Sentinel Ray

Lore & Background

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, they first appeared in The X-Men #14 (Nov. 1965). 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, projecting energy blasts, and detecting mutants. Sentinels are designed to hunt mutants. While many are capable of tactical thought, only a handful are self-aware. They 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 Sentinels can learn from their experiences, developing their defenses during an engagement. Several groups of Sentinels 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.

Reader's Guide

Types of Sentinels include Mark I and Master Mold (created by Bolivar Trask, first appeared in X-Men #14), Mark II (created by Larry Trask, first appeared in X-Men #57), Mark III (created by Steven Lang and Project: Armageddon), Mark IV (created by Sebastian Shaw), Mark V (created by Shaw for Project Wideawake), Mark VI (created by Shaw Industries for Project Wideawake and used by Onslaught), Mark VII (created by Shaw Industries, experimental and remote controlled), Nimrod (a prototype Super Sentinel from the 'Days of Future Past' timeline), Prime Sentinels (Bastion's humanoid Sentinels), Wild Sentinels (built by Master Mold in Ecuador, used by Cassandra Nova), Mark VIII / Sentinel Squad O*N*E (designed by Stark Enterprises, requires a human pilot), Bio-Sentinels (human mutant corpse infected by a technological virus created by Kaga), Stark Sentinels MK I (created by Tony Stark during the AXIS storyline, made of adamantium with Pym Particle technology), Mother Mold (created by Orchis to create Master Mold units), X-Sentinels (created by Doctor Stasis), Stark Sentinel MK II (created by Feilong), Fireteam (cyborg Sentinels created by Larry Trask using nanites from Juston Seyfert), and Bloodhounds (captured dogs turned into Sentinel cyborgs). Related mutant-hunting creations include Tri-Sentinel (created by Loki), Soviet Sentinels (created by the Soviet Union), Super-Sentinels (using Nano-Sentinel technology by Weapon Plus), Colcord's Sentinels (Boxbots created by Madison Jeffries), Hardaway (a cyborg Bio-Sentinel), Juston Seyfert's Sentinel (rebuilt and reprogrammed), Sentinaughts (based on Sentinel design), Nano-Sentinel (microscopic tech by Cassandra Nova), Adamantium Cyborgs (by Weapon X), Core/Central Command (a biotech Master Mold variant), and Box Sentinels (based on Box technology by Department H and Orchis).

Did You Know?

• The Sentinels were ranked in IGN as the 38th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time in 2009.
• The Sentinels played a large role in several X-Men animated series and have been featured in several X-Men video games.
• The Sentinels are featured prominently in the 2014 film X-Men: Days of Future Past, and made brief appearances in the 2006 film X-Men: The Last Stand and the 2016 film X-Men: Apocalypse.