- The Sentry – also known as The Void – is set to be the main villain in Thunderbolts*
- The character has an established history in Marvel comics
- Lewis Pullman is playing The Sentry in Thunderbolts*
Trailers have shown us glimpses of The Sentry and The Void, who the Thunderbolts are set to battle in the upcoming movie – but who is it?
Thunderbolts* is eagerly anticipated by MCU fans as the latest entry into the series. The trailers have set the movie up but only given us hints of who the main villain will be.
For instance, in one trailer, Mel, the assistant to FBI director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine – the new owner of the Avengers Tower – says: “Sentry’s gone off the rails and he’s dangerous. The Avengers are gone. No one is coming to save the day.”
In another we see the character – albeit in shadow – and he says: “I am the Void. There’s no use fighting…. You don’t know what I’m capable of. Maybe I need to show you.”
Lewis Pullman is playing the character in the movie and you can find out all we know about Thunderbolts* here.
So far, so threatening. But now we know about Sentry and The Void, who are they?
Two halves of the same person
The Sentry and The Void are well established in the Marvel comics – and they are both alter-egos of Robert ‘Bob’ Reynolds.
The history of the character, who was first introduced in 2000, is complex in the comics and it remains to be seen how close to the source material Thunderbolts* sticks.
In the comics, Bob starts out as an overweight middle-aged man, who discovers that he is, in fact, Sentry, a hugely powerful superhero. However, he had had the memory of this wiped. In fact, so has the rest of the world.
When Bob’s memories return – and with it the knowledge of the return of his archenemy, The Void – he warns other Marvel characters. It is only after talking with him that they begin to remember who he is.
However, it is later revealed that the Sentry and The Void are two halves of the same person – Bob. Bob struggles to reconcile this truth and it significantly affects his mental health.
Significant role of Sentry
Over the past 25 years, Sentry has had a big role in many big Marvel comic storylines. He is often depicted in his hero form, but The Void is always present and can come to the fore – sometimes when manipulated to by others – and cause destruction when he does.
However, whether the MCU sticks with his origin remains to be seen. Sentry does have history with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, including teaming up with them on occasions, and, given their significant in the next few years of the MCU, will he also have a part to play in it?
