The Sentry, one of Marvel’s mightiest heroes, fell at the hands of the King in Black, Knull. This was a huge surprise to both fans and the Avengers. Moreover, Knull’s invasion of Earth in the King in Black series was devastating.
However, as he went on with his invasion, a lot of people questioned why the Sentry, a hero with the power of “a thousand exploding suns”, couldn’t stop him. The answer lies in the unpredictability of the battle and Sentry’s tragic nature.
The Sentry Deeply Underestimated Knull’s Power
Knull’s darkness consumed everything. The Sentry, with his unimaginable power, seemed like humanity’s best hope to stop this cosmic force. Yet, in his confrontation with Knull, the Sentry was brutally ripped in half. Was it a shocking display of Knull’s strength? Or did Sentry not use his powers? Why didn’t he sacrifice himself to take out Knull?
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When the Sentry first faced Knull, he was unaware of the true scope of the villain’s abilities. Knull had power beyond what the Avengers could comprehend. Additionally, his influence extended beyond just physical might. The Sentry, despite being one of Marvel’s most powerful characters, underestimated the king in black.
Moreover, the Avengers had prepared for Knull’s arrival. However, no one anticipated just how swiftly he would dismantle their defenses. Sentry didn’t know that his usual level of power wouldn’t be enough. In their initial clash, he was torn apart before he could fully assess the situation or decide to make the ultimate sacrifice.
A lot of people believe that the Sentry could’ve just detonated himself to completely obliterate Knull. However, at that moment, without knowing how powerful Knull was, he hesitated. And this hesitation cost him his life.
Taskmaster Believes The Sentry Didn’t Want To Sacrifice Himself
The Sentry is immensely powerful. However, he’s also deeply flawed. He struggles with mental instability, including his constant battle with the Void, and his dark alter ego. Moreover, this internal conflict makes him unpredictable, both in his actions and in how he chooses to use his powers.
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In ‘King in Black: Thunderbolts #3‘, the Thunderbolts recover the Sentry’s broken body to weaponize it. One of the team members asks why the Sentry didn’t blow himself up when facing Knull. Taskmaster simply replies, “he didn’t want to blow himself up.”
The Sentry, for all his power, may not have been willing to make the ultimate sacrifice unless absolutely necessary. Sacrificing himself in such a dramatic fashion is something he wasn’t prepared to do, especially because he didn’t know how powerful his enemy truly was.
Additionally, the Sentry has been portrayed as a character struggling to control his power. He’s someone who, at times, fears his own abilities and what might happen if he unleashes them. The cost of using his full potential could mean the loss of everything, including himself.
