Deadpool Doesn’t Know What He’s In For – A Cassandra Nova Explainer
Cassandra Nova is the newest MCU villain. Where did she come from? What does she want? And what is her connection to Charles Xavier?
The mysterious bald psychic in the profanity-filled trailer for Deadpool and Wolverine is one of the X-Men’s most potent foes.
Who is Cassandra Nova?
Created by: Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely
First Appearance: New X-Men #114 (July 2001)
The formidable enemy of the X-Men has a very close relationship with its leader. Cassandra Nova is a member of a parasitic alien race born on the astral plane without physical bodies. She is Charles Xavier’s mummudrai, or anti-self, his ideological shadow whose only prerogative is destruction and mutant genocide.
Her life began at the same time as Charles. She had to create her physical body from his DNA, becoming his twin sister. The rivalry started very early, with the two fighting in the womb—Cassandra trying to strangle Charles, and he fights back with a psychic blast that caused her body to be stillborn.
Somehow, she managed to survive as a cellular matter clinging to a sewer wall, slowly rebuilding her physical form and mimicking human traits. During this regeneration, her view of reality becomes distorted, thinking that only she and Charles exist, her only purpose is now to destroy Charles and everything he cares about. When Cassandra Nova regained her physical form she didn’t wait long to go down that path.
As soon as she was able, she gained control of a Master Mould (once used to create an army of MK I Sentinels) which gave her the ability to perpetrate a massacre on the mutants of Genosha. Her next move was to take over Charles Xavier’s body and attack the X-Men from within.
What are Her Powers & Abilities?
As a mummudrai, Cassandra Nova is able to genetically alter and possess the mind of her host (when she has one). Her ability to manipulate DNA also gives her a rapid healing ability and allows her to mimic others. She has the power of astral manipulation and telepathic powers that allowed her to possess Charles Xavier’s body at one point. Cassandra can also bring out latent mutant powers with just a thought.
Given her development, she’s able to access many of the mutant powers in Xavier’s genome, including bio-phasing, telekinesis, and telepathy. She has used these powers to create psionic armor and make her body seemingly vanish so that she can withstand psionic blasts.
Cassandara Nova on the Screen
On screen, Wolverine has experienced a lot—fighting in nearly every major US war, undergoing experimentation at the hands of a secret organization, and putting up with Scott Summers, all while sporting a questionable haircut. Now, he’s having to travel through time and the multiverse to team up with Deadpool to save the world from the once twin.
Cassandra Nova will make her big-screen debut as the villain of Deadpool and Wolverine. She’ll be portrayed by Emma Corrin, who you may recognize from Murder at the End of the World and The Crown. Nova will be a formidable foe for Wade and Logan’s particular skills and mutations (she’s already clashed with Wolverine in the comics). The big question now is: can they stop her?
The movie arrives in theaters on July 26th.
