The comic history of The Void, the villainous dark side of The Sentry, Lewis Pullman's potential Thunderbolts MCU character

ComicsMarvel ComicsThunderboltsThe comic history of The Void, the villainous dark side of The Sentry, Lewis Pullman’s potential Thunderbolts MCU characterWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

ComicsMarvel ComicsThunderboltsThe comic history of The Void, the villainous dark side of The Sentry, Lewis Pullman’s potential Thunderbolts MCU characterWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

The Void

But with the official debut of the new Thunderbolts* trailer, which seems to confirm the casting of Lewis Pullman as Bob Reynolds/The Sentry, new questions are being raised about what that could mean for The Void, because in comics, The Void is also the name of The Sentry’s villainous dark side, who is powerful enough to challenge the entire Avengers and more.

What is The Void in comics?

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

The Void

In comics books, The Void is a being of dark energy who is connected inextricably toThe Sentry, a superhero who has “the power of a thousand exploding suns” with an equally powerful opposite, evil personality - that being The Void.

The Sentry has a bizarreMarvel Comicshistory. In his origin, Robert Reynolds is a meth addict who breaks into a lab to find drugs, only to ingest an experimental compound called the Golden Sentry Serum. Obtaining amazing cosmic power, Reynolds becomes addicted to the drug, but eventually turns himself around and becomes one of the strongest heroes in the Marvel Universe to adventure alongside the Avengers, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, and even the X-Men.

But through it all, The Sentry struggles against The Void - which kills over a million people in a devastating attack on New York City - until he discovers that The Void is in fact part of him, and the only way to truly defeat the evil inside him is to essentially erase all memory of his existence and his powers, even from himself. With the help of Doctor Strange and Reed Richards, the Sentry hides his existence, erasing his past and hiding his actions in the Marvel Universe.

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

page from The Sentry Vs. The Void

Comic deals, prizes and latest news

Get the best comic news, insights, opinions, analysis and more!

For his powerhouse, he recruits The Sentry - beginning a series of manipulations and subversions on the hero to bring back The Void as Osborn’s secret weapon. Here’s where the Thunderbolts movie connection may come in, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine potentially taking Osborn’s place.

All the while, Osborn is also working with Loki as part of a scheme to return Asgard, which was then located on Earth, back to its own realm with Loki as the leader.

Here’s where things get even worse.

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

page from Siege #4

Osborn’s time as leader of HAMMER culminates in the storySiege, in which Osborn, Loki, and the Dark Avengers launch their assault on Asgard. But much to Loki’s horror, Osborn has been manipulating him all along as well, with a plan not to send Asgard home but to destroy it.

As the Avengers and other heroes intervene, Loki seizes the Norn Stones, reality-altering Asgardian artifacts, to empower the heroes and save Asgard - he can’t rule rubble, after all. But The Void, now fully in control of the Sentry, manages to send Asgard crashing to the ground before attacking Loki and killing him.

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

page from Doctor Strange #384

This sets off the chain of events in which Loki is reborn as Kid Loki, and starts on a journey toward heroism and self-discovery that’s reflected in the Loki streaming show. And though Sentry/Void is defeated again, this isn’t the end of his association with Loki.

Years after his death and rebirth, Loki (now a young adult and once again engaging in some cosmic mischief with a bit more of an altruistic motive) tricks Doctor Strange into ceding the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme to him in the storyDoctor Strange: God of Magic, under the belief that he is better poised to take on an impending magical threat than Strange.

In the end, Loki and Strange team up to defeat the magical threat that is bigger than both of them, and The Void is recaptured and imprisoned once again in the Sanctum Sanctorum.

The Void in the MCU

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Loki variants

In the MCU, The Void is a place rather than a being. And while Loki does indeed have a history with The Void in the MCU, it’s very different from their arch-enemy relationship in comics thanks to the change in what “The Void” actually is.

But that doesn’t mean The Sentry’s Void is off the table for the MCU. For one thing, Thunderbolts* could establish a connection between The Sentry and its version of The Void. It doesn’t seem totally out of the question for a being of ultimate destruction to have a connection to a place where things go after they’re destroyed.

There’s also the chance that The Sentry’s dark side will simply be rolled into his core being, with no transformation into “The Void” to speak of. And of course, there’s also the possibility that The Sentry’s villainous half will have a different name in the MCU.

Whatever the case, with The Sentry on the board in Thunderbolts*, it’s hard to imagine The Void (or something like it) won’t come into play in the story.

