Summary
As the future of theMCUstarts to take shape, and with the upcoming release ofMarvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine, many new announcements are being made by the studio, including from studio head Kevin Feige, about what fans can expect in the future. One such announcement was forNova, a cosmic hero who has yet to appear. A couple of prominent characters took up the mantle of Nova, including Sam Alexander and Richard Rider. Depending on which version of the hero the studio will run with, if Richard Rider appears in theMCU, could fans see an adaption of the infamous crossover series Annihilation?
The powerful cosmic series saw both heroes and villains alike making their choice in a war for the universe’s fate. The negative zone villain Annihilus led a powerful force known as The Annihilation Wave against the universe in his search for power cosmic. Featuring the likes of Thanos, Galactus, Richard Rider’s Nova, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and more, the series saw some pivotal Marvel Comics moments that would change the landscape of the universe for years to come. Could theMCU’sNovado the same thing for the franchise’s future?
Richard Rider’s Nova, EXPLAINED
Once just an ordinary teenager, Richard Rider is chosen by the last surviving member of the Nova Corps, Rhomann Dey, to host the powers of a Nova Centurion and replace Dey as the final member of the Nova Corps. At first, using his newfound powers to be a hero on Earth alongside the likes of Spider-Man and Thor, he eventually finds Dey’s spaceship in orbit. He uses it to travel to Xandar, the homeworld of the Nova Corps, to help the remaining Xandarians fightagainst the invading Skrulls. Once defeated, he can return to Earth at the cost of his powers. Soon, however, he regains those powers and joins the heroic group known as the New Warriors.
While on Earth, Xandar is destroyed by the then-villainousNebula, daughter of Thanosand a renowned space pirate. Soon after, a Nova Corps member known as Gaarthan Saal tracked down Richard, having been driven insane by the collected knowledge and power of the Nova Force, the primary source of power for the Corps. After temporarily stealing Richard’s power and transporting them to Xandar, Saal is defeated, and Richard witnesses the Nova Corps reform, where he is appointed Centurion Prime. After a time of balancing his duties as a Corps member and a New Warriors member, he is eventually recalled back to Xandar with the rest of the Corps when the Annihilation Wave emerges.
Annihilus Threatens the Universe
Richard is brought to Xandar to face the threat that Annihilus and his Annihilation Wave from the Negative Zone represent. The Negative Zone, firstdiscovered inMarvel Comicsby Reed Richards, is an alternate reality version of theMarvel Universe, but the universe and its beings are powered by negatively charged matter. Out of the many civilizations of that universe, one was led by the insectoid being known as Annihilus. Having been small and not battle-worthy, he found a crashed alien ship with powerful artifacts. He used it to enhance his intellect and take the title of Annihilus, using the Cosmic Rod as a powerful weapon to lead his sector of the zone.
After years as a villain to The Fantastic Four and more, he became the ultimate cosmic threat when he led his Annihilation Wave into the cosmos. While villains such as Thanos and Lady Death allied themselves with the wave for a time, the Nova Corps,Guardians of the Galaxy, and other heroes led the charge against the wave. When Richard became the last surviving member of the Nova Corps, he made contact with the Xandarian Worldmind, a supercomputer with the complete archived knowledge and source of the Nova Force. He allowed the computer to pour all that power and knowledge into his helmet, making him more powerful. With this power, he formed the United Front, a collection of heroes and soldiers who fought the wave for nearly a year across the galaxy. When most of the United Front finally suffered defeat, Rider led the last survivors into the heart of the Annihilation Wave, where he engaged Annihilus in combat and finally defeated the villain, ending him for good and saving the universe.
Annihilation in the MCU
There have already been several characters and moments in theMCUthat could lead to Nova’s rise and the threat of the Annihilation Wave. Xandar was introduced inGuardians of the Galaxy, as was Dey, the last Nova Corps member who gives Richard his power in the comics. Xandar’s destruction at the hands of Thanos in the MCU could leave Dey alone and on the hunt for a hero to take up the Nova Corps mission.The introduction of The Fantastic Fourin the upcoming film by the same name could also introduce the Negative Zone, leaving room for Annihilus to gain knowledge of theMCUand lead a war against the cosmic heroes, such as Captain Marvel and the new Guardians of the Galaxy.
Nothing is confirmed yet, but ifNovais to be a series, what better way to cement the hero into theMCUthan to have him become the hero who leads the charge against this powerful Annihilation Wave? Annihilus would be a chilling foe to introduce as well. It would play wellinto the Multiverse Saga, as the Negative Zone is technically an alternate dimension, possibly even connected by pathways to the Quantum Zone. Either way, theMCUis ready for Nova to rise from the ashes of Xandar and become the hero the universe needs.
MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a sprawling movie and television franchise that weaves together individual stories of superheroes including Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and many more. The first film in the franchise, Iron Man, was released in 2008. The MCU has garnered critical praise and financial success, earning billions at the box office and becoming a cultural phenomenon.
