Kent V. Nelson (New Earth)

Kent V. Nelson is Doctor Fate, a powerful sorcerer and former psychiatrist who wields the Helmet of Fate in the fight against evil. His grand-uncle is the original Fate, Kent Nelson. He is a member of the Justice Society of America.

History

Day of Vengeance

 Main article: Day of Vengeance

Nelson's predecessor as Doctor Fate was Hector Hall, who died in service alongside his wife as their souls entered the Dreaming realm.^[3] The powerful sorcerer Nabu still controlled the helmet, amulet and cloak until he was killed by the rampaging Spectre during Infinite Crisis. This signaled the ending of the Ninth Age of Magic, and began the more chaotic Tenth Age of Magic. Captain Marvel threw the helmet into space, assuming that they would let fate determine who would next wear the mantle.^[4] It would pass through the hands of Detective Chimp,^[5] Black Alice,^[6] Ibis the Invincible,^[7] Sargon the Sorcerer^[8] and Zauriel^[9] on its voyage.

Origins

 Main article: Countdown to Mystery

Fate had been good to psychiatrist Dr Kent V. Nelson. He had a lovely wife and daughter, a well-heeled practice, recognition in the community, and taught an annual seminar at the university. This made Kent's affair with a university student reckless in the extreme. To compound the situation, he left the evidence lying around; when his wife found out, she left him, taking their daughter with her. Kent slid into depression, barely able to care about his patients any more. He pretended he was listening, faked giving them his attention, but even that began to pall eventually. Ultimately, it was this lack of attention which led to his final downfall.

One of Kent's patients, a man who claimed he was being tormented by an unearthly creature, had a psychotic episode, driving his car along the Las Vegas Strip, running people down. Thirteen died, and many more were injured. Kent, aware he'd failed the man, used his family gift, the ability to see into others' minds, to find out what had driven him to it. What Kent saw shook him so badly, he shut the memory out, trying desperately to forget it. Kent was blamed for the deaths, standing by and doing nothing when his patient went off his meds.

He was sued by the victims' families for negligence and wrongful claims - and by his patient's family for malpractice. He lost his house and his job. His wife divorced him, and his lover left him. Several months later, Kent had ended up a derelict on the streets, taking part in bumfight videos for money. After being left in a dumpster to "sleep off" his second fight, he fumbled around for something he could use to cover himself against the storm overhead. He found the Helmet of Fate, which had landed in the dumpster after traveling through the realms of existence. Thinking only of how he could use it to cover his head, Kent put it on - only to find the Helmet taking him on a mental tour of its recent past, from the end of the Day of Vengeance onwards, after Captain Marvel had hurled it into space. Then, much against Kent's will, it took him on a tour of his own recent past.^[10]

Nelson is soon confronted by the demon Negal, who tries to reach an agreement with Doctor Fate, but Nelson refuses, creating an instant enemy in the powerful demon.^[11]

Nelson learns spells gradually and uses the helmet for gambling. He meets a woman named Maddy, who runs an occult bookstore, where he goes into an intense inter-dimensional meditation exploring the pains of his psyche. After this incident, Kent uses the magic in the real world to fly.^[12] Later, as he starts sinking into self-pity and depression after forgetting both his daughter's birthday and the magic word for flying, he falls into a large, nearby fountain and nearly drowns until he is saved by an intrepid young comic artist named Inza. The potential reunion between reincarnated lovers is tragically cut short when Inza is completely liquefied, as a result of Negal's magic. After the death of Inza, Kent V. Nelson seems all but certain to retreat further into alcoholism.^[13]

After learning that the helmet's origins go back to World War II,^[14] and also the past history of the first Doctor Fate, Nelson gave the helmet to Maddy.^[15] He was immediately captured by Negal. On her first attempt at using the helmet, Maddy is also brought to despair by Negal's sidekick, Ymp, and brought to him alongside the captured Nelson and the remains of Inza.^[16]

Small Magic
Maddy was inspired by Kent's efforts to overcome his self-absorption to distract Negal with an image of Inza's character Killhead. This gives enough time for an elf with a gun to shoot Negal. The elf then departs, as a quacking voice invites him to share a beer with the "big guy", "Thunny", "Megs" and "Bev" before the big guy has to "head upstairs". Nelson and Inza recover, and Maddy gives him back the helmet. As they return to Vegas, Nelson says that whatever happened, it took all three of them, and that the helmet still has a lot to teach them.

