Avengers: Doomsday might repeat this Avengers: Infinity War mistake – and Doom could win

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is all set for another seismic shift with the upcoming release of Avengers: Doomsday on May 1, 2026. Directed by the Russo brothers and featuring Robert Downey Jr. in a surprising return—not as Iron Man but as the formidable Doctor Doom—the film promises to explore the complexities of heroism and unity and provide a fresh start to the MCU's sixth phase.

With Thunderbolts* laying the groundwork for the premise of Avengers: Doomsday, the process will be further carried out by Fantastic Four: First Steps. As expected, the MCU has already started setting itself up for the events that might lead to a major face-off. However, as things are progressing along in the MCU, one detail being theorized currently sets up triumph for the antagonist.

Here's how Avengers: Doomsday could tear Earth's mightiest heroes apart, again, while handing victory to Doctor Doom.

Disclaimer: This article contains the author's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.

---

How Captain America: Civil War planted a major detail for the Avengers' downfall in Avengers: Infinity War

In Captain America: Civil War of 2016, the Avengers dealt with their first real enemy – themselves. The instigation that included the directive for the government to supervise superheroes was the result of the Sokovia Accords. Old tensions erupted into an ideological climax of sorts. On one side, Tony Stark was mired in guilt and demanded accountability. On the other side, Steve Rogers hoped to maintain autonomy and personal discretion. The consequence wasn't just a feud but a fracture in the dynamic of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Former allies became foes. Wanda was imprisoned. Rhodey was paralyzed. Steve dropped his shield. And worst of all, the trust between the Avengers was crushed into irreparable disarray. In Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the aftershocks of the disarray were still alive, present, and painfully apparent.

The Avengers were unable to regroup and fight in unison, which meant they were unable to focus as one coherent force. In contrast, they were being scattered across the globe and galaxy, with disparate plans and as vulnerable prey. Thanos wasn't just able to figure out their identity, he was able to sense a lack of one. Together, they might have been the biggest weapon of all. But, divided, they were weak.

Joe Russo later stated how the Avengers' division was implemented consciously all along to Entertainment Weekly in 2018,

“They’re fractured at the start of the movie. It was always the intent, in a larger arc, to split the Avengers up before the greatest threat that they’ve ever seen. Thanos is a virtually indestructible character, which makes him an extremely difficult character to fight. In the face of this, it’s like, ‘Can you overcome the divisions that have developed between you to face a common cause?’ That’s really the question.”

---

Avengers: Doomsday is all set to make the same mistake... again

After Avengers: Endgame in 2019, Earth began to forge a new chapter of protection, which also led to new divisions. With Steve Rogers passing the shield, Sam Wilson now becomes the new Captain America, helming a newly assembled Avengers team characterized by empathy, inclusivity, and homegrown heroism. The team includes Chris Hemsworth's Thor, Paul Rudd's Scott Lang aka Ant-Man, among others. Sam's identity as Captain America will be determined not by super-soldier serum or billionaire tech but through lived experience and an understanding of the socio-political realities of modern life. To sum up, Sam's Avengers will serve as a more grounded and ethically aware superhero group that reflects the changing world in which it exists.

Meanwhile, the Thunderbolts, a group formerly characterized by a questionable group of anti-heroes and former villains, have gone through a startling rebranding as the official New Avengers. The film's ending has already teased the rising conflict between both teams as Wilson continues to lead his team and sues the Thunderbolts' New Avengers, hinting at further tensions.

Though both groups ostensibly seek to protect the world, their philosophical differences are stark. One fights for the people. The other fights for the system. And as history has already depicted, when differing ideologies clash under the same banner, it doesn't take much for tension to spiral into confrontation. If these new factions fail to reconcile their worldviews, we may once again witness a fractured superhero community- one that could prove just as vulnerable, if not more so, than the Avengers of the Civil War era.

---

How could this division help Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday

Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom presents us with a multi-faceted enemy who could very well take advantage of the Avengers' tenuous standing. Drawing from Marvel Comics, Doom's command over the multiverse gives him the ability to manipulate alternate versions. He could make the Avengers face their own selves and their own people, further damaging their relationship with each other. The heroes, who are already at odds with each other, might end up in a battle that could be both physically and ethically confrontational.

The two sides will certainly carry significant weight in Doomsday, and it would also be interesting to see how the Fantastic Four, the Wakandans and the X-Men will pick a side. The old and experienced members, who are pros at the game, vs the newcomers who carry so much more than just power- will be at odds, and their opposition will surely mark an important part in the film.

Marvel has demonstrated a history of division that has created calamity before. For example, the internal split within the Avengers into two teams (a moral one and a slightly less moral other) who could not reconcile their differences came second to the focus of defeating Thanos. Instead, they contributed to his goals in wars as great and mighty as Infinity War.

If we witness history repeat itself, with the heroes continuing to get in their own way and failing to collectively work together, Doom is most likely to momentarily exploit their differences to advance his own agenda, but even that could facilitate something new and original altogether!

Avengers: Doomsday is hitting theaters on 1st July, 2026.