Warlock's past has been surrounded in legend throughout the universe. According to Gamora, he was the one being Thanos feared in all the universe. According to Groot, Warlock was once the savior of his entire race. Although according to Drax, he was a being who only brought destruction.

Warlock had a group of followers who wore the black Nova Centurion helmets with the task of protecting him and/or destroy him should he ever turn evil. Whenever Warlock goes through a metamorphosis stage within a cocoon, he would be protected by the Nova Centurions for he could not fend for himself, that is until Thanos had attacked the Centurions ship and wiped out every Nova on board in attempt to capture Warlock (while still as a cocoon) and left him inside a sarcophagus with other powerful items at his Sanctuary for the time being.