This Classic Marvel Villain Could Reshape The MCU — And Introduce Nova

With heavy-hitting villains like Loki, Thanos, the Red Skull, Galactus, and now Doctor Doom already featured — and in most cases, thoroughly defeated — in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's easy to wonder who might be next in line to pose a threat to the Avengers. It is, after all, pretty difficult to raise the stakes higher than the death and resurrection of half the universe in "Infinity War" and "Endgame," even when there's an entire multiverse out there just waiting to be put in danger. There is, however, one major Marvel Comics villain who has yet to step into the spotlight in the movies, with a track record as one of the deadliest enemies not just to a single team of heroes, but to the entire cosmos.

Annihilus, the insectoid ruler of the Negative Zone, has over 60 years of comics history and has proven himself to be every bit as deadly as Thanos, but without the veneer of nobility that came with the goal of seeking some kind of cosmic balance. Annihilus has no noble goals or grand designs, just a massive army of mindless drones hellbent on consuming everything in its path, and if he's introduced into the MCU, he has the potential to not only wreak havoc across the entire universe, but also pave the way to finally introduce the fan-favorite hero Nova to the big screen.

Originally introduced in 1968's "Fantastic Four Annual" #6 with the ominously over-the-top nickname of "The Living Death That Walks," Annihilus was at one point considered by director James Gunn to be the villain of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," and with good reason. While he's been a perennial foe for the Fantastic Four, Annihilus' most prominent and destructive moments came in the 2006 crossover "Annihilation," which saw him unleash billions of locust-like drones across the galaxy in an "Annihilation Wave" that toppled long-established star-spanning empires and still has lasting effects on the Marvel Universe two real-time decades later. 

Perhaps most importantly, "Annihilation" paved the way for the introduction of the modern Guardians of the Galaxy. Rather than the original Guardians concept of a team of sci-fi heroes in the distant future of the 30th century, Annihilation and its sequel, "Annihilation Conquest," rebooted them as space-faring hard-luck heroes led by Star-Lord, which led directly to the version that made it to the MCU. As a result, Annihilus is a natural fit to face off against the Guardians in some form, so it makes sense that he'd be considered for the third film, even if the decision was ultimately made to focus more on Rocket's origin and pit the heroes against the High Evolutionary instead.

Despite not making it into "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," Annihilus remains one of the biggest comic book supervillains who hasn't been tapped for a role in the movies, providing the MCU with an opportunity — although not necessarily one that fans might expect. After "Annihilation," Annihilus wasn't just tied to the Fantastic Four, but found a new arch-enemy: Nova.

The Nova Corps were introduced to the MCU back in the first "Guardians" movie as an organization of galactic peacekeepers, but Earth's representative, Richard Rider, has been floating around for years as a potential addition to the franchise. We haven't seen him yet, but if the films continue to draw on the events of "Annihilation," the fact that the Corps is already established makes it possible for the films to recreate one of the comic's biggest moments. As the opening shot in his war against the rest of the galaxy, Annihilus, well, annihilates the Nova Corps on the planet Xandar, leaving Rider as the sole survivor. Rich does eventually get his revenge, literally punching down Annihilus' throat and tearing out his guts in one of the most truly badass moments in Marvel Comics history, and one that plenty of fans would love to see recreated in the films.

Of course, insectoid space dictators and comic books being what they are, Annihilus did eventually make his way back from the dead, but that could be very beneficial considering that unlike the comics, the movies have a tendency to kill off their villains. Giving them the ability to return and rise again allows their characters to develop over time alongside the heroes, even if some of them definitely deserve their fate.