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User:JayAaerow/sandbox/Helmet of Fate

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Helmet of Fate
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceMore Fun Comics #55 (May 1940)
Created byGardner Fox, Howard Sherman
In story information
TypeMystic item/artifactWeapon
Element of stories featuringDoctor Fate

The Helmet of Fate is a fictional artifact appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The artifact made its debut in More Fun Comics #55 (May 1940), a creation of Garnder Fox and Howard Sherman, where it became an integral part of the Doctor Fate character. Over time, the artifact has remained a significant and consistent element, influencing various iterations of Doctor Fate's powers and abilities. The item primarily bestows power upon Doctor Fate, initially through scientific concepts and later through its magical nature. It is often depicted as an artifact created by Nabu, a Lord of Order based upon by the Mesopotamian deity of the same name.[Note 1]

Publication history[edit]

The Helmet of Fate made its first appearance in May 1940 in More Fun Comics #55. Designed by Sherman, the helmet was acknowledged as a significant element of the character by Fox. However, no immediate stories provided further elaboration on its role or significance.[1] Decades later during the 1970s, the Helmet of Fate was nearly redesigned by Walter Simonson with a more Egyptian motiff but was rejected by DC Comics.[2] In 1975, DC First Issue Special #9 revealed that the helmet was a conduit for Nabu to control Kent Nelson. This was the first instance of these concepts being revealed to readers, and the connection to the Lords of Chaos and Order became a recurring theme.[3]

In the 1987 Doctor Fate miniseries, the Eric and Linda Strauss incarnation was introduced, transforming the character into a legacy hero and ending Kent Nelson's story for a time. The helmet gained the ability to merge two vessels of Doctor Fate into a more powerful entity. This revealed that Nabu controlled Kent and suppressed Inza, limiting the full power of Doctor Fate.[4][5]

After Kent V. Nelson's creation in 2007, writer Steve Gerber implemented significant changes to the helmet and its associated powers. These changes involved severing its connections to any specific mythologies and removing the characters' and helm bearers' innate knowledge of performing magic.[6]

In the 2015 DCYou era, the Khalid Nassour version of Doctor Fate was introduced, introducing new concepts for the Helmet of Fate. This version emphasized a stronger connection to Egyptian deities and the historical use of the helmet by champions of Egypt. Additionally, this incarnation possessed the ability to control elements, distinguishing it from previous versions that derived magic through imagination..[7]

Description[edit]

The Helmet of Fate is commonly portrayed as a golden Corinthian helmet that covers the face.[8] In various versions of Doctor Fate, the design of the helmet exhibits different characteristics. It has been explained that the helmet subtly changes its appearance based on the bearer. For instance, the Eric and Linda Strauss version showcased changes that allowed the helmet to convey specific emotions. Notably, in the depictions of Egyptian characters like Khalid Nassour and Kahlid-Ben-Hassin, the Helm of Fate features the Eye of Ra and the Eye of Horus on each side.[9][10]

Composition[edit]

In earlier stories, the helmet was constructed from an unknown metal that was later revealed to contain a portion of Nabu's essence. This granted the helmet exceptional durability, regenerative capabilities, and the ability to be reshaped according to the bearer's desires.[11] In more recent stories, the Helmet of Fate is instead retroactively revealed to be composed of both of Nabu's essence and the fictional Nth metal, which originates from the Dark Multiverse.[12]

Powers Granted[edit]

The helmet primarily functions as a magical artifact, providing protection to the wearers from the inherent dangers of practicing magic.[13] When worn, the artifact grants significant power, enabling even those without formal training in magic to wield formidable mystical energies and accomplish magical feats depending on the bearer's resonance with the helm.[14] At the height of it's power, the helmet allows Doctor Fate to perform virtually any magical feat.[15] consequently often making a Doctor Fate incarnation regarded a in a sense of trepidation due to the immense power it bestows upon them.[14]

The helmet bestows a range of magical powers upon its wearer, including heightened awareness[16][17], enhanced spell-casting abilities, the ability to see into the future[18], access to a library of spells[16], and the possession of its own pocket universe. Additionally, it provides safeguards that prevent others from predicting or perceiving their own futures.[18] Two chosen vessels of Doctor Fate can also merge into a singular, more powerful entity.[19] Throughout its history, the power source and patron of the helmet have played a significant role in shaping the abilities of each Doctor Fate. The influence of these patrons grants the Doctor Fate incarnations unique methods of performing magic. In the absence of patron assistance, Doctor Fates relies on their own spell-casting abilities to wield magic:

Source Source description Associated Incarnation(s)
Scientific basis Conversion of matter into energy to perform superhuman feats[20] Kent Nelson
Lords of Chaos and Order (Nabu, Shat-Ru, Chaos) The connection to the Lords of Chaos and Order similarly enables the bearer of the helmet to perform magical feats by simply imagining the desired effect although the Lords of Chaos's patronage achieves this via chaos magic.[21] Kent Nelson, Eric/Linda Strauss, Doctor Fates of the 31rd Century (order), Inza Cramer (chaos), Hector Hall (both)
Ancient Egyptian deities

