List of DC Comics characters: N

Shortly after the formation of the universe, two elemental forces were born: the Lords of Order and the Lords of Chaos. As the two emerged, both forces struggle for supremacy over the other. The Lords of Order manifest as the first sentience race in the universe as disembodied magical beings, in which included Nabu. As a Lord of Order, he was one of the first beings to contribute to the creation of the universe.[2] Eventually assigned to the mortal world of Earth, he adopted a human form and descended to Earth from Cilia, and became Nabu the Wise, an advisor to the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. He served as a court magician for various Egyptian pharaohs including Khufu and Ramses.

During his time with Ramses, Nabu tried to warn the pharaoh and subsequently his son against persecuting the escaping Jews, led by Moses. One night, Nabu was visited by the Spectre, who warned that every firstborn Egyptian child would be killed by him except for Hebrew slaves. This horrified the magician and he prepared to fight the Spectre with all of his powers but was defeated despite his preparations. The humiliated mystic returned to the pharaoh who had lost his son and, in despair, agreed to free the Hebrew slaves, but then decided to send his army to kill them to annoy God. Despite his plans, the Pharaoh was killed when the Spectre brought the Red Sea crashing into the Egyptian army after Moses and the Israelites had crossed.[2]

Nabu became the guardian of several powerful talismans, in 2578 BC, when Egypt had fallen under the rule of the Vandal Savage, who had assumed the identity of Pharaoh Khafre. Around this time, Bonnie Baxter of the Masters of Time had come from the 20th century, where Khafre's guards threw her into a prison cell. Nabu appeared before her and led her to safety with his magic and asked for her help in overthrowing the immortal Khafre. He intended to combine magic with the science of the time traveler where she gave him her communicator. By combining the pair, he created the Blue Beetle of Khaji-Da, which Bonnie used to overthrow the pharaoh who was wrapped in bandages to contain him, as his immortality would cause him to rise again.[3] The Beetle was lost for 4,500 years before being rediscovered in the 20th century by archaeologist Dan Garrett, who became the first Blue Beetle.

During the Theban dynasty, Nabu the Wise served as an advisor to Prince Khufu Kha-taar, where he served with his ally Teth-Adam. One day, they witnessed a Thanagarian spacecraft crashed and they headed to catch up, they arrived at the scene of the dying pilots where Nabu conjured a spell to translate their alien language that spoke of imminent danger in the far future after this they died. From the ship, they discovered the existence of Nth Metal, which Khufu forged into weapons for his use, and Nabu tried to prepare them, as it was determined that the prince and his fiancée had a role to play in this conflict. During this time, they encountered a traveler who could travel at high speeds and gave him a war glove forged from portions of the Nth Metal called the "Claw of Horus", which they predicted would be instrumental in a battle of thousands of years in the world.

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. 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. Due to Nabu occasionally possessing him, he converted to half of the helm to regain control but at the cost of halving the power.

After Kent's death, Nabu chooses Eric Strauss and his stepmother Linda to be the next Doctor Fate, with Eric and Linda having to merge into one being to become Fate.[4] Nabu goes on to possess Kent's corpse to personally advise them.[4] The three of them are soon joined by a friendly demon called Petey and lawyer Jack C. Small.[5] Eric is killed on Apokolips during a battle with Desaad, forcing Linda to become Doctor Fate on her own.[6] Linda is killed soon afterwards by the Lords of Chaos. Despite their grim fates, Eric and Linda's souls are reincarnated in the bodies of Eugene and Wendy DiBellia while Nabu reincarnates in Eugene and Wendy's unborn child.[7]

Eventually, Nabu came into conflict with the Spectre when he began hunting down and killing other Lords of Chaos and Order. In Infinite Crisis, Alexander Luthor, Jr. revealed that he had sent Superboy-Prime to recover the black diamond and that the Psycho-Pirate delivered it to Loring on Alex's orders and had Eclipso-Loring manipulated the Spectre by convincing him magic was an abomination to God and into breaking down magic into its more raw energy form, in which doing so killed the Lords of Chaos and Order in the process. In doing so, Alexander could use them for his own ends. After killing other Lords of Order including the Wizard Shazam, Nabu was the last one to face him. Nabu put up a valiant fight against the Spectre but knew he would lose this battle and instead, opted to fight at a level for the Presence to take notice. Je was fatally injured but ultimately stopped the Spectre. Nabu, in his final act, passed his Helm of Fate to Detective Chimp and tasked him to find one worthy of the mantle. With his death, the 9th Age of Magic had ended and the 10th Age of Magic begun.

