Sentinel (comics)

For the comic book, see Sentinel (comic book). For the DC Comics character, see Alan Scott. For The Heritage Action Sentinel Program, see The Heritage Foundation.
Sentinels

First appearance and design of the Sentinels. Art by Jack Kirby.
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance The X-Men #14 (November 1965)
Created by Stan Lee
Jack Kirby
In-story information
Member(s) Sentinel Squad O*N*E
Nimrod
Master Mold
Bastion
Prime Sentinels

The sentinels are a fictional variety of mutant-hunting robots appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are usually portrayed as antagonists to the X-Men. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, they first appeared in The X-Men (vol. 1) #14 (November 1965).

According to Marvel canon, Sentinels are programmed to locate mutants and capture or kill them. Though several types of Sentinels have been introduced, the typical Sentinel is three stories tall, is capable of flight, projects energy blasts, and can detect mutants.

The Sentinels have been featured in several X-Men video games, and played a large role in the 1990s X-Men animated series. Additionally, a simulated version made a brief appearance in the beginning of the 2006 film, X-Men: The Last Stand seen in the Danger Room. They are featured prominently in the 2014 film, X-Men: Days of Future Past. In 2009, the Sentinels were ranked by IGN as the 38th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.[1]

Characteristics

The Sentinels' modern appearance. Art by John Cassaday from Astonishing X-Men #1.

Sentinels are designed to hunt mutants who often represent the protagonists of Marvel stories; therefore, the Sentinels are usually employed as supervillains or as the tools of other villains. While many are capable of tactical thought, only a handful are self-aware.

Sentinels are technologically advanced, and have exhibited a wide variety of abilities. They are armed (primarily with energy weapons and restraining devices), capable of flight, and can detect mutants at long range. They possess vast physical strength, and their bodies are highly resistant to damage. Some are able to alter their physical forms or re-assemble and reactivate themselves after they have been destroyed.

Some Sentinel variants have the ability to learn from their experiences, developing their defenses during an engagement. Several groups of the robots have been created or led by a single, massive Sentinel, called Master Mold. Some sentinels are also equipped with an inconspicuous logic loop in case they should go rogue to convince them that they are mutants as demonstrated in the tri-sentinel.

Generations

Related mutant-hunting creations

Other versions

The following are alternative versions of the Sentinels, which appear outside of regular Marvel canon.

Age of Apocalypse

In the "Age of Apocalypse" timeline, Bolivar Trask created the Sentinels with his wife, Moira Trask. These Sentinels are equipped with several body-mounted gun turrets, and their primary directive is to protect humans rather than to hunt mutants. They are capable of cooperating with mutants in order to further this mission.[6] Later the Sentinels are adapted by Weapon Omega, to serve a reverse purpose, and now aid in the hunting of the human race.[7]

Days of Future Past

In the "Days of Future Past" timeline, which takes place in an alternate future, the "Omega Sentinels" have advanced technologically and become the de facto rulers of the United States. The most powerful among them is Nimrod.

Hembeck

In the joke comic Fred Hembeck Destroys the Marvel Universe, the X-Men are killed by silent, black, man-sized "Ninja Sentinels".

Here Comes Tomorrow

In the "Here Comes Tomorrow" future timeline, a Sentinel named Rover is Tom Skylark's companion and protector. After more than 150 years of being active, Rover has become self-aware and, possibly, capable of emotion.

House of M

In the House of M storyline, Magneto is victorious in a mutant/human war. The Sentinels are adapted by Sebastian Shaw, now the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., to serve a reverse purpose, and now aid in the hunting of sapien rebels.

MC2

In the MC2 timeline, Wild Thing encounters a Prime Sentinel that has accidentally been activated by a faulty microwave.

Ronin

In the alternate reality of X-Men: Ronin, the story is played out in Japan. A police unit called "Sentinel Force" designs, builds and pilots the robots. These are aesthetically similar to regular Sentinels, but each is subtly different from the others.

Star Trek

In the comic crossover X-Men/Star Trek: Second Contact, the X-Men work with the crew of the Enterprise-E to battle Kang the Conqueror. An away team composed of Captain Picard, Deanna Troi, Nightcrawler and Colossus encounter an approximation of the "Days of Future Past" timeline, in which the Sentinels have merged with the Borg.

Ultimate Marvel

In Ultimate X-Men, the Sentinels, created by the Ultimate Marvel version of Bolivar Trask, were already in action at the beginning of the first story arc, hunting down and killing mutants on the streets, in a program apparently openly and publicly acknowledged by the U.S. government. Later on, there were also the New Sentinels that were actually sixty of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents in a Sentinel battle armor that was described as having enough hardware to take on a fleet of the old Sentinel models (though this may have been an exaggeration). A new breed of Sentinel robots, created by Trask under orders from the Fenris twins, is currently hunting mutants.

After the events of the Ultimatum Wave, a new model of Sentinel (Nimrod Sentinels) was deployed to hunt and capture, or kill, mutants that refused to turn themselves in. William Stryker, Jr. using Sentinel Tech, later displayed an ability to summon a fleet of Sentinels after being attacked by the Shroud.[8]

What If?

In other media

Television

Films

The original Sentinels from 1973 were similar in appearance to their comic counterparts being three times the size of a human, possessed gatling guns on one of their arms capable of firing 3000 rounds per minute, sensors that allow them to track carriers of the X Gene and could fly using the vent-like systems on their chest. They were built out of plastic to be immune to Magneto's powers, but the mutant infuses them with metal bars to control them in the film's climax. The past Sentinels were designed by Legacy Effects, with Digital Domain building digital models based on their full-scale practical model. In contrast, the future Sentinels were smaller and sleeker, with a body built out of adaptive mechanical scales. These were all computer graphics made by Moving Picture Company.[10][11]

Video games

Sentinels have appeared as major antagonists in almost every video game to feature the X-Men. In most games, the Sentinels are human-sized foes rather than the massive figures that are seen in most of their comic book appearances:

Sentinel (right) fights Wolverine in the 1994's arcade game X-Men: Children of the Atom.

Toys

Several different toys of Sentinels have been made since their introduction. One is the X-Men Classics 10" Sentinel by Toybiz. A "Build-A-Figure" version of the character was made in wave ten of the Marvel Legends line. The most recent Sentinel toy is made by Hasbro as part of the Marvel Universe line. Along with a large, unposeable statue, two Minimates figures have been made of the Sentinels. The first, a classic version, came with Rachel Summers in either her Phoenix or Marvel Girl guises. The second, based on Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, comes with a red-haired "First Appearance" figure of Ryu. In 2014, The Lego group released a set in the Marvel Super Heroes line titled "X-Men vs. the Sentinel", featuring the sentinel as a buildable figure, also including the Blackbird, Magneto, Wolverine, Storm, and Cyclops.

Parodies

References

  1. Sentinels is number 38 , IGN.
  2. Astonishing X-Men #31
  3. Avengers & X-Men: AXIS #1
  4. Mystique #3-6
  5. Secret Avengers vol. 1 #26
  6. Amazing X-Men #2
  7. Uncanny X-Force #11
  8. Ultimate Comics: X-Men #3-4
  9. Failes, Ian (May 27, 2014). "Future threat – X-Men: Days of Future Past". Fxguide. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  10. Sentinels: For a Secure Future (Featurette). X-Men: Days of Future Past Blu-ray: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. 2014.
  11. Marvel vs Capcom 2 - Shoryuken Wiki
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