I’m Still Convinced That Was Doctor Doom With Franklin at the End of FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS

When Fantastic Four: First Steps hit theaters, there wasn't much debate about who appeared in the film's mid-credits scene. The cloaked figure visiting Franklin Richards was widely accepted as Doctor Doom. It felt like Marvel's first tease of the iconic villain before Avengers: Doomsday.

Then San Diego Comic-Con happened. Marvel put Doctor Doom's full costume on display, but it was another costume that got fans talking.

Alongside Doom's armor was a display labeled "Latverian Witch," and that's when a new theory started spreading. Some fans began wondering if the figure from First Steps wasn't Doctor Doom after all, but this mysterious witch instead.

The biggest piece of evidence people point to is the mask. They're noticing that the mask seen in Fantastic Four: First Steps doesn't match the finished Doctor Doom helmet Marvel revealed at Comic-Con. Looking at them side by side, they're right. The masks are clearly different.

But here's the thing. The mask from First Steps doesn't match the Latverian Witch's mask either. If you really compare them, the witch's face covering has its own distinct design, while the mask from the mid-credits scene has a much more masculine look. It doesn't feel like the same prop or even the same character.

That's why I don't think the existence of the Latverian Witch costume suddenly changes what we saw at the end of First Steps.

People are assuming the mask in that scene has to be Doom's famous hardcore villain mask. Victor Von Doom doesn't have to wear his intimidating armored mask every moment of every day.

If he's approaching a child like Franklin Richards, it actually makes sense that he'd wear something more refined. A simpler mask could conceal his face without looking as frightening as the iconic metal helmet fans know from the comics.

To me, the mask he's holding looks exactly like something Doom would use when he wants to appear less threatening. It's still unmistakably Victor Von Doom, just not in full supervillain mode.

There's another detail that keeps me leaning in that direction. Vanessa Kirby confirmed that Robert Downey Jr. filmed the Fantastic Four: First Steps mid-credits scene, so that’s a big tell. That doesn't really support the Latverian Witch theory at all.

Everyone walked out of Fantastic Four: First Steps believing they had just seen Doctor Doom because that's exactly what Marvel intended us to think. I don't believe Comic-Con suddenly rewrote that scene. The introduction of the Latverian Witch simply gave fans another rabbit hole to explore.