Understanding Bob as Sentry in Marvel's Thunderbolts

Sentry and the Intrigue of Thunderbolts

If you’ve been keeping up with all of Marvel’s various TV shows and movies over the last several years, then you might have recognized everybody in the recent Thunderbolts trailer. The upcoming MCU film brings together a slew of returning B-tier characters from the past, with Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova in the lead. But one character you might not have recognized was the mysterious Bob, who is making his debut in Thunderbolts. So, who is Bob and why is he so important?

Who Is Sentry?

Bob, played by Top Gun: Maverick's Lewis Pullman, appears in a handful of shots during the trailer that immediately make it clear he is the comic character Sentry. Created in 2000 by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, Sentry is essentially Marvel’s answer to Superman. He’s an indestructible man with powers ranging from super speed to super strength, flight, super sense, and much more. If you understand who Superman is, you’ve got the basics of Sentry down already.

The Complex History of Sentry

• Alter Ego: Robert Reynolds (Bob)
• Powers Origins: A failed attempt at recreating the Super-Soldier Serum.
• Major Conflicts: Sentry vs. his archenemy, Void.

During his tenure as a hero, Sentry often fought with his archenemy Void, until realizing that the only way to defeat his nemesis was to stop using his powers. This included Sentry wiping the minds of everyone in the universe of any memory of him. That’s where the original 2000 series picks up, with Bob Reynolds remembering his past life as a hero, explaining why Sentry had never appeared prior to this date.

Bobs's Role in Thunderbolts

As we see him in the trailer, Bob appears to be locked inside some secret government facility that the Thunderbolts break into, unaware of what’s really inside. Later on, Bob remains uninjured despite his clothes being shredded. Notably, Sentry's signature S symbol appears in the trailer, confirming that Lewis Pullman’s Bob is indeed Sentry.

With Thunderbolts shaping up to be Marvel's take on a Suicide Squad-type narrative, Bob serves as a critical character amid a host of anti-heroes. Expect alliances and conflicts as characters evolve over the film's course.

Thunderbolts is set to release on May 2, 2025.