Doctor Doom is poised to endanger the entire Marvel multiverse in "Avengers: Doomsday," necessitating a multiversal team-up to thwart his ambitions. A new book, "What If… The Multiverse Was Doomed?" by DaVaun Sanders, provides an early glimpse into this conflict.
Published by Random House Worlds, the "What If…?" series has featured alternate realities such as Loki being banished to Earth and Kitty Pryde absorbing the Phoenix Force. Sanders' contribution serves as a finale to this line, focusing on Doctor Doom's quest to reshape reality using the powers of Franklin Richards, whom he pursues across dimensions.
America Chavez is tasked with assembling a diverse group of heroes, including Loki, Scarlet Witch, Kitty Pryde, and a Venom-infused Moon Knight, to protect Franklin and halt Doom's conquest. This narrative echoes the premise of "Avengers: Doomsday."
"We can all acknowledge a handpicked team of superheroes has an above-average chance to get washed by Doctor Doom, expeditiously,” Sanders stated in an email to Polygon. “This is part of why I love America Chavez and her role in this story so deeply. For a character who has received plenty of flak (and more than her fair share of vitriol if we’re being real about it), this story presented a unique challenge to show her answering the call that others flinched away from as the story unfolds."
Prior to its release, an exclusive excerpt from "What If… The Multiverse Was Doomed?" was shared. The story is set a decade after Thor's demise, following a version of Loki who has proven worthy of Mjölnir and is assisting Jane Foster in raising her daughter, Quinn. However, Loki struggles with his own guilt and doubts, compounded by the challenges of parenting a rebellious child eager to become a hero.
The excerpt details Loki's efforts to create a controlled environment for Quinn to practice her heroic abilities, balancing her burgeoning powers with his own reservations and the demands of figures like Odin and Jane Foster. The narrative also touches upon Loki's past confrontations, including his victory over Tony Stark in the Iron Destroyer.
A tense scene unfolds where Quinn directly challenges Loki's authority, causing Mjölnir to levitate and hum with power. This display of her connection to the hammer and her emerging willfulness concerns Loki, who fears it mirrors his own trickster nature and could provoke further conflict with Odin. The situation escalates when a mysterious flash causes Mjölnir to fracture, only for Jane Foster to interrupt the confrontation.
Quinn, attempting to deflect blame, presents the incident as a party trick, and the hammer appears undamaged. Despite the brief scare, the excerpt highlights the evolving dynamics between Loki, Quinn, and Jane, hinting at the complex relationships and looming threats that define this alternate Marvel reality.