Star-Lord’s MCU Replacement Just Took A Huge Stride Forward

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 ended with what appeared to be Star-Lord‘s retirement, but the MCU’s replacement plans have taken a huge step forward. Peter Quill’s MCU journey saw him embody the role of a swashbuckling cosmic vagabond who relinquished his Celestial heritage (and fleeting superpowers) to thwart the plans of his father, Ego. Despite embracing full humanity, Star-Lord would go on with the Guardians to become one of the universe’s foremost defenders, finding power instead within his bond with his fellow Guardians.

This would culminate in an emotional final journey together in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, in which the near-death of Rocket Raccoon rallied the team against the High Evolutionary. After a near-death experience, Peter Quill resolved to retire to Earth and visit his grandfather, while Rocket Raccoon assumed leadership of a new lineup of Guardians. While this new team is composed of the most powerful lineup yet, they may soon encounter a replacement for Star-Lord that will significantly bolster their collective abilities.

Nova Is Finally Coming To The MCU

After years of speculation, it was recently confirmed that Nova’s MCU debut is in development. Nova’s arrival has been anticipated ever since the Nova Corps was introduced in Guardians of the Galaxy, with the character being intrinsically linked to the organization’s destruction. The fervor for Nova’s arrival was renewed upon the revelation that Thanos, in his pursuit of the Power Stone, massacred half of the Xandarians on their home planet. The revelation by Marvel Studios Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, Brad Winderbaum, that a Nova project is in early development was therefore expected, but no less exciting.

There aren’t many details beyond this initial confirmation of Nova’s MCU debut being in development. It can be safely assumed, however, that Richard Rider’s origins will be firmly tied to Thanos’ decimation of Xandar, as Nova’s genesis in Marvel Comics followed the same event. John C. Reilly’s Rhomann Dey is also likely to be involved, as it is he who grants the Earth-dwelling Rider the power of the Nova Force in Marvel Comics. Rider would then go on to become a space-faring hero who would cross paths with the Guardians of the Galaxy, among other Marvel stalwarts.

Why Nova Is Star-Lord’s Real MCU Replacement

The two characters share more than a few similarities, and Star-Lord’s change of trajectory is something that Nova can pick up on. Richard Rider and Peter Quill are both from Earth, and thrown into cosmic adventures despite their Terran heritage. They also share similar personalities as wisecracking and cocksure vagabonds who inject their bouts with enemies with banter and jibes aplenty. Additionally, both are far from the smartest characters in Marvel lore, supplanting thought-out plans for expertly executed improvisation that their skill set is perfectly capable of backing up.

Both are also the foremost protectors of the Galaxy at certain points in their careers. Peter Quill has lived up to the name of his erstwhile team on multiple occasions, with the defeat of his father Ego being a standout example of his willingness and ability to curb galactic threats. Nova is decidedly more powerful than Peter Quill once he is imbued with the Nova Force, but he will no doubt pull off some similar feats in his own missions to protect the galaxy.

Could Star-Lord And Nova Actually Meet In The MCU?

Despite Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 being the end of the Guardians trilogy and underscoring a new trajectory for the remaining team, the film’s conclusion promised Peter Quill’s return. With that in mind, there is a chance that the two characters – who have had run-ins in the comics – could cross paths in the MCU. This is, however, predicated on when Peter Quill will return and whether the Nova project will precede or follow the end of the Multiverse Saga and the reported soft reboot of the MCU.

The likelihood, however, is that the two characters will cross paths due to the precedent set in the comics. This could involve a love triangle between the two and Gamora, whom Quill could not romance by the time Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 ended. This leaves the door open for a characteristically comedic interaction between Quill, Rider, and Gamora in a future MCU installment, be it as part of Nova’s introduction or a solo outing for Peter Quill.