Fans of Marvel's cosmic side have been clamoring for Nova's arrival since nearly the start of the MCU. That chatter became a roar in 2012 with the release of Guardians of the Galaxy. It was a natural connection to make, given that a large part of the action centers on the planet of Xandar, the home of the Nova Corps. However, while the film depicts many other members of the Nova Corps, known as Centurions, there was no sign of the fan-favorite Nova of Earth, Richard Rider.
The subsequent destruction of Xandar and the rise of Thanos seemed the perfect time for Nova to arrive. However, fans still had to wait in vain. No glimpse of the Human Rocket, never mind a full-fledged appearance, arrived. Still, it seems like that's all about to change.
Recently, Marvel Studios announced that Moon Knight writer Sabir Pirzada is officially involved with a project starring Nova. While it remains unclear if it will be a Disney+ steamer, ala Falcon and The Winter Soldier and Loki, or a feature-length film, the announcement at least confirms something is on the way. Given his versatility, Nova is a character that can fit alongside other space-faring heroes such as the Guardians of the Galaxy or Captain Marvel or get his boots dirty on Earth alongside the likes of Hulk and War Machine. Not even the sky is the limit.
Not everyone, however, is a natural Richard Rider fan. While powerful and beloved in certain circles, Nova is nonetheless not the best-known character in Marvel's stable. So for those who want to know what the Human Rocket is about and why others can't wait to see him in live-action, CBR has this handy guide.
Nova's Marvel Origin Is Similar to Green Lantern’s Beginnings
Richard Rider was a fairly normal kid growing up on Long Island until his teen years. It is then a dying alien Rhomann Dey tapped him to inherit Dey's power and become a Centurion in the Nova Corps. This, of course, will read very familiar to fans of Green Lantern. Hal Jordan encountered a dying alien named Abin Sur, who gave Jordan the power ring, making him the Green Lantern of sector 2814.
However, Rider's origins probably more closely mirror Kyle Rayner's reception of a power ring. Dey didn't thoughtfully choose the teen as the best possible option. He wasn't selected for his fearlessness or brilliance. Instead, he was chosen at random by a hero desperate to not let his team's legacy die with him. Rayner was also selected out of desperation to continue the Lanterns' tradition at a moment when it seemed the Corps were on the edge of extinction. He didn't seem special. He was just available.
Years later, the comparison points would increase as Rider helped revitalize the Nova Corps. Using the cloning ability of the Worldmind, Nova brought back the decimated homeworld of the Nova Corps, Xandar, its residents, and several fellow Nova Corpsmen.
Richard Rider Possesses the Vast Power of the Nova Force
Accepting the role of Nova involved an imbuing of Ricard Rider's body with a massive amount of energy. In fact, the power was so extreme that Rider's system shut down. While in a coma, Dey finished informing the teen of his powers and the Corps' history. When Rider regained consciousness, firing off eyeblasts immediately, he was finally ready to possess his tremendous amounts of energy.
The most visible of Dey's "gifts" to Rider is the Centurion suit. It provides Nova with his distinctive look and a sealed life support system that allows him to fly at extreme speeds and beyond Earth's atmosphere. The helmet also enables intrapsychic conversations with the Worldmind and other Corps members, including, for a time, Dey's lingering essence.
Nova also possesses super strength, energy blasts, and the ability to fly. At times, Nova has also demonstrated the ability to redirect, absorb, and reuse energy attacks made upon him. His energy abilities can also be used to create shields, portals capable of moving his significant distances, and lower or eliminate gravity within a zone of influence.
He can take significantly more physical trauma than an average person and recovers from injuries faster than most as well. Balance, agility, and coordination are similarly enhanced higher than any average human being could ever achieve. Unlike the life support system, these powers exist independent of the suit. Thus, Rider is a force to be reckoned whether in his uniform or not.
