How Doctor Doom Became Sorcerer Supreme and Took Over the World

ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM marks a status quo shift for the Marvel Universe, placing the world firmly under Doctor Doom's banner. From the main series by acclaimed writer Ryan North and superstar artist R.B. Silva to the many tie-ins roping in characters from across the planet, Doctor Doom's presence will be felt in every corner of the Marvel Universe.

How did the Victor Von Doom become Sorcerer Supreme? How did the Marvel Universe get here? Let's take a look at how the ruler of Latveria paved the road to ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM.

BLOOD HUNT

In possession of Blade's body, the ancient vampire Varnae cast a spell that detonated Darkforce users (such as Cloak and Blackout) and turned them into portals, causing the entire Darkforce Dimension to encircle the Earth and block out the sun. With the world plunged in absolute darkness, the stage was set for a vampire ambush.

Varnae, in Blade’s body, sought out Doctor Strange at the Sanctum Santorum. The Sorcerer Supreme was contemplating using the Montesi Formula, an incantation from the Darkhold that would wipe out all vampires from existence. Varnae put an end to Strange's plan with his blade and fangs, forcing the Sorcerer Supreme to surrender his corporeal form. Desperate, Doctor Strange sought the assistance of another master of the mystic arts: Doctor Doom.

DOCTOR DOOM, SORCERER SUPREME

In BLOOD HUNT (2024) #4, Doctor Strange and Clea arrived in Latveria to ask Doom to help them cast away the Darkforce Dimension and restore the sun. Doctor Doom anticipated this visit and made preparations of his own, assembling young magicians from the ranks of Strange Academy. The final thing he needed to cast his spell was the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme.

While Doctor Strange questioned whether Doom orchestrated the entire vampire plot to become Sorcerer Supreme, he could not deny Doom’s logic. Reluctantly, Strange agreed to make Doom the Sorcerer Supreme on one condition: that he would return the mantle to him once he’d saved the world. Doom gave Strange his word.

Wielding the powers of the Sorcerer Supreme in his ironclad fists, Doctor Doom vanquished the Darkforce Dimension barrier shrouding the Earth. With the sun restored, Doctor Strange reminded the Latverian ruler of their agreement. Doom, however, retorted that he was only getting started.
Let me show you what it means to save the world," he stated.

And with a wave of his hands, Doctor Doom dismissed his predecessor and announced himself Sorcerer Supreme to the entire world.

DOCTOR DOOM'S DOME AROUND LATVERIA

Doom’s first act as Sorcerer Supreme was placing an impenetrable magical barrier around Latveria. No outsiders could come in, and no eyes could see through the metal dome around his kingdom.

Mister Fantastic, the longtime rival of Doctor Doom, was perturbed by this. What was Doom plotting behind this dome? In FANTASTIC FOUR (2022) #25, Marvel's First Family traveled to Latveria to examine the barrier up close.

The barrier had defensive enchantments, however, and when the Fantastic Four came into contact with it they were cast through space and time to an Earth with a very different cosmic history to the one they lived on. Although the Fantastic Four were able to return to their Earth, they failed to obtain any information about Doom’s schemes behind the dome.

THE 8 DEATHS OF SPIDER-MAN

During his tenure as Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange formed a pact with Cyttorak. In exchange for keeping the Casket of Cyttorak on Earth, Strange had to fight each of Cyttorak’s eight Crimson Scions until either party surrendered or died in battle.

Doom viewed some Sorcerer Supreme duties as beneath him. Strange's covenant with Cyttorak fell under this category — Doom had no interest in fighting these scions himself. To maintain the covenant, he chose a selfless champion to fight in his stead: Spider-Man.

Despite being a fearless hero, Spider-Man did not have the necessary equipment to fight the Crimson Scions. To give the wallcrawler a boost, Doom gifted him magical armor as well as eight Reeds of Raggadorr. These sacred reeds would grant Peter Parker eight additional lives in case he died at the hand of each Scion.

DOCTOR DOOM CONFRONTS THE AVENGERS

In AVENGERS (2023) #19, Earth's new Sorcerer Supreme sought an audience with Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Rather than challenging the Avengers to a physical fight, Doctor Doom summoned them to the Registan Desert and demanded they justify themselves. How could the Avengers hold so much power and let the world come to such a state of disarray?

Meditating on his new position as Sorcerer Supreme, Doom felt that the Avengers did not understand the ethical responsibility of their power. Storm disagreed. She told Doom that having the power to make the world in their image did not give the Avengers the right to do so.

Doom, however, viewed this as cowardice and warned the Avengers that he held no such reservations. Doom retreated to Latveria, feeling vindicated in his plans to take over the world.

DOOM INVITES STORM TO DINNER

After an incident at an Oklahoma City power plant left her with radiation poisoning, Storm sought help from Doctor Voodoo and comfort from Rogue's X-Men team in Louisiana. One night, in the middle of her recovery, Storm awoke to a giant crow at her window, inviting her to Latveria to meet Doctor Doom.

In STORM (2024) #4, Ororo Monroe and Victor Von Doom sat down for dinner, reminiscing on the meal they shared the first time they met. However, the ruler of Latveria wanted to discuss the future of mutantkind, offering to make mutants his people and Storm his mutant ambassador. 

Storm, however, recognized this for the power play that it was. Doctor Doom had little interest in mutantkind itself; he merely wanted powerful allies for whatever plan he was concocting.

What has Doom been planning all this time? Find out in ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM #1 by Ryan North and R.B. Silva, available February 12.

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