Warning: The following contains spoilers for Strange Academy #17, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
In Strange Academy #17 (by Skottie Young, Humberto Ramos, Edgar Delgado, and VC’s Clayton Cowles), Doyle Dormammu erupts on his fellow classmates, proving he’s far more powerful than any of them. This aggression also confirms that he’s started following in his father’s footsteps and that the prophecies of him taking over his father’s kingdom are growing more likely with each passing day.
First appearing in Strange Academy #1, Doyle is the son of the dread Dormammu, who is a member of a race of mystical creatures composed of pure energy called the Faltine. Like his father, Doyle is comprised of mystical energy. While possessing the power of his dreaded and feared father, the younger Dormammu is also a teenager with all of the challenges of a normal high school student. Attracted to his classmate Emily Bright, Doyle has wrestled against both his nature and lineage, desperately trying to be different from his father.
Doyle has previously had visions of a future where he completely destroys the Strange Academy. Attempting time travel under the tutelage of Doctor Voodoo, Doyle encountered a world in which the Academy was devastated and older versions of his classmates discuss an impending crisis. Leading the group of students is Emily Bright, now in love with their mutual classmate Iric. Soon after, Doyle sees an armored version of himself alongside several of his other classmates, insisting that Bright abandon her dedication to a prophecy claiming one of their classmates would destroy the old ways of magic and reign over a new era of evil. The prophecy is assumed to be in regards to Doyle, although Bright insists on confronting him, claiming they had already defeated his father.
This echoes what occurred in issue #3 when the class visits a fortune teller. Doyle receives a vision and for the first time, sees himself descending down a dark path in the future. Doyle fears becoming a force of evil like his father, but in the recent Timeless #1 (by Jed MacKay, Kev Walker, Greg Land, Jay Leisten, Mark Bagley, Andrew Hennessy, Marte Gracia, and VC’s Ariana Maher), it is predicted that Doyle Dormammu will conquer the Dark Dimension and slay his father with the Twilight Sword.
Over the last few issues, Doyle’s relationships with his classmates have deteriorated, as he is haunted by his lineage and potential future. The stress of this finally reaches its boiling point, and Doyle explodes violently against his classmates. After Emily stands him up for the school dance, Doyle becomes highly agitated and attacks Iric. In his anger, Doyle declares that he is more powerful than all of them, and they live in the throes of his mercy. Emily insists that this isn’t who he truly is. In rebuttal, Doyle repeats the fortune-teller’s prophecy, declaring that he is the one that will bring an end to all of them.
As the child of Dormammu, it’s quite likely that Doyle’s assessment of himself is accurate. Perhaps he is destined to kill his father and conquer the Dark Dimension. However, within the Marvel Universe, time is not immutable and there is no guarantee that the world Doyle saw or the prophecy he was given will actually come to pass.
Doyle’s actions may reveal that he possesses the rage and power of his father, but he has also shown that he has a kind and benevolent nature as well. While there is a chance that he will actually follow in his father’s footsteps, there is also a chance that he will overcome what has been foretold and take an entirely different path.
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