Sam Alexander (Marvel)
Sam Alexander is a male comic character who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Sam Alexander
Six months prior, he saw his father as a drunk who made up stories about being a galactic space hero called a Nova rather than get his life together. Sam came to resent his father and was embarrassed by his life as a janitor at his school where his class fellows made fun of him. One day, he was angry with Jesse when he got suspended because his father did not turn up at work. However, Sam found his father missing along with the helmet where he believed Jesse was intending to leave town. He attempted to find his father only to fall off his skateboard leading to him being admitted into hospital. When he regained consciousness, he was shocked to discover Gamora and Rocket Raccoon in front of him with a Black Nova helmet of his father with Sam learning that all the stories Jesse had told him were true. (Nova v5 #1) Sam came to panic at the encounter with the two and fled only to return to find them gone. He discovered his fathers helmet at the hospital which he initially attempted to throw awa as junk. This was until he saw it emitting a light and when he wore it he transformed into Nova. He then encountered a recording of his father who told Sam that he was sorry and that the Nova helm was him to use. Afterwards, Sam tried to come to terms with the fact that his father told the truth and wore the helmet leading to his transformation into Nova. He tried to control the powers of Nova which briefly saw him crash into the Moon. (Nova v5 #2) Upon arriving on the Moon, he encountered Uatu with the silent Watcher showing Sam a fleet of Chitauri heading towards Earth. Sam returned to Earth’s surface after bidding the Watcher farewell with him attempting to find answers about himself. At night, he was visited by Gamora and Rocket Raccoon who stated that they knew his father Jesse with them being the last to see him as he had given them instructions to give his helmet to Sam. They informed Sam that he was the las Nova as Richard Rider had fallen and the Nova Corps was no more. Thus, they prepared him for the coming danger by training him as they owed his father. The two told him that the Chitauri were coming with them possessing the Ultimate Nullifier that they intended to use on Earth. Sam revealed to them that the Watcher had showed him the threat and he had their coordinates with Gamora and Rocket deciding to stage a pre-emptive strike. (Nova v5 #3) Sam was to serve as a scout but he instead lay in wait for the Chitauri to find him in order to infiltrate the alien mothership. Once inside, he was attacked by their leader Titus who was a former comrade of his father. Titus claimed that Jesse Alexander had betrayed them leaving him behind. The felinoid alien stated that he forged an alliance with the Chitauri as a result as they had reassembled the Ultimate Nullifier to make themselves the most powerful force in the universe. Sam managed to escape where he took the Nullifier with him as he returned to Earth hoping Rocket and Gamora would return. However, in his home town, Titus arrived where he threatened to destroy the settlement unless he was returned the Nullifier along with the Black Nova helmet of his father. (Nova v5 #4) He managed to recover his helmet and battled Titus whilst saving any bystanders from an attack by the villain. Sam took the rogue Nova into space around Jupiter where he threatened to use the Ultimate Nullifier. Titus then attempted to wrestle the device from Sam but this triggered a singularity that sent the rogue Nova along with the Chitauri elsewhere in the universe. The new Nova then proceeded to give the Ultimate Nullifier to the Watcher on the Moon for safekeeping as he returned back to Earth. (Nova v5 #5)
Later on, he was in space when he came to discover that the Phoenix Force was on a direct path to Earth and destroying everything in its path. One of the worlds Sam attempted to warn was Birj during a time when Terrax was looking to take over his homeworld. The young Nova attempted to warn the people but Terrax attacked him and attempted to kill Sam. Despite his warnings, the former Herald of Galactus refused to listen forcing Sam to leave just in time to see Birj consumed by the Phoenix. Nova then made a direct path to Earth in order to warn the rest of the planet of the danger. (Marvel Point One v1 #1)
Avenger
Whilst at school, he learnt that the Chitauri Warbringer had returned and was attacking New York with Sam turning into Nova to fight the powerful alien warlord. This saw him encounter Ms. Marvel with them later joined by the Avengers in defeating Warbringer. (All-New, All-Different Avengers v1 #2) After defeating their foe, Sam was invited to join the newest incarnation of the Avengers and to receive training on how to operate as a superhero. (All-New, All-Different Avengers v1 #4)
Champions
During the battle, Sam came to realise that the only way to stop the slaughter of the Chitauri was by defeating Warbringers faction as the soldiers only obeyed the commands of a stronger leader. With the aid of the Champions, they managed to defeat the alien warlord whereupon Sam commanded his warriors to stand down. Thanos was entertained by the event that he allowed the Champions to depart where they took the Warbringer to the Nova Corps to be imprisoned. Whilst there, the Corps confiscated Sam's Black Nova helmet as they deemed that he was not authorised nor trained to operate it. Thus, they took it from him and teleported the Champions back to Earth leading to Sam being depowered. (Infinity Countdown: Champions v1 #2)