We’ll find out when Thunderbolts* releases in summer 2025.

The Sentry played mind games with comic fans, butThunderbolts #1 is still the greatest trick Marvel Comics ever pulled.

TOPICSMarvel Comics

TOPICS

CATEGORIESMarvel MoviesEntertainmentMoviesAction Movies

CATEGORIES

More about marvel comicsPatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Amazing Spider-Man is relaunching with a new #1 in 2025 with a focus on classic villainsLatestDisney Plus' new Spider-Man show is no longer canon in the MCU because it was “not fun” to put limitations on its storySee more latest►

More about marvel comicsPatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Amazing Spider-Man is relaunching with a new #1 in 2025 with a focus on classic villainsLatestDisney Plus' new Spider-Man show is no longer canon in the MCU because it was “not fun” to put limitations on its storySee more latest►

More about marvel comicsPatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Amazing Spider-Man is relaunching with a new #1 in 2025 with a focus on classic villains

More about marvel comics

Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Amazing Spider-Man is relaunching with a new #1 in 2025 with a focus on classic villains

Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics”

Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics”

Amazing Spider-Man is relaunching with a new #1 in 2025 with a focus on classic villains

Amazing Spider-Man is relaunching with a new #1 in 2025 with a focus on classic villains

LatestDisney Plus' new Spider-Man show is no longer canon in the MCU because it was “not fun” to put limitations on its storySee more latest►

Latest

Disney Plus' new Spider-Man show is no longer canon in the MCU because it was “not fun” to put limitations on its story

Disney Plus' new Spider-Man show is no longer canon in the MCU because it was “not fun” to put limitations on its story

Disney Plus' new Spider-Man show is no longer canon in the MCU because it was “not fun” to put limitations on its story

See more latest►

Most PopularSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesThe Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier"Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changesForget AAA: this year, all I wanted to do was optimize my conveyor belts in Satisfactory2024 was the year The Legend of Zelda lived up to its name, and the result was a bit like mixing rock salt and floral nectarAmid Oscar buzz, Zoe Saldana opens up on her new perspective on Hollywood and why she’s only really proud of Avatar and Emilia Pérez: “I think I just have to accept who I am as a creative person"The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 is the show’s version of The Two Towers – and it’s the best episode of TV released all year32 movies that spawned iconic internet memes

Most PopularSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesThe Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier"Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changesForget AAA: this year, all I wanted to do was optimize my conveyor belts in Satisfactory2024 was the year The Legend of Zelda lived up to its name, and the result was a bit like mixing rock salt and floral nectarAmid Oscar buzz, Zoe Saldana opens up on her new perspective on Hollywood and why she’s only really proud of Avatar and Emilia Pérez: “I think I just have to accept who I am as a creative person"The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 is the show’s version of The Two Towers – and it’s the best episode of TV released all year32 movies that spawned iconic internet memes

Most PopularSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesThe Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier"Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changesForget AAA: this year, all I wanted to do was optimize my conveyor belts in Satisfactory2024 was the year The Legend of Zelda lived up to its name, and the result was a bit like mixing rock salt and floral nectarAmid Oscar buzz, Zoe Saldana opens up on her new perspective on Hollywood and why she’s only really proud of Avatar and Emilia Pérez: “I think I just have to accept who I am as a creative person"The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 is the show’s version of The Two Towers – and it’s the best episode of TV released all year32 movies that spawned iconic internet memes

Most Popular

Spy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far

One of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strength

How Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future

I’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle games

The Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier”

Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changes

Forget AAA: this year, all I wanted to do was optimize my conveyor belts in Satisfactory

2024 was the year The Legend of Zelda lived up to its name, and the result was a bit like mixing rock salt and floral nectar

Amid Oscar buzz, Zoe Saldana opens up on her new perspective on Hollywood and why she’s only really proud of Avatar and Emilia Pérez: “I think I just have to accept who I am as a creative person”

The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 is the show’s version of The Two Towers – and it’s the best episode of TV released all year

32 movies that spawned iconic internet memes

GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

Nemesis board game models and tokens laid out on a board

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

1

Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

2

Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

3

Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

4

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

5

Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

Shadow brandishes a gun in Sonic The Hedgehog 3

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

1

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

2

Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

3

Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

4

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

5

Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Nicola Coughlan as Joy in Doctor Who Christmas special Joy to the World

1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

1

Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

2

Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

3

Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

4

Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

5

Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

Contents