For years, we’ve been tracking the God of Stories. We watched him go from the guy who lost to a “dull creature” in Stark Tower to the man literally holding the fabric of reality together at the center of the Multiverse, finally fulfilling his glorious purpose. It was a hell of an arc. But as we inch closer to Avengers: Doomsday, a new, darker theory is emerging—one that suggests Loki’s new job isn’t a permanent promotion, but a setup for the most violent transition of power in MCU history.
Fans of Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 Secret Wars run know just how important Owen Reece was to the event. As Molecule Man, Reece was the battery of Doctor Doom’s machine. He was the source of Doom’s godhood, the “living bomb” that allowed Victor to shape Battleworld from the wreckage of the incursions. But in the MCU? We haven’t met Owen Reece. We have, however, spent twelve years with Loki.
The Stand-In
Marvel isn’t going to spend time introducing a complex new character like Molecule Man to explain Doom’s power. Instead, they’re looking at the man already sitting on the throne at the end of time.
Loki’s position as the God of Stories, the man keeping the Multiverse together by sheer force of will, will reportedly make him a target of Doctor Doom. In an interesting adaptation of the Hickman beat, Doom is rumored to strip Loki of his God of Stories powers effectively using them as the conduit to stabilize his own version of reality, making Loki a stand-in for Owen Reece.
But Marvel reportedly isn’t stopping there. For those who remember Doom’s confrontation with Thanos in Secret Wars—the one where Victor casually reaches into the Mad Titan’s chest and pulls out his spine—there’s a growing belief that we’re going to see a remix of that moment.
If Doom is going to establish himself as the undisputed big bad of the Multiverse Saga, he needs a moment, like Thanos had in Avengers: Infinity War, that establishes him as a threat. He needs to kill a fan favorite to show he’s not playing around. If reports are accurate, that will come at the expense of Loki once again. Loki doesn’t just lose his power; he loses his life in a way that mirrors that iconic Hickman panel as his heart is ripped out by Victor…even if it is reportedly off screen. Doom ending the God of Stories isn’t just a power move—it’s a declaration that the Loki Era of the Multiverse is over and that there can be only Doom.
The Long Game
Hiddlestans aren’t going to like this. A Thor/Loki reunion would have been enjoyable, as would Loki the Avengers as Avenger Prime. But if the Russos are looking for maximum emotional impact, killing the man who is literally holding the Multiverse together is the fastest way to raise the stakes.
It’s brutal. It’s efficient. And frankly, it’s exactly the kind of move that makes a villain legendary. As always, keep the salt shaker nearby, but don’t be surprised if the “God of Stories” ends up being the foundation upon which Doom builds his empire.
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