Marvel's upcoming Thunderbolts* movie remains a tantalizing enigma, but the latest Big Game trailer has given us another glimpse into this MCU team-up. While it doesn't spill the beans on the plot, it does offer a better look at Lewis Pullman as Bob, aka The Sentry. This Superman-esque hero is finally stepping into the MCU spotlight, and with his arrival comes a sense of both awe and apprehension for fans everywhere.

Who exactly is The Sentry, and why is he considered both Marvel's greatest hero and its worst nightmare? Let's dive into the complex history of this mentally unstable powerhouse and explore how he might fit into the Thunderbolts* narrative. Here, we'll cover:

• Who Is Lewis Pullman’s Thunderbolts* Character The Sentry?
• The Sentry’s Powers and Abilities
• The Sentry’s Secret Origin
• The Sentry As an Avenger
• How The Sentry Fits Into the Thunderbolts* Movie

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Who Is Lewis Pullman’s Thunderbolts* Character The Sentry?

The Sentry, played by Lewis Pullman, is a character shrouded in immense power and peril. Originally an ordinary man named Bob Reynolds, he gained extraordinary abilities after consuming a serum that endowed him with "the power of a million exploding suns." However, this immense power comes with a dark counterpart known as The Void. For every heroic act The Sentry performs, The Void unleashes an equivalent evil deed. Bob Reynolds' ongoing battle against his inner darkness and his struggle to maintain sanity make The Sentry both an invaluable hero and a dangerous threat.

The Sentry’s Powers and Abilities

The Sentry's abilities are derived from an experimental serum, designed post-World War II as a potential Super Soldier Serum replacement. This serum accelerates his molecules forward in time, granting him a vast array of powers. His strength rivals that of the Hulk and Thor, complemented by flight, super speed, enhanced senses, and near invulnerability. The Sentry can also absorb and project energy, enabling him to perform feats like energy blasts, teleportation, and even calming a rampaging Hulk. In his darker alter ego, The Void, Bob becomes even more formidable, capable of shape-shifting, weather control, and mind infestation, having withstood the might of the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four combined.

The Sentry Cheat Sheet

• First Appearance: The Sentry #1 (2000)
• Creators: Paul Jenkins, Rick Veitch, & Jae Lee
• Aliases: The Void, Golden Man, The Golden Guardian of Good
• Current Team: None (formerly New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, Dark Avengers)
• Recommended Reading: The Sentry Vol. 1, Age of the Sentry, Dark Avengers, Siege

The Sentry’s Secret Origin

Introduced in the 2000 miniseries by Paul Jenkins, Rick Veitch, and Jae Lee, The Sentry is portrayed as a forgotten hero from Marvel's past. Even Bob Reynolds, a middle-aged, overweight married man, has no recollection of his past as the "Golden Guardian of Good." As Bob regains his memories and reassumes his role as The Sentry, he confronts the return of his nemesis, The Void. Throughout the series, The Sentry's interactions with characters like the Hulk and the Fantastic Four are established, weaving him into the fabric of Marvel continuity. Ultimately, the narrative reveals that The Sentry and The Void are two sides of the same coin, leading Bob to erase the world's memory of The Sentry to protect it from The Void's wrath.

The Sentry As an Avenger

While the initial Sentry miniseries was standalone, the character soon became a recurring figure in the Marvel Universe. In 2004's New Avengers, The Sentry joined a revamped team including Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Luke Cage, after intervening in a supervillain jailbreak at The Raft. Despite his valuable contributions, The Sentry constantly battled his sanity and The Void. During the Civil War in 2006, he sided with Iron Man's pro-registration faction, aware of the dangers of unchecked power. The Sentry played a crucial role in World War Hulk in 2007, protecting the world from Hulk's fury.

However, The Sentry's downfall came during the Dark Reign storyline in 2009, manipulated by Norman Osborn into joining the Dark Avengers. Osborn's gamble to control The Sentry failed, leading to The Void's unleashing during the 2010 Siege event against Asgard. Despite The Sentry's demise, subsequent stories have seen him resurrected and killed again, exploring the complexities of his powers and the dual nature of The Sentry and The Void. The 2023 Sentry series delves into the search for a new host for The Sentry's power.

How The Sentry Fits Into the Thunderbolts* Movie

The Sentry's presence in the MCU has been limited to mobile games until now, with Lewis Pullman taking on the role of the Golden Guardian of Good in the upcoming Thunderbolts* film. Originally, Steven Yeun was cast as The Sentry, but scheduling conflicts following the movie's delay from 2024 to 2025 led to Pullman stepping in. The Thunderbolts* cast also includes familiar MCU faces like Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes, Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, and David Harbour's Red Guardian.

While details about The Sentry's role in Thunderbolts* are scarce, his comic history suggests he could start as a member of the team before turning into their greatest threat due to his struggle with The Void. Given the relatively less powered roster of the Thunderbolts, facing The Sentry would be a formidable challenge. Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine might play a manipulative role similar to Norman Osborn's in the Dark Avengers, seeking to exploit The Sentry's power only to lose control.

It remains to be seen whether the MCU will establish The Sentry as a forgotten hero with deep ties to the superhero community or delve into his parallels with DC's Superman. As we approach the May 2025 release of Thunderbolts*, more details will surely emerge.

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For more insights into the MCU's future, explore our comprehensive analysis of the Deadpool & Wolverine ending and discover all the Marvel movies and shows currently in development.

Note: this article was originally published on November 17, 2023, and updated on September 23, 2024, with the latest information about Thunderbolts*.