Avengers: Doomsday promos: why pair Thor with Reed Richards?

Marvel Studios has released new promos for Avengers: Doomsday that reveal fresh team pairings, along with descriptions of several characters and of Latveria, Dr. Doom's home. I think these promos show Marvel has found a very cool way to get all of these heroes interacting and working together to fight Doom.

Marvel is slowly ramping up the marketing for Avengers: Doomsday, and we're hearing that a new trailer is supposed to arrive soon. Many people are saying it will come around the middle of the month. That would make sense for a final trailer, because it would land about one month before the movie comes out.

Doomstadt and Latveria show Doom as a ruler his people follow

The first description covers Doomstadt. It reads: "Doomstadt is the capital of Latveria and the nucleus from which Victor Von Doom rules his country." It goes on to describe the seat of power as "adorned in lavish green and embellished with intricate stained glass," shrouded in mystery, with Doom projecting "austere dominion over the home he is fighting to protect."

I love this because it sounds like classic Dr. Doom, running everything from Doomstadt. When the description talks about his dominion, it seems like everybody there loves and follows him. He is their leader. Stan Lee always said that Dr. Doom really does believe he can rule better than anybody else, and that is the whole premise for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

The multiverse is in shambles because of other people interfering: the TVA trying to look after everything, and Kang the Conqueror and He Who Remains. Doom truly believes that just as Latveria has flourished under his rule, the multiverse will flourish too. That's why he wants to build Battleworld. He seems to have some type of peace in Latveria by ruling it his way, and he has loyal followers. We know he has very powerful followers in all of the witches.

So Doom is a conqueror. He wants to take Latveria and spread it across the entire universe so he rules everything, because he believes it will genuinely be better that way.

Thor and Reed Richards pair power with a master plan

The next description is a pairing I do like. It says both Thor and Reed Richards are used to taking the lead, albeit with different areas of expertise, and that they stand together against a crisis of unimaginable scale. It says Thor's "battle tested bravery and optimistic leadership" pair well with Reed's "scientific mind and measured approach." Neither takes the peril lightly or assumes victory: Thor hasn't forgotten the heroes he has seen fall to far lesser villains, and Reed is intimately aware of the sacrifices expected of those who protect their worlds.

I like the first part of this a lot. These are two leaders who are very different in their approach to fighting. Thor is power, strength and brute force. Reed is calculating, measured and calm. He waits to take action and likes to analyze things.

Combined, the two would be a deadly combo. You take Thor's power and direct it using Reed Richards. With Reed right next to him coming up with a strong plan, you have a master plan that uses Thor's power to the fullest extent possible, focusing and concentrating it in the best way. I personally think that's a pretty wild combination.

When it comes down to it, these are the two leaders of the overall groups in Avengers: Doomsday. The only one I think we're missing is Cyclops. When it comes to fighting in the field, it's going to be Thor, Reed Richards and Cyclops calling the shots. Yelena and Captain America have descriptions too, which I'll get to.

Yelena Belova and Gambit could be pushed furthest

We've heard a little about this duo before. The description calls Yelena Belova and Gambit "Two charismatic, scrappy fighters" who are both used to working with groups of talented yet starkly different individuals who must unite for a common cause. It says their skills will be pushed to the limit as they team up to save their universes.

Right away, I'd say Yelena is probably the one whose skills get pushed furthest past their limits, because she has no powers. She has great training, but no powers. Gambit has powers, and many of the others at least have some type of super soldier serum. She has nothing.

I like this description because it says she plays her part. She has a lot of experience bringing people together and getting them to work together in the best possible way, which mirrors what is happening between Reed and Thor. I wouldn't be surprised if Yelena goes to Reed and asks, as the smartest man alive, what the best way to use everybody is, and what to do with Thor as the strongest. Then she could tell him she knows her people, what they're good at, and to put them into his plan. I think she's going to have a pretty important role to play.

Then there's Gambit trying to save his universe. Coming out of Deadpool & Wolverine, he says he never got a chance to fight for his universe and didn't know where he came from. I know those are jokes in that film, but it becomes very real in Avengers: Doomsday. He is finally ready to fight for his own universe and his own people, and I love this one.

Shuri and Ben Grimm never expected to defend their planets

The description for Shuri and the Thing says neither Shuri nor Ben Grimm ever expected to become their planet's defenders. As the new Black Panther, Shuri draws on her extraordinary fighting skills, her unparalleled intellect and her unique ability to unite those around her. Ben is a skilled pilot who uses his talents to explore the stars. Both are thrust into a spotlight they never asked for, yet accept their responsibilities, and now they must confront "a force far greater than even Thanos or Galactus."

This is a cool way of tying together characters you'd think, on the surface, aren't connected in many ways. When people saw the Thing meeting M'Baku and the Wakandans, and being there with the Talokan as well, I think many thought it was an interesting combination of characters.

I think that's the whole point. It's interesting and different to see these characters together, but Marvel is connecting them in cool ways. Neither expected to become a planet defender, yet once thrust into those positions they accept it and take on the responsibility. That gives them something to connect over, and I think that's cool.

Sam Wilson is still Captain America in Avengers: Doomsday

The last description is for Sam Wilson's Captain America. It says that not long after he took up the mantle, Sam was tasked with assembling a new team of Avengers. With his Earth and two others in peril, he must put his "sharply honed diplomacy" to work leading "the most desperate group of heroes he's ever encountered." Uniting old partners and new allies takes "confidence, empathy, and a good plan," all of which Sam knows he needs if they are to survive the greatest danger Earth has faced yet.

Sam is another hero with no powers. He doesn't have the super soldier serum, but he does have a vibranium shield and a vibranium suit. Most importantly, as the description lists, he is one of the leaders, and Marvel is further confirming that he will have a crucial role to play.

Just because Steve Rogers is back doesn't mean he is Captain America again. Sam Wilson is still Captain America. He still has the shield, while Steve is going to have Mjolnir.

Ultimately, I think Avengers: Doomsday is going to look good, even though we know Dr. Doom is going to win. But it's going to be "insanely cool to watch the Avengers try and stop him."