In 1920, archaeologist Sven Nelson and his son Kent go on an expedition to the Valley of Ur. While exploring a temple discovered by his father, Kent opens the tomb of Nabu the Wise and revives him from suspended animation, accidentally releasing a poisonous gas which kills Sven. Nabu takes pity on Kent and teaches him the skills of a sorcerer over the next twenty years before giving him a mystical helmet, amulet, and cloak. In 1940, Kent meets Inza Cramer and Wotan in Alexandria, Egypt on his way back to America.[30] After arriving back in the United States, Kent begins a career fighting crime and supernatural evil as the sorcerer and superhero Doctor Fate and sets up a base in a tower in Salem, Massachusetts.[30][31] Kent helps co-found the Justice Society of America in 1940.[32] Kent switches to a half helmet in 1941 due to Nabu occasionally possessing him through the helmet.[33][34] Kent becomes a physician in 1942.[35] Kent later enlists in the U.S. Army and serves as a Paratrooper during World War II.[36] He resigns from the JSA in 1944 and becomes an archaeologist.[37][38] Kent returns to crimefighting when the Justice Society reforms, again using the original helmet.[39] Sometime later, Kent co-founds a new Justice League.[40] Soon after, Kent and Inza pass away from old age when the magic they use to stay young fails.[12] During the Blackest Night event, Kent is briefly resurrected as a member of the Black Lantern Corps.[41] Kent becomes Dr. Fate again when he meets his grandnephew, Khalid Nassour, the current Dr. Fate. With two Helmets of Nabu, they both become Dr. Fate and fight Egyptian monsters and deities for a short period of time.[42] Nabu later appears to Ted Kord, warning him that the Blue Beetle's scarab is magical and not science. He uses Kent's body to appear as Dr. Fate while Kent is trapped in the Tower of Fate. Kent later takes control and helps fight the enemy with Jaime Reyes and Ted Kor
