The Latverian ruler is not as evil as other traditional villains of the Marvel roster.

Doctor Doom has been touted to be one of the main antagonists of the MCU as the studio’s plans with Kang the Conqueror seemed to have taken a back burner due to Jonathan Majors’ firing. The character has been one of the most beloved villains in the Marvel universe and fans have been waiting for his arrival into the franchise.

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Ahead of his rumored appearance in Avengers: Secret Wars, Doctor Doom made a cameo in the Disney Plus series X-Men ‘97. The latest episode of the series sees him aligned with the Zero Tolerance group, which is headed by Bastion and also has Zemo. However, Doom’s involvement with the group has irked fans as the character is not as villainous as the others.

Doctor Doom And More Make Cameos In X-Men ‘97

A still from X-Men ’97

The Beau DeMayo-created revival of X-Men: The Animated Series, X-Men ‘97 has finally come to its three-part finale of the season. The show has been receiving rave reviews, with praise for its writing, performances, and animation. The series picks up where the original animated show left off and sees the X-Men deal with a mutant genocide in Genosha.

The climactic section of the first season has been split into three parts, with the first episode ‘Tolerance is Extinction – Part 1’ airing earlier this week. The show has already included cameos from non-X-Men characters and has seen Marvel characters such as Captain America and Ronan the Accuser make appearances.

Doctor Doom in X-Men ’97

The latest episode hit it out of the park with legendary cameos as the pressure from series antagonist Bastion mounted on the X-Men. The most popular Marvel character Spider-Man makes a cameo as Magneto releases an EMP to shut down the Prime Sentinels, the henchmen of Bastion. Rachel Summers is also seen in the episode.

However, the highlight of the episode has been the appearance of Doctor Doom in the show. The rule of Latveria appears during a meeting with other members of the anti-mutant group Zero Tolerance. Doctor Doom is a known antagonist of the Fantastic Four but has also crossed paths with the Avengers and X-Men in the comics.

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X-Men ‘97 Creators May Have Ruined Doctor Doom

Doctor Doom in The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes

Doctor Doom has appeared in multiple shows and films before his cameo in X-Men ‘97. The antagonist has been portrayed by Julian McMahon in Fox Studios’ live-action Fantastic Four and its sequel Rise of the Silver Surfer. In the unreleased The Fantastic Four film of the ‘90s, the character was portrayed by Joseph Culp.

The character has largely been rumored to be the main antagonist in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. While Kang the Conqueror was set up as the ‘Thanos of the Multiverse Saga’, actor Jonathan Majors’ arrest and subsequent conviction have changed plans for the franchise. The character has been rumored to be featured in the climactic Avengers: Secret Wars (via Variety).

Doctor Victor Van Doom’s appearance in X-Men ‘97 has certainly led to some fanfare. However, many fans seem to believe that his inclusion in the Zero Tolerance group, which is anti-mutants and is responsible for the genocide in Genosha, was not in line with the character of Doom. The Latverian ruler is known for his benevolence and has often been seen as an anti-hero who cares for his people.

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While other members of the Zero Tolerance group reprimand Bastion for the genocide in Genosha and keep him under surveillance, the main ideology of the group is built on intolerance which is not what Doom is about. Hence, the makers might have shot themselves in the foot by including the character, even if for a cameo.

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