(Thoth, Hauhet)

The connection to ancient Egyptian deities allows the bearer to wield magic by tapping into elemental forces for power, also allowing the wielder the power to manipulate and command nautral elements.[22][23] Khalid Nassour

Other versions[edit]

  • A version of the Helmet of Fate appears on the Earth-2 version of the Doctor Fate incarnation, Khalid Ben-Hassin. While granted special magical abilities and a connection to the wizard Nabu that affords abilities through invoking Egyptian deities, the Helmet of Fate is depicted as a altered version of a motherbox.[24]
  • In Neil Gaiman's Book of Magic, a future version of the Helmet of Fate appears. This version has degraded overtime and retains a skull-like appearance. While Nabu serves as the spirit wihtin the helm, he is portrayed as being insane and requring his followers to don him at the expense of their life.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Despite DC Comic's referring to Nabu repeatedly as an Egyptian wizard, the character's origin in More Fun Comics #67and name is tied to Mesopotamia.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Cronin, Brian (2024-01-19). "How Doctor Fate's Helmet Retconned the Character's Entire Golden Age History". CBR. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  2. ^ Cronin, Brian (2022-10-26). "Did DC Nearly Dramatically Change Doctor Fate's Iconic Golden Helmet?". CBR. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  3. ^ "Paging Doctor Fate: Meet DC's Sorcerer Superhero". DC. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  4. ^ Doctor Fate #1–4 (July–October 1987). DC Comics.
  5. ^ "DC Universe Infinite Encyclopedia: Doctor Fate". 2021-03-07. Archived from the original on 2021-03-07. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  6. ^ "Some Thoughts on Doctor Fate – Part 1". stevegerberblog. 2007-03-03. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2011-01-16.
  7. ^ The DC comics encyclopedia: The definitive guide to the characters of the DC universe. Matthew K. Manning, Stephen Wiacek, Melanie Scott, Nick Jones, Landry Q. Walker, Alan Cowsill (New ed.). New York, New York: DK Publishing. 2021. ISBN 978-0-7440-2056-4. OCLC 1253363543.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  8. ^ Fox, Gardner Francis; Sherman, Howard (2007). The Golden Age Doctor Fate Archives. DC Comics. ISBN 978-1-4012-1348-0.
  9. ^ Robinson, James (2014). Earth 2: The Tower of Fate. DC Comics. ISBN 978-1-4012-4614-3.
  10. ^ Johns, Geoff (2022). The New Golden Age #1. DC Comics.
  11. ^ Moore, John F. Fate (1994-1996) #1. DC.
  12. ^ Snyder, Scott (2018). Dark Nights: Metal. DC Comics. ISBN 978-1-4012-7732-1.
  13. ^ Lotowycz, R. (2021). The DC Book of Lists: A Multiverse of Legacies, Histories, and Hierarchies. Running Press Adult.
  14. ^ a b Bulmer, Darren; Ciechanowski, Walt; Huff, Chris; Johnson, Sean; Kenson, Steve; McFarland, Matthew (2011-10-25). DC Adventures Heroes & Villians, Volume 1: Allies and Enemies from the DC Universe. Diamond Comic Distributors. ISBN 978-1-934547-38-0.
  15. ^ Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #6. DC Comics. 1985.
  16. ^ a b "DR. FATE: COUNTDOWN TO MYSTERY". DC. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  17. ^ "Paging Doctor Fate: Meet DC's Sorcerer Superhero". DC. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  18. ^ a b Johns, Geoff (2024-02-27). Justice Society of America Vol. 1: The New Golden Age. DC Comics. ISBN 978-1-77952-914-5.
  19. ^ Messner-Loebs, William (1991). Doctor Fate #25 (1988). DC Comics.
  20. ^ Fox, Gardner Francis; Sherman, Howard (2007). The Golden Age Doctor Fate Archives. DC Comics. ISBN 978-1-4012-1348-0.
  21. ^ Messner-Loebs, William (1991). Doctor Fate #25 (1988). DC Comics.
  22. ^ Manning, Matthew K.; Wiacek, Stephen; Scott, Melanie; Jones, Nick; Walker, Landry Q.; Cowsill, Alan (2021). The DC comics encyclopedia: the definitive guide to the characters of the DC universe (New ed.). New York, New York: DK Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7440-2056-4. OCLC 1253363543.
  23. ^ Levitz, Paul (2016). Blood price. Sonny Liew, Lee Loughridge, Nick Napolitano, Steve Wands. Burbank, CA. ISBN 978-1-4012-6121-4. OCLC 933580456.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  24. ^ Earth 2: World's End (2014–2015) Vol. 1. DC Comics. 2015. ISBN 978-1-4012-5603-6.
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