One unanswered question from Thunderbolts*' final battle. Despite Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's efforts, Bob abandons his Sentry persona and finds a new family in his teammates.
Bob's newfound peace comes at the cost of giving up his newly discovered powers. Bob doesn't seem to mind, as he much prefers leaving his dark feelings and thoughts behind rather than enjoying a superfluous source of godlike power he never asked for. But despite the Void's apparent defeat, Bob's involuntary threat to the world may be far from over.
Bob Reynolds Inexplicably Loses His Sentry Costume After The Void Is Defeated
Bob's Sentry Power And Hairstyle Disappear Out Of A Sudden
Once Bob quits punching the Void and lets out his true emotional pain, he and the New Avengers return to reality in the middle of the street in front of Val's Watchtower, and every person the Void consumed is brought back. All the New Avengers retain their memories from their experience and seem to return intact. On the other hand, Bob returns with his original hair color and without his Sentry costume. He also asks his teammates what just happened, as if he'd forgotten everything he lived since he received his Sentry makeover.
After Hearing Sentry’s Actor Talk About Why The MCU Hero Costume Is “Disturbing,” I Love That The Thunderbolts* Suit Felt Weird To Me
Thunderbolts* actor Lewis Pullman has shared why the Sentry costume is "disturbing", validating my personal feelings about why the suit felt weird.
It's logical for Bob to lose his memories as a result of the strange circumstances of his transformation into Sentry and the Void's takeover. The Void could also be capable of restoring Bob's original hair color as a sign of his detachment from the entity he created and from the emotionless persona Val created for him. That said, the sudden disappearance of the Sentry costume is bizarre, as the Void seemed to exist in its own contained dimension. Thunderbolts*' ending and post-credits scene don't acknowledge this detail at all, either.
The Void May Have Saved Bob’s Sentry Costume For An Eventual Return
The Void May Be Planning To Weaponize Bob's Sentry Persona
Rather than a mistake, the sudden disappearance of Bob Reynolds' Sentry costume could be a subtle hint at Sentry and the Void's return some time after Thunderbolts*' post-credits scene. The Void might have taken Bob's Sentry costume and stored it deep within his unconscious mind. Meanwhile, the Void itself may remain dormant inside Bob's head, and when the right moment arrives, the Void could catch Bob with his guard down, reawaken, and use Bob's Sentry powers for evil. If the Void combines its power with that of a fully-powered Sentry, there may be no one in the MCU powerful enough to stop it.
Aside from flight, the Void never actually uses any of Sentry's physical powers, but this could change if the Void manages to harness Sentry's full power and turn his godlike abilities against Bob and his allies
In the comics, the Void is a mystical entity capable of unleashing chaos like any other physical creature or monster. Thunderbolts* instead portrays the Void as the embodiment of Bob's mental health struggles, with the ability to send its victims to its realm and force them to relive their deepest trauma over and over. The Void's location is ambiguous, and there's a chance it exists somewhere inside Bob's head. Aside from flight, the Void never actually uses any of Sentry's physical powers, but this could change if the Void manages to harness Sentry's full power and turn his godlike abilities against Bob and his allies.
Thunderbolts*’ Post-Credits Scene s The Theory That The Void Is Saving Bob’s Sentry Persona For Later
Thunderbolts*' Post-Credits Scene Confirms Bob Can't Use His Sentry Powers
Fourteen months after the events of Thunderbolts*, the New Avengers assemble in their Watchtower and track a space crisis that somehow brings the Fantastic Four's ship to the MCU's main timeline. Thunderbolts*' post-credits scene also reveals that Bob is staying with the New Avengers even though he can't participate in their battles, as he can't use his Sentry abilities without the risk of reawakening the Void. So, he just hangs out in the Watchtower, reads, and does the Watchtower's everyday chores while the team fulfills their New Avengers duties and deal with Captain America's copyright lawsuit.
The Void could restore Bob's Sentry powers and costume, turning him into a more traditional Dark Sentry — his classic superhero costume intact, but with glowing red eyes and a menacing dark aura
Thunderbolts* doesn't reveal how Bob came to the conclusion that his Sentry powers are tied to the Void. It's possible that Bob is just being cautious about not causing another event, but there's also a chance that he tried using his abilities and felt the Void taking over again. Bob may not know how likely it is for the Void to return or what exactly could bring it back. Meanwhile, the Void could be dormant against its will, or it could be hiding deep within Bob's unconscious, crafting its plan to create a Dark Sentry persona for Bob as revenge against him and the New Avengers.
One of the few dark entities more powerful than the Void in Marvel Comics is Knull, who made his live-action debut in Sony's Venom: The Last Dance.
In the comics, the Void can manifest itself as a large creature made of pure darkness, often resembling an arachnid demon. However, the Void can also possess Sentry's body, making him look like an evil version of himself, nicknamed "Dark Sentry". Thunderbolts* clearly draws inspiration from the latter, as the MCU's Void-possessed Sentry looks like a living shadow in the shape of Sentry. In a future MCU installment, the Void could restore Bob's Sentry powers and costume, turning him into a more traditional Dark Sentry — his classic superhero costume intact, but with glowing red eyes and a menacing dark aura.
When The Void Could Turn Bob Into Sentry Again
Bob May Only Transform Back Into Sentry After Avengers: Doomsday
If the Void is planning to use Bob's Sentry persona against Bob, it would make sense for it to reawaken in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, as the New Avengers' fight against Doctor Doom would be the worst possible moment for Bob to lose control, and the Void thrives in Bob's suffering. However, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are too crowded for such an event to happen again, let alone so close to the events of Thunderbolts*. The Void could allow Bob to use his Sentry powers briefly in Avengers: Secret Wars and withhold the consequences for later.
I Can’t Believe I’m Hoping For Sentry’s Avengers: Doomsday Appearance To Be Less Comic-Accurate Than Thunderbolts* In One Way
Sentry had his grand debut in the MCU in Thunderbolts*, but it also altered the character's story in a way that should have a lasting impact.
Alternatively, Bob could sit out both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, and the Void could bring back his Sentry persona once the New Avengers believe all major threats to be gone. As the Dark Sentry in Phase 7, Bob would probably face more powerful enemies than he did in Thunderbolts*, as the New Avengers may have already ed forces with Captain America's Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men by then. Such a face-off would be worthy of a movie of its own. Avengers 7 or a spiritual sequel to Thunderbolts* could focus entirely on Dark Sentry as a crossover antagonist.
Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
- May 2, 2025
- Runtime
- 127 minutes
- Director
- Jake Schreier
- Writers
- Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo
- Producers
- Kevin Feige
Cast
Yelena Belova
Bucky Barnes
- Franchise(s)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Budget
- $180 million
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