A hidden detail in the armor of Doctor Doom in an Avengers: Doomsday trailer confirms his status as Marvel‘s most dangerous villain. This is no surprise to readers of Marvel Comics. And yet, his bona fides have yet to be established within the MCU. However, the trailer reveals both the level of craft that has gone into the movie and Doom’s ability to prepare for any challenge.
The chief reason Doctor Doom is considered a great villain is his versatility. As a magician, scientist and statesman, he can threaten heroes in multiple arenas. While other heroes may outclass him in certain areas, he can counter them in others. For instance, Reed Richards may be more skilled in certain areas of science. However, Doom’s talent for blending science and sorcery frequently flummoxes the less-creative Mister Fantastic. That versatility, coupled with a gift for strategy and tactics, allows Victor Von Doom to counter most any enemy.
Much like Iron Man, the Doctor Doom of the comics has crafted variants of his usual armor. Usually, he does this to face particular foes. One famous example is Doom incorporating pieces of the True Cross into the armor he wore to face Dracula. The first trailer for Avengers: Doomsday to showcase the villain suggests the Doom of the MCU did something similar to face Thor.
Norse runes on Doctor Doom’s armor explain why he’s already one step ahead
The action centerpiece of the Avengers: Doomsday trailer is a battle between Doctor Doom and Thor. This establishes Doom’s power, as he is able to block Thor’s axe, Stormbreaker. However, this scene also reveals sigils on Doom’s gauntlet that resemble Norse runes.
This is not the first time that Doctor Doom has been shown to utilize the power of Norse symbols. One of his armor designs in Marvel Rivals makes extensive use of Viking runes. Additionally, one concept art portrait for Avengers: Doomsday seems to work multiple symbols into Doom’s armor. This includes an icon resembling the ancient representation of Thor’s hammer on his left epaulette.
The insignia on Doom’s gauntlet in the trailer resembles a combination of the runes Othala and Ingwaz. Olthala is the symbol of home, protection and the wisdom born of ancestry. This seems fitting given Doom’s respect for ancient lore and his fighting to save his home dimension in Avengers: Doomsday. Also, Doom would need all the protection he could get facing Thor in battle.
However, the Ingwaz rune may prove more prophetic, being the rune of endings and new beginnings. This could be a clever foreshadowing of Doom’s intent to remake reality to his design, as he did several times in the comics. It may also refer to the end of the MCU as we know it and the rebirth of some new cinematic universe.
This may be coincidental, and the designs maybe meant to resemble Norse runes without evoking specific symbols. However, the intricate designs still speak to the amazing detail going into Avengers: Doomsday. It also speaks as to the complex machinations of Doctor Doom and why he is so dangerous in a fight.
