Kent Nelson was born in 1928 to Sven Nelson, a noted archaeologist, and Celestine Babcock Nelson, a spiritual medium. Celestine Nelson died under unknown circumstances shortly after Kent's birth, and Kent became a tagalong for his globe-trotting father. In 1940, Sven and Kent were conducting a dig in the Valley of Ur in Mesopotamia when the younger Nelson stumbled upon an ancient sarcophagus containing the giant body of a stately being, Nabu the Wise. Upon opening the sarcophagus, Kent released poison gas which immediately slew his father. Nabu, a mystical Lord of Order originally from the planet Cilia, took pity on the boy and used his magic to block the grief from the young boy's mind. Over the intervening months, Nabu schooled Kent Nelson in the ways of mysticism, teaching him to cast spells and fly. During this time, Kent Nelson aged years instead of weeks; he had grown to adulthood by late summer. Nelson had grown fond of Nabu, but the Lord of Order required one last act of Kent Nelson: the death of his own body. Nelson hesitated but Nabu removed the inhibitions he had placed on Nelson's grief. In a rage, Nelson slew the old wizard. With his body destroyed, Nabu was revealed his true nature: an energy being, a millennia-old Lord of Order. Nabu presented Nelson with two gifts: a helm and an amulet. When Nelson wore the Helm, he was joined with Nabu who used his body as an agent against the Lords of Chaos