Sentinels

Origin

Dr. Bolivar Trask was concerned with the emergence of the species 'MUTANT', that their genetic abilities, combined with their ever increasing numbers would lead to Homo Sapiens being subjugated by them. That was the motivation that spurred him to create his "Master Mold", a servitor/controller that would command the many 'Sentinels' that Trask would create later. Unfortunately the A.I. it had been given, began to grow exponentially and Master Mold became sentient, and made sure his progeny acquired this ability also. Ironically, unbeknownst to Trask he had fathered two children who would grow up to become mutants: Tanya (and Lawrence) who had the ability of time travel and due to the instability of her power became lost in the timestream.

When Bolivar discovered that Lawrence was 'gifted' with precognition, he went to great lengths to create a device that would disguise his son's genetic ability (from his guardians) and hid it within an amulet, that he gave Lawrence, after Bolivar realized his son had predicted his wife's death. Trask had created humanity's guardian in Master Mold, but had not factored in Sentinel Logic in problem-solving, "We were created to be the Guardians of Mankind - and to guard them properly we must RULE them completely".

Master Mold commanded the existing Sentinels to capture their creator and return with him, So that he could commence the creation of a vast army of Sentinels with the intention of World domination. Trask, after witnessing Beast's interrogation under the Psycho-probe realized that it was he, who had created the threat. To destroy Master Mold, he sacrificed himself by triggering an explosion. The X-Men barely escaped, Bolivar was found by his son, and who, from that day blamed Mutants (specifically the X-Men ) for his father's demise, and made it his project to vastly improve on his father's design, initially converting the Mk I's then eventually creating the superior Mark II Sentinels. They could identify/determine a mutant's power from a distance due to an encyclopedic database and advanced scanning equipment and could conceive a plan to nullify/neutralize all mutant powers/attacks, and incapacitate any opponent.

Judge Chalmers (a close family friend) abhorred by Lawrence's extreme solution, (and privy to the family secret) decided to shock his young ward by snatching the amulet about his neck (That, to that day had hidden his presence from his servitors) No longer masked by the amulet, his former servitors, apprehended Trask and followed his last order as their leader, "Secure All Mutants in area - - and DESTROY them", Needless to say the X-Men triumphed and saved the Day. In a future confrontation with his creations, Lawrence became involved, when Quicksilver used him, to locate his sister (the Scarlet Witch) who had been abducted by the Sentinels, in their latest scheme to rid the world of Mutants. Unfortunately, He too, came to an untimely end, crushed beneath one of his creations like his father.

Even though two generations of Sentinels had failed in their objective, the technology still lived on, the US government took possession of Trask's blueprints and specs, wherein (Steven Lang and later) Sebastian Shaw set out to build a new line of Sentinels.

Creation

The Sentinels were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The Sentinels made their first comic book appearance in X-Men #14 (vol.1).

Character Evolution

Mark I

First Appearance X-Men #14

Mark II

First Appearance X-Men #57

Mark III

First Appearance X-Men #97

Mark IV

First Appearance X-Men #151

Mark V

First Appearance New Mutants #2

Mark VI

First Appearance Alpha Flight #43

Mark VII

First Appearance X-51 #7

MASTER MOLD

First Appearance X-Men #15

Master Mold was created by Bolivar Trask as the prototype to subsequent Sentinels. His primary objective was to hunt down/capture mutants, secondly to create more Sentinels, (in order to achieve this, with optimum results) it evolved and became sentient and concluded world domination was the most efficient way to achieve it's Directive.

Nimrod

First Appearance Uncanny X-Men #191

Nimrod was created in the alternate reality "Days of Future Past" and was the most advanced Sentinel of it's time. It pursued Rachel Summers sideways through time (E-616) to the X-Men's present and became a vigilante. It later evolved into the human-like Bastion.

Human Sentinels

First Appearance X-Factor #123

Sentinels looked upon humans as weak, Bastion converted humans into cyborgs and christened them Prime Sentinels.

Prime Sentinels

First Appearance X-Factor #123

Bastion had outfitted some Prime Sentinels (Nimrod Battalion) that resembled the original ones, with superior power output, they could fly and fire energy blasts from their hands. Like all Sentinels, their Prime Directive was to eliminate Mutants.

