Loved this, as always! At the moment, I'm keeping my own articles firmly in review territory. Since everyone else is already going absolutely feral over the Doomsday trailer, I did not feel I had anything new to add.
I have not decided whether I will cover it. Between the Christmas pieces I have planned, my holiday and my birthday, the timing is rather crowded. Perhaps I will briefly experience cinema like a normal human being and leave the analytical scalpel at home.
Sometimes reading someone else's piece with real joy is enough. You do not always have to respond by setting yourself the impossible task of inventing a uniquely brilliant angle of your own, especially when the work already gives you plenty to think about.
I completely understand the scheduling issue too. That is why I keep Tuesdays for current topics, while Thursdays are usually reserved for something more timeless or for series, which naturally need more time both to watch and to somehow squeeze all that story into one coherent piece.
From what I have read, that Steve Rogers might already be in Earth 828, the Fantastic Four world. Allegedly, Chris Evans shot something for First Steps that was unused. But in that film's post-credits sequence, the Fantastic Four cartoon is clearly being watched by a father and child, the father who has blonde hair.
Of course, there's also the flash of Loki in the trailer. He's in front of someone's house, surely.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that those two things are connected! I reckon that Loki shows up to Steve and takes him to the F4 universe for safety,
Then once they become aware of the Incursions, they discover Steve and bring him with them to the MCU in order to get them to trust them. That would explain why he's on the ship already!
I skipped the prediction section. Im gonna try and go in with just trailers as pre-info. I dont actually know the comic book storylines being used so Im gonna keep it that way.
My thoughts on the plot were pretty similar to yours, especially the idea that this is all building toward a Battleworld-style plot like the Secret Wars comics.
i recently came across another theory that I thought was interesting: the incursions could have been triggered because the Pym Particles Steve used in Endgame were never returned. That creates a branched timeline where events play out differently, eventually leading to a Tony Stark variant becoming Doom. It's definitely speculative, but it would give Marvel a plausible explanation for why RDJ is playing Doom.
I also keep coming back to Franklin Richards. Since he's one of the few beings capable of creating and destroying entire universes, I think Doom's real objective is to channel or steal Franklin's powers rather than simply kidnap him.
One thing I'm still wondering about, though: if Doom has already been studying all these heroes closely enough to counter Thor so effortlessly, where has he actually been this whole time?
I feel that Doom was made aware of the Incursions before anyone else, so he managed to calculate which universes they would collide with as a result.
Upon doing so, he may have either travelled there himself or been able to look into the universe, maybe using his universe's version of the Darkhold that Wanda and Strange used. So he was able to look into the world and study its inhabitants?
I actually hope you're wrong about Steve being such a big part of this. I love Steve, but if this movie ends up becoming another Steve story instead of letting Sam, Reed and the Fantastic Four carry it, I'd be a bit disappointed. I do like your idea about Doom presenting himself as an ally first though. That feels very Doom. I could also see him playing everyone against each other before anyone realizes what he's actually after.
The Thor trying to take him down straight away and Doom stopping Stormbreaker with barely any effort was probably my favorite moment in the trailer too. It instantly sold him as a genuine threat.
I'm still not convinced Steve is the cause of the incursions, though. That feels like it'd make Endgame's ending a lot messier than it needs to be. I also hope Marvel isn't hiding half the cast in those group shots again because there are definitely some suspicious gaps in there. Either way, it's fun reading theories like this because there were a bunch of little details I completely missed on my first watch.
Sadly I think that's the only way they can include him in this and it make sense given how Endgame ended.
The Russos have constantly asserted that Steve was integral to this story, that he HAD to be in it. And that the events of Endgame will tie directly into the story, so this was the only way I could piece it together and it make sense.
Personally, I'm hoping they stay true to the Reed/Doom dynamic that's integral to the comic story. Doom's rivalry and hatred of Reed is a huge motivator for what he does in Secret Wars and it would be a huge betrayal of the character to lose that aspect of him.
Yeah, I can definitely see the logic behind it. If the Russos have been saying Steve is essential to this story, then they have to find a way of bringing him back that doesn't completely undo Endgame.
I just hope his return serves the story instead of becoming the story. I'm completely with you on Reed and Doom, though. That's the relationship I'm most excited to see.
If Doom ends up feeling more connected to Tony or Steve than he does to Reed, I think the film will have missed the heart of what makes those two characters so compelling in the comic
In a nutshell: superhero prom to beat up the school's biggest bully. I'm so down for it!
Thats a delightful way to put it! I'm so in as well!
How did you find the article? I've been waiting for your take on it!
Loved this, as always! At the moment, I'm keeping my own articles firmly in review territory. Since everyone else is already going absolutely feral over the Doomsday trailer, I did not feel I had anything new to add.
