Doctor Doom made clear his desire to be the new Sorcerer Supreme in place of Doctor Strange in Strange #1, and his reasons may actually be noble.
WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Strange #1, available now from Marvel Comics.
The Marvel Universe is filled with powerful magic users, both good and evil. On the antagonistic end of the spectrum is the tyrannical ruler of Latveria, Doctor Doom, who is well-known for his hatred of Reed Richards and his desire to acquire even more power. Doom’s magic wielding skills have grown so much he is now a contender to be the Sorcerer Supreme in light of the death of Doctor Strange, but his deadly new successor, Clea, disagrees in no uncertain terms. What she fails to realize, however, is that Doom’s reasons for wanting the title may actually be more noble and honorable than anyone would expect.
Doom was the son of a powerful Sorceress named Cynthia von Doom, who used her powers to protect her people from invading forces. To ensure her victory, she made a deal with Mephisto that in exchange for her soul, she would gain the strength to fight off her enemies. However, her plan backfired, and she chose to sacrifice herself in order to save her family. Doom spent years honing his skills to save his mother’s soul from Hell, enlisting the help of Strange himself in the graphic novel Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment (by Roger Stern, Mike Mignola, Mark Badger and Jim Novak). But while her soul was seemingly allowed to rest, her happiness was short-lived.
In The Thing #5 (by Walter Mosley, Tom Reilly, Jodie Bellair, and VC’s Joe Sabino), it was revealed that the soul of Doom’s mother was trapped in the grasp of the physical embodiment of Death. The reason for this was because Death felt that Cynthia von Doom’s actions violated the natural order of life and death, which again placed Cynthia’s eternal soul in distress. Strange #1 (by Jed MacKay, Carlo Ferriera, Don Ho, Roberto Poggi, Java Cartiglia, Felipe Sobreiro and VC’s Cory Petit) showed Doom demanding the title and effects of the Sorcerer Supreme, with Clea adamantly denying him the title. While it seemed like he wanted it for his own selfish gain, his reasoning may actually tie to his love and concern for his mother.
Although Doom has never had a formal relationship with his mother, he still greatly respects her and admires the skill she had in magic. Doom also has a great respect for Doctor Strange, who not only taught him magic but also helped him rescue his mother from Mephisto in Hell. As a result, Doom’s desire for the title may be mostly motivated by a desire to not only honor Strange but grant his mother’s soul peace. Power is sure to factor in, with this being Doom, but even he knows the cost of abusing the title of Sorcerer Supreme.
While Doctor Doom is best known for his villainous acts and lust for power, he is also one of the few antagonists in the Marvel Universe who has a conscience and understanding of respect. Clea’s blatant denial to this claim for the title may be justified, but it also doesn’t take into account the more noble reasons behind his actions. Furthermore, her rash response is sure to have made a potential ally into a deadly enemy, as Doom has proven on numerous occasions that he is not one to be trifled with.
Doctor Doom is an extremely powerful figure who is accustomed to doing as he pleases and gaining that which he desires. While his pursuit of power can sometimes get the better of him, he understands the limits and risks of using magic. Even though he has been denied what he wants (at least for the moment), there is little doubt that he will return with a plan for acquiring the title and all that comes with it regardless of who or what dares to stand in his way.
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