Nova

## Powers and Abilities

### Powers

**Nova Force:** Richard Rider is the host of the entire Nova Force, a vast energy source that he can access to grant himself a number of superhuman attributes. This energy is monitored by the Xandarian Worldmind. Similar to the Power Cosmic, it is a near-limitless energy source and has many ill-defined capabilities, though its primary power appears to be the ability to manipulate gravity fields.

**Superhuman Strength:** Rider is able to channel the Nova Force for the purpose of increasing his physical strength to vast levels. While the full extent of his strength level is not known, he is listed well above the class 100 limit. The Nova Force grants Rider sufficient strength and power to engage and even stalemate the likes of the Silver Surfer in combat.[39] He has even stated that his best shot can destroy everything within 3 miles.[40] He was even capable of going blow for blow with the likes of Annihilus himself in combat, and was even able, quite literally, to tear Annihilus inside out.

**Superhuman Speed:** By channeling the Nova Force properly, Rider can grant himself the ability to run and move at speeds that are beyond the physical limits of the finest human athlete. While the upper limit of his running speed is not known, he can at least run several hundred miles an hour. He can move at speeds faster than light.

**Superhuman Stamina:** Due to the Nova Force's augmentation of his musculature, Rider's muscles produce considerably less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of a normal human. While the full limits of his stamina are unknown, he is able to exert himself physically for at least 24 hours before fatigue toxins impair him.

**Superhuman Durability:** Rider's body is highly resistant to all forms of conventional physical injury. He can withstand high caliber bullets, falls from tremendous heights, exposure to extremes in both temperature and pressure, powerful energy blasts, acidic corrosives, and tremendous impact forces without sustaining injury. While employing the Nova Force, Rider can easily withstand the rigors of deep space indefinitely. He can withstand attacks from powerful beings such as Annihilus relatively unharmed. He was able to withstand, without any significant damage, the raw energy and power stored in the reservoir in Galactus's ship, which contained power siphoned from the destroyed energy of entire planets[41]. He was even capable of withstanding a massive omni-directional blast from an enraged Galactus himself, at near point-blank range, which was so powerful that it encompassed and destroyed more than three entire solar systems.[42]

**Superhuman Agility:** Rider's agility, balance, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are far beyond the physical limits of the finest human athlete.

**Superhuman Reflexes:** Rider's reflexes are similarly enhanced and are far superior to those of the finest human athlete.

**Regenerative Healing Factor:** In spite of his great physical resilience, it is possible for him to sustain injury. On the rare occasion that Rider is injured he can purposely channel the Nova Force to rapidly heal damaged bodily tissues.[43] However, the Nova Force cannot regenerate lost limbs as Rider couldn't replace the right arm he lost from the Revenger Captain America.[34]

**Flight:** Rider can use the Nova Force to propel himself through the air at tremendous speeds. Nova is fully capable of achieving faster than light velocities and can enter and traverse hyperspace, which he often does while traveling through space. However, moving as such speeds while in the atmosphere of a planet would cause devastation to the planet itself, so he travels much slower while within a planetary atmosphere; generally at supersonic speeds.

**Energy Generation:** Rider can channel the Nova Force and expel the energy in the form of extremely powerful concussive blasts that he often uses in combat situations. A few of the abilities he has shown are:

* the ability to manipulate the Nova Force to create hyperspace portals in space such as Space Gates,
* the ability to release extremely powerful gravimetric pulses and beams, either from specific parts of his body or from his whole body surface, and
* the ability to emit powerful electromagnetic discharges that can nullify gravity.

He was able to lobotomize Ego the Living Planet.[44]

**Xandarian Worldmind:** Aside from housing the Nova Force, Rider is also the host of the Xandarian Worldmind. The Worldmind is a sentient collective created to govern and maintain all forms of Xandarian culture. The Worldmind contains all knowledge collected by the Xandarian people including art, science, history, and philosophy. Rider can access any aspect of this technology by communicating with the Worldmind verbally or mentally. As a result, The Worldmind often contacts Rider unbidden and usually offers advice, instructions, insights, recommendations, and even criticisms. Rider's bond with the Worldmind is highly useful, however, also in the fact that the Worldmind is crucial in helping Rider maintain self control when tapping into the full might of the Nova Force.
. A few other capabilities demonstrated by the Worldmind are:

* Helps Rider contain the whole Nova Force while keeping his mind and sanity intact.
* Downloads profiles of opponents directly into Rider's mind.[45]
* Detects nearby energy surges, including those used in teleportation.[45]
* Can assume control of Rider's body as he sleeps.[27]
* Access other computer systems, including heavily-protected terrestrial computer networks (such as S.H.I.E.L.D. records).[27]
* Analyze attackers, including detecting adrenaline surges in their bodies.[28]
* Detects approaching super-humans with energy-based powers (like Penance).[28]
* Enables Rider to hack into satellite TV broadcasts, and transmit his voice and image to individual TV sets.[28]
* Can protect Rider from psionic manipulation using Psi-shields.[46]

### Abilities

**Formidable/Skilled Hand-to-Hand Combatant:** Rider is a formidable combatant and has been trained by Chord, though he is naturally more comfortable at using the Nova Force's energy generating capabilities during combat. However, he can access the Xandarian Worldmind and instantly gain knowledge of Xandarian hand-to-hand combat techniques which he sometimes uses in combination with his energy powers.

### Strength level

While his strength limit is unknown, he is listed well above the class 100 limit.

### Weaknesses

Rider uses the Xandarian Worldmind to help maintain his mood and mental stability. Without it, utilizing the full power of the Nova Force would overcome Rider's mental stability, causing a severe mental breakdown and possibly insanity. Rider was also bonded with so much of the Nova force for so long that the molecular structure of his body cannot survive for more than two days without it or an appropriate substitute, like Quasar's quantum energy.

## Paraphernalia

### Equipment

* **Nova Corps Uniform:** To further stabilize Rider during his manipulation of the Nova Force, the Worldmind has specifically modified Rider's Nova uniform. The material of the uniform helps to contain and regulate some of Rider's powers by siphoning some of the energies of the Nova Force. The uniform also contains inhibitors that can manipulate various hormones in Rider's brain for the purpose of moderating his moods as needed. The uniform also has self-repairing capabilities, allowing it to seal rips and tears on its own. As with past models, the helmet Rider uses with his current uniform resembles and feels like cloth when he is not wearing it, though it adopts a metallic look and feel when he wears it. Rider can also alter the appearance and nature of his uniform to suit his needs.

The helmet contains radio circuitry enabling Nova to pick up radio transmissions, monitor transmissions, telescopic sights, night vision sensors, and heat imaging sensors, as well as overlay a visual heads-up display for tracking energy signatures. The helmet also contains a synaptic scrambler to use on opponents in close quarters (such as Xenith or Gladiator). Nova's helmet has a rigid construction and shape when worn, but becomes as malleable as cloth when it is not, allowing Rider to hide it in his civilian clothes when desired.