How Powerful Is Sentry Compared To Thanos In The MCU?

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Marvel’s Thunderbolts*

Marvel’s Thunderbolts* has debuted Bob aka The Sentry, one of the most powerful beings in the entire MCU. However, the Mad тιтan Thanos is also considered to be one of Marvel’s most powerful beings, both in the comics and in the MCU. With that in mind, many may be wondering which of the two Marvel characters is stronger/more powerful on screen.

In Thunderbolts* Bob Reynolds becomes the impressive Sentry thanks to the work of CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and the OXE Group. Wanting to create their very own Earth’s Mightiest Hero, The Sentry is certainly one of the most powerful beings to ever debut in the MCU (though he does have his major dark side known as the Void). While a showdown would undoubtedly be close, here’s who would win in a fight between The Sentry and Thanos in the MCU.

MCU Sentry’s Powers Explained

Some Key Differences From The Comics

Played by Lewis Pullman, Bob aka Sentry possesses immense super-strength, flight, extreme durability, as well as enhanced speed, stamina, and reflexes. He also has an impressive healing factor, as shown when Bob rapidly healed after Val hit a kill switch when The Void started taking over. He also has some impressive psionic abilities, such as telekinesis, the ability to read minds by touch, and can also manipulate matter itself. As the much darker Void, Bob can unleash a darkness that engulfs his victims, sending them into a nightmare dimension filled with recreations of their greatest mistakes and past traumas.

With the MCU Sentry naturally being inspired by the original Marvel Comics version, it’s worth noting that the comics’ Sentry is quite a bit stronger. On the page, there is no known upper limit to The Sentry’s power on the page. While he does have many of the same powers seen in the MCU, Sentry’s primary power is pH๏τokinesis, described as wielding, “the power of a million exploding suns” (in the MCU, this is just a marketing tagline from the OXE Group, and it’s only “a thousand suns”).

Comics Sentry also has additional abilities not seen in the MCU like biokinesis, the ability to resurrect himself and others (making him immortal), teleportation, and can share his power with others. While the MCU Sentry could very well have these powers as well, it remains to be seen as they weren’t shown in Thunderbolts*. As the Void, Bob produces dark tentacles. When victims are impaled upon them, they experience traumatic visions of the past, present, and future (the basis for the MCU Void’s powers).

MCU Thanos’ Powers Explained

With And Without The Infinity Stones

The power and strength of MCU Thanos is very much on par with the comics version. Considered to be one of the most powerful beings in both the original Marvel Universe of the comics and in the MCU, Thanos is effectively immortal with incredible strength and durability. This was proven when Thanos went toe-to-toe and beat the Hulk in Avengers: Infinity War (Sentry has achieved the same feat in the comics).

Unlike in the MCU, Comics Thanos can synthesize cosmic energy for various uses, like firing optical energy blasts. While not featured in the MCU, perhaps it could retroactively explain Thanos’ original glowing purple eyes in his first MCU appearances compared to his final appearances in Infinity War and Endgame. Of course, Thanos is also one of the only beings powerful enough to wield all six Infinity Stones, granting him immense power over all life in the universe, along with individual command over time, reality, space, mind, power, and the soul, effectively making him nigh-omnipotent while the Stones were in his possession.

Sentry Is More Powerful In The MCU

ᴀssuming Thanos Doesn’t Have The Infinity Stones

I’ve-Completely-Changed-My-Mind-About-Lewis-Pullman’s-Sentry-Suit-After-Watching-Thunderbolts — image by Yeider Chacon

It would be a much closer fight in the MCU, but Sentry would likely be the ultimate victor over Thanos. After all, Sentry essentially wields the power of “all the Avengers wrapped into one” even if he’s not as powerful as his comic book counterpart. Likewise, this is especially true if The Void is in the mix as well.

The darkened Bob could simply send the Mad тιтan and lock him away into the Void’s dimension of darkness, something a villain like Thanos may struggle to break free from. Unlike his comics counterpart, it’s easier to argue that MCU Thanos has more traumas/feelings of regret that the Void could take advantage of (like with Gamora). Of course, Thanos wielding the Infinity Stones is another story, and the Mad тιтan likely wouldn’t have a problem overpowering Bob. However, the Infinity Gauntlet feels like it should be excluded from the conversation when discussing a straight-up showdown with their inherent powers and abilities.

Marvel’s Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.