Kent Nelson (New Earth)

Doctor Fate
Mainstream Universe‎‎, 1930s-2011
Gallery
Real Name	Kent Nelson
Main Alias	Doctor Fate
Relatives	Sven Nelson (father, deceased) Celestine Babcock (mother) Aaron Babcock (uncle) Inza Cramer (wife) Kent Nelson, Jr. (son) Kent V. Nelson and Laryn Nelson (distant relatives)
Affiliation	None · formerly Black Lantern Corps · All-Star Squadron · Justice League International · Justice League of America · Justice Society of America · Justice Society International · United States Marine Corps
Base Of Operations	Amulet of Anubis · formerly Tower of Fate, Salem
Status
Alignment	Good
Identity	Secret Identity
Citizenship	American
Marital Status	Married
Occupation	Former Professor · Assistant Professor · Archaeologist · Agent of Order · Physician
Characteristics
Gender	Male
Height	6' 2"
Weight	197 lbs (89 kg)
Eyes	Blue
Hair	Blond
Origin
Universe	Earth-Two · New Earth
Creators	Gardner Fox · Howard Sherman
First Appearance	More Fun Comics #55 (May, 1940)
Appearance of Death	The Book of Fate #1 (February, 1997)

Sometimes I think a good fight accomplishes more than all the learning in the world.

— Kent Nelson

Dr. Kent Nelson is Doctor Fate, a powerful sorcerer and agent for the Lords of Order who fights evil alongside his wife Inza. His amulet, cloak and helmet are creations of the ancient Nabu who acts as his mentor and spiritual guide. He is a founding member of the Justice Society of America.

History

Origins

 Main article: Doctor Fate Origins

Kent Nelson was the son of archaeologist Sven Nelson and, around the year 1920, the two of them were exploring the Valley of Ur in Mesopotamia when they discovered an underground pyramid. It contained Nabu, an ancient immortal from the planet Cilia who had been held in suspended animation for thousands of years.

Kent meets Nabu

Kent released him, but the lever accidentally unleashed a poisonous gas that killed his father. It would later be revealed that Nabu engineered this situation to gain a new host. Nabu decided to mentor the young boy in the secrets of the universe, giving him incredible powers through total molecular control and taking his grief away from him. He would serve as an agent of the Lords of Order in their never-ending battle against the Lords of Chaos. Having finished his training, Nabu gave him an amulet, cloak and helmet to become a champion of good as Doctor Fate. Kent would go on adventures as Fate, although Nabu's spirit would always guide him through the helmet and he would awaken with little memory of his own exploits. He would go on to meet a beautiful college student named Inza Cramer while traveling through Alexandria, and she would become his long-time romantic partner and confidante. His first battle was against the evil sorcerer Wotan, who struck at him through Inza using an agent named Thomas Frawley.

Early Career

Doctor Fate went on to fight evil threats with his powers along with Inza. Having locked Wotan for good, Fate stopped Magno the Mighty, he recovered and destroyed the Lost Book of Toth, defeated two species of evil space men, and stopped the Norns.

Like this, Fate accomplished many feats against supernatural threats. Eventually, Doctor Fate was challenged by the evil genius Karkull who later joined forces with Wotan to defeat Fate, without success. Afterwards, Doctor Fate was challenged by the evil Mister Who on more than one occasion. Fate later encountered other villains like Clock and the Red Sage.

Kent Nelson became dissatisfied with his current situation and he decided to become a real medical doctor in order to save more lives. Shortly afterwards, Kent became engaged to his faithful companion, Inza and they spent more time together.

Justice Society

First meeting of the Justice Society of America

Early in his career, Dr. Fate's first encounter with a hero of that era was the Spectre, the wrath of God. Together they destroyed a military gateway to a netherworld of demons. It was World War II and America was pulled into the war, Dr. Fate and many other mystery men help defeat an assassination attempt of President Roosevelt's life. At Roosevelt's request, they formed the Justice Society of America.

