Fans have been hoping that some fan-favorite characters would be introduced in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Anticipation was high for the Fantastic Four and the X-Men to appear sooner rather than later, and despite a fake-out in WandaVision, mutants appear to be on their way. But, in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, fans believe the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer potentially teases an even bigger addition.
During Multiverse of Madness' Super Bowl trailer, an unidentified character attacks Wanda. While viewers don't get a good look at them, they're clearly using energy powers, an ability that has some fans believing that the character is Nova, who would be making his long-anticipated MCU debut in the film.
Richard Rider isn't the only character to use the code name Nova, but he was the first. Originally created by writer Marv Wolfman as an alien superhero, Wolfman reworked the character into a human teenager. Rider was a homage to Peter Parker, right down to his alliterative name, but he had cosmic powers and worked for the intergalactic police force known as the Nova Corps instead of defending New York.
Debuting in 1976, Rider's solo series The Man Called Nova lasted for 25 issues over 3 years. However, after dangling plot threads in Fantastic Four and Rom: Space Knight, Nova fell into limbo for over a decade. He would then return as a founding member of the '90s teenage superhero team The New Warriors, who had a respectable six-year publication run.
But Nova didn't catch on as a fan-favorite character until he returned to space during the Annihilation saga. He was a key part of battles against Annihilus' Annihilation Wave, which left him as the sole surviving member of the Nova Corps, and the alliance between Ultron and the Phalanx. Nova's role in those intergalactic wars made him a major character in Marvel's cosmic line comics. And that, along with a brief romance with Gamora, made him an ally of the Guardians of the Galaxy, which left many fans expecting his appearance in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. And when the Nova Corps and Xandar were a major part of the first Guardians, his introduction seemed inevitable.
However, Gunn has never shown interest in adding Rider to his cast of cosmic misfits, and it's unlikely he'll change his mind in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 because it has the challenge of introducing Adam Warlock. But while that's disappointing for fans hoping he would rub shoulders with his comic book allies, it opens up other avenues for Rider's debut, including Multiverse of Madness, where his cosmic powers would be useful given the universe-hopping nature of the story.
Unfortunately for Nova enthusiasts, there's another cosmic-powered candidate for the trailer's mystery character. Monica Rambeau's comic book counterpart Spectrum has energy-based powers, and her involvement in WandaVision could draw her -- or a variant -- into the story because of her connection to Wanda.
But even if Nova doesn't appear in Multiverse of Madness, fans shouldn't lose hope because a character with his history and sizable fan base is sure to make it to the MCU eventually. And if rumors are to be believed, his debut is on the horizon, whether he appears in the coming months or not.
To see whether Nova makes his MCU debut, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters May 6.