Avengers: Doomsday Highlights MCU Power Level Issues
Avengers: Doomsday introduces a new major villain, Doctor Doom, who needs to be portrayed as the most powerful character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). However, the steady increase in power levels across MCU films has created challenges in making him stand out.
MCU Power Creep Problem
Since Avengers: Endgame, Marvel has continuously amplified the strength of its heroes and villains to surpass previous movies. This escalation has reached a point where the sheer power makes it difficult to present new characters as genuine threats.
Examples of Power Escalation
- The MCU has introduced figures such as the Council of Kangs, the Celestials, Mephisto, and Galactus.
- Carol Danvers is depicted as extremely powerful, leading the MCU to limit her role during Avengers: Infinity War by keeping her off-planet.
- The Hulk was made smarter to reduce his otherwise overwhelming, unlimited strength.
Challenges for Doctor Doom’s Presentation
Doctor Doom must appear overwhelmingly powerful, yet the MCU’s ongoing "power creep" makes it difficult for even a man in armor to be perceived as threatening after years of increasingly powerful entities.
"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."
Possible Solutions
There are ways Marvel could address the power creep problem, but with Avengers: Doomsday imminent, it may be too late to reset the scale effectively.
Author’s summary: The MCU’s escalating power levels have complicated establishing new threats, making it challenging for characters like Doctor Doom to stand out convincingly in Avengers: Doomsday.