In 2011, as part of DC Comics' "The New 52" initiative, a reboot of the continuity in the DC Universe introduced a revised version of Nabu. This new iteration of the character featured alterations to his origin story. In the Doctor Fate series, the character's earlier history attributed him to being a servant of Thoth, who created the Helmet of Fate and designated Nabu as the spirit within. The reasons behind this choice remain currently unknown, but Nabu's role was to assist the chosen champion of the Egyptian pantheon, Doctor Fate.[8][1]

However, an alternative origin was later presented for Nabu in this revised continuity. It depicted his rise to becoming a member of the Lords of Order from a mortal existence. This transformation occurred as a result of his interactions with Hecate, a deity who had suffered abuse from fellow sorcerers, including the notable future practitioner of dark magic, Mordru. As a consequence of the inherent dangers of magic, Nabu's spirit eventually came to reside within the created Helmet of Fate, as his original body deteriorated. While this alternative origin restores his status as the Helm's primary intelligence, it diverges from the traditional depiction of the Lords of Order as energy beings that originated millions of years ago.[9]

In the Doctor Fate series, Nabu assumes a new role as a guide and mentor to Khalid Nassour, the newly chosen Doctor Fate. Nabu assists the inexperienced Khalid in his battles against various adversaries, including Anubis, a necromancer, and the spirit of Julius Caesar. Additionally, Nabu imparts crucial information to Khalid, as well supports Kent Nelson when he resurfaces in Khalid's life after discovering Khalid's destiny as the next Doctor Fate.Nabu is portrayed as a deceased spirit who often communicates in cryptic ways, which fustrates the young Doctor Fate. At times, Khalid dismisses Nabu, likening him to an annoying Jinn.[8][10][11] For a period, Kent Nelson would resumed the Doctor Fate mantle while training Khalid Nassour, but Nabu trapped Kent in mystic stasis. Nabu then assumed the role of Doctor Fate, using Kent's connection to manifest through the Helm of Fate. Nabu clashed with Blue Beetle and his scarab Khaji-Da, orchestrated by their shared adversary, Arion. Kent eventually regained control, defeated Arion, and continued training Khalid.[12]

In the second Justice League Dark series, Nabu betrays Kent Nelson, taking control of his body and imprisoning Khalid Nassour. Nabu's goal is to eradicate magic and sacrifice the magical community to eliminate the threat of the Upside-Down Man and Hecate. Khalid, Kent, and the Justice League Dark unite to counter Nabu and Hecate, ultimately leading to Nabu passing on the mantle of Doctor Fate to Khalid. With Nabu's help, Khalid battles Circe, the Injustice League Dark, restores balance to the elemental Parliaments, and faces the Upside-Down Man. Both Nabu and Kent make sacrifices to aid the team. Though surviving, Nabu is no longer the primary intelligence in the Helmet of Fate. Throughout the series, Nabu's manipulative nature is evident, but he gradually learns from his mistakes and gains respect from Khalid. Kent, however, becomes cautious about trusting Nabu, while supporting Khalid as Doctor Fate.[13][14][15]

Some time before the battle with Upsidown-Man, Nabu assists Khalid and Superman in battling Xanadoth, a former leader of the Lords of Chaos.[16] After parting ways with Khalid following the fight with Upside-Down, Nabu reappears to help defeat Xanadoth once more alongside the Justice League and Justice League Dark.[17] Eventually, Hauhet replaces Nabu as the patron spirit of the Helmet of Fate, bringing her superior wisdom and perspective.[18] The Future State event hints at a connection between Nabu and Hauhet, with Hauhet considering herself wiser than Nabu.[19]

• In Futures End, John Constantine is able to set a trap for Nabu, who had been summoning countless people to try to be consumed by the helmet. John made a deal with a demon to summon the god Anubis to judge Nabu. He was found guilty of caring only for himself and killed, with the demon now trapped within the Helmet of Destiny.

Nabu, a sorcerous entity composed of pure magical energy and a key figure in the Doctor Fate mythology, is widely recognized as one of the most powerful beings on Earth. Among the esteemed members of the Lords of Order, Nabu holds a position of great power and influence. However, his capabilities are rivalled by other notable sorcerers such as the enigmatic Phantom Stranger and Arion, the former who serves as an agent of the Presence and the latter a fellow Lord of Order and a hailed Sorcerer Supreme, respectively.[20][21] Boasting an immeasurable reserve of magical power, this character possesses the ability to perform virtually any mystical feat. These powers encompass mind reading, interdimensional teleportation, and various others. Additionally, Nabu possesses inherent immortality and a degree of superhuman strength.When residing within the Helm of Fate, Nabu can establish communication with the wearer, provide visions, interface with computers, and even exert influence over the wearer's will.[1][22]

While Nabu possesses considerable might, it is important to note that his power is surpassed by the Spectre, the embodiment of divine vengeance and justice.[2] The character would also suffer from various imposed limitations overtime, with recent stories depicting him been rendered unable to utilize a human host without them willfully accepting his help after the events of the Lords of Order storyline.[1]

• Nabu appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "The Fate of Equinox!", voiced by James Arnold Taylor.
• Nabu makes a cameo appearance in flashbacks depicted in Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay. He initially chooses Steel Maxum to become Doctor Fate until the latter loses the "Get Out of Hell Free" card and replaces him with "some chick" according to Maxum.
• Nabu appears in Young Justice, voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson. This version was originally the mortal son of Vandal Savage from ancient Babylon who was killed by Klarion the Witch Boy via Starro. Seeking a means to combat the Lords of Chaos following their sinking of Atlantis, the Lords of Order elevate Nabu's soul to their plane of existence and bind him to the Helmet of Fate.
• Nabu appears in Injustice 2, voiced by David Sobolov. He forces Kent Nelson not to interfere with Brainiac's conquest of Earth to maintain balance between order and chaos on the Lords of Order's behalf until Superman crushes the Helmet of Fate.