During this time, Kent found the helmet becoming more and more possessive of him, so rather than abandoning his battle against chaos, Kent created the half helm. Although Kent's powers were severely limited, he still had the ability of flight, invulnerability and super strength. However, Kent donned the helmet one last time in order to find the missing Spectre. Dr. Fate discovered that the Spectre was under the control of Kulak and in a titanic battle with the Spectre, he was defeated and the Helmet of Nabu was lost somewhere in the netherverse. It would not be until the early 1960s that Kent Nelson would somehow recover the helmet of Nabu and become Dr. Fate again. In the early 1950s Kent Nelson had retired his fate persona and became a physician, but some time later he had recovered the Helmet of Nabu under never explained events, and in 1955 he fought Khalis, the mad Egyptian priest who once used his Amulet of Anubis. It was not until the 1963 that Kent would rejoin the Justice Society of America. As their Justice Society comrades aged, Kent and Inza seemed immortal. The magic fate held over them, virtually stopped their aging process. Inza and Kent also received a small portion of Ian Karkull's power which gave them even more vitality.

Little is known of Fate's adventures during this period save for the JSA's annual gatherings with the Justice League of America from the parallel world of Earth-One (the JSA being on Earth-Two), and a pair of adventures he shared with fellow JSA member Hourman facing the monstrous Solomon Grundy and the villainous Psycho-Pirate.

Chaos and Death

Fate fights Chaos

After an encounter with both Flashes from Earth-One and Two, Doctor Fate tried to stop the threat of a Lord of Chaos released upon Earth. Unfortunately, the Lord of Chaos took hold of Inza and used her against Fate, to weaken his powers and eliminate his resistance. Although Fate was almost beaten, he managed to defeat the Lord of Chaos and restored the damage created, all thanks to his drive and determination to save Inza. This wouldn't be Fate's last encounter with Lords of Chaos, as he was soon sent to a strange dimension, where he had to confront Vandaemeon. Unable to beat the Lord of Chaos, Fate returned defeated, only to find that Inza had left him. Fate soon understood that this was all a plan to break him and the mastermind behind it all was a renegade Lord of Order called Ynar, who allied himself with Vandaemon in order to take over the universe. Fate was helpless against their combined forces, but thanks to Inza's sudden return, he merged the consciousness of the Kents together inside the Helmet of Nabu, giving him enough power to defeat the Lords of Order and Chaos. After a successful battle, Kent and Inza realized their deep love for each other and started working to improve their relationship.

Later, Dr. Fate became a founding member of the new Justice League and the heroes foiled the plans of Darkseid to turn the people of earth against heroes. Kent's last adventure with the League was against the Gray Man. At the end of that case, Fate retired into space to meditate on the situation.

Kent's last adventure

During the late 1980s chaos and order were at breaking point. It was the Kali Yuga, the final age of man. Order had pulled out of battle, waiting for Chaos to engulf itself to create the new Golden Age. The strain of the Kali Yuga on Kent and Inza had caused them both to age rapidly. The strain on Inza was unbearable, in 1987, Inza committed suicide which left Kent devastated and on the verge of suicide. Nabu had become more dominant in the relationship and would not allow Kent to die until he could find a new host body.

Kent reluctantly helped Nabu find Eric Strauss as his protegee as the new Fate. It was only during this short time that Kent discovered that Doctor Fate was meant to be the result of the merging of two humans with a mystical bond, much like his bond with Inza. Kent convinced Nabu to allow Eric Strauss and his human bond, Linda to become the new Doctor Fate. Afterwards, Kent requested to die and Nabu allowed Kent to pass away.

Afterlife and Return

The Nelsons enjoyed an afterlife in which they lived normal lives unknowingly in the Amulet of Anubis. They raised a child called Kent and once again Fate would play a role in their lives again.

