WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy #15 by Al Ewing, Juan Frigeri, Federico Blee, VC's Cory Petit, on sale now.
Nova has been having a difficult time adjusting to many changes in his life, lately. So when he and Peter Quill arrived at S.W.O.R.D.'s space station to begin talks in conjunction with the Hellfire Gala, Nova was pushed over the edge when he saw Magneto, and a diplomatic that could've brought the Guardians of the Galaxy closer to Earth's Solar System than ever before just descended into fighting before negotiations could even start. Unable to accept that someone who had committed so many crimes could just get away with it, Nova tried to arrest Magneto, igniting a fight between the two in Guardians of the Galaxy #15.
Nova was still simmering over Star-Lord's decision to bring Doctor Doom into the Guardians of the Galaxy. He listened to Peter's reasoning and agreed that Doom was not someone who could be contained, but he was still angry over how Star-Lord inducted a notorious villain onto the team without consulting any of them. Nova tried to put his anger on the backburner though when they arrived at the S.W.O.R.D. space station and found Magneto, who Nova also still sees as a villain.
Tired of working closely with those who have traditionally been supervillains, Nova referenced an old crime of Magneto's that would warrant an arrest. Star-Lord tried to dissuade him, but Nova began ranting about how villains continue to get away with crimes and he wasn't about to let Magneto get the same treatment.
Nova's attempt to arrest the Omega-Level mutant resulted in a skirmish between the two. Magneto tried to end the disagreement by crushing Nova between two ships, but was surprised when Nova used his powers to access electromagnetic powers. With this new "flavor" he was able to cancel out anything Magneto could throw at him. But before the fight could go any further, Abigail Brand defused the situation with a security team.
With reason restored, Star-Lord and Abigail left to begin the actual talking, while Nova was left behind with Magneto. He admitted he was wrong to pick a fight and Magneto confessed that he should not have risen to the bait. The two then discussed the frustration and disillusionment they felt that led to them giving in to the fight. They both started out believing in their powers and simple answers. But as time passed and the world became more complex, compromises had to be made that both men have had trouble accepting. So when a seemingly simple answer presented itself, the temptation was too great for either of them to resist.
Nova cited the various complexities of his life at the moment, including Doom's position as a teammate, how Annihilus saved his life, and how the Super-Skrull now runs Nova's ops room. People he's been fighting against his entire life have suddenly become a much bigger part of it, and those various situations make him very uncomfortable. While villains turning over a new leaf is a tried and true part of the Marvel Universe,
Magneto's insights into the nature of compromise, and how it might finally lead to a universe they both want to inhabit could be the key to Nova finally putting aside his anger. He's not wrong about Doom not being trustworthy, but Nova has seen far too much to let his future be defined by old feuds.
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