Nova #11 Features The Return Of [Spoiler]

While Sam Alexander has managed to forge a path of his own in the Marvel Universe since taking over the role of Nova, it has been a long road to get there, especially when the larger than life shadow of former Novas looms continuously overhead.

Spoilers incoming for Nova #11, so be forewarned.

In Nova #11, Sam finally comes into contact with the ever elusive Worldmind, the central supercomputer that contains the minds of all fallen members of the Nova Corps. After trying to get to the bottom of what the Worldmind is and isn’t, Sam asks if his father Jesse Alexander’s consciousness is within this network. The Worldmind answers no, which means while his whereabouts are still unknown, he is, in fact, alive.

This leads Sam to his second question, which is “What about Richard Rider? Is he here?” Worldmind’s answer is a bit off, not really resulting in a true yes or no.

“From Hempstead, New York? I think he’s in here somewhere…Heh…I haven’t really looked in a while.”

Sam asks point blank if he’s Richard Rider, but Worldmind continues to say he’s not. As the two go forward in their conversation, the topic drifts to Sam’s mom, to which Worldmind asks “Gloria?” When Sam asks who Gloria is, Worldmind responds “Gloria is my mom.” It’s here that Sam puts it together, exclaiming “Richard? Richard Rider?!” Worldmind cracks a smile and responds “I think so. It’s been a real long time since I’ve thought of myself as Richard Rider.”

The two share a delightful back and forth about why Sam can’t give up his Nova responsibilities, and it’s through this dialogue that it’s revealed how Rider got here. In the events of Marvel’s Thanos Imperative, Rider sacrificed himself (along with Star-Lord) to trap Thanos inside a pocket dimension. While the other two managed to escape, he did not, but he isn’t necessarily dead either. Rider is now stuck inside the Worldmind, but writer Sean Ryan leaves some hope burning for a return with Sam’s internal monologue.

“We only got a few more minutes together. The Worldmind started to creep back in, but I could tell Richard was fighting back. I hope he wins, someday.”

It’s a fantastic issue and is definitely a recommended read. If the epilogue is any indication, fans won’t have to wait long.

Nova #11 is in comic stores now.