Thank you very much! I look forward to your take when the movie hits us in December! 🫡
I have not decided whether I will cover it. Between the Christmas pieces I have planned, my holiday and my birthday, the timing is rather crowded. Perhaps I will briefly experience cinema like a normal human being and leave the analytical scalpel at home.
Well that makes sense! It does release on the same day as Dune so even I am tryna figure out how to do it!
I'm actually leaning towards that take for The Odyssey myself, I'm not seeing it till Sunday and my review days should consistently be on Fridays.
Sometimes reading someone else's piece with real joy is enough. You do not always have to respond by setting yourself the impossible task of inventing a uniquely brilliant angle of your own, especially when the work already gives you plenty to think about.
I completely understand the scheduling issue too. That is why I keep Tuesdays for current topics, while Thursdays are usually reserved for something more timeless or for series, which naturally need more time both to watch and to somehow squeeze all that story into one coherent piece.
From what I have read, that Steve Rogers might already be in Earth 828, the Fantastic Four world. Allegedly, Chris Evans shot something for First Steps that was unused. But in that film's post-credits sequence, the Fantastic Four cartoon is clearly being watched by a father and child, the father who has blonde hair.
Of course, there's also the flash of Loki in the trailer. He's in front of someone's house, surely.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that those two things are connected! I reckon that Loki shows up to Steve and takes him to the F4 universe for safety,
Then once they become aware of the Incursions, they discover Steve and bring him with them to the MCU in order to get them to trust them. That would explain why he's on the ship already!
I skipped the prediction section. Im gonna try and go in with just trailers as pre-info. I dont actually know the comic book storylines being used so Im gonna keep it that way.
Thats fair enough! I thought people would wanna skip it so I made sure to put a BIG SPOILER TAG in front of it! How did you find the rest of the post?
Fab as always pal. You noticed more details than I did, for sure.
Once the film is released, restack this article so I can come back and compare notes 😅
Yes sir 🫡
Really enjoyed this breakdown.
My thoughts on the plot were pretty similar to yours, especially the idea that this is all building toward a Battleworld-style plot like the Secret Wars comics.
i recently came across another theory that I thought was interesting: the incursions could have been triggered because the Pym Particles Steve used in Endgame were never returned. That creates a branched timeline where events play out differently, eventually leading to a Tony Stark variant becoming Doom. It's definitely speculative, but it would give Marvel a plausible explanation for why RDJ is playing Doom.
I also keep coming back to Franklin Richards. Since he's one of the few beings capable of creating and destroying entire universes, I think Doom's real objective is to channel or steal Franklin's powers rather than simply kidnap him.
One thing I'm still wondering about, though: if Doom has already been studying all these heroes closely enough to counter Thor so effortlessly, where has he actually been this whole time?
Firstly, thanks for the kind words!
I feel that Doom was made aware of the Incursions before anyone else, so he managed to calculate which universes they would collide with as a result.
Upon doing so, he may have either travelled there himself or been able to look into the universe, maybe using his universe's version of the Darkhold that Wanda and Strange used. So he was able to look into the world and study its inhabitants?
But thats just off the top of my head.
I actually hope you're wrong about Steve being such a big part of this. I love Steve, but if this movie ends up becoming another Steve story instead of letting Sam, Reed and the Fantastic Four carry it, I'd be a bit disappointed. I do like your idea about Doom presenting himself as an ally first though. That feels very Doom. I could also see him playing everyone against each other before anyone realizes what he's actually after.
The Thor trying to take him down straight away and Doom stopping Stormbreaker with barely any effort was probably my favorite moment in the trailer too. It instantly sold him as a genuine threat.
I'm still not convinced Steve is the cause of the incursions, though. That feels like it'd make Endgame's ending a lot messier than it needs to be. I also hope Marvel isn't hiding half the cast in those group shots again because there are definitely some suspicious gaps in there. Either way, it's fun reading theories like this because there were a bunch of little details I completely missed on my first watch.
Sadly I think that's the only way they can include him in this and it make sense given how Endgame ended.
The Russos have constantly asserted that Steve was integral to this story, that he HAD to be in it. And that the events of Endgame will tie directly into the story, so this was the only way I could piece it together and it make sense.
Personally, I'm hoping they stay true to the Reed/Doom dynamic that's integral to the comic story. Doom's rivalry and hatred of Reed is a huge motivator for what he does in Secret Wars and it would be a huge betrayal of the character to lose that aspect of him.
Yeah, I can definitely see the logic behind it. If the Russos have been saying Steve is essential to this story, then they have to find a way of bringing him back that doesn't completely undo Endgame.
I just hope his return serves the story instead of becoming the story. I'm completely with you on Reed and Doom, though. That's the relationship I'm most excited to see.
If Doom ends up feeling more connected to Tony or Steve than he does to Reed, I think the film will have missed the heart of what makes those two characters so compelling in the comic