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From SCIFIPEDIA
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Doctor Fate (also spelled Dr. Fate) is a fictional comic book character owned by DC Comics. There have been several incarnations of the comic book character over the years. All of them are linked to the Earth bound Lord of Order, Nabu, and the mystical Helmet of Fate.
Character Origin
In the year 3500 B.C, Nabu the Wise, is exiled by his fellow Lords of Order, and finds himself stranded on Earth in mortal form. There he takes on the identity of an Egyptian wizard, and lives out his life as part of the Egyptian royal court. When he dies, his magical power and consciousness are placed inside his magical artifacts, his helmet, amulet and cloak. The artifacts are sealed in the ancient temple of Nabu the Wise. Centuries later, the temple was uncovered by archeologist Sven Nelson accompanied by his young son Kent. When Sven is killed by a poison gas within the tomb, Nabu takes pity on the boy. Coming upon the ancient artifacts, Kent is transformed into a full grown man, and assumes the identity of Doctor Fate.
Doctor Fate come to live in a magical, door-less, and windowless tower in Salem, Massachusetts, which could only be entered through magical means. He eventually marries his love interest, Inza, and the two reside there for decades in relative isolation. Doctor Fate goes out into the world to battle mystical forces and to join the fight against the Nazi war machine as a founding member of the Justice Society of America. Over time, the personality of Nabu takes control of Kent Nelson, something that he and Inza will struggle with throughout his magical career. The Helmet of Fate is found to contain Nabu and many other strange and magical forces, even a pocket universe as well.
Doctor Fate during the Golden Age
Doctor Fate’s Powers
Kent Nelson eventually came to understand that the cost of Doctor Fate’s power was the loss of his own personality, as Nabu became a stronger and stronger influence the longer he wore the helmet. During the war, he wore an alternative helmet for a while to escape Nabu’s influence. Even without the helmet, Doctor Fate could fly, resist harm, exhibit superior strength, and move things with his mind. With his full helmet restored, Doctor Fate has been known to fire mystical bolts of energy, transform objects from one form or substance to another, change energy into solid matter, and transport himself and others over long distances.
Jared Steven's off-beat "Fate" character.
The Doctor Fate Legacy
Kent and Inza eventually age and die, their souls residing in the helmet as well. After this, several mortals take on the Doctor Fate legacy, in various limited and short-lived on-going series, as well as in the Justice Society of America’s own series. None of these characters were big commercial successes.
The mantle is taken up by Eric and Linda Strauss, in joint control under the guidance of Nabu. Linda Strauss took control of the Dr. Fate name and power on her own for a while. The mantle then passes to a resurrected Inza Nelson. After her, Jared Stevens, a mercenary, using the transformed artifacts took the magical forces and the responsibility, as the character known simply as "Fate". Finally, Hector Hall, son of the original Hawkman and Hawkgirl from the Golden Age of Comics, with the artifacts restored to their original form, becomes the new Doctor Fate. Hector joins the modern day Justice Society of America.
Hector Hall and his wife Lyta are eventually forced to retreat to the dream world, forced by a set of circumstances involving the evil wizard Mordru’s struggle to possess the Fate power. Nabu is fatally injured in a battle with the Spectre force, causing the end of the ninth Age of Magic. The Helmet is kicked around the DC Universe for a while, coming into the possession of various DC characters. Eventually, it settles on Kent V. Nelson, grand nephew of Kent Nelson. The newest Doctor Fate is scheduled to begin a new series in the near future.
A Dr. Fate cover, circa 1941.
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