A Missing MCU Hero Could Be the Key to Doctor Doom’s Plan in Avengers: Doomsday

All eyes are on Doctor Doom. While the villain has yet to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, it feels like he’s already scheming. The Leader alludes to “others” in the post-credits scene of Captain America: Brave New World, who are looking to mess with the multiverse. He didn’t say the name Doom or anything of the sort, but there’s no doubt that he’s warning Sam Wilson about the villain’s arrival. There are also plenty of rumors swirling around about who is on the ship that pops up in the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts*. While the vessel has a “4” on the side, it’s hard to ignore the possibility that Doom is adding grand theft auto to his rap sheet in order to get to Earth-616.

There’s no doubt that Doom will tussle with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: Doomsday, but his motivations remain unclear. While he’s likely to go after the Fantastic Four because Reed Richards and Susan Storm’s son, Franklin Richards, has unbelievable power, there isn’t a version of Franklin on Earth-616. There is another character that could be worthy of his attention, though, and they’re currently in the wind.

Mantis Is Part of a Major Prophecy in Marvel Comics

Like her big-screen counterpart, Marvel Comics’ Mantis has connections to the Celestials. She’s raised by the Priests of Pama and destined to become the Celestial Madonna, a being that prophecy claims will give birth to the universe’s savior. Being that important puts Mantis on Kang’s radar, as the villain doesn’t want anyone getting in the way of his plan for multiversal domination. He tries to kill her on a number of occasions, but she escapes with some help from the Avengers. Eventually, she gives birth to her child and allows the Cotati to look after him while she goes into space. The MCU’s Mantis doesn’t have a child, but she’s off on her own in the cosmos, which could leave her vulnerable to an attack from Doom.

Doom is stepping into Kang’s role in the MCU, so it would be a good idea for him to take his challengers off the board. Mantis is half-Celestial because her father was Ego, and while he’s gone, she still has incredible abilities that allow her to tangle with the likes of Thanos. With Mantis at his side, Doom could manipulate the entire galaxy into doing his bidding. However, he’s not going to have an easy time getting to her because there’s a major group of heroes that would love nothing more than to protect their friend.

The Guardians of the Galaxy Aren’t Going to Let Anyone Hurt Mantis

The ending of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 sees the titular team split up. Drax and Nebula decide to stay on Knowhere and look after the children, while Rocket and Groot start a new Guardians team with Adam Warlock, Kraglin, Cosmo, and Phyla-Vell. Meanwhile, Peter Quill heads back to Earth to live with his grandfather, whom he hasn’t seen since he was a boy. The tag of Vol. 3 reveals that Star-Lord is the only Guardian guaranteed to be part of the MCU going forward, leaving the future of the rest of the characters up in the air. There’s an easy fix for that, though, because Peter and Mantis are half-siblings, and they grow close by the end of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

If Peter hears that his sister is in danger, he’s going to get his old pals back together for one last ride. Gamora might even be motivated enough to leave the Ravagers because she builds a bond with the Guardians during the events of Vol. 3. There’s no doubt that Doomsday has enough mouths to feed, as the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men will be part of the proceedings, but Marvel Studios can’t bring the MCU together without including the Guardians. Fortunately for the powers that be, there’s an easy way to have them join the fold by making Mantis a major part of Doom’s plan.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.

Do you think Doctor Doom could seek out Mantis in Avengers: Doomsday? Would you like to see the Guardians of the Galaxy return in the MCU? Let us know in the comments below!