Each new MCU movie introduces a few new characters to the expanding world of heroes and villains, but Sentry (Lewis Pullman) was a game-changer when he debuted in Thunderbolts*. As powerful as he is unstable, Sentry, real name Robert “Bob” Reynolds, is the result of secret experiments that gave him God-like powers, but his fractured psyche makes him unable to wield them without freeing his dangerous alter ego, The Void.
With big team-up movies like Avengers: Doomsday in the works, Sentry will no doubt have some memorable encounters with his costumed peers that will end with punches thrown. However, Sentry looked like he wasn’t even trying when he single-handedly cleared The New Avengers in a traditional fight, so what would it look like if Bob tapped into his powers and took on the strongest members of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? With that in mind, let’s have some fun and speculate on how Sentry would fare against the most powerful Avengers. Everyone is on the table, living or dead, because no one’s curious about how long Hawkeye would last in a fight.
10
Nebula
Played by Karen Gillan
Nebula (Karen Gillan) is known for her time with the Guardians of the Galaxy, but she was a member of the Avengers after Thanos’ (Josh Brolin) snap turned most of her teammates into clouds of dust. Not only is Nebula a masterful fighter with super strength, but she can also take a significant amount of damage and quickly return to the fight by piecing herself back together.
To be clear, there’s no debate whether Sentry will outmatch Nebula, but if she can take the worst he can throw at her and get back up, does the overpowered hero move on to other fights worth pursuing? Nebula isn’t short on trauma for Sentry to tap into and exploit, but since she’s virtually a robot after a series of painfully forced modifications, she might be immune to The Void’s ability to make her relive dark moments from her past. Nebula might be a dark horse candidate to win a fight against Sentry, but it could very well end in a draw.
9
Iron Man
Played by Robert Downey Jr.
One of the original members of the Avengers and the face of the MCU for the majority of its existence, Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), would immediately label Sentry as a liability. Maybe it’s game recognizing game, because after all, Stark had his hand in creating world-ending threats like Ultron (James Spader), but he would want contingencies in place for the inevitable riot Sentry caused.
Stark is a master strategist with a brilliant mind that sees ten chess moves in advance, but all the planning wouldn’t help in a one-on-one fight with Sentry. Stark could have a legion of suits prepared to attack, like in the climax of Iron Man 3, but it would be a momentary diversion for Sentry before he closed the distance between himself and Iron Man. Whether it was ripping the suit off his body or using the many skeletons in Stark’s closet against him, Sentry would come out on top in this fight.
8
Captain America
Played by Chris Evans
It’s nice to think the man who lifted Thor’s hammer could beat Sentry if needed, but likely, Captain America (Chris Evans) would not be walking away from a fight with the new antihero. Yes, Captain America went head-to-head with Thanos, but he also had the backup of his fellow Avengers to carry the weight when he needed to recover, which he wouldn’t have in an isolated scenario with Sentry.
Rogers has a pure heart, so it’s unlikely that The Void will be able to trap him in a moment of emotional pain, but physically, Captain America is no match for the incredible strength of Sentry. Cap is the ultimate physical specimen and will not stay down unless he receives a fatal blow, but while that’s inspiring, it won’t win him the fight. Rogers would take an overpowered punch, stand up, and say, “I can do this all day,” and then Sentry would launch him across the city without breaking a sweat.
7
Spider-Man
Played by Tom Holland
Peter Parker, or Spider-Man (Tom Holland), would do whatever a spider could against Sentry, but it wouldn’t be enough. Even though Spider-Man has many useful abilities and powers that give him a defensive edge, they can’t compare to the raw strength of Sentry. That speaks to the overwhelming power of Sentry, because Spider-Man has proved to be one of the strongest heroes, such as when he managed to hold the ferry together in Spider-Man: Homecoming long enough before Iron Man came in for the assist.
The combination of Spider-Man’s agility and his spider-sense would buy him some time with evasive maneuvers, which is exactly what he would do as part of a team to keep Sentry distracted while the others flanked him. Unfortunately, in a one-on-one fight, Sentry’s speed is going to nullify Spidey’s acrobatic prowess, and even with his enhanced healing factor, Spider-Man couldn’t take many offensive moves from Sentry before going down for the count.
