Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Avengers #19 Doctor Doom is unquestionably an egotistical and unrepentant authoritarian. However, his motivations are often benevolent in nature. Doom believes in strength in unity, citing that most of Earth’s internal conflicts are born from pointless self-segregation. To Victor von Doom, there is no greater offender of this irresponsible and futile antipathy than the Avengers, and he’s kind of right.

The Avengers #19 - by Jed MacKay, Farid Karami, & Federico Blee - continues the Avengers’ growing new roster, now including the previously disgraced Scarlet Witch and the mutant god Storm.

As the eternal darkness of the Blood Hunt has ed, the world is left with a new great power that promises to do what the Avengers have failed to do; the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Doom. While the world often sees the Avengers as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Doom sees failures who have done nothing but perpetuate Earth’s constant divide.

The Avengers Fail to Unify the World, Depriving it of Peace, Prosperity, and Safety

The Avengers #19 - Written by Jed MacKay; Art by Farid Karami; Color by Federico Blee; Lettering by VC’s Cory Petit

Earth has been broken. In recent years especially, Earth-616 has endured back-to-back apocalyptic threats. Threats that result in the deaths of thousands, that decimate its unsteady infrastructure, and threats that weaken the planet from greater threats beyond the stars and into other hellish dimensions. The Avengers have made it a clear point that they believe their place is to respond to threats, not prevent them. While some have tried, like Tony Stark and Captain Marvel , their ultimate lack of imagination and perspective has failed them every time.

Meanwhile, within the iron dome of Latveria, its people thrive. Some freedoms must be sacrificed, but in return, Doom has gifted his people with peace, prosperity, and safety from the constant chaos that the Avengers have failed to manage. Earth’s heroes are quick to judge but are often unable to argue with the Latverian people’s prosperity. As Doom summons the Avengers to answer for their frequent failures, he demands to know why they have “let the world [they] have sworn to protect come to this state?” Doom chastises the heroes for lacking the unity required to build a better world.

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes Are Frequently Champions of a Divided World

Doctor Doom Believes the Avengers Have the Capacity to Make a Real Difference

While the Avengers make a fair point in noting that Doom’s prospective global takeover would result in an initially violent war, is it not fair to say that the world is already plunged into multiple violent wars?

Frankly, Doom is right. Compared to other great civilizations beyond the stars that stand together and prosper as multi-global societies, Earth is repeatedly held back by itself. Captain America could represent something greater than a “dying imperial power.” Captain Marvel could represent the Earth on an intergalactic level of politics. Iron Man could finally free the world of the weapons he says he despises. Storm could finally build a world where mutants can prosper in safety . Vision could end the well-known future threat of machine dominance. Scarlet Witch could use her infinitely versatile powers to deliver “hope to the hopeless.”

While Doom’s lack of conventional morality makes him a frequent villain, many of the Avengers have broken the world on their own. The Avengers talk of protecting the world from threats, despite being the cause of many of them. While the Avengers make a fair point in noting that Doom’s prospective global takeover would result in an initially violent war, is it not fair to say that the world is already plunged into multiple violent wars? Heroism and villainy are often two sides of the same coin of perspective. However, from Doctor Doom’s perspective, the Avengers are the real villains.

The Avengers #19 is available now from Marvel Comics.