Summary

• Robert Downey Jr. is set to play Doctor Doom in the MCU, and there's one thing that he will need to bring to the character: Doom's unparalleled willpower.
• Doctor Doom's will is so strong that he can resist the influence of the Purple Man's mind-controlling power.
• Doctor Doom's willpower is key to resisting the Purple Man, and is an essential element in RDJ's MCU portrayal.

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Venom: Separation Anxiety #4! One of the most shocking reveals to come from the MCU in recent memory is that Doctor Doom. Given his stellar performance as Tony Stark aka Iron Man, it should come as no surprise that he will absolutely nail the role of Victor Von Doom. And when he does, RDJ must get one character detail right - a detail that fans were recently reminded of with Doom’s all-new power.

In a preview for Venom: Separation Anxiety #4 by David Michelinie and Gerardo Sandoval, Zebediah Killgrave aka the Purple Man is adding more unwilling soldiers to his personal army, and he’s using the power upgrade of a piece of Venom’s symbiote to do it. Bonded with a fragmented portion of the Venom symbiote, Killgrave has become more powerful than ever, as anyone he merely touches with one of his tendrils falls under his control.

Even with this symbiote-upgrade, Killgrave is still after the one device that will make him even more god-tier: the Psycho-Prism. The Psycho-Prison is a chamber created by Doctor Doom that amplifies the Purple Man’s powers to the point where he can mind-control every person on the planet. Before setting off for it, Killgrave recounts his time imprisoned within the chamber, when Doctor Doom tried to use his powers to take over the world - and how Killgrave was powerless to stop him.

Doctor Doom is Immune to the Purple Man’s Mind-Control Powers (for 1 Reason)

When Doctor Doom kidnapped Killgrave to place him in the Psycho-Prism, the Purple Man tried to use his power of influence to fend him off. However, Killgrave’s ability had no effect on Doom, and the reason why was actually quite simple: Doom’s will is too strong. Doom’s willpower has always been strong, but seeing it on display to counteract Killgrave’s mind-control powers is truly something else. Doom even says himself that the Purple Man is strong enough to take over the world single-handedly if he wanted to, which speaks to how irresistible Killgrave’s influence really is.

Doctor Doom’s willpower is truly another superpower, and resisting Killgrave’s influence proves it.

Not only that, but Doom respects the power Killgrave wields so much that he tries to use it for himself. Doom does not covet the abilities of others very often (save for extradimensional entities and literal gods), as - in his mind - he is stronger, smarter, and generally better than any mortal alive. Doom would not try to steal Killgrave’s power unless he thought it was on his level, yet even still, Doom had the willpower to resist it, which only speaks to his own immense base-level strength.

Robert Downey Jr. NEEDS to Bring Doctor Doom’s Unparalleled Willpower to the Big Screen

Doctor Doom resisting Killgrave’s influence is impressive, but it’s merely a reminder of a ‘power’ Doom has possessed all along, which shows itself in practically every story he’s in. Doom’s strength of will is one of his defining characteristics. Doom does not bend, he does not break, and he doesn’t align himself with anyone unless it is a part of his plan. That’s why Doom could be angling to conquer the planet one day, and working with Reed Richards or the Avengers to save it the next - and that is what RDJ needs to bring to the big screen.

Doctor Doom’s unshakable and unbreakable willpower, and the sense that he’s always playing his own game, and is ten steps ahead of his opponent, is the main thing that Robert Downey Jr. has to get right about the character. And that’s why the fact that Robert Downey Jr. is playing the character is so exciting, because - based on what fans have seen from him before - it’s safe to say that he’s absolutely going to deliver with Doctor Doom.

Venom: Separation Anxiety #4 by Marvel Comics is available August 28, 2024.