Arcade, Master of Death Traps, Calls Avengers Useless & Proves It

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In the world now dominated by Doom, following his acquisition of the Sorcerer Supreme’s powers, our heroes – the Fantastic Four and the Avengers – are thrust into action to reclaim their planet. However, Doom seems to have anticipated every move, defeating our heroes not just through brute force but also clever strategy. This has forced the Avengers into an alliance with their villainous counterparts, the Masters of Evil. In issue #3 of One World Under Doom, both groups discuss their strategies. Arcade, a mercenary known for creating lethal traps, surprisingly sides with the Masters of Evil, declaring that the Avengers are ineffective in this specific conflict.

In a nutshell, it might seem like Arcade is merely showing off his villainy here, but he could be correct in his critique. The Avengers appear to be making reckless errors, and Doom seems to be exploiting these oversights. After all, Arcade has always been a cunning antagonist – someone who designs deadly traps requires more than just average intelligence – and if there’s anyone capable of pointing out the Avengers’ blunders, it’s him.

Arcade’s History Reveals Why He’s Right about the Avengers

There isn’t a great deal known about Arcade’s past prior to his transformation into a supervillain. It’s believed he could have been the offspring of a wealthy man whom he killed upon turning 21, though this is unconfirmed. Following his first murder, Arcade discovered a twisted passion for killing. This passion eventually led him down the path to becoming the villain we recognize today.

Arcade excels in lethal encounters, but it’s his traveling carnival of death known as Murderworld that truly earned him notoriety. He uses this macabre amusement park to eliminate his targets. For Arcade, there was a sick thrill in watching his victims navigate through his deadly traps, viewing it as a game where he could pit his intellect and skill against theirs.

Arcade first gained recognition battling the X-Men and Spider-Man, and soon established himself as a top-tier mercenary. He even developed a grudge with Captain Britain, attempting to assassinate him without charge. Arcade was rarely involved with the Avengers, but that changed when he captured the students of Avengers Academy, trapping them in an ultra-deadly version of Murderworld and causing several student casualties.

Recently, Arcade’s reputation isn’t as stellar as it used to be – Murderworld is a spectacle indeed, but his record of superhero kills was non-existent until he targeted the students at Avengers Academy. Yet, it’s clear that Arcade has a knack for dealing with superhumans. His traps exhibit the cunning mind of a brilliant villain, and he’s often found himself outsmarted by his enemies. However, given his deep understanding of what can bring down both heroes and villains, if he’s criticizing the Avengers, it’s hard to find anyone more qualified to do so. Arcade has experienced failure in ways that most villains can scarcely imagine. His schemes are always intricately designed, and he’s seen them crumble. Now, he sees the same pattern repeating with the Avengers.

Arcade Actually Does Better than the Avengers in the Attack on Doom

In this scenario, both The Avengers and The Masters of Evil are executing a dual strategy: while the main forces engage Doom in combat, a smaller team consisting of Scarlet Witch, Madelyne Pryor, and Baron Mordo, investigate whether Doom is manipulating global leaders. This plan seems more effective than the previous strategies the Avengers and Fantastic Four had devised against Doom, as the primary battle with Doom primarily serves as a diversion. Regrettably, even with this strategy in play, The Avengers still falter during their confrontation with Doom. Interestingly, it’s Arcade who comes closest to achieving success by attempting to eliminate Doom from a distance, an accomplishment the heroes themselves cannot claim.

So far, Arcade’s strategy has been to highlight that the Avengers and Fantastic Four may not be going far enough in their schemes, which has allowed Doom to outmaneuver them. The key distinction between Doom and the heroes is that Doom will go to any lengths to win, while the heroes tend to hold back. This is why Arcade’s attack almost succeeded; rather than devising a complex plan, Arcade took the most straightforward approach – attempting to shoot Doom in the head when he was distracted. Such an action would be uncharacteristic of a hero, but it might have been more effective if they had done so. Arcade suggests that perhaps all plans against Doom fail because everyone else is overthinking things, letting moral considerations get in the way of completing the task at hand.

One World Under Doom #3 is on sale now.

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2025-04-26 21:47