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Robert Kirkman may have just accidentally revealed Steven Yeun’s Marvel role. Fans speculated on his potential characters when Disney announced the ensemble cast of Thunderbolts this February. Robert Reynolds, AKA Sentry, became their favorite guess. Marvel has no comment at the moment, but Robert Kirkman all but confirmed the casting choice during a livestream with comic artist David Finch. If true, Steven Yeun’s Sentry will represent a sharp escalation and an excellent new character for Marvel.
Marvel Typecasts Steven Yeun as A Complicated Superman in Blue and Gold
I’ll be the thousandth person to point out the similarities between Sentry and Invincible. Steven Yeun’s role as Mark Grayson in Invincible is remarkably comparable to his apparent Marvel character, Robert Reynolds. Unlike Invincible, Sentry wasn’t intended as a riff on Superman. He has similar powers and, in some cases, a similar backstory. Paul Jenkins, Jae Lee, and Rick Veitch imagined Sentry in the late ’90s. The clever conceit of his character is mental illness, which divides his identity into three distinct personalities. He is his worst enemy. Sentry is Robert’s superhero persona. He also has a villainous persona called the Void. The character sports multiple origin stories, but the general consensus is that he’s the hero time forgot.
Robert Reynolds was a troubled young addict who broke into a laboratory and consumed a mysterious serum to get high. Instead, the cocktail gave him “the power of a million exploding suns.” Reynolds immediately decided to sew a costume and use his newfound gifts to help people, despite the will of the scientists. He met and influenced many Marvel heroes. Spider-Man saw him as a treasured mentor. The Hulk, an outcast, felt close to him. He was Reed Richard’s best friend. After the Sentry fought his nemesis, the General, the Void attacked. Sentry discovered the Void’s connection to his powers and resolved to erase himself, much like the ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Doctor Strange and Reed Richards pushed everyone to forget the Sentry. Sentry entered a cycle of regaining memories, unleashing the Void, and returning to obscurity. He’s a hero with a dark side who routinely forgets both.
Steven Yeun Will Play a Role In the Larger MCU
Steven Yeun will have his first Marvel role in Thunderbolts. Sentry is a minor Marvel character, but his appearance in this lesser-known vehicle could elevate him. Thunderbolts will compare to DC’s Suicide Squad. Both works feature minor antagonists brought together to face a new threat. Both Suicide Squad films pit villains against more powerful villains. Instead, Thunderbolts will see reformed criminals, terrorists, and super-soldiers fight a superhero. Sentry is a superhero, but he will debut as a villain in Thunderbolts. Marvel could use the character as a one-off antagonist, but it would be a waste. I see a version of the character depicted as another evil Superman pastiche. As ironic as it would be to see Steven Yeun graduate from Invincible to Omni-Man, the Sentry can become a fixture of the MCU.
Sentry could lead a solo film, become an ally of superhero teams, and fight in gigantic final battles. Robert Reynolds is too compelling a character to abandon as a minor villain. Sentry’s fate will depend on the quality of his debut film. If fans hate him, Marvel will put him in the bin. Conversely, if we all love him, he’ll be in everything. Sentry’s struggle against himself is complex, unique, and endlessly compelling. Earlier MCU projects touch on similar beats, but a hero with a Tyler Durden-style alter ego and a decades-long history of success is new. A solo project could tie him to earlier stories. Imagine Marvel editing Steven Yeun’s character back into footage from X2 or Civil War.
Steven Yeun’s reported Marvel role could be a one-off villain, but Sentry deserves better. Thunderbolts will be the character’s debut, and his future rests on its performance. Marvel introduced far too many characters in recent outings, but new blood is still critical to the franchise. Every failed debut is a disaster. Marvel contemplates bringing Iron Man back to save their flagging empire, but icons like Sentry will carry Marvel on their shoulders. The Sentry could introduce groundbreaking story elements and expand the MCU to new heights. We’ll all have to wait and see how Marvel handles their complicated new hero.
