The comic reveals Doom’s most heinous crimes and sets the stage for the ending of One World Under Doom
In the Marvel universe there are villains and then there are villains Doctor Doomthe monarch of Latveria who never knew the line between power and obsession. In Fugitives #5the last issue of the miniseries written by Rainbow Rowell and illustrated by Elena Casagrandereaders finally discover the villain’s fate within the big event A world in ruins…and it’s not exactly glorious.
The story not only explores the fall of the dictator but also shows the internal struggle of a Doombots Who, caught between his loyalty to Doom and his affection for the Runaways, must decide who to serve as the entire world burns under the tyrant’s ambitions.
One World Under Doom, the end of an era
Fugitives #5 places us in the heart of the magical war unleashed by Victor von Dooma conflict in which even the innocent have become victims of their ego. The comic reveals that Doom children kidnapped and sacrificed to channel the arcane energies with which he sought to conquer the planet. In the process, thousands of Latvians died as collateral damage of their ritual.
That revelation erases any glimmer of sympathy some readers might still have for him. The phrase “Doom was right“loses all meaning when conquest implies extermination. As the number itself underlines, Neither universal education nor free healthcare compensates for the cost of a people’s soul.
Rowell and Casagrande masterfully manage the balance between the human and the monstrous. Him Doombot de the Runaways He represents the duality of his creator: a machine built to serve evil, but who has learned to care for young heroes as if they were his own family. That emotional tension gives the issue unexpected strength, elevating the drama beyond simple crossover.
Doom in front of his mirror
In A World Under Doom #9the closing of the event coming next month, Doom will face his final fate. After defeating all of Earth’s heroes and manipulating time with the Sorcerer Supreme’s magic, his victory seems immutable. But Marvel dropped a disturbing clue: His fall is also sealed in that same eternal instant.
That paradox – the idea that his defeat is as fixed as his triumph – is pure ruin. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s character has always been a tragic figure, a man whose genius is equal to his downfall. In this narrative arc, his arrogance reaches almost Shakespearean proportions: he believes he dominates destiny, when in reality he is writing his own epitaph.
The show raises an uncomfortable question: Is it possible to redeem a man who has sacrificed everything for control? The answer, at least for now, appears to be a resounding no.
An ending that redefines the Runaways
Beyond the tragedy of Doom, Fugitives #5 also offers a exciting team meeting. Alex, Karolina, Gert and Chase must put their differences behind them to survive the storm. The question is whether they can make it without the support of the Doombot who has protected them so much.
The comic greets with a melancholy but hopeful tone. Rowell closes his speech by clarifying that, although the Runaways will never be a traditional band, their strength lies precisely in that imperfection. Unlike the dictator who seeks absolute control, they embody the freedom to be who they are, even when the world falls apart.
Against Fugitives #5Marvel not only delivers one of the most exciting pieces of the event, but reminds readers why Doom remains one of modern comics’ most fascinating villains.
