Spoilers: The Mystery of Doctor Doom on Battleworld

The Mystery of Doctor Doom on Battleworld

When the Fantastic Four, well, in this case, Reed Richards, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm, since Sue Richards nee Storm is pregnant at the time this story takes place and is left back on earth, first get to Battleworld it is revealed that they have witnessed Doctor Doom’s death and they don’t quite know what to make of his presence on Battleworld. One theory is that Doom is only a simulacra created from by the Beyond from the memories of Reed Richards, et al.

Within the books contained in the Battleworld Box Set, we do not learn of Doom’s fate until near the end of Secrete Wars II in Fantastic Four #288 entitled Full Circle.

Doctor Doom was in combat with a herald of Galactus called Terrax the Tamer. Terrax fuses Doom’s armor, rendering him immobile and then Terrax fights Galactus’ first herald, the Silver Surfer. That battle ends with both titans falling back to earth as a giant fireball that atomizes both Doom’s and Terrax’s bodies.

But Doom had already transferred his consciousness into that of innocent bystander, Norm McArthur. In issue 288, Doom has captured the Fantastic Four, which at this point consists of Reed, Sue, Johnny and the She-Hulk, who became a member of the FF when Ben Grimm stayed behind on Battleworld.

Doom is performing a magic ritual in order to call back his body which has been rendered into stardust but he finds he lacks sufficient power so he reaches out with his mind to find an even greater power to use when he summons the Beyonder. The Beyonder wants to kill Doom for Doom’s impertinence, this being very near the end of Secret Wars II and the Beyonder is pissed off. Reed talks him out if it pointing out that this is the point in time where the Beyonder plucked Doom from in order to set the events of Battleworld and that killing Doom now could have very negative consequences that the Beyonder may not even be able to survive being that he has made himself a part of the timeline.

The Beyonder concurs, recreates Doom’s body for him, and then hurtles him back in time so the events of the first Secret War can transpire.

Afterward, the Beyonder leaves and Reed rushes everyone out of the Latverin embassy surmising that post-Secret Wars Doom may make an appearance at any moment.

This leads into the final issue of Secret Wars II.