Provident was born Edmond Durand, in Metropolis. His father was John Durand, a criminalist. Little is known of his mother. Up through college, Edmond lived a fairly normal life (of which little is known). At some point in his life, Edmond discovered that he had the ability to see things happen just before they occurred. He could sense a moment into the future. It is unclear whether this was a power he was born with, one that developed over time, or one that was the result of some accident.