Summary
In all the news that has come out in the wake of the latestMarvel Studiosfilm,Deadpool & Wolverine, one certainty can be found: the Mutant Saga has arrived. The question on everyone’s minds now is how these popular andbeloved mutant heroeswill be integrated into theMCU. The answer may come from an unlikely hero, asMCUStudio Head Kevin Feige has made it known that Nova is being developed into a series. Could this create a powerful crossover event from the comics,Avengers vs X-Men?
In that storyline, Nova is the one to warn the heroes of Earth that the Phoenix Force is approaching Earth, crashing down on the planet in a desperate plea to warn the heroes of the coming fight. In this instance, Nova is Sam Alexander, who took on the mantle as a teenager. Yet, while the Avengers see this as an approaching threat, Cyclops and his X-Men see this as a chance for mutants to be reborn again, leading to the infamous fight. So, could Sam Alexander’s Novalead to the highly requested MCU filmAvengers vs. X-Men?
Sam Alexander’s Journey to Become Nova
Sam Alexander was just an average teenager from Arizona. His father, Jesse Alexander, was a struggling alcoholic who often boasted of his time as a Nova Centurion, but Sam didn’t believe him. It isn’t until his father disappears and he is injured that he discovers the truth. While in the hospital,he is greeted by Rocket Raccoonand Gamora, who confirm his father was a Nova Centurion. Putting on his father’s helmet, Sam gains the power and knowledge of the Nova Corps.
Upon wearing the helmet, Sam travels to the moon, where he meets Uatu the Watcher. Uatu warns Sam that an invasion fleet of Chitauri is heading towards Earth. Rocket and Gamora agree to train Sam to use his powers and fight before sending him off to scout the upcoming Chitauri fleet. Upon discovering the fleet around Jupiter, he was able to fight his way through the armada, taking the fleet’s stolen Ultimate Nullifier weapon, an artifact taken byReed Richards originally from the vault of Galactusin their first confrontation, and holding the power to destroy entire timelines if the user is strong enough. Sam was able to take the weapon from the Chitauri and stop the invasion, developing a bond with Uatu.
Avengers vs X-Men, Explained
Sam’s first major story after his origin story isAvengers vs X-Men. Discovering the Dark Phoneix force decimates worlds as it races towards Earth, Sam attempts to save some of these planets, only to witness their destruction. Racing to Earth, he crashes in front of the Avengers, telling them that something is coming. Iron Man scans the hero and sees traces of the Pheonix Force energy on him, tracking the power to deep space.Wolverine informs the Avengersthat Hope Summers is the Phoenix’s target, as she has been prophesied to take on the Phoenix Force and restore mutant kind. Still, he recognizes the Phoenix’s destructive power and tells them they must take Hope Summers.
Arriving at the X-Men’s home of Utopia,Captain America and the Avengersask Cyclops to let them take Hope into protective custody to keep her safe from the Phoenix. Still, Cyclops believes Hope to be the mutant messiah and refuses. This leads to the first of many confrontations between the Avengers and X-Men. Through many twists and turns, a final battle before the Phoenix arrives occurs on the moon’s surface, with Hope fearing she is losing control. Before Wolverine can end her, Iron Man and Giant Man fire a weapon they developed to stop the Phoenix, but instead, it splits the Phoenix into shards, with the pieces hitting Cyclops, Emma Frost, Colossus, Magik, and Namor, creating the Phoenix Five.
As the Phoenix Five start using their powers to change Earth, the Avengers take Hope and ask the Scarlet Witch to help train her along with the warriors of K’un L’un, as she may be the only person to stop the Phoenix force. The Avengers fight the Phoenix Five, as each defeated member has their power absorbed by the others, until eventually,Cyclops takes it alland becomes the Dark Phoenix. This leads Dark Phoenix to slay Charles Xavier and start burning the Earth. It isn’t until Hope and Scarlet Witch combined to stop the Phoenix and send it away that the heroes of Earth are successful, leading to Cyclops being arrested and the reemergence of the mutant population.
Avengers vs X-Men Fated for the MCU?
With Nova already confirmed to be in development and mutants making themselves known in theMCU, an adaption of the popularAvengers vs X-Menseems fated. The principal players in the Avengers already exist or are about to be introduced, such as Red Hulk. Deadpool & Wolverine are making theirMCUdebut. Still, other mutants,such as Ms. Marveland Namor, have also been introduced. If Nova is going to be the Sam Alexander version of the hero, there can be no doubt that a conflict between the X-Men and the Avengers could be coming in the near future of theMCU.
MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a sprawling movie and television franchise that weaves together individual stories of superheroes including Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and many more. The first film in the franchise, Iron Man, was released in 2008. The MCU has garnered critical praise and financial success, earning billions at the box office and becoming a cultural phenomenon.
