The Ancient One was born over 500 years ago in a small village in the Himalayan Mountains. Together with Kaluu they studied magic and the mystical arts and eventually they both became powerful sorcerers and were able to cure all disease and make all of the villagers immortal. Kaluu used these powers to manipulate the other villagers while the Ancient One would use his powers to help them. When Kaluu was crowned king of the village, the Ancient One tried to tell the villagers of Kaluu's manipulation. In light of this Kaluu paralyzed the Ancient One and sat him in the center of the village. The Ancient One summoned what magic he could to stop Kaluu but his inexperience led him to create a sickness that killed most of the village. Kaluu fled and the Ancient One's paralysis was lifted. His immortality was gone due to the sickness but he still retained a long lifespan. He decided to travel and enhance his skills so that he could combat other evil sorcerers. His magical abilities became so great that he was the first Earth mortal to meet with Eternity, who gave him the Eye of Agamotto, dubbing him the first Sorcerer Supreme in the Earth dimension.

As he began to realize that he was getting too old to fulfill his duties as the Sorcerer Supreme he began to search for a successor. He was approached by Baron Mordo and began training him, trying to fight the evil in his heart. Doctor Strange had sought him out for a cure for his hands and the Ancient One began to train him instead of Mordo. Eventually Strange became the next Sorcerer Supreme when the Ancient One's physical body was killed.