"The End" Week: Doctor Doom #10!

You know what sounds like a great way to get killed? Telling Doctor Doom he's wrong about something. Even Doom himself can't get away with that! From 2021, Doctor Doom #10, "Bedford Falls" Written by Christopher Cantwell, art by Salvador Larroca. 

The neighboring Symkarians had framed Doom for murder, which also involved opening a black hole: Blue Marvel had already gotten sucked into it, then when Reed Richards makes Doom doubt himself, a massive explosion ensues. Somewhat battered, Doom awakens in a green field, with local Latverian birds overhead, as a helicopter arrives, and a familiar face gets off: Doom, unmasked and casual. This was an alternate reality, that he had been having visions of. But, discussing it with alt-Doom, Doom realizes his reality was the nightmare, alt-Doom's a pleasant dream. Also, after a talk with Blue Marvel: Dr. Octavius (Doc Ock) was a "limited moron" in both realities.

Doom has to admit, seeing alt-Doom's life had shown him the errors of his own. Alt-Doom thinks that's a good first step, but has more to show him: his (relatively) humble home, and family. Alt-Doom's wife suggests that may not be a good idea, and that Doom's ambition is a constant in any reality. Alt-Doom wants to hammer home the idea that it's not all about Doom; showing him co-operation with alien worlds, and power objects like the Darkhold, Cosmic Cube, and Ultimate Nullifer collected for mutual disarmament. Doom still thinks his counterpart deserves some credit; which is humbly deflected. 

Alt-Doom keeps working on Doom, pointing out Doom could fix his face if he wanted to, but he chooses not to, "to show how humanity has wronged you...betrayed you." He has to forgive, everyone, but especially Richards: with his Richards, alt-Doom had turned his world into a paradise. Then alt-Doom goes a step too far, and badmouths the armor, as "ridiculous." 

Tut-tutting threats and violence as...well, we'll never know, Doom murders his alternate before we can find out. Before Blue Marvel can stop him, Doom has that universe's Ultimate Nullifier, and he destroys it. All of it. Without a trace of sympathy or pity. As Death herself had foretold, Doom becomes her greatest servant.

Often the Nullifer will destroy whoever attempts to use it, but with Doom's extraordinary focus he is simply able to return to his throne in Latveria. Almost as an afterthought, he leaves Blue Marvel in an ocean somewhere, "the last act of mercy I will ever show in my life." After ordering an imprisoned journalist executed, Doom is visited by Kang, like the ghost of Christmas future, who seems to assume Doom had his mojo back. And sure enough, he would be once again after the Fantastic Four: I wrote this after his "wedding" was announced, but haven't read any of that yet.