Dr. Doom’s Most Powerful Variant is Also Another Marvel Villain

Warning: Contains spoilers for Devil’s Reign: Superior Four #2

Victor von Doom is one of the most powerful – and popular – villains of the Marvel Universe, a master of both science and the magical arts, a ruthless conqueror and ruler. In the latest issue of Devil’s Reign: Superior Four, however, it is revealed that his most accomplished version is also the most powerful variant of another villain, Doctor Octopus.

In Devil’s Reign: Superior Four by Zac Thompson, Davide Tinto, and Matt Milla,  Doctor Octopus gains access to one of the most dangerous pieces of technology on Earth: the Fantastic Four’s Forever Gate. This portal to the Multiverse allows him to assemble a team of his own variants, who are also alternate versions of other Marvel heroes: Hulk (Otto Banner), Wolverine (Otto Howlett), and Ghost Rider (Otto Blaze). His initial plan is to assemble a Council of Ocks to rival the Council of Reeds, the now-defunct organization made by several versions of Mr. Fantastics. But after finding out that there is only a finite number of Doc Ocks in the Multiverse (3,000), Otto decides to follow a much more reckless plan and gamble with reality itself. Killing other Octopus variants will create branch timelines where even more versions of Otto will spawn in the wake of the murders, creating an army that could take over the Multiverse.

Armed with this knowledge, the Superior Four team embarks on their crusade, but they do not expect that opposition could come from yet another version of Octopus, the most powerful one in all of reality: a version mixed with the Doctors Doom and Strange known as the Supreme Octopus. After becoming the Sorcerer Supreme of his dimension, this Otto has taken the responsibility of keeping himself in line, watching over his variants over countless worlds, and making sure they don’t threaten the stability of the Multiverse. The Supreme Octopus pulls Earth-616 Octavius and his Superior Four into his own reality and battles them, but only to prove he is truly superior. While Banner, Howlett, and Blaze accept defeat and agree to be guided towards new heights, the original Otto refuses to accept his inferiority, and as a result has his mechanical arms ripped off.

What is surprising is not that a version of Doc Ock would take on the mantle of both Doom and Strange, but rather that this version of Doom is one of the most powerful ever seen. He is easily able to best three of the strongest Marvel heroes at the same time. He has total command of the forces of magic and better control over his mechanical arms than the original Otto. He can manipulate the Multiverse, communicating and casting spells over different realities, and can even pull the other Ottos to his own Earth with a simple gesture. Finally, his list of accomplishments is impressive: “I’ve liquified Shuma-Gorath, Dormammu’s groveled at my feet, I’ve burned Knull to ash.” These are all cosmic-level threats, that many times got close to destroying Earth-616 and its universe.

Despite all of his power, the Supreme Octopus does not seem like a villain. His world looks prosperous and peaceful, and his concern with keeping balance means that he has a higher purpose. He also expresses regret for the fact that, in almost every reality, the statistical constant of Otto’s existence is failure, with himself being the only “anomaly.” For this reason, he offers the other Ottos knowledge and guidance on how to utilize their gifts at best. Rather than proving that an Octavious can reach the heights of success, this Supreme Octopus proves that the most powerful version of Dr. Doom is one influenced by a lamer villain like Doc Octopus.

About The Author