6
The Hulk
Played by Mark Ruffalo
Although the green giant hasn’t been around as much in the MCU lately, the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) would make for an entertaining opponent to the Sentry. A Professor Hulk fight would be interesting, especially since audiences haven’t seen much in the way of combat style from the intelligent Hulk/Banner hybrid. What is potentially more intriguing, though, is seeing an out-of-control, rampaging Hulk go up against Sentry.
Hulk wasn’t the arena champion in Thor Ragnarok by accident; he’s a brick wall with arms who can endure an endless amount of punishment before quickly returning the favor. The test of physical strength could potentially go either way, and it’s equally questionable if the Hulk is subject to being thrown into the shadow world, or if his primal state doesn’t allow the opportunity. The Hulk would likely give Sentry a challenge, but the sheer amount of different powers he possesses gives him a deep toolbox to work with in defeating the green juggernaut.
5
Vision
Played by Paul Bettany
Made from vibranium and given autonomy from the Mind Stone, Vision (Paul Bettany) was a near-indestructible member of the Avengers. Possessing superhuman speed and strength without the limited stamina of a human, Vision could overcome a majority of physical challenges while also being blessed with an advanced supercomputer intellect. He was destroyed at the hands of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, but Vision has since returned with his memories intact.
As a synthezoid being, Vision should be completely immune to the shadow realm, and that’s a huge advantage against Sentry. On paper, the powers of both seem similar enough to think neither holds a clear line of victory over the other, but Vision has experienced defeat before. Time will tell how future movies interpret the scope of his strength, but Sentry should be more powerful than Vision, especially the current version that no longer has an infinity stone to draw from.
4
Captain Marvel
Played by Brie Larson
Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), known to the world as Captain Marvel, may not always be on Earth with the rest of the Avengers, but she’s a pager notification away from joining them to battle the biggest threats. Captain Marvel’s superhuman strength and ability to fly mean she can take the fight to Sentry, unlike some of the grounded allies she fights alongside.
Based on her appearance in previous MCU films, there’s no compelling argument why Captain Marvel wouldn’t be able to win a fight against Sentry. If she were able to maneuver the fight out of the atmosphere, it’s unclear if Sentry would be able to follow or be able to withstand the environment of outer space like Captain Marvel can. However, Danvers has no defense against the shadow realm, which would give Sentry his edge in winning a bout with the powerful Avenger.
3
Doctor Strange
Played by Benedict Cumberbatch
Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) can’t exchange physical blows with Sentry, but he wouldn’t need to. Strange is clever, and he’s taken on imposing enemies, such as the menacing otherworldly being Dormammu, by using his wits to outsmart his foes into abandoning their violent goals. Strange is one of the most powerful heroes in the MCU, and his guidance helped turn the tide against Thanos when things looked especially bleak.
If Strange is holding the Time Stone, he should be able to manipulate the odds in his favor, but having the stone doesn’t guarantee him a win in every fight. If Strange has time to strategize an attack plan, he should be able to use Sentry’s fragile mental state to incapacitate him long enough to subdue him. However, if Sentry is able to break through any magical defenses to cause physical harm to Strange, the fight is instantly over.
2
Thor
Played by Chris Hemsworth
One of the founding members of the Avengers and their only resident God, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), is unquestionably one of the most formidable members of the team. Using his trusty hammer, Mjölnir, superhuman strength, and ability to summon electricity at will, Thor is nearly impossible to beat, as has been proven by the many foes he’s bested.
In terms of durability and strength, Thor and Sentry are most likely evenly matched and could continue to trade blows for hours without either gaining the upper hand. Sentry’s shadow power is an X-factor for this particular fight, because there’s no official example of whether the ability works on non-humans like the Asgardian Thor. The God of Thunder has spent his life training himself for battle, but if Thor underestimates his opponent, Sentry might surprise him with a flurry of attacks that he would struggle to recover from.
1
Scarlet Witch
Played by Elizabeth Olsen
The Scarlet Witch, or Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), may have “died” at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but fans are still holding out hope to see her return in future movies. Part of that wishful thinking is the idea that her powers, which are world-changing in the comic books, never felt fully realized within her storylines of the MCU. Even when she possessed an entire town in WandaVision, there was the notion that she was not operating at full capacity.
Wanda’s ability to distort the fabric of reality to her will makes her one of the strongest Avengers to ever be on the team. She could attack Sentry in a number of ways, but she would most likely exploit his weakened mental state, allowing her to use him as a puppet to her advantage. Conversely, if Sentry were to trap Wanda in her worst memories, she is liable to have a mental collapse that could lead to unpredictably disastrous results.
