he dared his prisoner, the mind-controlling Purple Man, to attempt to control him and he successfully resisted. Doom's armor augments his natural physical strength and durability to superhuman levels, to the point where he is able to hold his own against and even overpower superhuman foes like Spider-Man, the Hulk and the Thing in combat, although he tends to rely on long-range tactics when engaging physically stronger opponents. It is also nigh-indestructible, being able to take hits from most superhuman adversaries to some cosmic-level beings, and protects Doom from matter manipulation, reality warping and psychic assaults. The armor has an arsenal of high-tech weaponry and gadgets integrated within it, including gauntlets that can discharge lasers and force blasts, a defensive force field generator, and a lethal electric shock that can stun or kill anyone who comes into contact with Doom. The armor is self-supporting, equipped with internal stores and recycling systems for air, food, water, and energy, allowing Doom to survive lengthy periods of exposure underwater or in outer space. Even without his armor, Doom has proven himself to be a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant, once even killing an endangered lion with a single punch, for no other reason than that he wished to. He has also displayed knowledge of pressure points and has been shown proficient with the use of shields and swords. As the absolute monarch of Latveria, Doctor Doom rules the country with an iron fist and has frequently used his political power for his own personal benefit. Despite his infamous reputation as a supervillain, Doom has diplomatic immunity – allowing him to escape legal prosecution for most of his crimes. Doom also has total control of the nation's natural and technological resources, along with its manpower, economy, and military. Doom frequently monitors the citizens of Latveria from his castle and uses his Doombots to maintain order within his nation. Though from the outside it seems tyrannical, it seems the Latverian people really do adore Doom, as shown with two of his apprentices, Zora Vukovic, (aka, Victorious) and Kristoff Vernard. He is also known to harbor fugitive supervillains within Latveria as means of protecting them from prosecution, although he only does this for villains who play a part in his schemes. After renouncing his rulership, it is likely he lost this status. Doom is known for the frequent plot device where in it is revealed that his