With another chapter of the MCU now behind it, Marvel appears to be standing at a crossroads, either on the brink of its biggest breakthrough yet or on the edge of a steep downfall. Almost everyone connected to Avengers: Doomsday is staying coy about who will actually show up, which has left fans with plenty of questions.

Many of them center on Jim Hammond, the character who seems to come and go without ever fully settling into the MCU, and whether he finally gets a proper moment remains one of the biggest unknowns.

Before anyone can guess where Jim Hammond fits in the road to Doomsday, it helps to understand who he is and why a character with such a scattered MCU history keeps resurfacing whenever the franchise’s biggest team-ups are on the horizon.

Jim Hammond is the original Human Torch, dreamed up by writer-artist Carl Burgos and debuting in 1939 beside Namor the Sub-Mariner, more than a year ahead of Captain America. In other words, he was a superhero before superheroes were fashionable.

 In the comics, he is an android built by Professor Phineas T. Horton, who took the name Jim Hammond as a human cover and even joined the police force, the sort of thing a flaming robot does when trying to blend in. He is no relation to Johnny Storm, the Fantastic Four’s Human Torch, whatever the matching hairstyle of flames might suggest.

His MCU career, so far, could be printed on a postcard with room to spare. Captain America: The First Avenger teased him at an early Stark Expo run by Howard Stark, presenting the Synthetic Man as Horton’s creation. Then came nearly 15 years of silence, which is a long time to leave a man of fire waiting by the phone.

Now, at last, there are signs of life. VisionQuest features a painting in Vision’s mind space of a man of fire labeled the “Synthetic Man,” described as the first AI. Reports suggest Marvel has revealed a first look at the MCU’s Jim Hammond and seemingly confirmed that Paul Bettany will play the role.

Is There a Byrdes Show Coming Out? Everything We Know About the 'Ozark' Spin-off

Whether any of this leads to Avengers: Doomsday is another matter entirely. 

Doomsday arrives December 18, 2026, with Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom, the Russo brothers back in the director’s chair, and a cast that finally puts the X-Men and the Avengers on one screen. The Russos are also set to direct the sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, scheduled for December 17, 2027.

The announced roster runs from Thor, Loki, and Red Guardian to Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, Ian McKellen’s Magneto, and Pedro Pascal’s Mister Fantastic. Lewis Pullman’s Sentry is confirmed as well.

Jim Hammond is not on that list. Nor is Paul Bettany, who is the actor seemingly attached to the role in VisionQuest. However, Bettany has coyly in an interview with Good Morning America, left the doors open.

"You know that's for Kevin Feige and Louis D'Esposito to decide," Bettany said about Vision's return.

Despite the tiny hope delivered by Bettany, a film with this many capes is a crowded affair, and a flaming android with no billing may find the guest list already closed. The Human Torch slot, moreover, appears spoken for. The Human Torch headed to Doomsday is Joseph Quinn’s Johnny Storm, making it unlikely that Bettany's burning figure in the VisionQuest teaser has anything to do with Hammond being in Doomsday. Moreover, even Vision does not have any reported significance in the movie.

Still, there is a sliver of hope. The plot of Doomsday is being kept tightly under wraps, and Marvel has a long record of keeping surprises out of the trailers. Doomsday is also billed as setup for Secret Wars, not the finish line, so Hammond could yet turn up later, which is the MCU’s idea of punctuality. For now, an appearance in Doomsday is possible, but nothing confirmed supports it.

“F. R. I. D. A. Y. Was There” - MCU’s 'VisionQuest' Will Have a Special Connection to Heartbreaking Iron Man’s Death

Do you think Jim Hammond will be in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments.