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Supporting Characters

Richard Rider

Family

    Rob Rider 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/657209_nova_20_scrooge_dcp001.jpg
Richard Rider's brother.
  • Aloof Big Brother: Overshadowed by his brother's stint as Nova, Rob feels Rich comes off as this to him. After a point, Rich takes time to assure that he doesn't mean to come off as aloof to Rob, while also noting Rob's skill with the Nova Force is more than commendable.
  • Ascended Fan: Became part of Nova Corps.
  • Being Tortured Makes You Evil: Between being tortured by the Fraternity of Raptors and the apparent abandonment by Richard (Robbie was unaware that Richard was trapped in another universe for several years and Richard believed that Rob was killed during The Thanos Imperative with the rest of the other Novas) Robbie resents his former allies and joins the Raptors as Talonar/Talon-R.
  • Big Brother Worship: And this is despite Rob's misgivings towards his brother.
  • Gravity Master: Rich acknowledges that Rob, who only had the Nova Force for a few days, did a better job with his gravity powers than Rich did with years of experience. And that was holding down a Flying Brick.
  • My Nayme Is: When he first appears before the Guardians of the Galaxy as Talon-R, the Guardians (and the reader) interpret his name as "Talonar" instead.
  • Put on a Bus: He was never seen after his appearance in Volume 4. He's also not found among the dead Novas, which left his fate after The Thanos Imperative ambiguous. When he's brought up in Sam's volume, it's implied that Rob could still be out there somewhere.
  • Teen Genius: Built a weather-controlling machine and a robotic Sherlock Holmes in his basement.

    Charles Rider 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/5680519_charles_rider_earth_616.jpg
Richard Rider's father.
  • The Atoner: He later testified the crimes of the Inner Circle when he was jailed for his role in hiring an assassin to kill his brother.
  • Cain and Abel: He was the Cain (murderer) to Ralph's Abel (victim).
  • Catchphrase: He doesn't swear, and instead says "blue blazes", which is where Richard got it from.
  • Dark Secret: He was a member of a crime organization called the Inner Circle.
  • Disappeared Dad: Revealed to have passed away between Nova volumes 6 and 7.
  • I Have No Son!: He kicked out Richard in disapproval of his career as Nova and later regretted it. When Sam brings home Rich's helmet, he slumps down in tears.
  • Outliving One's Offspring: Although the fate of Rob isn't known, his son Richard performed a Heroic Sacrifice during the Thanos Imperative arc. Later reversed. Charles died almost immediately before Richard came Back from the Dead.

    Gloria Rider 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1660766_gloria_rider.jpg
Richard Rider's mother.

    Dr. Ralph Rider 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ralph_rider_earth_616_from_nova_vol_1_12_001.png

Richard Rider's uncle and a famous scientist


Sam Alexander

Family

    Kaelynn Alexander 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2887289_kaelynn_1.jpg
The younger sister of Sam Alexander.

    Eva Alexander 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2991066_mrs_alexander.jpg
The mother of Sam and Kaelynn Alexander. Wife of Jesse Alexander.
  • Childhood Friend Romance: Both Eva and Jesse were dating when they were at Sam's age.
  • Happily Married: She and Jesse's marriage seem to be cohesive despite the latter's alcoholism.
  • Housewife: Until the disappearance of Jesse forces her to be the breadwinner.
  • Keep the Home Fires Burning: For both her husband Jesse and her son Sam.
  • Parents as People: Throughout her appearances inside and outside Sam's Nova runs, we learn and understand just how much a natural parent Eva is, and just how much a regular person she is, too. This includes acting and reacting like how an average parent with a superpowered teenaged son (and husband) in her life might act and react. Even once she acquiesces to her son's superheroics, Eva is naturally worried about her son's well-being, dealing with the stress of that and going about her day as best she can.
  • Secret-Keeper: She held/holds both Jesse and her son Sam's secret as Novas.

