just when you thought we might finally get a break from multiversal headache-inducing plot devices, marvel decided to double down, hire robert downey jr. back behind a metal mask, and pit three entire realities against each other like an overpriced cosmic royal rumble
the official synopsis for avengers: doomsday confirmed that victor von doom’s grand scheme drags three specific universes onto a “deadly collision course.” if you’re trying to keep your timeline branches straight without needing a master’s degree in comic continuity, here is the breakdown of who is getting thrown into the multiversal blender
1. earth-616: the tired sacred timeline
this is the main mcu sandbox we’ve been stuck in for almost two decades. sam wilson is holding down captain america duties, yelena belova is herding the new avengers, and the timeline is basically held together with duct tape after the tva stopped pruning branches. this is ground zero where the actual collision is going to hit, and honestly, the residents of 616 have suffered enough collateral damage to deserve a union at this point
2. earth-838: retro-futuristic fantastic four land
fresh off the fantastic four: first steps, earth-838 gives us the 1960s retro-futuristic world where reed richards, sue storm, johnny storm, and the thing are the sole celebrity protectors fighting off galactus. but more importantly, this is heavily rumored to be the home turf of rdj’s doctor doom. tying doom directly to reed’s home universe gives them that personal, petty comic book rivalry we actually want, plus baby franklin richards is basically a walking cheat code whose reality-warping powers are going to drive the whole secret wars engine
3. earth-10005: the fox x-men nostalgia trap
the universe that started it all back in 2000. between monica rambeau getting stranded there at the end of the marvels and deadpool slicing his way through timeline bureaucracy, earth-10005 is the legacy playground. professor x, magneto, cyclops, gambit, and mystique are on deck to get dragged into the conflict
Source: CBR