Marvel's upcoming Thunderbolts film remains largely mysterious, but the latest Big Game trailer offers a glimpse into the MCU team-up. While plot details remain scarce, the trailer provides a clearer look at Lewis Pullman as Bob, aka The Sentry. This Superman-esque hero's MCU debut promises significant ramifications.
Who is The Sentry, and why is he both the Marvel Universe's greatest hero and its worst nightmare? Let's explore this mentally unstable hero's history and his potential role in Thunderbolts.
The Sentry: A Powerful, Perilous Hero
The Sentry is arguably the Marvel Universe's most powerful, yet most dangerous, superhero. Once an ordinary man named Bob Reynolds, he gained "the power of a million exploding suns" from an experimental serum. This power, however, comes with a dark side: The Void. The Void mirrors The Sentry's good deeds with evil acts, making Bob's struggle for sanity a constant, losing battle. Yet, when a powerful hero is needed, none surpass The Sentry.
The Sentry's Abilities
The Sentry's abilities stem from a post-WWII serum, potentially a Super Soldier Serum alternative. The serum purportedly accelerates his molecules forward in time, granting him immense strength rivaling Hulk and Thor, flight, super-speed, enhanced senses, and near invulnerability. He can also absorb and project energy, enabling feats like energy blasts, teleportation, and subduing the Hulk. Essentially, he's Marvel's Superman.
The Void, however, is arguably even more potent and dangerous. This shape-shifting entity controls weather, invades minds, and has withstood the combined forces of the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four; even solar exile proves only a temporary solution.
The Sentry's Origins and History
Created by Paul Jenkins, Rick Veitch, and Jae Lee, The Sentry debuted in 2000. Initially, even Bob Reynolds didn't recall his past as "The Golden Guardian of Good." Reclaiming his memories, Bob becomes The Sentry again, only to find The Void has returned. His history with figures like Hulk and the Fantastic Four is retroactively established, revealing The Sentry and The Void as two sides of the same coin. The world forgot The Sentry to protect itself from The Void, a cycle Bob repeats to contain his dark side, leaving the extent of his self-amnesia ambiguous.
The Sentry as an Avenger and Beyond
Though initially a self-contained story, The Sentry became a recurring Marvel character. He joined the New Avengers in 2004, demonstrating his power while battling to maintain his sanity. He sided with Iron Man during Civil War and played a crucial role against the Hulk in World War Hulk.
However, his downfall began during Dark Reign (2009), where Norman Osborn manipulated him into the Dark Avengers. The Void's unleashing during Siege (2010) led to The Sentry's apparent death. Since then, he's been resurrected and killed again, with ongoing stories exploring his powers and the nature of his duality. His most recent death occurred in 2020's King in Black, and the 2023 The Sentry series explores a new host for his power.
The Sentry in Thunderbolts
Beyond a few appearances in mobile games, The Sentry's MCU debut marks a significant step. Lewis Pullman portrays him in Thunderbolts, alongside familiar MCU faces like Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, and Red Guardian. While his exact role remains unclear, his history suggests he'll be both hero and villain. Will he initially be a Thunderbolt, only to become their greatest threat? The team's relatively limited powers suggest a monumental challenge against The Sentry.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine might mirror Norman Osborn's role, exploiting The Sentry's power before losing control. Thunderbolts might position The Sentry as a Marvel equivalent of Suicide Squad's Enchantress.
The film's handling of The Sentry's forgotten past and his Superman-esque nature is yet to be seen. More will be revealed as Thunderbolts' May 2025 release date approaches.
Note: This article was originally published on November 17, 2023, and updated on September 23, 2024, with the latest information on Thunderbolts*.