In desperation, Nabu travels to the Tower of Fate in Salem, to prepare the way for the TRUE Dr. Fate, Kent and Inza Nelson. As the they look into the amulet of Anubis, they see the souls of Kent and Inza Nelson. Jack C. Small and Petey venture into the amulet to find the Nelsons while Linda and Nabu prepare to fight Benjamin Stoner. With Nabu's help, Linda can touch the items and become Fate with Nabu. Nabu and Linda create a four armed Dr. Fate to battle the Anti-Fate. However, they fail and the Anti-Fate rejects the Lords of Chaos. Within the amulet, Jack C. Small and Petey discover that Hesse is inside the amulet. With his help they find the Nelsons and try to persuade them to come back to earth. Inza called this world heaven as the Nelson's could live the life they wanted to live. In this world, they even had a son called Kent junior. Inza does not want to leave this so-called heaven but eventually agrees that they could make this life happen on Earth.

Linda dies from her wounds from the battle with the Anti-Fate as her soul goes into Wendy, a woman who just recently died. There she is rejoined with her husband Eugene (Eric) and their daughter Raina where they will become the new seeds of humanity. Nabu is given the choice between humanity and being an immortal Lord of Order, he chooses humanity and his soul goes into Wendy's unborn child. Kent Nelson & Inza Nelson become the new Doctor Fate.

Zero Hour

Extant attacks.

 Main article: Zero Hour

In 1994, Dr. Fate was once again formed into the male Dr. Fate but under the control of Kent and Inza. During Zero Hour, Dr. Fate led the Justice Society on its last battle against Extant, a minion of Parallax. Extant defeated the JSA and as he had the power of both a Lord of Order and Chaos, he forced the split of Dr. Fate, flinging the helmet and amulet through the netherverse which would eventually return to Egypt, a nexus of Fate's power. Kent and Inza tried to recover the items of Fate from Jared Stevens, a mercenary who would later become the new Fate. The items rejected Kent and Inza and the Nelsons chose Jared Stevens as the new holder of Fate. After a deadly battle with the servants of the demon Kingdom, the Nelsons were killed and were eventually allowed into the afterlife yet again. Kent and Inza did not die after giving the items to Jared Stevens but became disembodied spirits seemingly existing in a pocket universe inside Fate's amulet.

Blackest Night

 Main article: Blackest Night

His current fate was unknown until Kent was re-animated as a Black Lantern, and then being destroyed in New York City as the JSA's bomb went off.

A Last Sign of Life

When Hal Jordan was injured on a distant planet, and the energy of his ring is almost exhausted, it is revealed that a fraction of the original Doctor Fate was inside his ring. When Fate and Jordan shaken hands years ago, Fate set a fraction of himself, traveling through time, within the ring in the current times. Fate had only enough power to sustain him and Jordan, then return to his body in his own time, passing along what he had learned there. The two begin to discuss whether Fate should use his energy to save Jordan. Because it was never known the cause of Fate losing his immortality, maybe this very spell Fate used was the real reason. Even having the chance to be able to change his own destiny, Fate chooses to help Jordan to escape from that planet.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

• Divine Empowerment: On his own, Kent Nelson possess limited levels of superhuman abilities in which are mystical in nature, having been altered by Nabu himself to make him a capable bearer of the Helmet of Fate. While possessing limited abilities on his own, he can bolster his powers by using the Helmet of Fate or having a patron.
  • Telekinesis: when used in conjunction with his helmet, this ability was powerful enough to move a planet into the sun. Without it, Fate could be strong enough only to lift cars.
    • Flight
    • Invulnerability
    • Superhuman Strength
  • Hypnosis (even without helmet)
• Magic: Of his own admission, Nelson only knows a few spells he is able to cast on his own without the help of the Helmet of Fate.
  • Phasing: Kent wore a spell to enter in his Tower of Salem.
  • Photokinesis: Nelson can cast light through the Spell of Coherent Light.

