When Marvel Studios regained the rights to the Fantastic Four and X-Men franchises, they acquired not only some great heroes but a long list of iconic villains (most of whom were never used by 20th Century Fox).
In recent weeks, we've heard rumblings that Marvel Television's planned Nova TV series will pit Richard Rider against the villainous Annihilus. The comic book fans among you will likely realise the significance of that, but who is this classic Fantastic Four baddie and why is he going to be battling the Nova Corps?
In this feature, we're breaking down everything you need to know about Annihilus, from his origin story to the villain's powers and what his planned debut could mean for the MCU.
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5. Who Is Annihilus?
The Tyannans were originally the only intelligent life in the Negative Zone and, after they inadvertently released life spores on a barren volcanic planet, one of those mutated and became the villain known as Annihilus.
Acquiring a Cosmic Control Rod that greatly extended his lifespan, Annihilus set out to destroy anything he deemed a threat to his existence. Obsessed with ruling the Negative Zone, he became quite the conqueror before crossing paths with the Fantastic Four (who used his Cosmic Control Rod to help Sue Storm during a difficult pregnancy).
A constant threat to Marvel's First Family, The Avengers, Thor, and more, Annihilus has been a recurring threat in the Marvel Universe but was arguably only a B or C List villain until the Annihilation event brought him into contact with several cosmic superheroes...
4. Annihilation
Having never truly succeeded in taking over the Negative Zone, Annihilus lucked out when he encountered the Opposing Force, the Negative Zone's version of the Power Cosmic. He then invaded the Marvel Universe with his Annihilation Wave, an armada comprised of thousands of starships and an army with countless "bugs."
Planet after planet fell as Annihilus set out to acquire the Power Cosmic used by Galactus and his Heralds. His endgame? To destroy all life in both universes.
Eventually, the likes of the Silver Surfer, Star-Lord, Drax, and Nova assembled to stop the villain. It was Richard Rider who saved the day, though, as he shoved his fist down Annihilus' throat and killed him by ripping out the creature's internal organs.
3. His Powers (And Weakness)
Annihilus was eventually reborn because, as it turns out, he's not easy to kill. As well as being a skilled fighter and highly intelligent, years of exposure to the Cosmic Control Rod has seen him dubbed a "Universal" threat by the Nova Corps.
The villain has many of the expected powers, including superhuman strength, speed, and stamina. He can also fly and has occasionally been known to "broadcast" fear into others with his mind.
Of course, every baddie needs some weaknesses and, in case it wasn't obvious from his run-in with Nova, his mouth is a big one. So too is the villain's extreme paranoia and the fact he believes everyone is out to steal his Cosmic Control Rod.
2. Killing The Human Torch
Annihilus' greatest victory came when he breached the Baxter Building's portal to the Negative Zone and attempted to once again invade Earth with his army of bugs. Only the Human Torch was there to stop him and Johnny Storm tragically died in the process of doing so.
The villain's worm healers resurrected the hero and, after plotting a prison break, he eventually defeated the villain. We're not necessarily expecting a story like this to play out in the MCU but it shows what a threat this...thing...is.
However, with Marvel Studios seemingly looking to make him a cosmic threat rather than a baddie encountered by the Fantastic Four, there's a chance he won't ever cross paths with Marvel's First Family (unless a Vartiant shows up in First Steps' rumoured villain montage).
1. What Annihilus Means For Nova And The Wider MCU
To bring you up to speed, it's been said that Annihilus will be the main threat in the planned Nova TV series, with Richard Rider set to lead a team of Nova Corps members against him.
Like Secret Invasion, it seems Marvel Studios is taking a major comic book event storyline and condensing it for TV. That doesn't matter too much, though we can't help but think this battle would have been better served in Guardians of the Galaxy 4, for example.
There's nothing to say other heroes won't appear, of course, and a big bad like Annihilus is a great way to establish Nova's place in the MCU as a cosmic superhero. It's been too long since we caught up with the Corps and the show will hopefully finally reveal what Thanos did to Xandar.