Marvel Teases A Huge Change To Its Most Powerful Hero

Contains spoilers for "Sentry" #1 by Marvel Comics

One of Marvel's most powerful heroes, Sentry, might be dead, but his incredible powers are about to shake up the Marvel Universe in a brand-new self-titled four-issue series.

Sentry is one of the strongest characters in all of comics. After Bob Reynolds took an experimental Super-Soldier Serum, the former addict gained the powers of a million exploding suns, giving him abilities largely unrivaled by his fellow heroes, including unmatched strength and energy manipulation. However, by getting his incredible powers, Reynolds became not just the Sentry but also the Void, a destructive being and dark side of the hero who wants to envelop the entire universe in darkness and destroy anything that stands in its way. To stop the Void, Sentry has made the Marvel Universe (including himself) forget about him multiple times, as having no Sentry outweighed the potential of the Void potentially being freed. 

Sentry would eventually return and suit up alongside the Avengers, but ultimately, as he always does, he lost control and had to be stopped before the Void took over. Sentry died in the "King in Black" event against Knull, the God of Symbiotes, and hasn't returned in his normal form since, cameoing in "Strange," where he was turned into the Revenant Prime before being defeated once again. Now, before his theorized and rumored debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sentry is back... sort of.

In "Sentry" #1 by Jason Loo ("Pitiful Human Lizard") and Luigi Zagaria ("Midnight Suns"), the Sentry will return, but not in his usual physical form. The series will see ordinary people from all around the world gaining Sentry's god-like abilities while also being granted some of his memories. However, not everyone gaining Sentry's powers will use them for good, as a battle for Sentry's legacy and mantle will break out across the Marvel Universe. The book features Misty Knight and Jessica Jones investigating the emerging powers across the world, with Marvel teasing that the comic will have significant stakes for the Sentry and his history.

Loo told Marvel.com that he was excited to create new characters and give them some of the most extraordinary powers a hero could have: "This new chapter of the Sentry has an intriguing concept: on top of all the responsibilities and struggles a single person has to deal with in their everyday life, can one also handle the power of a million exploding suns?" 

Considering the Sentry is one of Marvel's most unbalanced heroes, whose upper power limit makes him challenging to include in many stories, simply because he's too powerful for most scenarios, splitting up his powers and seeing several formerly ordinary people deal and fight over them is quite an intriguing concept. Marvel has the chance to introduce a more balanced version of the Sentry, with Bob Reynolds' future being up in the air. However, readers of Sentry have seen what the powers of a million exploding suns can do to an average human, and if there are multiple versions of the hero emerging, it's possible multiple versions of the Void might also emerge, which would spell bad news for everyone on Earth.

The powers of the Sentry could ultimately destroy those who wield it. They are highly volatile, a significant reason why Doctor Strange casted a spell to make the world make everyone forget about the hero. Sentry's powers could have a universe-shattering effect on the Marvel Universe without being properly contained and controlled. So, those gaining the abilities, dealing with godhood, and being potentially more powerful than some of the greatest heroes on the planet and beyond might end up being a corrupting force. It's likely too much for one person to handle, let alone multiple.

Check out Ben Harvey's ("Danny Ketch: Ghost Rider") cover for "Sentry" #1, which showcases the new versions of Sentry flexing their powers while Bob Reynolds' Sentry can be seen flying behind them. It appears the new wielder of Sentry's abilities are all new characters. Although, could a current Marvel hero also get a boost from the hero?

Marvel Comics

For those interested in Sentry's latest tale, check out what Marvel has to say: "WHO WILL BE THE NEW SENTRY? The Sentry is dead, but ordinary people all over the world are suddenly manifesting his powers and experiencing snippets of Bob Reynolds' memories. But not everyone can be trusted with such responsibility, sparking a violent conflict to control the Sentry's legacy. Will one of them survive long enough to emerge as the new Sentry? Or will their newfound power destroy them? When Misty Knight and Jessica Jones cross paths in search of answers, they open an investigation that will change everything you think you know about the Sentry!"

Readers can see the new wielders of Sentry's incredible powers in action when "Sentry" #1 from Marvel Comics arrives in comic book stores and online retailers on December 6th, 2023.