Penultimate Breath
Nelson sees his life flashing before his eyes, as Negal gloats that he will now destroy Dr. Fate forever. Nelson seizes on the happy moments in his life, and claims that killing him never achieved anything, and he should know. He tells Negal that Dr. Fate is an ideal, and has returned before. Since Nelson is no longer consumed by self-pity, Negal (lord of the self-despised) is powerless and returns them all to where he left them, claiming that he will return. With Inza back in her apartment and Maddy back at the bookshop, Nelson returns to the casino, reflecting that every journey must end, through chance or fate.

The Fifty-Minute Hour
Maddy tried to wake Nelson, but cannot. In his dream, Nelson has a conversation with one of his patients, Mr. Mardillo, who is drawn to resemble Steve Gerber, and the scene takes the form of a text piece, a common occurrence in Gerber's work. Mordillo explains fate is the hand you are dealt, but destiny is the way you play it. Negal hates fate because, as a demon, he has no way of changing his destiny. Mardillo points out that Nelson seems resigned to the same thing, and talks him through his problems. As in the previous story, Nelson's newfound hope gives him power against Negal and, although he acknowledges his depression will return, for the moment he is able to use the helmet to free himself and the others, briefly gaining the original Dr. Fate's costume while doing so. Back in Vegas, he is astonished to find a note from Mardillo in his pocket, but is unable to read the handwriting.

This Diminished Life
Maddy was "tripping" on the power in the helmet and unable to use it effectively. Upon seeing Kent awaken, she gives him the helmet. Finding Inza is now a living statue, he asks her if she wants to live and, when she says yes, points out to Negal that she still has hope, and is therefore beating him. Using his psychiatric skills, he diagnoses Negal's obsession with causing and feeding on misery as indicating an addictive personality with narcissistic tendencies. Acknowledging his own faults, he adds that he was still good at his job, and offers to help Negal. The final panel shows Kent flying across Vegas, with Inza and Maddy in tow, reflecting on how well Negal's therapy is going and that he may be falling in love with Inza.

Reign in Hell

 Main article: Reign in Hell

Kent V. Nelson has made sporadic appearances in Hell, in the finale he helps a group of magic-using heroes escape from Hell.

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Justice Society

During a massive attack on the Justice Society by over a dozen villains, Flash sought out Fate's aid. Kent, still not having full control over his abilities, was able to bluff long enough for the Justice Society to regroup.^[17] Kent returned with the group to their Brownstone. They quickly discovered Mister Terrific suffering from life-threatening injuries. Kent was instrumental in Terrific's survival. He then helped the Society in the brawl to capture most of the villains. Shortly after this incident, the Society broke up into two teams. Most of the younger members joined the JSA All-Stars but Kent remained with the elder group.^[18] The reorganized Justice Society next came under attack when Mordru possessed Kent's body. Mordru was quickly discovered and left his body. Finally utilizing more of his abilities, Kent helped the team recover and route Mordru.^[19]

Powers and Abilities

Powers

• Transformation: Kent can become Doctor Fate at will.^[20]

Abilities

• Occultism: As a sorcerer, Kent has learned several spells overtime.^[21]
• Psychiatry: Kent is a qualified psychiatrist, with a particular facility for listening to people. He is easily able to read people's personalities and understand the motivation behind their actions. Allowing him to predict their actions, making him amazingly tactical when fighting enemies.
• Deception: Due to his inexperience, Kent is not as skilled nor power as his namesake and makes use of Doctor Fate's formidable reputation in order to fool others to believing him to be more power than he actually is.^[21]
• Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)^[22]