Abilities

• Occultism: Tutored in the mystic arts by Nabu, Kent Nelson was considered one of the greatest sorcerers of his time.
• Medical Science: During the earlier parts of his adult life, Kent Nelson later held a medical doctorate degree (M.D). He is a capable surgeon.
  • Medicine
• Archaeology: Kent Nelson once had a doctorate degree in Archaeology and was considered a brilliant archaeologist.
• Pedagogy: Nelson was a certified college-level professor whom taught Archaeology; his expertise was great enough to enable Nelson later to prove his knowledge when unable to use his credentials when in a younger body and later teach once more despite lacking his credentials.
• Multilingualism: He speaks Portuguese, Spanish, other and ancient languages as an archaeologist/occultist.
• Martial Arts
  • Jujitsu

Weaknesses

• Power Limitation: While among the most powerful beings on Earth as a sorcerer, Kent possess several limitations as Doctor Fate.
  • Dependency on the Helmet of Fate: Without the Helm of Fate, he is significantly weakened and can only perform some spells on his lonesome.
  • Dependency on Patron: While an accomplished sorcerer, he is incapable of utilizing potent forms magic on his own without a form of assistance such as a Lord of Order. It was once commented that he lacked the power on his own to sufficiently trap magic and must instead channel it through another being.
  • Vulnerability to Breathlessness: In his earlier years, Nelson was vulnerable gas of any kind or he could also be completely paralyzed if he was deprived from air to breathe.
  • Simultaneous Spell-Casting Limits:His grand-nephew asserted that Kent, while capable of casting more than one spell simultaneously, can do less than six at a time.
  • Power Instability: Long mystical battles or casting powerful spells can affect Fate's power, causing depletion and needs to restore his mystical energy with rest from time to time.
    

Paraphernalia

Equipment

• Helmet of Fate: A powerful magical artifact created by the Lord of Order, Nabu. The Helmet of Fate, Nelson was granted formidable magical powers and was considered one of the most powerful sorcerers in the modern age. (Formerly)
  • Repository of Spells: One of the inate abilites of the Helm of Fate includes possessing a vast array of spells in which a bearer can call upon and use such spells. This ability of the helm was never used formally by Kent Nelson.
  • Magic & Spell-Casting: Unlike other sorcerers, Nelson described being Doctor Fate as being a "Earth-bound Lord of Order", allowing him or beareres through a melding, to control the magic in several different manners; through spell-casting or visalizing what he wants to happen. While being Doctor Fate, he was capable of:
    • Astral Projection
    • Clairvoyance: He knows a ritual to see through a brasier what is happening in a far place.
    • Chronokinesis
    • Dimensional Travel: Can easily open ankh-shaped portals to travel anywhere
    • Divination
    • Eldritch Blast: Ankh and lightning bolt-shaped blasts.
    • Energy Construct Creation: At the beginning of his career, Fate transported various JSA members through the Atlantic with energy generated tentacles.
    • Energy Negation: He destroyed the creative power of the Norns. With the helmet, Fate feels no emotion, and is completely immune to Psycho-Pirate's powers.
    • Electrokinesis: He can summon mystical lightning
    • Force Field: one of his fields could withstand the attacks from Aquarius during one full week.
    • Healing
    • Illusion Casting
    • Invisibility
    • Magnetic Manipulation: Can manipulate the magnetic fields of the Earth
    • Hypnosis
    • Molecular Reconstruction: This affects organic matter.
    • Necromancy
    • Resurrection
    • Telepathy: He can read and detect minds from across dimensions
    • Teleportation: Both regular teleportation and ankh-shaped short distance warps.
    • Bio-Fission
    • Divine Empowerment: Nabu knows the true name of Ra, and can use his divine power to momentarily increase his own magic (or others).
    • Energy Resistance
    • Flame Spell: In his early career, it was Fate's primary spell. Fate learned this ability in the Lost Book of Thoth.
    • Mystic Augmentation: While wearing the helm, Nelson's physical abilities were further augmented.
      • Invulnerability: Dr. Fate could withstand military weapons, an explosion which could destroy a mansion, and even several punches from Kryptonians like Superman and Ultraman
      • Superhuman Strength: Fate's strength is transferable while he wears the Helmet. With it on, his strength is comparable to Superman and Martian Manhunter
      • Magical Awareness
      • Cosmic Awareness
• Amulet of Anubis (Formerly)
  • Necromancy
  • Ectokinesis
  • Power Augmentation
  • Dimensional Travel
• Cloak of Destiny (Formerly)
• Doctor Fate's Half-Helmet: Once an ordinary half helmet made in lieu of the original, after having departed from Nabu for a time, Nelson was granted the power to become Doctor Fate by channeling his power through Shat-Ru, another Lord of Order. Unlike his patronage with Nabu, he retained his mental fascilities.
  • Magic: With the Half-Helm under Shat-Ru, he could channel magic through the Lords of Order. This level of power was considered a more powerful method of magic and spell-casting.
    • Eldritch Blast
    • Teleportation
• Magic Ring He once wore a magic ring that could locate people.
• Orb of Nabu: This artifact was stored inside his Tower of Salem.

