'Avengers: Doomsday's Divisive Steve Rogers Reveal Could Be Its Biggest Twist
Avengers: Doomsday (2026) brings us a new adventure with the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as they face a new threat in the form of Doctor Doom. Whatever they face is enough to have Thor scared and even bring in help, with Chris Evans returning as Steve Rogers.
This return was confirmed months ago, with a clean-shaven Steve returning home and holding his baby son. But what we see now is a different-looking Cap who can still wield Mjolnir. The division caused by his return is monumental because his story had a great ending, but the truth is, this may all be by design.
Steve Rogers' 'Avengers: Doomsday' Return Is Framed As A Blessing
Much like how Avengers: Infinity War (2018) felt like an uphill battle where the goal wasn't victory but instead survival, Avengers: Doomsday feels similar. However, the battle they are trying ot survive seems much worse and virtually impossible to face.
With Thor scared of what's to come, seeing Steve Rogers come back is framed as a miracle. In many ways it is, as this is a multiversal threat that would require every hero to return in a big way. However, the idea of Steve being the key to saving the day feels strange and may be a fake-out.
For over a decade, we have been conditioned to see Steve Rogers and feel safe. He's the rock of the MCU, and whenever we are scared, if he's still standing, we still have strength. Because of that, Steve may be nothing more than a tool introduced by Doctor Doom to push the narrative in his favor, perhaps a version of Steve that may not be evil but may also not be real.
Doctor Doom Is No Stranger To Making Clones
Doctor Doom is a character we've never seen in the MCU but are more than familiar with. In pop culture, he may be one of the most recognizable villains ever, right next to the Joker, and yet his full capabilities remain a mystery. Because of this, few people may know that Doom is very capable of creating a Steve Rogers of his own, if need be.
One of the prevailing theories has been that Steve Rogers is actually the evil Hydra Cap from the comics. But the fact that he can pick up Mjolnir would prove he's not because he isn't worthy. Conversely, he also couldn't be a synthezoid like the Vision because Steve still called the hammer to him rather than just lifting it.
In Marvel Comics, Doctor Doom has used genetic material to clone humans before, most famously the Fantastic Four, and he's also made clones of himself as redundancies should he die. With so many variants of Steve Rogers in the multiverse, including the main one, Doom could easily get some genetic material to make a Cap who acts like the real deal with all of his memories. Then, when the time is right, Doom can use him to get the drop on the heroes and claim victory.
An Evil Steve Rogers Fits With The Theme Of 'Avengers: Doomsday'
Realistically, the odds of Steve Rogers being a fake-out aren't as high as him being the real thing. But on the off chance it is, this is the film to do it. With Robert Downey Jr. playing Doctor Doom, Avengers: Doomsday feels like the film worth showing the heroes we love as more nefarious versions of themselves.
Steve Rogers has always been a friend and the paragon of goodness and bravery in the MCU. To have him be even remotely untruthful hurts, and seeing him not actually on the side of the heroes would be a surprising twist. As of now, Chris Evans returning has been met with frustration from fans, with it potentially undermining his conclusion.
More so, Evans' return also has people thinking Marvel Studios needed a win so bad that they brought him back. But this discourse is the perfect smokescreen to tell a new angle that not only justifies his return but still maintains the perfect ending he had. Steve Rogers may be the real deal in Avengers: Doomsday, but if he's not, it would be the biggest surprise of the MCU yet.