    Jesse Alexander 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/3939432_jesse_alexander.jpg
The father of Sam and Kaelynn Alexander, and the husband of Eva Alexander. He used to be a member of Supernovas, a black ops division, formed from a group of rogue Novas led by Adomax, of Novacorps.
  • The Alcoholic: Though he did sober up after being Made a Slave before leading a slave revolt.
  • Anti-Hero: Well, his morals were a bit lax compared to the more straightforwardly heroic Novas, including his morally dubious work with the Supernovas, and abandoning them in a botched escape to see his son's birth.
  • Broken Pedestal: To Sam Alexander, who became disillusioned with Jesse's stories during his inept job as a janitor, believe Jesse may have made it up to cope with his life.
    • Rebuilt Pedestal: A double subversion. Sam later discovers that he was actually a real Nova but his group of Nova became nothing more than a gang of thieves and murderers. However, it was revealed that he was actually The Mole for the Nova Corps and turned the Supernovas into a black operations unit.
  • Character Development: He managed to get sober, adapt to his new life, and even find a new job after getting abducted. Until we find out that the person getting the development was returned to Earth was actually a clone of Jesse created by the Chitauri as a means of getting close to the power in Sam's black helmet. Though, even he gets development after Superheroing with Sam long enough, to the point where he does a Heel–Face Turn. This clone is last seen flying off to prevent the arrival of more clones and to find the true whereabouts of Jesse.
  • Dad the Veteran: A Former Black Nova.
  • Dating What Mommy Hates: He chose Eva (mostly based on her "troublemaker" status and possibly Maligned Mixed Marriage) and ended up getting disconnected from his mother ever since.
  • Deconstruction: Well, he quit his job as a Nova to raise his family. It didn't turn out well.
  • Disappeared Dad: The main starter of Sam Alexander's role as Nova, as well as a major driving force behind his overall character. Subverted in the Issue 32 finale, before getting Double Subverted upon the reveal the his "father" was actually a clone.
  • The Engineer: He was somewhat mechanically talented with the first issue of Volume 6 with him configuring his Nova Corps helmet.
  • Happily Married: To Eva.
  • Human Aliens: High Evolutionary claimed that Sam is half human. Though unconfirmed so far, if true, then Jessie is actually a very human looking alien like the Xandarians or the pink Kree.
  • Is That What He Told You?: Jesse told his children that his Black Nova squad performed a Heroic Sacrifice to both call for backup and return to see his newborn son, Sam. In reality; however, he abandoned them in a middle of an escape from the Chitauri to see his family.
  • Last of His Kind: So far, the only known Nova Corps member left, after Thanos Imperative besides Garthan Saal and Robert Rider.
  • Lineage Comes from the Father: It maybe possible that his helmet can only be used by his children, Sam and Kaelynn.
  • Made a Slave: His former Black Nova gang later caught him and sold him to the Chitauri as a gladiator. However, he escaped from the Chitauri via a slave revolt, fleeing to Knowhere.
  • Retired Badass: A Deconstruction; his then-current and inept job as a janitor and his alcoholism showed his inability to adapt to civilian life after many years as a Nova.
  • Screw This Im Outof Here: He ditched his team in the middle of an escape from the Chitauri to return to Earth for his family.
  • Shell-Shocked Veteran: His alcoholism may stem from his years as a Nova Centurion , along with working as The Mole in Supernovas.
  • Took a Level in Badass: After being sold to the Chitauri as a gladiator and becoming sober in the process, he later staged a revolt and escaped from Chitauri Prime with his fellow inmates.

Friends and Associates

    Principal Philbin 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/principal_philbin.jpg

Principal of Carefree High School.


  • A Father to His Men: He deeply cared about his students and even risked his life defending them from Kluh's attack until Nova arrived to save the day.
  • Dean Bitterman: Downplayed and eventually Subverted as the story progresses.
  • Expy: Looks similar to Gerald Strickland from Back to the Future.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: When Sam Alexander got expelled from school for his continued absence, he later listened to his story on his Disappeared Dad and allowed him to attend school but have to attend summer school to make up for it.

    Carrie 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/3259309_carrie.jpg
Classmate and Crush of Sam Alexander. Later on, his girlfriend.

    Karl Moffet 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/karlmoffett.jpg

A student in Carefree Highschool and a bully


  • The Bully: Towards Sam Alexander.
  • Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: The 2015 relaunch sees Carrie and Karl effectively written out of the book and never mentioned again.
  • Expy: An intentional one of early Spider-Man's Flash Thompson. He even dressed as Agent Venom, Flash Thompson's heroic persona at the time, for Halloween to further emphasize his similarity.
  • Jerkass: Oh boy, is he!

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