who threaten balance. That puts him not only against villains like Kang but also against the very heroes audiences love: Loki, Captain Marvel, Strange, and even Spider-Man. In other words, Doom’s mission to prevent total collapse might make him the rare antagonist whose goals are understandable, if not noble, even as his methods are terrifying.
The lightshow didn’t just highlight Doom’s brutality. Fans noticed four glass shards featured in the spectacle, each bearing a different emblem: the Avengers’ “A,” the Black Panther insignia, the Fantastic Four logo, and the X-Men’s symbol. If intentional, these shards could represent the multiversal landscapes Avengers: Doomsday will explore, hinting at crossovers that merge the MCU with Fox’s X-Men universe and the forthcoming Fantastic Four reboot. For fans dreaming of a fully integrated Marvel tapestry, this was the most tantalizing Easter egg of all.
Avengers: Doomsday remains cloaked in secrecy, with no official story details confirmed. Yet Disney is already in full hype mode. The reveal of Robert Downey Jr. in Doom’s armor broke the internet last week, while directors Joe and Anthony Russo continue to drop cryptic hints online. With the film set to release in just over a year, fans are bracing for a Marvel movie that could rival Infinity War in ambition and spectacle. Whether Doom tears apart Kang, challenges our heroes directly, or reshapes the multiverse itself, one thing feels certain: Avengers: Doomsday is positioning Victor Von Doom as the villain the MCU has been waiting for.