Cassandra Nova is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. Created by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely, Cassandra first appeared in New X-Men #114. Cassandra is a mummudrai, a parasitic life form born bodiless on the astral plane.

The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the team first appeared in The X-Men #1. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to low sales, following its 1975 revival and subsequent direction under writer Chris Claremont, it became one of Marvel's most recognizable and successful franchises. They have appeared in numerous books, television shows, 20th Century Studios's X-Men films, and video games. The X-Men title may refer to the superhero team itself, the eponymous comic series, or the broader franchise including various solo titles and team books such as the New Mutants, Excalibur, and X-Force.