Notes

• In their initial years of publication, the Fate's abilities were described as "the secret of the conversion of energy in matter and matter in energy". In the current continuity, the greater part of Doctor Fate's powers come from the mystical Helmet of Fate. However, Kent Nelson has trained throughout his career to become an accomplished adventurer as well as amassing his own personal sorcery skills.
• The first Doctor Fate series depicted Kent Nelson's identity as Doctor Fate eventually becoming public knowledge during Inza's tenure following a battle with Chaos. However, Fate and Countdown to Mystery later re-established his identity as Doctor Fate being secret, with the general public having minimal information regarding Doctor Fate's activities beyond his exploits within the Justice Society of America.

• Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-Two era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and no longer apply.

Golden Age Dr. Fate Chronology:

Full Helmet Era

• Events of More Fun Comics #67 (May 1941) and Secret Origins (Volume 2) #24, origin story, published out of sequence, took place at or before May 1940, as did the events of Dr. Fate's flashback story in All-Star Squadron #47.
• Events of More Fun Comics #55 (May 1940) through #68 (June 1941), plus DC Special #29 and Secret Origins (Volume 2) #31 and All-Star Comics #3 through #7, took place before Dec 1940.
• Doctor Fate's first and second battles with Ian Karkull, in More Fun Comics #69 and #70 (July & Aug 1941), took place in 1940-Dec.
  • These conflicts had already happened last year in late June 1941, the time of Karkull's third and most elaborate attack, per Green Lantern's remark in All-Star Squadron Annual #3.
• More Fun Comics #71 (Sep 1941), is an ambiguous case. These events may have taken place any time from Late Dec 1940 to 30 June 1941. Fate wore the full helmet while dealing with a planetary destruction level threat. The Earth had stopped rotating. This was Dr. Fate's last Golden Age solo appearance in the full helmet.
• At the end of June 1941, after that third battle with Karkull, Dr. Fate had just started to realize that Nabu was taking control of him, whenever he donned the Helm of Nabu, and he withdrew from JSA activity, to address this problem.