He began to feel increasingly out of place among the Champions as he lacked any powers whilst their growing membership included more individuals with abilities. Whilst responding to an anti-Mutant protest by Worthington Industries, the mobile bunker came under attack from Kaldera who had returned to Earth in order to get her revenge against Sam. (Champions v3 #3)
Kaldera took him back to Earth where they tracked the Nova helmet to a former S.H.I.E.L.D. facility with Sam reuniting with it. After becoming Nova again, he used the Black Nova helmet to capture Kaldera and hold her long enough for the Nova Corps to arrive where they arrested her. Commander Adsit then asked Sam to return the helmet but he refused where he highlighted the fact that the Corps was unable to get it to function and that it only responded to him. This led to Adsit deciding that Sam can retain the helmet for now thus allowing Alexander to remain as Nova. (Champions v3 #8)
Overview
Personality and attributes
Whilst growing up, he came to resent his father and the last thing he wanted to do was become like him. However, this changed after learning that he was a Nova with Sam stating that he would be lucky if he ended up half the man he was in life. (Nova v5 #5)
Powers and abilities
Though an ordinary human, his power actually lay within the Black Nova helmet that belonged to his father. When worn, he became empowered with the abilities of a Nova Corpsmen giving him superhuman powers. The helmet was coded to Jesse Alexander and could be used by his family who possessed his DNA. Within it, recordings could be left so that another wearer could receive messages that played for them. (Nova v5 #2) The helmet was capable of protecting Sam with it giving him the power to fly and breath in space but it did not make him invulnerable. (Nova v5 #3) Through its connection to Nova energy, the helmet was able to respond to distress calls from the Nova Corps. (Infinity Countdown: Champions v1 #1)
Sam was capable of triggering a space jump from orbit to deeper within the solar system allowing him to move at a rapid pace. (Nova v5 #5)
He could encase larger objects such as starships within his forcefields and propel them through space. (Infinity Countdown: Champions v1 #1)
Notes
- Sam Alexander as Nova was created by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness where he made his first appearance in Marvel Point One v1 #1 (November, 2011).
Alternate Versions
- In Old Man Quill v1 # (2019), an alternate version of Sam Alexander was shown to inhabit the world of the Wastelands located on Earth-807128. He was shown to had left for space where he eventually became the new Nova Prime of the Nova Corps in the timeline set 50 years in the future. From New Xander, he led the Corps as one of the last forces of resistance against the Universal Church of Truth that were conquering all of known space.
In other media
Television
- In Ultimate Spider-Man, Sam Alexander made his first appearance as a cast member in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Logan Miller. In "The Return of the Guardians of the Galaxy", Sam managed to further unlock the capabilities of the helmet giving him further abilities.
- In Guardians of the Galaxy, Sam Alexander appeared in the animated television series second season where he was voiced again by actor Logan Miller. His father Jesse Alexander served in the Nova Corps and wore the enhanced black helmet of a Nova Centurion where he told his family on Earth many stories of his adventures though none believed him. One day, he went missing but his helmet returned to his home on Earth where his son Sam wore it and witnessed all the recordings present within it thus showing that his father was telling the truth. The Nova Corps placed a large bounty on the return of the helmet with Rocket and Groot journeying to Earth to take it from Sam who used its power to fight them until further fighting was stopped by Star-Lord. It was then determined that the Guardians were to train Sam to be better able to protect himself with Drax teaching the boy. During this time, Sam's helmet detected a signal on Spartax which he investigated only to encounter Mantis who manipulated him into freeing the Universal Believers Patriarch namely J'son.
Video games
- In Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2, the Sam Alexander Nova appeared in the setting of the mobile video game.
- In Marvel: War of Heroes, the Sam Alexander Nova appeared in multiple playable cards in the video game.
- In Marvel Heroes, the Sam Alexander Nova appeared as a playable character in the MMORPG with Logan Miller reprising his speaking role
- In Marvel: Future Fight, the Sam Alexander Nova appeared as a playable character in the mobile video game.
Toys
Appearances
- Marvel Point One v1: #1 (2011)
- Nova v5:
- New Warriors:
- All-New, All-Different Avengers v1:
- Nova v6:
- Champions v1:
- Champions v2:
- Infinity Countdown: Champions v1:
- Champions v3:
- Old Man Quill v1:
External Link
This article is a stub. You can help Multiversal Omnipedia by expanding it.
