Marvel's Enigmatic Sentry: Unmasking Lewis Pullman's "Bob" in Thunderbolts

Marvel's upcoming Thunderbolts film remains enigmatic, but a recent 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 consequences.

Who is The Sentry, and why is he both the Marvel Universe's greatest champion and its most formidable threat? Let's delve into this mentally unstable hero's history and potential role in Thunderbolts.

The Sentry: Power, Peril, and Pullman

The Sentry is arguably the Marvel Universe's most potent, yet perilous, superhero. Once an ordinary man, Bob Reynolds, he gained "the power of a million exploding suns" from an experimental serum. This power, however, comes at a terrible price: a dark alter ego, The Void. For every good deed The Sentry performs, The Void commits an equally evil act. Bob's struggle against his inner darkness is a constant, losing battle. Yet, when a powerful hero is needed, none surpass The Sentry.

The Sentry's Extraordinary Abilities

The Sentry's powers originate from a post-WWII serum, designed as a Super Soldier Serum alternative. This serum purportedly accelerates his molecules forward in time, granting him immense strength rivaling the Hulk and Thor. He possesses flight, superhuman speed, enhanced senses, and near invulnerability. His energy absorption and projection capabilities allow for energy blasts, teleportation, and even subduing the Hulk. Essentially, The Sentry is Marvel's Superman.

The Void, however, is arguably even more powerful and dangerous. This shapeshifting, demonic entity controls weather, invades minds, and has withstood the combined might of the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four. Even banishing it to the sun proves only a temporary solution.

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

Unveiling The Sentry's Secret Origin

Created by Jenkins, Veitch, and Lee, The Sentry debuted in the 2000 miniseries. Initially presented as a forgotten hero, even Bob Reynolds—a middle-aged man—didn't remember his past as "The Golden Guardian of Good." Upon regaining his memories, he rediscovers his nemesis, The Void. His history with the Hulk and Fantastic Four is retroactively woven into Marvel continuity.

The Sentry and The Void are revealed as two sides of the same coin. The world's collective memory of The Sentry was erased to protect it from The Void. Bob repeats this act to contain his dark side, leaving the question of his own memory ambiguous.

The Sentry's Tenure as an Avenger

While initially a self-contained story, The Sentry became a recurring Marvel character. He joined the New Avengers in 2004, alongside Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Luke Cage. Despite his power, he struggles to maintain sanity and control The Void.

During the Civil War, he sided with Iron Man's pro-registration faction, highlighting his understanding of unchecked power's dangers. He played a crucial role against the Hulk in World War Hulk.

His downfall began in Dark Reign (2009), where Norman Osborn manipulated him into joining the Dark Avengers. Osborn's gamble to control The Sentry failed, ultimately unleashing The Void in Siege (2010). The Sentry's death followed, though resurrections and further explorations of his duality have continued. He was killed again in 2020's King in Black, and the 2023 The Sentry series explores a new host for his power.

The Sentry's Thunderbolts Role

The Sentry's appearances outside comics have been limited, primarily in mobile games. However, Lewis Pullman's casting marks his MCU debut. He won't star in a solo film or series (yet), but will appear in 2025's Thunderbolts, alongside Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, and Red Guardian.

His precise role remains unclear, but his comic book history suggests a portrayal as both hero and villain. Will he begin as a Thunderbolt, only to become their worst nightmare? His power could pose a monumental challenge to the team.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine might play a role similar to Norman Osborn's, exploiting The Sentry's power before losing control. The Sentry might serve as the film's equivalent of Suicide Squad's Enchantress.

The MCU's handling of The Sentry's forgotten past and his Superman-esque nature remains to be seen. More details will emerge closer to Thunderbolts's May 2025 release.

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