Marvel Studios has finally adapted Sentry, who is often dubbed the MCU‘s Superman, into live-action, but whether the character is as powerful as the Man of Steel is debatable. Thankfully, there is plenty of cinematic evidence to help with discerning that answer.
Robert Reynolds debuted in Thunderbolts* as the down-and-out participant of Project Sentry. He survives the ordeal where others failed and lost their lives, imbuing him with an incredible amount of power as part of his Sentry alter-ego. Sentry’s MCU debut in Thunderbolts* saw him making short work of the titular team when instructed to subdue them.
Superman’s next cinematic outing will be in Superman on July 11. Unlike Sentry, Superman is well accustomed to the silver screen. The character additionally boasts a much larger comic book career, and throughout that time has demonstrated a wide array of powers.
Nevertheless, Sentry is no joke. While the MCU’s adaptation is characterized as a complete novice, the effortless way in which he unleashes his powers on the Thunderbolts suggests he could still hold his own.
Sentry’s Powers Explained
Sentry Is As Powerful As One Thousand Exploding Suns
Sentry is described in Thunderbolts* as boasting the power of one thousand exploding suns. This is likely a reference to his super strength, though Sentry also boasts a litany of additional superpowers, most of which are seen during his fight with the Thunderbolts. These include:
- Invulnerability
- Super Speed
- Super Strength
- Telekinesis
- Flight
- Heat Vision
- Quantum Phasing Manipulation
Sentry is more commonly described as boasting the power of one million exploding suns in Marvel Comics.
It is unclear whether Sentry will also be afforded the exact same powers as his comic book counterpart, which include many more godlike abilities, such as molecular manipulation and immortality. If he does, it is hard to fathom just how drastically the balance of power in the MCU will shift.
The Sentry’s main weakness is the Void, the dark alter ego who wishes to sow chaos where Sentry would typically act heroic.
On that note, precious little has been seen of Sentry thus far, with the only evidence being his impossibly short battle with the Thunderbolts. As for the Void, his power to banish victims to another plane seems to be impossible to resist, though escaping the realm seems only to be a matter of helping Bob’s psyche pull through.
The Sentry’s main weakness is the Void, the dark alter ego who wishes to sow chaos where Sentry would typically act heroic. Although this dynamic seems to emulate the comics, the Sentry was seen declaring himself to be a god, suggesting the MCU’s Sentry might also harbor some less-than-heroic traits himself.
Superman’s Powers Explained
Superman Has Several Powers But One Key Weakness
Superman boasts a far greater back catalogue from which to discern his powers. He has evolved substantially during that time, with the Man of Steel now boasting an incredibly versatile power set. Superman’s powers are almost too numerous to count, but among the most prominent are:
- Invulnerability
- Super Speed
- Super Strength
- Flight
- Heat Vision
- Reversing Time
Throughout his cinematic appearances, Superman has also demonstrated some lesser-known (and sometimes questionable) superpowers, including a memory-wiping kiss and the ability to rebuild the Great Wall of China with his vision alone. It’s decidedly unclear if modern interpretations of Superman boast the same powers.
Superman draws his powers from Earth’s yellow sun, which trailer and teaser footage for James Gunn’s Superman shows he uses to regenerate and recharge after being battered and bruised. A red sun, on the other hand, has the opposite effect and drains Superman of his powers.
Another, more renowned weakness of Superman is kryptonite. Despite being nigh-unstoppable, the presence of this material is what allows much weaker characters like Batman and Lex Luthor to gain the upper hand against the otherwise godlike being. With that in mind, it’s easier to determine who is most powerful.
Sentry Is More Powerful
Sentry Doesn’t Have As Exploitable A Weakness
While Superman and the Sentry boast an incredibly similar collection of superpowers, Superman’s weakness is far easier to exploit. Although a straight-up test of strength between the two might be close, Sentry losing control to the Void does not strip him of his powers, but instead only makes him more dangerous.
Superman, on the other hand, is drained of his power after being exposed to one material. This is possibly what causes Superman to appear weak in the upcoming Superman, as it is likely he has been subjected to a dose of kryptonite that can indeed remove such powers as invulnerability.
Superman was killed in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice with a Kryptonite spear. Sentry, on the other hand, did not die when a kill-switch was engaged and instead gave way to the Void, suggesting he, like his comic book counterpart, is immortal. Furthermore, should the MCU’s Sentry boast such powers as molecular manipulation, this gives him an extra edge.
Related
Superman: How Powerful Each Movie Version Of The Character Is
Superman is DC’s most powerful hero and the movie versions showcase all of his abilities. Here’s just how mighty every movie Man of Steel really is.
Ultimately, Superman’s weaknesses, while they help make the character more grounded, are too easily exploited. While kryptonite and a red sun make Superman vulnerable to everyone else, Sentry’s weakness makes everyone else vulnerable to him.
How Powerful Sentry Is Compared To Other Marvel & DC Characters
Only The Most Powerful Characters Stand A Chance Against Sentry
There are very few who could hope to stand up to the Sentry in the MCU. His godlike abilities make him almost unstoppable, though some might stand a chance.
Cosmic entities like Death or Mephisto, meanwhile, seem to have complete control over the very fabric of existence.
The Scarlet Witch, for example, is a powerful reality warper. The ease with which she dispatched Earth-838’s Illuminati suggests that she could hold her own against much more powerful entities, and it is possible that she can do just that for Sentry. Doctor Strange, meanwhile, is another powerful magic-user who has outwitted the ruler of the Dark Dimension.
Jean Grey, especially when powered by the Phoenix Force, could also give Sentry cause for concern, particularly when paired with her telepathic abilities. Cosmic entities like Death or Mephisto, meanwhile, seem to have complete control over the very fabric of existence.
Related
Thanks to Thunderbolts*, the MCU now has a Superman-tier hero in the Sentry. But does Bob Reynolds’ hero actually live up to the nickname?
DC’s Spectre boasts nigh-omnipotent powers as a result of representing DC Comics’ equivalent of God. Superman Prime One Million, meanwhile, is a version of Superman who spent 15,000 years charging from the yellow sun to gain nigh-omnipotent power, though he is still weak to kryptonite.
Ultimately, only godlike entities hold a candle to Sentry, especially if he boasts the same matter manipulation powers as he does in Marvel Comics. Still, without seeing more of the unfathomably powerful character in live-action, it’s difficult to know the full extent of his powers and whether the DCU’s Superman could stand a chance against him.
-
- Created By
-
Paul Jenkins, Jae Lee, Rick Veitch
- First Appearance
-
The Sentry (2000)
- Alias
-
Robert Reynolds
- Alliance
-
Avengers, New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, Dark Avengers, Horsemen of Death
- Franchise
-
Marvel
-
- Created By
-
Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel
- First Appearance
-
Action Comics
- Alias
-
Kal-El, Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent
- Alliance
-
Justice League, Superman Family
- Franchise
-
D.C.
- Race
-
Kryptonian
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
