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Tony Stark's death in 2019's Avengers: Endgame is still up there with one of the MCU's most pivotal moments, and it's taken until now for the franchise to replace Robert Downey Jr.'s iconic character. Set to return in Avengers: Doomsday, this time as Doctor Doom, the beloved actor will appear opposite the figure who has finally come along to fill the void left by his absence. So, no, RDJ isn't coming back to replace himself, which would be all kinds of meta. Instead, Marvel has other ideas for how Iron Man's much-felt exit can finally be accounted for.
After leaving us with only scraps for months regarding what the Avengers: Doomsday cast will be getting up to this December, Marvel has just dropped the movie's first proper trailer. It's an artful mix of subtle reveals about the story, and being careful about giving too much away. In many ways, very little new is revealed about what to expect from the first Avengers movie in seven years. That being said, the matter of finally moving on from Tony Stark is placed front and center throughout. The hero chosen to step into those near-unfillable shoes makes perfect sense, even if I never expected them to be the one in such a position.
'Avengers: Doomsday' Reveals Thor Is the New Leader of the Avengers
Chris Hemsworth's Thor Odinson is one of the last surviving and/or active members of the MCU's original Avengers roster. Everyone else has either died, stepped back from full-time superhero antics, or else just slipped out of the picture. He's also very arguably the strongest Avenger to have ever lived. Regardless, Thor has never really displayed much desire or aptitude for leadership. He's a formidable fighter with abilities that dwarf those of his allies and opponents, but he's usually portrayed as a loyal follower of whoever's in charge. There was a time when Tony Stark was who Thor would answer to, but since Endgame, Thor and the Avengers have lacked any kind of central leadership. That all changes with Avengers: Doomsday.
The entirety of the upcoming movie's first real trailer is framed by a speech that Thor is giving to the overhauled Avengers roster. Despite leadership never really being in his wheelhouse, Thor has seemingly accepted the responsibility of being the most senior figure in the team. While the more logical approach might have been to see Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson stepping up in his role as the current Captain America, even his predecessor was never really at the top of the Avengers' chain of command. Steve (Chris Evans) was always Tony's number two, and the former Cap seems to be slotting back into a similar role with his return in Doomsday. Meanwhile, Thor is taking his rightful place as Tony's successor, ending the drought of leadership that has haunted the MCU since Endgame.
'Avengers: Doomsday' Also Fixes a Divisive Thor Change
2017's Thor: Ragnarok was a notable left turn for the MCU's Hemsworth-led efforts. Taika Waititi directed a zanier script than fans had grown accustomed to for a story following the God of Thunder, but it worked brilliantly. It's still one of my favorite MCU movies, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that opinion. Unfortunately, this massive shift in tone didn't just outstay its welcome, but it intensified to the point of parody in 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder. What had begun as Hemsworth's impeccable comic timing being utilized to augment the script's more dramatic moments quickly turned into his character becoming a shell of what he once was.
None of the jokes landed in Love and Thunder, and it was a one-dimensional sprint to the silliest gags to hand. Thankfully, Avengers: Doomsday has quickly restored Thor's well-deserved gravitas. Not only is the trailer void of any cheap one-liners or misplaced attempts at humor, but placing Thor at the head of the table gives him the instant authority and respect that he should never have lost. I am certain that Avengers: Doomsday will find some room for Thor to bring a comically charged smile to my face, but I'm glad to see that it won't be a priority for his return to the big screen.
