Avengers: Doomsday Highlights MCU’s Power Level Issues
The upcoming Avengers: Doomsday introduces a new major villain, Doctor Doom, who must be portrayed as the most powerful character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Yet, the dramatic increase in power levels across recent MCU films makes it difficult for Doctor Doom to stand out.
MCU's Escalating Power Levels
Since Avengers: Endgame, Marvel has steadily amplified the strength of both heroes and villains, aiming to top each previous film. This escalation has now reached a point where the immense power displayed weakens the impact of introducing new threats.
Challenges in Presenting Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom’s armor and abilities struggle to intimidate audiences after a decade of characters with overwhelming powers. The MCU’s recent additions include entities like the Council of Kangs, the Celestials, Mephisto, and even Galactus—each raising the stakes further.
Examples of Overpowered Characters
- Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel) was so powerful that the MCU limited her presence off-planet during Avengers: Infinity War.
- The Hulk was effectively weakened by adding intelligence, which reduced his limitless physical strength.
Possible Solutions to Power Creep
Marvel could attempt fixing the power creep issue to ensure new characters remain threatening, but with Avengers: Doomsday approaching soon, options are limited.
"Doctor Doom has to appear all-powerful, but the MCU has made it hard to make a man in armor seem any kind of threat after the past decade of movies."
Overall, the MCU's continuous power escalation could undermine the storytelling impact of new threats like Doctor Doom.
Author's Summary
The MCU’s relentless increase in character powers now challenges its ability to present fresh, believable threats, risking diminished excitement for new villains like Doctor Doom.