Half Helmet Era

• All-Star Comics #8 (Dec.41/Jan.42) was Fate's first JSA appearance in the new helmet. The JSA story is set in June 1941.
  • Per Roy Thomas's text page in All-Star Squadron #2, events of All-Star Comics #7, through All-Star Comics #10, including the retrieval of the Bomb Defense Formula from the future, and Degaton's subsequent sabotage thereof, took place a few short weeks before 7 Dec 1941.
• More Fun Comics #72 (Oct 1941) was Dr. Fate's first golden age solo appearance in the half helmet, and may have taken place as early as June 1941. Events of More Fun Comics #73 (Oct 1941) and More Fun Comics #74 (Nov 1941) took place between June 1941 and Dec 1941.
• Events of Justice League of America #193 through All-Star Squadron #9 took place in Dec 1941. In All-Star Comics #11, the JSA disbanded and the members joined the armed forces.
  • Roy Thomas, in ASQ#2: "The events of ALL-STAR #11 spanned a period which, at a conservative estimate, covered the first several weeks after December 7, 1941 – but by the end of the issue, America's military leaders had seen the folly of allowing the JSA to fight individually against the enemy hordes."
  • In All-Star Comics #12 (Aug/Sep 1942) and All-Star Squadron #30, the team soon reorganized itself as the Justice Battalion, and called itself that until, at least, All-Star Comics #16. By early Feb 1942, most or all of the JBA members had resumed their civilian secret identities.
• In All-Star Squadron #23, during a dire emergency in early Feb 1942, Dr. Fate again briefly reverted to wearing the full helmet while searching for the missing Spectre. In All-Star Squadron #28, the Helm of Nabu, along with Kulak the High Priest of Brztl, were sent hurtling through an infinity of dimensions.
• Events of All-Star Squadron #48 and #49 took place in March 1942, as did the events of More Fun Comics #75 (Jan 1942) through More Fun Comics #77 (Mar 1942).
• Events of All-Star Comics #13 (Oct/Nov 1942), of All-Star Squadron #50 through #59, took place during April 1942.
• Events of More Fun Comics #78 (Apr 1942) through #84 (Oct 1942) had all taken place, and been documented in Miss America's JSA archives, prior to June 1942, per Young All-Stars #27. That same month in All-Star Comics #14, Dr. Fate and the Spectre went on a humanitarian mission behind enemy lines in occupied Europe, and were able to avoid being corrupted onto the Nazi side, despite the unholy sorcery of the Spear of Destiny's Sphere of Influence.
• In More Fun Comics #85 (Nov 1942), Kent Nelson entered, attended, and finished medical school, with supernatural speed and ease. At this time, he stopped wearing the Cloak of Destiny.
• In All-Star Comics #21 (Summer 1944), Dr. Fate participated in the Justice Society's deathbed rehabilitation of "The Man Who Re-Lived His Life", as his final golden age JSA adventure. In More Fun Comics #98 (Jul/Aug 1944), Dr. Fate defeated "The Bashful King of Crime," as his last golden age solo adventure. And in Wonder Woman #242 (Apr 1978) Fate had his last WWII-era adventure.
• Prior to his appearances in 1st Issue Special #9 (via retcon) and Justice League of America #21 (historical), Dr. Fate recovered the Helm of Nabu, sometime between 1945 and 1955, under circumstances which remain untold. Last Days of the Justice Society Special #1 shown Dr. Fate wearing the half-helmet in the past, during FDR's funeral (April 15, 1945).
  

Trivia

• Kent was 12 years old when he met Nabu, whom physically age him about 15 years.
• Kent became Doctor Fate in 1940.
• During the Doctor Fate series after his ressurection, Kent remarked to being 87 years old but physically about 27.
• Kent is of both Swedish and American descent.
• Nelson once lost his Aracheology doctorate degree credentials due to being unable to prove them on account of inhabiting a younger body.
  

Recommended Reading

• Doctor Fate Recommended Reading
  • The Book of Fate (Volume 1)
  • Countdown to Mystery (Volume 1)
  • Doctor Fate (Volume 1)
  • Doctor Fate (Volume 2)
  • Doctor Fate (Volume 3)
  • Doctor Fate (Volume 4)
  • Fate (Volume 1)
  • The Flash (Volume 1): The Flash #306– #313
  • Helmet of Fate (Volume 1)
  • Immortal Doctor Fate (Volume 1)
  • JSA (Volume 1)
  • More Fun Comics (Volume 1)

Related

• 520 Appearances of Kent Nelson (New Earth)
• 124 Images featuring Kent Nelson (New Earth)
• 21 Quotations by or about Kent Nelson (New Earth)
• Character Gallery: Kent Nelson (New Earth)

Footnotes

Justice Society of America member This character is or was a primary member of the Justice Society of America in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Justice Society of America members" category.

Justice League member This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Justice League of America members" category.

Black Lantern Corps member This character is or was a member of the Black Lantern Corps. Those who have died may wield the Black Power Ring, symbolizing their lack of both life and emotion. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Black Lantern Corps members category."

All-Star Squadron member This character is or was a member of the All-Star Squadron in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "All-Star Squadron members" category.