DC’s Most Ruthless Doctor Fate Was Too Cruel For Black Adam

DC’s most ruthless version of Doctor Fate, one that Black Adam did not use, was arguably not even worthy of being called a superhero, given his methods. Despite DC’s long history of live-action movies, mystical DC characters like Doctor Fate or Zatanna have yet to have their potential explored on the big screen. A Justice League Dark project, for example, was in development for years but never materialized. Doctor Fate did make his theatrical debut with Black Adam, although the character’s future is up in the air.When it comes to DC Comics adaptations, Doctor Fate had a key role in the DC Animated Universe, with the character first appearing in Superman: The Animated Series. Doctor Fate would then return in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. The Young Justice show, however, is the one that gave Doctor Fate the most screen time.Related: Wally West’s Deadliest Flash Technique Makes Barry Allen Look Weak

Young Justice’s Doctor Fate Was DC’s Darkest

In the Young Justice universe, Kent Nelson is but a host for Nabu, the entity who’s trapped inside the Helmet of Fate. As such, in Young Justice, whoever puts on the Helmet of Fate can never go back to being themselves unless Doctor Fate allows them to. While the idea of Doctor Fate’s helmet being an entity of its own had already been done in the comics, Young Justice’s take on the Lord of Order was darker than anything DC had done with the character up until that point. In a way, everyone who once put on Doctor Fate’s helmet in Young Justice became its prisoner.

In Young Justice season 1, for example, Zatanna Zatara had to use the Helmet of Fate at a time of crisis and could have spent the rest of her life as Doctor Fate’s host had it not been for her father. Giovanni Zatara offered himself to be Doctor Fate’s new host, meaning that he would never get to see his daughter again. Though Zatanna eventually reached a deal with Doctor Fate to see her father once every year, Nabu did not care about separating Zatanna from her father for years. The Justice League itself was bothered by Doctor Fate’s methods, yet Nabu remained a member of the team.

Will Doctor Fate Return To DC Films After Black Adam?

Doctor Fate, who had appeared in live-action for the first time in the Smallville series, made his theatrical debut in the Dwayne Johnson-led Black Adam. One of the final DCEU releases ahead of James Gunn’s new DC Universe, Black Adam introduced the Justice Society in what was the first big-screen iteration of the decades-old superhero group that predates the Justice League. Black Adam’s version of Doctor Fate was closer to how the comics usually write the character, with Kent Nelson being able to remove the Helmet of Fate at will. Doctor Fate, or more especially Kent Nelson, died at the end of Black Adam.

While Doctor Fate as an entity continues to exist regardless of Kent Nelson, with the helmet simply needing a new host, it doesn’t seem like Black Adam’s Doctor Fate will return right away. With DC Studios rebooting the franchise, including but not limited to the development of a Superman reboot, it is unlikely that storylines setups in Black Adam will be part of the DC Universe’s Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters. In fact, according to Dwayne Johnson, Black Adam is currently not part of the DC Universe’s plans. That said, as one of DC’s most important mystical characters, Doctor Fate should be part of the new franchise at some point.