AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY Doctor Doom Statue Reveals a Mysterious Device That Could Be a Major Marvel Weapon
Doctor Doom apparently has an interesting toy to play with in Avengers: Doomsday, and it could be a seriously dangerous one.
A newly revealed Iron Studios statue offers another look at Robert Downey Jr. as Victor Von Doom, but it's the strange device he's holding that's getting the most attention.
Marvel hasn't identified what it is, leaving fans to dig through comic book history for answers, and one theory points to one of the most powerful weapons in the Marvel Universe.
There have been plenty of Avengers: Doomsday spoilers making the rounds in recent months, but Marvel Studios has managed to keep a lot of the movie under wraps. Merchandise can sometimes offer early clues, though it isn't always reliable.
Still, this Doctor Doom statue is interesting because the mysterious object is placed directly in Doom's hand, making it look like something that could factor into his plans.
The most exciting theory is that we're looking at the Ultimate Nullifier. For those unfamiliar with the weapon, the Ultimate Nullifier is an incredibly powerful piece of Marvel Comics lore capable of erasing virtually anything from existence.
It was originally kept aboard Galactus' Worldship before the Fantastic Four discovered it. Reed Richards eventually used the weapon when Earth faced destruction at the hands of the Devourer of Worlds.
The catch is that wielding the Ultimate Nullifier isn't exactly safe. Its effectiveness is tied to the mental strength of whoever uses it, and things can go very badly. It can wipe out its intended target, but it can also destroy the person attempting to use it.
Putting something like that in Doom's hands during a massive Multiverse story would certainly make sense. If Downey's Doom is trying to reshape, destroy, or control realities in Avengers: Doomsday, the Ultimate Nullifier would give him one hell of dangerous weapon to use.
There are other possibilities, though. Some fans believe Doom could be carrying a modified TemPad, giving him the ability to jump between different worlds. Considering how heavily the Multiverse has factored into Marvel's recent storytelling, that's a much simpler explanation for the device.
Another theory connects it to the Library of Worlds, an interdimensional repository containing knowledge gathered from throughout the Marvel Universe.
The Library is connected to countless realities and functions as an enormous archive of cosmic information. A key granting Doom access to a place like that could be every bit as important as a weapon, especially for someone who loves having knowledge and power at his fingertips.
Iron Studios isn't giving away the answer. The official product description doesn't identify the accessory, but there's one curious detail buried in the statue's image files: the object is reportedly labeled "white-1-key."
The use of "key" could support the Library of Worlds theory, or it might simply be an internal production label that means absolutely nothing. Until Marvel reveals more, it's another little piece of the Avengers: Doomsday puzzle for fans to obsess over.
The statue also gives us a closer look at Doom himself and the costume Downey will wear in the movie. Iron Studios has additional statues on the way featuring Nightcrawler, Beast, Cyclops, and Thor, offering new looks at their respective costumes as well.
I just have to say, The Ultimate Nullifier would be an awesome comic book pull, while a TemPad or key to the Library of Worlds could open up some interesting but less exciting possibilities for Doom's journey.
Whatever he's holding, giving Doctor Doom access to a mysterious cosmic device probably isn't going to end well for the Avengers.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters December 18.