By Nick Staniforth
In the comics, Victor was born to a Romani witch named Cynthia and her husband, Werner von Doom. Sadly, her people were regularly attacked by a Latverian baron, forcing her to turn to unspeakable means to defend them by making a deal with Mephisto and tap into an even greater power in exchange for her soul. The agreement led to Cynthia being able to kill the Baron’s men, but also involuntarily taking the life of every child in the village as well. Grief-stricken by her actions, she allowed herself to be fatally stabbed, and in her last moments, begged her husband to make sure that Victor wouldn’t follow in her footsteps and learn the art of magic. Unfortunately, her son developed a mastery of the mystic arts, and with his high-level intellect, he became one of the most powerful threats in the Marvel universe, even making a deal with the demonic figure in his adult years to bring Cynthia back.
It’s unlikely this origin story will find its way into the first appearance of Robert Downey Jr.’s impending portrayal of the character, but it feels like, after the second half of “Ironheart,” audiences would be able digest Doom dishing both magic and science against his foes in the not-too-distant-future. Also, with Kevin Feige not confirming the full cast list of the film quite yet, there might be space for Riri to share what she’s learned in her latest battle when “Avengers: Doomsday” arrives in theaters on May 1, 2026.