Warning: contains spoilers for Annihilation 2099 #1!In a wild twist, Marvel has revealed its new Nova is actually Wolverine, adding cosmic energy powers to his adamantium-coated claws and powerful healing factor. Marvel’s ongoing Annihilation 2099 series is introducing all-new takes on iconic heroes, with future versions of the Red Hulk, Star-Lord, Silver Surfer and more. However, the first issue ends with a twist as it confirms that while Nova 2099 may be a new identity, the person under the helmet is actually a famous face.

In Annihilation 2099, fans meet the last Nova. This person was part of experiments on Xandar to infuse the Nova Force into every cell of a human body. Unfortunately, while the experiment was successful, the burst of power attracted powerful interdimensional parasites who killed everyone on Xandar – everyone except the new Nova, who was able to fight his way to freedom.

However, at the end of the issue Nova pops his claws, revealing that he’s the man formerly known as Logan. Wolverine has existed in 2099 canon since 2009, and was introduced as having had one arm torn off by the Hulk. Fans now know that following his previous appearances trying to found a new X-Men team, Wolverine eventually traveled to Xandar, hoping to join the cosmic peacekeeping group known as the Nova Corps.

Nova 2099 Is Revealed as a Way Older Wolverine

Logan Is the Last Nova, with Cosmic Power Infused Throughout His Body

The Nova Force is an incredibly powerful energy source that members of the Nova Corps can access via their helmets, giving them various powers including flight, energy blasts, and force fields. However, the parasites attracted by their experiments wiped out every other wielder, leaving Wolverine with the full force, now spread across every cell in his body. In the issue, Wolverine fights the future symbiote Murk. After beheading the villain with his claws, he unleashes a Nova blast that completely incinerates the killer’s body.

Pete Woods’ design page shares some great details of Wolverine’s Nova design, confirming that the hidden ‘X’ on his chest is deliberate and pointing out that his Nova Force guns extend from his forearms, echoing his iconic claws. Logan’s personal design shows him as an older hero who has suffered through a long life in the deadly future of 2099, collecting his fair share of scars. However, the issue also confirms that thanks to the Nova Force, his healing is now more powerful than ever.

Turning Wolverine into the future Nova is an awesome way to put a new twist on both characters, avoiding yet another ‘Old Man Logan’ to depict an older Wolverine with a markedly different status quo. This new design shows the merit of alternate timelines like 2099, where Marvel can pull off fun, bold moves that wouldn’t have a chance to stick around in mainstream continuity. With the recent announcement of follow-up miniseries Conquest 2099, Marvel has confirmed that Wolverine will remain ‘the Last Nova,’ suggesting this isn’t a one-time redesign, but the final form Logan will take in stories set within the Marvel 2099 line.

Annihilation 2099 #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.