Doctor Doom’s Dark Cosmic Title Exposes the True Meaning of His Armor

Marvel Comics has just dived deeper into Doctor Doom’s dark cosmic title and its significance to his armor, tying back to one of the earliest forms of the universe. In Defenders #4, several archetypes of heroes and villains from the Fourth Cosmos are revealed, including Never-Open, who is what would eventually become Doctor Doom. The Never-Open archetype suggests Doom will never change hiding his true face from the world.

In Defenders #2 from Marvel Comics, the cosmic group of heroes went further and further back in time with each issue, visiting different versions of what would later become the Marvel Universe in its most primitive stages. In the Fourth Cosmos, the heroes ran into several archetypes that would evolve into familiar faces in the future – including the archetype of Galactus and the being that would forever connect Ghost Rider with the Punisher. However, Marvel recently revealed which each archetype would later become, as Doctor Doom’s ends up tragically revealing the true meaning behind his armor.

In Defenders Beyond #4 by Al Ewing, Javier Rodriguez, and VC’s Joe Caramagna from Marvel Comics, a chart points out which heroes and villains have archetypes in the Fourth Cosmos. In the image, Doctor Doom’s “Never-Open” archetype is named, as the faceless being can be seen next to Doctor Strange. The Never-Open connects to Doom in several ways, as his faceless nature hints at the villain never revealing his true self to others. The cosmic archetype also connects to his armor, as it helps Doctor Doom stay removed from displaying emotion and human connection.

Doctor Doom’s armor is what prevents anyone from ever seeing his true, burned face. The cosmic archetype’s lack of a face ends up being a major connection to that, as his archetype, like Doctor Doom, doesn’t have a face to reveal – although, in Victor Von Doom’s case, it’s because he refuses to. Tragically, his archetype not having a face may mean Doom will never be able to fully show his to the world.

Doctor Doom might say his armor is just for protecting him in battle, which is true, but its more important role to him is shielding his burned face from ever being truly revealed and making it seem like he’s emotionless and expressionless. Doctor Doom hides his face, just like his archetype, but in a more intentional manner. The longtime Marvel villain’s No-Open archetype tragically exposes the true meaning of his armor, as the faceless being isn’t too far off at what Doctor Doom desires the world sees him as.