Nova's power only increased with time and his connection to the Worldmind. This collective unconscious is a sort of living record of Xandarian and Nova Corps history. It also acts as an advisor to Nova, making suggestions, offering observations, and otherwise providing information that might be useful to Rider during any given moment. Rider can interact with it as well, asking it specific questions verbally or psychically.
The longer Rider has housed the Worldmind, the more powers it has provided. While moving in space, it can alert him to nearby portals or more significant than average energy uses. If he grows tired, the Worldmind can provide a sort of autopilot to keep him traveling while allowing him to sleep. It also acts as a universal translator, ensuring Rider can understand anyone and everyone he might encounter. Suppose Nova needs to communicate with anyone, anywhere. In that case, the Worldmind provides a near-infinite number of options, including over radiowaves, seizing control of tv signals as specific as one television, and as vast as the entire planet, accessing the internet, and infiltrating any available computer network.
Nova's Weakness Is Tied to His Greatest Power
In thermodynamics, there is a law that states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. While Nova's very existence violates the physics of the real world, it seems his powers make this law into a truism. Nova might not have to recognize gravity, but his powers still have created some very unfortunate reactions within.
First amongst these is that they've altered his physical state of being. On a molecular level, Nova no longer resembles the person he once was or even a human being, really. As a result, he needs to be charged by the Nova force on an ongoing basis, whether he's punching Thanos in the jaw or shopping for his favorite cereal. Without it, or a similar power source, his body begins to rapidly breakdown. At this point, trying to be normal would quite literally end Nova's life.
Perhaps even more dangerous is how Nova's interactions with his brain have affected Rider. The Worldmind acts like the universe's best therapist, and best psychiatric medication rolled into one. It keeps Rider focused, calm, and as mentally sound as a man who fights aliens in space with energy blasts can be. However, as with his body, his psychological well-being has become dependent on the Worldmind. If separated from it, Rider will experience tremendous distress and emotional dysregulation. Separated for too long and his mental health could become significantly compromised.
Nova Gains Strength From Those Around Him
While tremendously powerful on his own, Nova has always done better when connected with others. While not a formal "power" per se, Rider's ability to foster relationships is an underestimated asset. Whether friendly, intimate, or collaborative, the hero has always benefitted from interacting and fostering connections with others.
For Nova, it began with joining the New Warriors. During his first time as Nova, Rider grew lonely. He gave up his powers to return to life as a typical teen but found the world had moved on without him. Most of his friends had already graduated high school and moved on to new and different life opportunities. He missed his powers and his relationships but seemed without a solution for either. That's when Night Thrasher entered the picture.
Night Thrasher apparently also thought Nova needed friends and powers, so he approached Rider. He then put Rider into a situation where he'd literally die without his powers. Despite the riskiness of this solution, it worked. Rider's Nova Force flared back to life, and he was a superhero once more. From there, it was simple to convince Nova to join up with Thrasher's team of teenage and young adult superheroes, the New Warriors.
As a member of the team, Nova developed close friends with the likes of Thrasher and Speedball. He also grew close to and fell in love with teammate Namorita. While the two eventually broke up and drifted apart, it remains Nova's longest and healthiest romantic relationship. Since leaving the Warriors, Rider has, perhaps, not done as great a job as he could have to stay in touch. Nonetheless, it remains a formative time and connection for the hero.
Since the Warriors, Nova has gone on to team with the Nova Corps, several cosmic heroes to stop the "Annihilation Wave," and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Through each experience, Rider has been tested and grown more powerful and self-assured. Whether as a leader or just a team member, Nova has always been well served by teamwork.
CBR’s Best Nova Articles
In order to read more about the current happenings with Nova, CBR.com readers can check out the site's latest news and info on the character. These will keep them up to date on all things Nova. Here are some current favorites.
A Guardian of the Galaxy Is on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Guardians of the Galaxy: Why Marvel's Most Powerful Cosmic Hero Needs to Retire
Guardians of the Galaxy: Nova Just Picked a Fight With an Omega-Level Mutant