Warning: spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy #14!
Marvel supervillain ing the Guardians of the Galaxy, but when he turned up in issue thirteen, it was as an enemy, downing the team in order to steal King Dorrek VII's magical weapon, which he claimed to need to fend off a mysterious new threat.
It's far from the first time Doctor Doom has traded bodies to get his way. Whether by sorcery or science, Doom has possessed heroes like Daredevil and the Invisible Woman, as well as a handful of villains. In the Ultimate Comics universe, Doom magically traded bodies with Reed Richards, only relenting when Reed was about to sacrifice his life to save Earth, and Doom couldn't bear his hated nemesis being proved the bigger man.
Doom's arrogance in seizing the bodies of others for his personal gain is unparalleled, but so is his genius. The villain attacked the Guardians of the Galaxy alone, using his magic and tech to gain the upper hand before switching his consciousness with Dorrek VII, aka Hulkling, and wielding the Sword of Space against the heroes. He even brought his own back-up, activating his armor's AI and forcing Hulkling to his side as an ally. Thankfully, Doctor Doom's vanity remains his Achilles heel. When the team suggested he'd taken Hulkling's body because its stretching powers made him a more formidable warrior, Doom balked at the comparison to his elastic enemy Reed Richards and attempted to undo his spell. Master telepath Moondragon intervened, redirecting Doom into Rocket Raccoon's body, where he was far less able to hold off the heroes.
Despite Doctor Doom's methods in attempting to steal Excelsior, the issue ends with Star-Lord inviting him to the team - still in the body of Rocket Raccoon. Doom imperiously points out that the team aren't going to sacrifice their friend's body just to contain him, but Rocket volunteers that given the weaponry in Doom's armor, he'd be happy to make the change permanent. It seems like Doom will relent, but it's surprisingly not yet clear if the team intend to restore his former body. Doctor Doom points out that his mastery of sorcery makes him a serious threat no matter what body he controls, but now that his telepathic countermeasures have been deactivated, it would be a novel way of forcing at least partial compliance.
Rocket is accustomed to drastic physical changes. His body is already the result of excessive surgical tampering, and he even used Pym Particles in Avengers: No Road Home to become a giant, kaiju-like hero. At the same time, his iration for Doom's weaponry is no joke - Rocket has been known to salivate over destructive enough weaponry - and while in Rocket's body, Doom would be less of a danger to the team while still being able to offer his knowledge of the coming threat and some magical firepower.
Comic fans won't be surprised if the next issue sees Doctor Doom back in his human body, but they shouldn't be shocked if the story goes another way. Writer Al Ewing - who created this issue alongside Juan Frigeri, Federico Blee, and Cory Petit - has said that his plans for the Guardians of the Galaxy series changed thanks to COVID and the desire to tell more positive stories. There are few things that would fit the bill more than stuffing Latveria's tyrannical dictator into the body of (something very similar to) a raccoon and having a pint-sized Doctor Doom grumbling in the background while the real Rocket Raccoon enjoys the benefits of his epic armor.