Major Story Arcs

Onslaught Saga

For More Information: Onslaught

Sentinels were reprogrammed by Onslaught to occupy New York , initiate panic, siphon the psionic energy from the terrified citizens and transmit it directly to Onslaught, (making Him increasingly More powerful), also apprehend/terminate anyone whose intent was to halt this progression and was posing a threat (especially) those with superhuman abilities.

Powers & Abilities

Sentinels' primary form of offense is their vast array of powerful energy weaponry. They are also equipped with various items for detaining people, tendrils and energy nets freeze rays. Sentinels are able to fly. Sentinels are powerful engines of destruction (weaponry aside) and are incredibly durable, and resistant to Extreme temperatures. They also have various devices e.g. DNA and Infra Red scanners and sonic probes capable of detecting & tracking mutants.

Alternate Realities

Age Of Apocalypse

For More Information: Age Of Apocalypse In the Age Of Apocalypse universe, Sentinels were created by Bolivar Trask like their '616' counterparts, with the help of His wife Moira McTaggart. The difference between these versions and '616' versions is that the Age of Apocalypse Sentinels were more heavily armed.

Days Of Future Past

For More Information: Days Of Future Past In this reality the Sentinels hunted, eventually capturing or killing almost every super-human on Earth.

House Of M

For More Information: House Of M

In the House of M reality, Bolivar Trask became vice president of America. He made the (Atlas Class) Sentinels, America's personal mutant enforcers. Magneto eventually reprogrammed them and used them to capture humans, and to be the Royal House's personal guard.

Ultimate Universe

For More Information: Ultimate X-Men

In the Ultimate universe, Sentinels play a similar role to their '616' counterparts, in capturing/killing mutants.

Characteristics

• Height: 20' to 30'
• Composition: Cybernetics, Omnium armour
• Creator: Bolivar Trask
• Colors: Purple and Mauve
• Main Enemy: X-Men

In Other Media

Movies

X-Men: The Last Stand

For More Information: X-Men The Last Stand

The X-Men were seen fighting Sentinels in a Danger Room simulation that resembled the reality depicted in the Days of Future Past story.

Television

X-Men Animated Series

For More Information: X-Men The Animated Series

The Sentinels were used to terminate mutants. Actually, the premiere episode of the series was entitled 'Night of the Sentinels' in which a Sentinel is tracking a young mutant (Jubilee) and soon becomes embroiled with a small contingent of the X-Men as they rush to aid Jubilee in a Shopping Mall.

X-Men Evolution

For More Information: X-Men Evolution

The Sentinels were a project used to terminate mutants. However, this project was re-instateded to stop Apocalypse's Horsemen but unfortunately they were defeated.

Wolverine and the X-Men

For More Information: Wolverine and the X-Men

The Brotherhood presented a threat to Senator Kelly. To resolve this, He introduced the project: SENTINEL (during a Public Rally) to the people. The first Sentinel prototype unveiled, detected Rogue amongst the crowd and attacked her. It caused panic amongst the gathering, as it could not be controlled by Kelly's operating system, with the help of the X-Men, the Sentinel was neutralized.

Video Games

• X-Men arcade game - enemies throughout the game.
• Spider-Man and the X-Men - Arcade's Revenge - Cyclops' levels.
• X-Men (Sega Genesis)-Sentinels were enemies in the stage taking place in Ahab's reality
• X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse - Bosses in Genosha.
• X-Men: Children of the Atom - Sentinel was enemy and a playable character.
• Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 - Playable character.
• X-Men: Next Dimension - The character Bastion, is the main boss in the game who creates a male Prime Sentinel and a female Prime Sentinel. All of these available as playable characters.
• X-Men Legends - Enemies throughout the game with many versions of the Sentinels.
• X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse - The Sentinels actually are helping evacuate people, are turned to fight the Mutants by Bastion and go back to helping evacuate after Bastion is defeated.
• X-Men: The Official Game - Sentinels are a back-up plan for William Stryker which were programmed to kill all the mutants on sight.
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine - Sentinel Mark I is one of the final bosses of the game.