Avengers: Doomsday Highlights MCU Power Level Issues
The upcoming Avengers: Doomsday introduces a major new villain, Doctor Doom, who must be portrayed as the most powerful figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). However, the gradual increase in power levels across the MCU has created challenges for making Doctor Doom stand out.
MCU Power Creep and Its Consequences
Since Avengers: Endgame, Marvel has continuously raised the strength of its heroes and villains to surpass previous films. This escalation in power, known as "power creep," has reached a point where it diminishes the impact of new characters, making it difficult to present anyone as a true threat.
“Marvel has had to keep making its heroes and villains stronger and stronger so each movie could outdo the last.”
Challenges for Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom, a man in armor, faces the challenge of appearing all-powerful in a universe filled with vastly powerful beings. The trend in recent MCU films has set a high bar for power, complicating his ability to be perceived as a genuine danger.
Notable Powerful Figures in Recent MCU Films
- The Council of Kangs
- The Celestials
- Mephisto
- Galactus
Overpowered Heroes
- Carol Danvers' strength was so extreme that she was kept off Earth during Avengers: Infinity War
- Hulk was nerfed by making him smarter, limiting his limitless strength
Possible Solutions and Outlook
There are potential ways for Marvel to address the power creep problem, but with Avengers: Doomsday imminent, it may already be too late to fully resolve this issue.
“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.”
Author’s Summary: The MCU's ongoing power escalation undermines the impact of new villains like Doctor Doom, making it increasingly difficult to portray fresh threats convincingly.