The hierarchy of power in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will never be the same again. Despite being about a group of anti-heroes who don’t pack much of a punch, Thunderbolts* introduces Bob, the only surviving member of Project Sentry. Valentina Allegra de Fontaine wants to have a hand in controlling Earth’s next protector, so she takes Bob under her wing, embracing his delusions of grandeur. However, there’s an entity within Bob that doesn’t appreciate Valentina’s attitude once she realizes her new hero isn’t going to play by the rules. The Void attacks New York City, and it takes the Thunderbolts appealing to Bob’s humanity for him to run his housemate out of town.
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By the end of Thunderbolts*, Bob is taking a breather, hanging out in Avengers Tower while avoiding being Sentry out of fear of letting The Void out again. But he’s only going to be able to stay out of the fight for so long, as major threats are on the way. Fortunately, there’s another hero the MCU could introduce as a contingency plan for Sentry, one with a fascinating origin story.
Lectronn Has Fought Sentry and Lived to Tell the Tale
Plenty of Marvel Comics characters have become memes on the internet, but few have it as bad as Lectronn. The character’s first appearance was in a magazine that featured an image of a fake cover with him on it. Despite having an interesting costume and what appeared to be a unique set of powers, Lectronn wasn’t real, at least not initially. The hero sat on the shelf for years until he made his official debut during the “Civil War” event. He was arrested and thrown in the Negative Zone alongside other heroes who weren’t supporting the Superhero Registration Act. Captain America came to Lectronn’s rescue, though, which led to the new hero being part of one of the most iconic group shots in the event.
Lectronn remained part of Team Cap, and at least one panel in a supplementary comic revealed that he went toe-to-toe with Sentry, who was on Team Iron Man. It was unclear at the time how he would be able to pull off such an impressive feat, but his backstory eventually made it into the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z. The guide explained that polio cost Thomas Samuels his legs, but an alien race gifted him incredible abilities, including super-strength and energy manipulation. There’s not much more to Lectronn than that, which means the MCU could have a lot of fun with the character.
The MCU Could Mold Lectronn Into Something Unique
With only a handful of appearances under his belt, the sky is the limit for Lectronn. He has a decent backstory, but none of the broad strokes feel integral to the character. The MCU could borrow his name and abilities and go in whatever direction it wants. The days of the franchise playing it safe are over, after all, with Marvel Studios needing to win back support after a string of misses. An easy way to do that is to introduce a new hero who can grow on the big screen rather than on the page. That way, everyone who follows his journey will get in on the ground floor, which is a lot more rewarding than having to play catch-up.
There’s also the Sentry of it all. The end of Thunderbolts* nerfs the character because he’s just too strong. If he’s in control of his power, there isn’t anyone in the multiverse who can challenge him. However, if there’s at least one character that can push him to his limits, the MCU can let him let loose from time to time. That’s not to say Lectronn’s only purpose will be to knock Sentry down a peg, but it would benefit him to be on equal footing with the franchise’s newest powerhouse. There will be no room to treat Lectronn like a joke if he’s sparring with Sentry, which is what the character deserves after years of being mishandled.
Would you like to see Lectronn show up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Do you think he could hold his own against Sentry? Let us know in the comments below!
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