Doctor Doom Is One of the Marvel Universe's Worst Threats, But I Know Who Can Stop Him

Doctor Doom is at the height of his power in the Marvel Universe right now, having usurped the title of Sorcerer Supreme from Doctor Strange – and now it has become clear that the hero's journey to reclaim his position will include an unexpected team-up with Loki, who is familiar with being Sorcerer Supreme in their own right.

Doctor Strange of Asgard – written by Derek Landy, with art by Carlos Magno – is set to feature Doctor Strange traveling to Asgard, hoping they could use a Sorcerer Supreme. Instead of dealing with a fellow hero, like Thor, Strange finds help from Loki, who is more powerful than some realize.

The ironic thing is that, like Doctor Doom, Loki previously tricked Strange into handing over the position of Sorcerer Supreme, during one of their more overtly villainous periods, setting up a fascinating dynamic for the duo moving forward.

Doctor Strange Was Tricked By Doom; Now He Turns To Marvel's Most Famous Trickster For Help

Doctor Strange of Asgard #1 – Written By Derek Landy; Art By Carlos Magno; Available March 5, 2025 From Marvel Comics

While the 2023 Doctor Strange series saw the Sorcerer Supreme return after The Death of Doctor Strange event from 2021 to 2022, he would not hold his title for much longer, and his life would be at risk again. In Blood Hunt, Marvel's ultra-violent vampire event, the first issue featured the surprising leader of the vampire forces stab Doctor Strange through the heart. This led to Strange surrendering his corporeal form and searching for help from another magic user -- Doctor Doom.

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While Doom agreed to help Strange, it came at the cost of Strange relinquishing the title of Sorcerer Supreme to Doom. This was supposed to be until the world was saved. While they were successful in stopping the vampire threat, Doom did not give back the position, determined to "save the world" his way. Now, Strange turns to Asgard in hopes of being their Sorcerer Supreme, which could help him get revenge on Doom. However, to achieve this, Doctor Strange must rely on Loki, who is worthy of lifting Thor's Mjolnir.

Loki Is Another Former Sorcerer Supreme, And Now Dr. Strange Needs His Help

Doctor Strange Vol. 1: God of Magic – Written By Donny Cates; Art By Gabriel Hernández Walta; Released In 2018 From Marvel Comics

The irony of Doctor Strange turning to Loki goes beyond the fact that Loki was both a villain and the God of Mischief for decades. In the 2017 Doctor Strange series, Loki did what Doom did, but in a different way. Loki took over the role of Sorcerer Supreme after the Tournament of Sorcerers, even though they were not invited. While the tournament itself was an illusion conjured up by Loki so they could steal the position from Strange, it still worked. For a brief moment, Loki was the Sorcerer Supreme, and they took this position for selfish reasons.

Throughout Loki's time as the Sorcerer Supreme, they realized the responsibilities that come with it were not his cup of tea. However, Loki powered through, because they wanted to have access to the Exile of Singhsoon, which would give Loki access to all the world's magic, something Doctor Strange feared greatly. On top of not taking it well that he lost the Sorcerer Supreme title, Strange went to extreme measures to stop Loki from accessing this power, and it backfired. So much so that Loki did access the Exile of Singhsoon, and they used this power to fix Strange's mistakes.

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However, Loki did not keep this power for themself, nor did they remain Sorcerer Supreme. Upon the revelation that Loki lied about the tournament, they came clean about why he did all this in the first place. Allegedly, it was not about the Exile of Singhsoon. It was also about bringing Doctor Strange down to his lowest point so he could be prepared for several massive events – the War of the Realms, Hell on Earth, the gathering of the Infinity Stones, and the Final Host.

From Agent Of Asgard To The War Of The Realms, Loki Has Put His Villianous Ways In The Past

Loki Is Officially A Marvel Anti-Hero

As one of Marvel's most infamous liars, Doctor Strange does not buy Loki's claims, and Loki admits this wasn't their best lie, relinquishing the title back to Strange. However, there is some truth to what Loki says. For instance, the War of the Realms did occur in 2019, putting many heroes to the test, including Loki – who saved several heroes by killing Laufey and reclaiming the Casket of Ancient Winters and Heimdall's sword. Along with that, for several years, Loki pulled away from being a villain, entering more of an anti-hero or trickster role.

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Loki: Agent of Asgard – written by Al Ewing, with art by Lee Garbett – redefined Loki as The God of Stories. As such, Loki no longer wanted to be the villain everyone expected them to be. Instead, they would chart out their own story. A few years later, post War of the Realms, they would take up the mantle of King of Jotunheim, taking on more responsibilities than ever before. Since then, Loki has grown immensely as a character, and while many of their mischievous traits remain, they are now ready for a heroic team-up with Doctor Strange.

Doctor Strange of Asgard #1 will be available March 5, 2025 from Marvel Comics.