Power Ranking the MCU’s X-Men Against Thunderbolts’ Sentry (Could Any Beat Him?)

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Doctor Doom is the central focus heading into *Avengers: Doomsday*. Robert Downey Jr. is making his first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2019, and he’s expected to be a major antagonist. Following the events shown at the end of *The Fantastic Four: First Steps*, Doom intends to harness the incredible power of Franklin Richards to conquer the multiverse. There’s speculation that Doom won’t be working solo, and might assemble a team of villains to aid him. Potential recruits include an evil Captain America and a Black Widow with a darker past than the original.

Seeing a dark take on the Avengers would be exciting, but Doctor Doom wouldn’t even need to assemble a team if he could just get Sentry to join him. Sentry, who first appeared in *Thunderbolts*, is arguably the most powerful being in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The New Avengers have managed to control him because they understand his struggles, but other groups might not be so successful. Let’s examine how the MCU’s X-Men compare to Sentry and if any of them have a chance of defeating him.

8) Mystique

In the movie *Avengers: Doomsday*, Mystique is definitely one of the least powerful mutants. While her ability to change her appearance can surprise people who can’t read minds or have extra-sensitive senses, it won’t be very effective against a powerful enemy like Sentry and his evil side, the Void. She’ll likely be overwhelmed and forced to confront her painful past until someone else defeats them.

7) Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler is incredibly agile, able to teleport and skillfully wield blades – he almost attacked the president with a knife in the movie *X2*. However, Sentry matches Nightcrawler’s speed and agility. While Nightcrawler might hold out a bit longer in a fight than Mystique, the ultimate outcome will likely be the same for both of them.

6) Gambit

Gambit only became a major character in 2024, after his heroic sacrifice for Rogue in *X-Men ’97* and his role in defeating Cassandra Nova in *Deadpool & Wolverine*. However, even with this positive attention, he still doesn’t quite measure up to Sentry. While Gambit can power up objects and briefly slow enemies, his abilities aren’t strong enough to secure a victory.

5) Beast

Sentry’s incredible physical power overshadows a key weakness: his lack of intelligence. Beast, with the largest brain at the X-Mansion, is the team’s builder and innovator, responsible for creating technology like Cerebro and the Blackbird. Given time to prepare, he could devise something to even the odds. However, despite his efforts, it’s likely Sentry’s strength will ultimately be too much to overcome.

4) Cyclops

Cyclops consistently gets shortchanged in the *X-Men* films, despite being the team’s leader. He rarely gets a chance to truly showcase his powers. If Cyclops appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he could be a real threat to characters like Sentry, using his optic blasts. However, he’d likely need the immense power of the Phoenix Force to actually defeat a strong opponent.

3) Wolverine

Everyone is eager to see a fight between Wolverine and Sentry. It’s a tough battle for Wolverine, as his claws likely won’t be very effective. However, his healing ability will keep him in the fight for a bit. Sentry will unleash his full power, but he won’t be able to defeat Wolverine right away. As Sentry gets frustrated, he might make a mistake, letting Wolverine land a few hits. The problem is, those hits won’t even hurt Sentry.

2) Professor X

Professor Charles Xavier is uniquely skilled at helping people with fractured minds. However, it’s difficult to see him using the same mental techniques on the Void as he did with Jean Grey. He also failed to prevent the Scarlet Witch’s plans in *Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness*. Despite the battle likely being prolonged, the outcome will probably be the same as before.

1) Magneto

Magneto is the only mutant with a realistic chance of defeating Sentry, thanks to his power over Earth’s magnetic fields. He’s demonstrated the ability to revert the planet to a primitive state in various adaptations, a skill useful against threats like Sentinels. However, Sentry presents a much greater challenge. Even if he can’t fully defeat Sentry, Magneto is likely to inflict some damage, something most other mutants wouldn’t be able to achieve.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.

What do you think – could any of the X-Men joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe defeat Sentry? Share your thoughts and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-09-22 23:13