In his earlier life, Nereus started out as a Xebel military chief to King Ryus and was to be betrothed to the king's daughter Mera. Before the wedding, Mera were tasked to kill the King of Atlantis as part of their kingdom's revenge for their imprisonment in the Bermuda Triangle by Atlantis centuries ago.[23]

When King Ryus died and Mera fell in love with Aquaman, Nereus was sworn in as the new King of Xebel. Some years later, Mera returned to Xebel, where Nereus discovered that Mera did not kill Aquaman. When Nereus tried to kill Mera, the enemy in ice that pursued Mera appeared and froze all of Xebel.[24] The frozen enemy introduced himself as Atlan the First King of Atlantis, who had awakened from his slumber and wanted his kingdoms back. Nereus swore his allegiance to the Dead King Atlan.[24] When Aquaman arrived, he and Mera fled from Xebel when Nereus and his men pursued them. Nereus led his forces into invading Atlantis, where Mera was captured.[25]

Some months later, Nereus was tasked by Atlan to find the other four Atlantean kingdoms where the Trench, the first one that was found, was. After Atlan was defeated, Nereus found the Ocean Master in Louisiana and told him that he knows where the other four Atlantean kingdoms are.[26]

• Nereus appears in the DC Extended Universe film Aquaman, portrayed by Dolph Lundgren.[27] This version is Mera's father.
  • In the first Aquaman film, using a submarine provided to him by David Kane, Orm tricks Nereus into siding with him in his campaign against the surface world while arranging for Mera to be betrothed to him. After Mera helps Aquaman escape, Orm tells Nereus that Mera perished in the escape. Nereus accompanied Orm in his trip to the Kingdom of the Fishermen. When the Fisherman King Ricou turned down Orm's offer, he was killed while Nereus killed the three guards that tried to avenge him. Nereus then watched as Orm persuaded King Ricou's wife Queen Rina and daughter Princess Scales to take the offer. During the attack on the Kingdom of the Brine where Orm became the Ocean Master, Nereus fought the Brine soldiers and told the Ocean Master that they need the Brine King alive. When Aquaman arrives on the back of the leviathan Karathan and summons an army of sea creatures, Nereus is told by Princess Scales that Aquaman is also commanding the Trench, which Nereus considered impossible. Mera finds her father and informs him that Aquaman has King Atlan's trident, causing Nereus to switch sides. He then watches Aquaman's duel with the Ocean Master, where Aquaman is victorious, and even sees Atlanna appear. As the Ocean Master is taken away by the Atlantean guards, Nereus and the other Atlantean kingdoms accept Aquaman as their leader.
• A version of Nereus named Ryus Nereus appears in Young Justice, being a combination of the Ryus character and Nereus character from the comics. This version, while sharing the name of Ryus, is instead characterized more similarly to Nereus from the comics and is portrayed as an abrasive ruler of Xebel and a political rival of Aquaman. During the events of season four, Nereus is reluctant to trust the seemingly resurrected Arion (who is truly Ocean Master in a cloned body of Arion) and transfer his rulership power to him. He later supports his daughter's nomination as Atlantis's new High King.
• Nereus appears in Lego DC Super-Villains as part of the "Aquaman" DLC.

• Carter Nichols appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Last Bat on Earth!", voiced by Richard McGonagle.

Gerome McKenna is one of the first official subjects for Lex Luthor's "Everyman Project". Luthor's project grants super-powers to McKenna, who is given the codename Nuklon after Luthor buys the rights to Infinity Inc. from the Pemberton Estate.[47]

After Luthor shut down his Metagene, Gerome went into a deep state of depression and self-absorption. Gerome discovered that he has gained a new power, the ability to create a fully functional, independently thinking duplicate of himself, seemingly without control. As the series progressed, he managed to create another copy. However this version is dark and amoral, wishing to replace the original.[48] Infinity Inc. was presented with new costumes and names with Gerome being given the codename Double Trouble. Gerome's dark double was later captured by Dr. Bud Fogel and conditioned to be a fighter in The Dark Side Club.[49] Double Trouble's dark double killed the original, gaining autonomy. However, Fogel then activated a machine that stripped all but three of the remaining Everyman subjects of their powers. As a result, Double Trouble's dark double simply faded out of existence.[50]