0

Weaknesses

• Power Limitation: Kent V. suffers from several types of limitations imposed upon him as Doctor Fate.
  • Power Instability: Higher levels of magic caused an insurmountable amount of pain for Kent.^[23]
  • Separation of the Helmet of Fate: Separation from the Helmet of Fate removes his powers.^[20]
  • Simultaneous Casting: Unlike the first Kent Nelson or more experience combat sorcerers like Mordru, Kent cannot cast a large number spells simultaneously. While the actual number he can cast is not known, he remarked he couldn't even do a half-dozen (six).^[20]
  • Vulnerability to Loud Sounds: Loud noises impair Kent's ability to 'hear' what the Helmet tells him, making it difficult for him to cast spells.

Other Characteristics

• Scarred Appearance: While helping Lightning in an interdimensional experience, Kent was given a ankh shaped scar on his face and lost his hair.^[24]
  

Paraphernalia

Equipment

• Helmet of Fate: A magical object originally housing the spirit of Nabu and allowed him to have influence over his hosts, the helm has since acted as a repository of magic and knowledge of spells in which case the user can have access to, even with the death of it's former housing spirit. The Helm of Fate allows for spell-casting, granting the user the ability to cast spells. The Helm also grants Kent a high-level of magical power; the Starheart once stated that although he considered Sebastian Faust powerful, that he was no match for the spells of Doctor Fate.^[25]
  • Helmet of Fate Empowerment: The Helmet of Fate enhances Kent with various empowerments.^[26]
    • Superhuman Strength^[26]
    • Cosmic Awareness^[26]
    • Enhanced Intellect^[26]
    • Flight^[27]
  • Magic and Spell-Casting: The Helm of Fate allows Kent to manipulate magic and cast spells at will.^[26]
    • Helm of Fate's Repository of Spells: While sharing his mind with Mordru, Kent learned a facet of the Helm's abilities in which allows him access to an vast array of spells wihtin the helm and can call upon it.^[20]
    • Basic & General Level Magics: Prior to becoming more proficient, Kent was able to utilize basic magic abilities and spells.^[26]
      • Force Field: Kent can conjure a force field known as "Jaduan Shield."^[26]
      • Energy Construct Creation: Kent can send spear constructs known as "Jaduan Spear" or "Jaduan Spear Volley".^[26]
      • Probability Manipulation: Kent can manipulate probability to be more favorable.^[28]
      • Healing: Kent knows a general healing spell.^[22]
      • Molecular Reconstruction: Kent can transmute blood types into other types.^[29]
      • Teleportation: Kent can teleport at will.^[30][31]
    • Advance Level Magics: Kent is able to utilize more advance levels of magic with greater efforts.^[23]
      • Advanced Healing: Kent can use magic to bring someone back from the brink of death although it takes more concentration, time, and power.^[23]
      • Ectokinesis: Kent can manipulate souls for his uses at will, although he stated it is both complex and he takes "shortcuts" as well as act on instinct.^[32]

• Amulet of Anubis
• Cloak of Destiny

Notes

• Steve Gerber created the new Doctor Fate as his attempt to revitalize the character. His work was originally intended to be part of a Doctor Fate (Volume 4) series with artist Paul Gulacy, but health-related problems forced him to rework it into the mini-series Countdown to Mystery with Justiniano.^[33] Sadly he died of pulmonary fibrosis before the story could be completed, and multiple conclusions were written in Countdown to Mystery #8 as a tribute by Adam Beechen, Gail Simone, Mark Evanier and Mark Waid.^[34][35] The planned solo Doctor Fate book did not materialize; the next volume of the book came only years later and featured a different character.
  

Recommended Reading

• Countdown to Mystery (Volume 1)
• Justice Society of America (Volume 3)
• Reign in Hell (Volume 1)

Related

• 71 Appearances of Kent V. Nelson (New Earth)
• 45 Images featuring Kent V. Nelson (New Earth)
• 2 Quotations by or about Kent V. Nelson (New Earth)
• Character Gallery: Kent V. 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.