Richard Rider

Richard Rider
Alias	Nova
Other names	Nova Prime (formal title)
Profile information
Species	Human
Origin	Earth
Gender	Male
Eye color	Unknown
Occupation	Soldier (formerly) Law officer
Affiliation	Resistance (formerly) Nova Corps
Real-life information
Appears in	Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: No Guts, No Glory
Debut	Nova #1 (1976)
See Richard Rider at Marvel Database.

Richard Rider, better known as Nova, is a minor character in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. An Earth-born Galactic War hero and founder of the Resistance against the Chitauri in the wake of Xandar's fall, he is the last known acting leader of Nova Corps.

Background

Despite humans not being a space-faring species, Richard Rider somehow joined Nova Corps and became a Centurion. During the destruction of Xandar, which marked the beginning of the Galactic War, Richard led a squadron in the Xandarian StarCorps blockade against the invading Chitauri forces. While it made possible the evacuation of Xandar, only Richard's squadron survived the encounter. As such, he was selected by the Worldmind, who recalled the remaining Centurion squadron. However, Richard defied them and founded the Resistance.

He and his Resistance toured the bombed worlds and promised justice to the people, gathering a fleet of various races and ships. Little by little, they took back worlds, destroying Chitauri raiders along the way. In one occasion, he answered a distress call from a crashed Kree frigate on Drez-Lar, where he found Ko-Rel and other survivors holding out against Chitauri aggressors. After the incident, she joined Richard's group as a liaison to the Kree Empire. Soon, the Resistance included Wendell Vaughn, most of the Katathian defense force, the Centaurian Shadows, and the Rigellian Thinker Fleet. Eventually, and instead of giving up the Resistance's location to Thanos, Gamora Zen-Whoberi defected and joined Richard's forces.

At some point, Richard established an covert intelligence outpost on Mercury. In 7789, when word came that Earth was in the Chitauri's sights, Ko-Rel and a small force were dispatched to defend it; however, they found much greater resistance than expected, surviving only thanks to the Ravagers' intervention and Peter Quill. Ko-Rel called Richard to ask for reinforcements, but with their current operation to drive the Chitauri out of the Krylorian home system, he couldn't spare any for at least two cycles. Ultimately, Ko-Rel and her forces were able to retake the planet.

Despite their best efforts, the Resistance was losing, but then news broke out that Thanos had died at the hands of Drax. At first they though it was misinformaton, but when it became clear that it wasn't, the Resistance and Kree fleets launched a three-pronged attack on the Chitauri homeworld, known as the Siege of Chitauri Prime. With their infant queen captured by Ko-Rel and Gamora in a stealth mission, the Chitauri quickly surrendered. After the war, Richard advised the Worldmind to grant amnesty to Gamora, and also invited Ko-Rel to join and rebuild Nova Corps. Richard then took a more political role in galactic affairs; his primary focus was the rebuilding the Corps' space militia and exploration division with the help of member worlds.

More recently, in 7801, twelve years after the end of the war, Richard for unknown reasons upgraded to a helmet with its own Nova Force reactor and donated his original one to The Collector. Richard has since 'disappeared', said to be currently away from his post—New Xandar—without permission for multiple rotations.

Personality

Little is known about Richard himself, but his actions speak to his courage and charisma, and in the Collector's words, is said to be man who truly "embodies Nova Corps". Even so, he also appears to have a rebellious streak, defying the Worldmind in order to assemble the Resistance and more recently upgrading his helmet to gain independence.

Gameplay

Richard's Nova Corps personnel file can be found alongside other character files during Chapter 7: Canine Confusion while the Guardians are checking the Nexus control terminal of the Hala's Hope.

Regarding items, an object called "Richard Rider's Nova Helmet" can be found in the Collector's Emporium on display alongside other artifacts during Chapter 6: Between a Rock and a Hard Place. He is also mentioned during the Ravager Comm Bracelet, Chitauri Sear-Cuffs, Collector's Emporium Doll, and Galactic War Commendation conversations.

Records

RIDER, RICHARD

RANK: Prime
RECRUITER: Worldmind
STATUS: AWOL
ORIGIN: Earth

POSTING: New Xandar, Nova Corps Headquarters

ASSIGNMENT: Unknown

BACKGROUND: Richard Rider, AKA Nova Prime, is the former acting leader of the Nova Corps. He was selected by the Worldmind after his squadron was the only one to survive the destruction of Xandar.

His leadership during the Galactic War led to several victories, notably the final Siege of Chitauri Prime. Post-War, Rider took a more political role in galactic affairs. His primary focus was the rebuilding of the Nova Corps space militia and exploration division with the help of member worlds.

NOTES: Rider has been absent without leave (AWOL) for multiple rotations. The Worldmind has lost all contact with him. Further action may be required.

COMMENDATIONS: Galactic Medal of Valor, Galactic War Commendation

Trivia

• According to Creative Director Jean-François Dugas, Richard Rider was never going to physically appear in the actual story, but they included mentions and references to him because he was a vital figure in Gamora's past, important for the development of her character. She knows him very well, and it's suggested that they may have had a relationship.
• Nova Corps vending machines depict his likeness from the comics as drawn by John Buscema for the cover of Nova #1 (1976). More specifically, it seems to be a re-colored version from Nova: The Origin of Richard Rider.