Every Time Tony Stark Became Doctor Doom Before Avengers: Doomsday, Explained

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At the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con, fans were stunned to learn Robert Downey Jr. would return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Many had begun to accept Tony Stark/Iron Man’s death in Avengers: Endgame, making the news of RDJ’s return both exciting and a little sad. The surprise deepened when he announced he’d be playing the iconic Marvel villain Doctor Doom in a future project.

The recent developments have sparked a lot of discussion about what’s next for Robert Downey Jr. in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and whether there’s a link between Doctor Doom and Tony Stark/Iron Man. While this idea isn’t entirely new – comic book readers have seen similar storylines before – the connection isn’t straightforward. Many fans immediately think of the Infamous Iron Man comic, where Doctor Doom briefly became Iron Man, but that doesn’t quite align with what we’re seeing. However, other comic book arcs featuring alternate versions of Tony Stark becoming Doctor Doom could influence how the character is ultimately revealed in Avengers: Doomsday.

Robert Downey Jr.’s Specific Avengers: Doomsday Role Is Still a Little Unclear

Although Robert Downey Jr. is confirmed to be playing Doctor Doom, details about his portrayal are still being revealed. Fans got a glimpse of his character in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, before the full armor was shown to those promoting the film. Avengers: Doomsday seems to be presenting a strong and faithful adaptation of Doctor Doom from the comics, even adding symbols of conquest to his armor.

With Robert Downey Jr. cast in the role, some questions remain about who he’ll be playing. Will he portray the classic villain Victor von Doom, or a version of Tony Stark from another universe who has become Doctor Doom instead of Iron Man? While comics have explored ways for a Tony Stark variant to become Doom, it’s also possible Downey Jr. is playing a completely original character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, separate from his previous role as Iron Man.

The comic book movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps cleverly hinted at Victor von Doom’s background, including references to his homeland, Latveria. This detail suggested the story wasn’t simply another take on Iron Man. It’s not uncommon for actors to play multiple roles within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, either. Chris Evans, for example, has portrayed both Captain America and the Human Torch, reprising his role as Johnny Storm in Deadpool and Wolverine. Similarly, Gemma Chan first appeared as Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel and later played a completely different character, Sersi, in Eternals.

Considering Robert Downey Jr.’s history with Marvel Studios, it makes sense he could play Victor von Doom in a completely new way, separate from any previous characters. The character’s usual appearance – heavily scarred and masked – also helps create distance from his earlier roles. With Marvel’s apparent enthusiasm for this casting, and Downey Jr.’s hints at multiple versions of Doom appearing in the Marvel universe, it’s worth considering different ways the story could unfold.

Victor Von Doom Switched Bodies With Tony Stark in What If’s “Demon in an Armor”

While many know it for its comics from the 1980s and 90s, and the recent animated Disney+ series, creators have been exploring ‘What If…?’ stories for decades. A story from 2011 might actually explain some mysteries in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. That story reunited David Michelinie and Bob Layton – the writers of the famous ‘Iron Man’ arc ‘Demon in a Bottle’ – with artist Graham Nolan for a fresh take on the original storyline.

Victor von Doom is typically portrayed as a college rival of Reed Richards, but in the story Iron Man: Demon in an Armor, that role was filled by Tony Stark. Facing the loss of his scholarship and future as a scientist, Doom took drastic measures with far-reaching consequences. He used his research to swap bodies with Tony Stark, saving his own career while leaving Stark trapped in the wreckage of Doom’s old life. Over the years, Doom, now in Stark’s body, built a powerful empire, while Stark, stuck in Doom’s body with no memory of the switch, had to start his life over.

The two men ultimately became rivals, each founding their own company. Doom, who had lost his memory, began to pull ahead thanks to his technological innovations. This pushed Stark – secretly Doom in disguise – to activate a powerful battlesuit he’d created for the government. The armor looked similar to Iron Man’s, but with the style and colors of Doctor Doom. Back in Latveria, Doom designed an advanced Rescue Suit inspired by traditional Latverian aesthetics, giving it a red and gold color scheme reminiscent of his usual armor.

Doom and Stark clashed in Latveria, with Doom piloting a new battlesuit. This forced Stark to don a prototype rescue armor and fight back. After Doom was defeated, he attempted to make a deal: he’d reveal they had switched bodies if Stark would let him go. However, Stark refused, believing Doom had damaged the Stark reputation. Accepting his new reality, Stark declared that as Doctor Doom, he would now be a man of honor.

