by Shawn Goretsky (8th)

In the movie Thunderbolts, we were introduced to one of the strongest characters in Marvel: The Sentry. In the film, he fought the Thunderbolts and decisively defeated the team of street-level anti-heroes—like they never even stood a chance. However, in the movie, Valentina, the main villain, claimed that Sentry was stronger than a whole team of Avengers. I am going to explore whether that is true.

First, let's consider who Sentry might be facing. Initially, he would fight the original Avengers team, which includes Black Widow, Hawkeye, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, and Iron Man. But since Thunderbolts takes place after Endgame, the team would be larger. The world knows about Vision, Wanda, Falcon, War Machine, Black Panther, and Ant-Man due to the events of Civil War and Age of Ultron. People are also likely aware of Doctor Strange, given his battles against dark forces threatening the world. Spider-Man is well-known because of his involvement in Infinity War and Endgame. However, characters like Captain Marvel and the Guardians of the Galaxy are less known on Earth, as they mostly operate in space and have limited interactions with the public.

So, the Avengers team Valentina refers to likely includes Black Widow, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Doctor Strange, Wanda, Falcon, Black Panther, Spider-Man, Ant-Man, and War Machine.

Let's clarify who Sentry is. Sentry is an uncontrollable powerhouse, possessing the strength of one million exploding suns. He has super strength, super speed, durability, heat vision, energy manipulation, and matter manipulation—making him a formidable force.

Now, let’s analyze who might win in individual matchups:

Street-Level Heroes: We already saw what Sentry did to them in Thunderbolts—they got decimated. So, we can safely say he would beat Black Widow and Hawkeye easily. That leaves us with Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Doctor Strange, Wanda, and Spider-Man.

Iron Man: Wearing his nano-tech suit, Iron Man is his strongest armor with advanced weaponry. However, most of his energy weapons would be ineffective against Sentry, forcing him into melee combat. While Iron Man's melee strikes are powerful, they would barely scratch Sentry without significant hits.

Spider-Man: With his agility, super strength, and Iron Spider suit, Spider-Man has many tools. He might try to web-sling and hit Sentry from a distance. But given Sentry's speed and powers, Spider-Man’s attacks likely wouldn't land significantly, making him less effective.

Hulk: The Hulk has immense strength and durability, which increases during fights. However, Hulk has been weakened in some versions—like his Smart Hulk form being half as strong. In comics, Sentry has beaten Hulk at full power. So, even current Hulk would likely be outmatched by Sentry.

Thor: Thor possesses incredible strength and durability. He’s destroyed Thanos’s army with ease, and Stormbreaker combined with his lightning can power through the Infinity Stones. Thor might throw Stormbreaker at Sentry; the attack would cause pain, but Sentry's speed (comparable to the speed of light) allows him to dodge. After a prolonged fight, Sentry would likely emerge victorious but injured.

Doctor Strange: As the Sorcerer Supreme, Strange wields powerful magic. He can trap enemies in the Mirror Dimension or cast spells to incapacitate Sentry. But Sentry’s speed and strength could allow him to break through Strange's defenses quickly. In a one-on-one, Sentry would likely defeat Doctor Strange.

Wanda (Scarlet Witch): Wanda is arguably the strongest magic user in the MCU, capable of crushing Thanos and controlling the Infinity Stones. Her magic could harm Sentry and injure him, but it’s unlikely she could deliver a fatal blow. Her durability isn’t top-tier, and once Sentry lands hits, she might be in trouble.

In summary:

• Sentry can beat any of these heroes in a one-on-one fight.
• However, he cannot defeat the entire Avengers team simultaneously.
• The Avengers, as a team, are highly coordinated and can support each other—Strange can use portals to help, Thor and Wanda can team up to overwhelm Sentry, and Iron Man can provide additional firepower.
• Sentry lacks the experience and strategic mastery of a well-coordinated team. He wouldn’t be able to handle the combined efforts of the Avengers working together.

Conclusion: While Sentry is stronger than each individual Avenger in a one-on-one fight, he would likely be overwhelmed by the full team working together.