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| Cassandra Nova | |
|---|---|
 Cassandra Nova as depicted inX-Men Red #4 (May 2018). Art by Tom Taylor. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | New X-Men #114 (July 2001) |
| Created by | Grant Morrison Frank Quitely |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Cassandra Nova Xavier |
| Species | Mummudrai |
| Team affiliations | Shi'ar Imperium Marauders 3k |
| Notable aliases | Charles Xavier / Professor X, The Immensity, The Zealot |
| Abilities | Telepathy Telekinesis Intangibility Possession |
Cassandra Nova Xavier is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics, most commonly in association with theX-Men. Created by writerGrant Morrison and artistFrank Quitely, the character first appeared inNew X-Men #114 (July 2001). She is amummudrai, aparasitic life form born bodiless on the astral plane.
Cassandra is the twin sister of X-Men founder, thetelepathProfessor X (Charles Xavier).[1] While in the womb together, Charles recognized her evil presence and killed her, resulting in her stillbirth.[2] The mummudrai that became Cassandra became telepathically entangled with Xavier, granting Cassandra some psionic powers herself, including the ability to exit the womb and create a body, with which she sought revenge on Xavier. As Xavier's ideological dark shadow who is bent on destruction andgenocide, Nova is most infamous for being responsible for the massacre of 16 millionmutants within the mutant homelandGenosha. In 2009, Cassandra Nova was ranked asIGN's 50th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time,[3] the only villain introduced in the 21st century to make the list.
The character made her live-action debut in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) filmDeadpool & Wolverine (2024), portrayed byEmma Corrin.
Cassandra Nova is amummudrai, a parasitic entity from the astral plane who initially lacks a body and forms one fromCharles Xavier's DNA, effectively making her his twin sister.[4] During the two'sgestation, Nova attempts to kill Xavier, but he seemingly destroys her, causing her physical body to bestillborn.[5][1] Nova survives as a mass of cells that clings to a sewer wall for decades, rebuilding her body and swearing revenge on Xavier.[4][6][7]
After regenerating her body, Nova manipulatesDonald Trask,Bolivar Trask's nephew, to utilize theWild Sentinel to destroyGenosha, killing 16 million mutants. Nova duplicates Trask's DNA to gain control of the Wild Sentinel before killing him.[8]
Nova is captured byCyclops andWolverine and taken to theX-Mansion, where she escapes and defeats most of the X-Men easily. Nova uses Cerebra (an enhanced version ofCerebro) and switch minds with Xavier. Xavier is trapped in Nova's body and unable to warn the X-Men before Nova shoots him.[9]
Nova contacts theShi'ar and manipulates them into battling the X-Men until they show the truth to theImperial Guard.[10] Angered at Nova's treachery and realizing the danger she poses, the Imperial Guard battle Nova, who defeats them and heads to the X-Mansion. She plans on using Cerebra to eliminate all mutants, butJean Grey stops Nova and forces her out of Xavier's body.[7] Nova's essence is tricked into entering the body of Stuff, a shapeshifting member of the Imperial Guard. There, she is locked in a self-repeating program.[4]
Nova appears to return to her original form inAstonishing X-Men, alongsideSebastian Shaw of theHellfire Club. However, it is revealed that she is an illusion created by Emma Frost, who is acting out post-hypnotic suggestions implanted by Nova.[11] Nova's influence causes Frost to create manifestations of Nova, Shaw, Frost's younger self, andNegasonic Teenage Warhead, a student of Frost who was killed in Genosha.[12] Frost and the imaginary Hellfire Club attack the X-Men, only to be defeated by Cyclops and the Xavier Institute students.[11][13]
Nova escapes from the X-Men's clutches by using her psychic powers to possess the bodies of others.[14] She also creates microscopicSentinel technology that transforms humans into Sentinel-like forms.[15] With the help from theAvengers and theAtlanteans, the X-Men mass-produceMagneto's helmets to free Nova's brainwashed victims.[16]
During theKrakoan Age, Nova moves to the mutant nation ofKrakoa, having been given a second chance per the island's laws. She resides in a hidden section of Krakoa, away from theQuiet Council's influence.[17]
Cassandra Nova is able to access the full spectrum of latent mutant functions inCharles Xavier's genome, granting herself vast psionic powers.[4] These powers include telepathy, telekinesis, and intangibility.[9] Nova has all the powers of the "average" mummudrai as well, including possession and genetic alteration.[18]
An alternate universe variant of Cassandra Nova from Earth-15104 appears inHere Comes Tomorrow. This version is the headmistress of the Xavier Institute and a member of the X-Men.[19]
An alternate universe variant of Cassandra Nova from Earth-41001 appears inX-Men: The End. This version gained control of thePhoenix Force and became known as the Phoenix.[20]
An alternate universe variant of Cassandra Nova from an unidentified universe appears inUncanny X-Force. This version survived four thousand years into the future and nearly conquered Earth as theGreat White Owl after destroying the veil that separated the main universe from that of the mummundrai.[21]
An alternate universe variant of Cassandra Nova from Earth-15730 appears inX-Men '92. This version is a female clone of Charles Xavier created byApocalypse.[22]