Thunderbolts Could Give A Great MCU Twist To Lewis Pullman's Sentry

Marvel Studios is set to unleash a new team with Thunderbolts*, which is set to hit theaters next summer. The movie is set to feature a cast of former villains, including the likes of the Winter Soldier, Ghost, and US Agent. However, along with marking the return of some of Marvel Studios’ underused bad guys, Thunderbolts* is set to introduce a brand-new character to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Sentry, as played by Lewis Pullman. As it stands, Marvel Studios is playing coy regarding Pullman’s character in the movie, only confirming he is named Bill.

While the studio continues to be secretive regarding the inclusion of Sentry, the character has the ability to bring a massive twist to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans of the comics will note that the Sentry has a dark alternate personality known as the Void. This, of course, is also the name for the empty space between universes as seen in Loki and Deadpool & Wolverine. With that in mind, Thunderbolts* has the potential to create a link between the two that could lead to alternate timelines and versions of the iconic comic character.

Breaking Down Sentry in Marvel Comics

In the comics, Sentry, real name Robert Reynolds, is one of the most powerful heroes in the world. His origins go back to Project Sentry, which began in March 1947 in West Virginia. It was created by individuals involved with the Weapon X program, with the hopes of trying to recreate the Super Soldier Serum, while also seeking to magnify the effects by thousands. Unfortunately, the program failed after it lost a central administration to lead it. However, decades later, Reynolds would go on to steal a vial of the altered serum that was produced through the program through one of his high school professors. He goes into it simply with no knowledge of the drug, drinks it without hesitation, and finds himself granted extraordinary solar-powered abilities. There is a catch, though. Having suffered from schizophrenia and anxiety disorder before taking the drug, Reynolds is also left with an evil persona known as the Void. Reynolds does find a way to balance the two personas, but there are moments when the two split into separate personas and become unaware of one another. Government officials do go after Reynolds after it is discovered that he took the serum, and they seek to run tests on him back at the facility, with many personnel at the facility making attempts to kill him without the hero really understanding what was happening.

Sentry’s powers consist of superhuman strength, speed, intelligence, invulnerability, enhanced senses, energy-projection abilities, as well as the power of flight. However, his mental state does impact his powers. If Reynolds is mentally stable, the hero is virtually impossible to defeat. If he’s unstable, though, he does become significantly weaker. This opens up the window for Marvel Studios to create a way to connect the Void to the void showcased in both Loki and Deadpool & Wolverine. As we’ve seen in the first trailer for Thunderbolts*, the movie looks to be following somewhat closely to the hero’s origin, with him having been brought to a facility along with the rest of the team, and him walking away from being shot at without injury. However, we’ve yet to see how the studio intends to portray the character’s mental illness and how it impacts his powers.

Thunderbolts*: How the Movie Can Handle the Sentry & Void Twist

Marvel Studios has crafted an alternate reality known as the Void in Deadpool & Wolverine and Loki. It’s essentially a wasteland where others live and exist, such as Channing Tatum’s Gambit, outside the main Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. When it comes to Sentry/Reynolds, Marvel Studios is going to need to address the character’s Void persona, and it’ll need to do so with care. Tying the evil persona to the Void we’ve already been introduced to on screen could be a smart move. Making it so that Pullman’s Sentry shares a mental link to the void, where he’s aware of alternate timelines and alternate versions of himself, could explain why the hero ultimately loses it and turns “evil.” This is a character who never sought to become a hero when he stole the serum. He was already suffering from his mental illness before consuming the serum, leaving him in a rocky state to begin with – and with the serum amplifying everything, learning about alternate realities and versions could send him over the edge. The character is essentially tossed into this new life of superpowers, and throwing him into a group like the Thunderbolts, is something he’ll more than likely struggle to deal with as it is.

While it’s unclear what the team will be up against in Thunderbolts*, the trailer does seem to indicate that “Bob” will have a large role in the movie – one that’ll cause his fellow team members to be forced to go up against him. When he is first introduced in the trailer, he seems uncertain and vulnerable. However, in the next shot, we see him walking away from being shot at without any injury. We then see the teams on the run in a car later on, and while the trailer makes it seem like Bucky is taking aim at his teammates, it’s more than likely he’s aiming at Bob. Could it be that the film will tackle his Void persona? One can only hope that, if it does, the film finds a way to connect the physical Void to Sentry’s evil persona.

Thunderbolts* is set to hit theaters on May 2, 2025.

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