Although this is a reasonable explanation for why Tony Stark would be inside Doctor Doom’s armor in Doomsday, it doesn’t explain why the MCU version of Doom seems so evil.

Tony Stark Became a Doom-Inspired Villain Named Iron Maniac in Marvel Team-Up

Robert Kirkman, known for creating The Walking Dead and Invincible, revamped the Marvel Team-Up comic series in 2004 with a third volume. Continuing the tradition of earlier versions, each issue initially paired up well-known Marvel characters, often including Spider-Man. As the series progressed, a larger story arc emerged, introducing new heroes, villains, and alternate versions of characters from across the multiverse, all of which became important to the overall narrative.

One version of Tony Stark came from Earth-5012, a planet devastated by an alien called Titannus. Because so many heroes had fallen on his world, this Tony Stark was much harsher and more violent. He had a major disagreement with his world’s Reed Richards, which led him to base his armor’s design on Doctor Doom. He even received similar battle scars fighting the Fantastic Four, and ultimately killed the Human Torch.

Richards sent Stark, who quickly became known as the ‘Iron Maniac,’ to Earth-616 hoping to eliminate a dangerous villain. Upon arrival, Stark immediately ran into the Fantastic Four and Doctor Strange. Mistaking him for Doctor Doom due to his grey armor and a green cape similar to Doom’s, Reed Richards nicknamed him ‘Doom.’ However, Stark quickly clarified that he wasn’t the Doom they knew.

Iron Maniac broke free and disguised himself as Tony Stark from the main Marvel universe (Earth 616) to steal technology that would help him return home. However, Spider-Man and X-23 stopped him, and he was taken into SHIELD custody. He managed to escape again, brutally rebuilding his armor with help from a captured Life Model Decoy. Ultimately, Iron Maniac was defeated thanks to the heroic sacrifice of Freedom Ring, a new hero introduced in the Marvel Team-Up series.

This portrayal of Stark as Doctor Doom is excellent, even though he’s more famous as Iron Man. To really make this version shine, it would need more screen time – something that might not fit with plans for his return in Avengers: Doomsday.

A Multiversal Iron Man Betrayed Doom And Adopted His Look in a Brutal Exiles Storyline

The Exiles were a team dedicated to repairing damaged realities across the multiverse. Another group, Weapon X, had a similar mission, but they focused on the more dangerous and unpleasant tasks the Exiles avoided. During one assignment, Weapon X came across a different version of Tony Stark – a particularly ruthless Iron Man unlike any fans had seen before. This version, introduced in the “With an Iron Fist” storyline, never experienced the life-changing moment that usually leads to Tony Stark’s redemption, remaining evil even after facing death.

Despite appearing as a successful and benevolent businessman with global influence, his desire for power never faded. Realizing he couldn’t fully dominate a world with superpowered individuals, he took extreme measures. Stark deliberately started a conflict between humans and mutants, eliminating key threats to his control. He then killed Magneto and unleashed a virus he alone could cure, positioning himself as a savior in the eyes of the public.

Iron Man secretly teamed up with Doctor Doom, who launched an attack on Washington D.C. to create the illusion of another victory for Iron Man. However, Iron Man then turned on Doom, killing him in battle and eliminating the last person who could have challenged his ambition to rule Earth. During the fight, Iron Man suffered a burn injury, but he concealed it from the public using holographic technology built into his armor.

Emperor Stark, having defeated Doctor Doom, wore pieces of Doom’s cloak as a symbol of his triumph. However, the armor wasn’t a display of power, but a necessity to keep his badly injured body functioning. He used Weapon X to suppress a rebellion led by the Inhumans, resulting in massive casualties on their side. Ultimately, it was Invisible Woman who defeated him. She had secretly protected a small group from Weapon X, allowing her to deliver the final, decisive blow against Emperor Stark.

This version of the character, a combination of Stark and Doctor Doom, would be a good fit for the villain hinted at in The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Avengers: Doomsday. The fact that he wears Iron Man armor under Doctor Doom’s cloak is a clear difference from how the character is typically portrayed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, elements from this story—and others where Iron Man becomes Doctor Doom—could still be used to create a unique version of the villain for the MCU.

We’ll have to wait and see what Robert Downey Jr. brings to his role as Doctor Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Once more details are revealed, it will become clear what inspired his take on the character when he returns in the 2026 film, Avengers: Doomsday.

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2025-11-15 03:23