The Sentry #4

Title: “The Sentry Act 4: The Conspiracy”

Writer: Paul Jenkins

Penciller: Jae Lee

Inker: Jae Lee

Colors: Jose Villarrubia

Editor: Joe Quesada

Reed asks Strange how he is supposed to answer a question if he doesn’t know what the question is. Strange says that is the conundrum. He says that if he presents the question to him that he guarantees that he will wish that he had not. Strange says that Reed is a brilliant man that is drawn to “esoteric like a moth to a flame”. He says that he is a scientist and that he is compelled to make his own solutions and assessments. Reed says that he doesn’t understand where this riddle is taking them. He says that he doesn’t know the Sentry, but that he can’t shake the feeling that he should. Reed says that Strange wants him to forget what he knows, but without any explanation. He asks Strange if he could do that if they switched places. Strange admits that he could not and says that if Reed will let him that he will show him a scene from their shared past. Strange makes a box out of his two thumbs and forefingers. Strange says that this is how it was and how it may yet be.

Reed is preparing a device. He tells Strange that he doesn’t know how much longer they have. He says that this may be their only chance and that he prays it works for all their sakes. Strange agrees and says that to fail here would be catastrophic. Thing says that Reed’s doohickey is all calibrated and that if there was ever a time to get his head to work for him that this would be the time. Sue pleads for it to work. Reed says that it is now or never. He says that he is so exhausted than he can barely think. Reed says that before he activates the machine that he wants Strange to promise him something. Strange says that he will do what he can. Reed says that if they ever start to remember the Sentry to promise him that he will do all he can to make them forget.

Reed realizes that Strange is the one that destroyed the VCR tape because he asked him to since it would tell them about the Sentry. Strange admits it. Strange says that now Reed knows the question. He says that now the question is whether Reed can take his own advice.

Archangel flies overhead as Professor X instructs his training. Xavier tells Warren to always remember that mastery over their opponents comes not solely from the physical. Suddenly Xavier stops speaking as he feels something.

Sentry asks Xavier if he hears him. Xavier says that he does. Sentry asks Xavier if he knows who he is. Xavier says that he knows that he knows him, but that his identity seems beyond his grasp. He says that he can sense that he is a friend. Sentry tells Xavier to search every cavity of his spiritual being and that he knows that he will find him there. Xavier senses the horror Sentry feels for a returning threat. Xavier asks what the shadow creature he fears is and if it is really capable of such evil. Sentry says that he can’t tell Xavier what it is until he is ready to accept what it means. He says that is why it is important for him to remember. Xavier says that he wants to remember, but that he feels his own self restraining him from doing so. He says that an impossible magnitude tells him that it is wrong to remember him.

Rogue asks Xavier if he is okay. Wolverine says that Xavier has that look in his eyes and that he thinks there is another “disturbance in the force”.

Sentry asks Xavier who all these people are and that he doesn’t recognize any of them. Xavier says that they are the X-Men. Sentry sees Warren landing and asks what happened to him and why is he so different. Xavier says that much has changed and suddenly remembers that Sentry went away. He asks Sentry where he has been. Sentry says that he doesn’t know. He says that the Void is returning and asks if he knows what that means. Xavier asks how the Void can be coming back to Earth. Sentry says that he doesn’t know yet and that he can’t fit the pieces together yet. He says that it is as if the truth of his existence has been stolen and that they must try to remember as much as they can. He says that their memories might be their only defense. Xavier is his with some pain. He announces the cancellation of this session and says that they have vital preparations to make.

Red Dragon radios into S.H.E. Base. SHEBase says that it is listening and tells Team Four to report. They say that they can’t get a fix on their position. Red Dragon says that it came out of the dark and that they couldn’t even see the bloody thing until it was on them. He says that they didn’t stand a chance, and that they didn’t even know what was happening. Red Dragon says that all the others are dead. He says that one second everything was fine and the next Javelin and Shamrock were gone. He says that he doesn’t even want to tell them what happened to Flying Carpet. He says that if they can hear that they need help. Suddenly Red Dragon’s transmission abruptly ends.

At SHEBase, Magma tries to tell Red Dragon that his signal is breaking up. Three more heroes walk up to Magma and says that they have more problems. She says that there is a new surge outside Barcelona and seismic tremors outside Athens. She says that they don’t have the resources to deal with this and that they have to appeal to the Americans. She says that there was a sudden and unexpected eclipse over Glasgow. She says that they sent Claymore, but that he hasn’t been heard from since. She says that Gunnar and Yvette found the General dead inside his headquarters in Finland. She says that it seems like an apparent suicide after darkness overtook the city. She says that they are losing control and that she doesn’t know how much more they can take. A brain like creature in a bubble says that it can’t find any pattern to these disturbances, but that there is a 99.3% probability that he has overlooked something. It says that there is something familiar about these events. It says that there is unusual psionic activity in sectors nine and twelve. One of the others says that the information is saying that a large black cloud is heading directly toward Kiev. One of them wonders what is going on.

At the Daily Bugle, Robbie asks Peter what brings him by at this hour. Peter says that he really isn’t sure. He asks Robbie if he can think of any reason why various issues of newsstand magazines might be misnumbered with gaps in the numbering. Robbie says that he doesn’t understand. Peter shows Robbie number 742 and 744 of the Clarion, but says that there is no 743 in print or on file. He says that if it is there that he can’t find it. Robbie says, “Th-there is no number 743. It doesn’t exist. It’s not allowed to.” Suddenly the blank image of the photo comes into Peter’s memory. He sees the Sentry standing there in a picture that he took. Peter says, “Omigod, Robbie… the Sentry… I think I remember.”

Tony Stark is socializing with other investor types. He excuses himself and walks outside. He walks over the Sentry and Sentry asks Tony what happened and why they did it. Stark recognizes Rob Reynolds as Sentry floats there in the air. Tony says that he hasn’t seen him in so long and asks where he has been hiding himself. Sentry says that he has remembered and wonders why it was him. Stark says that he doesn’t know. He says that something has happened, but that he isn’t supposed to remember it. He wonders why that is. Sentry grabs Stark and shouts in his face, “It was me, Tony… the Sentry! I was saving the world before any of them had even conceived of the idea. I taught most of them how to be heroes for crissakes! Look me in the eyes and tell me how they could do what they did to me?”

Long ago, the Fantastic Four enter a cave. Torch wonders what happened to all these people. Thing says that whoever did it that the sickos did it on purpose. Sue sees something and shouts. Everyone sees Sentry covered in black, screaming, and tells them to get away from him.

Sentry stands there with Stark trying to remember what happened, but can not. He does remember that it was something bad.

Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Wasp, Giant-Man, Reed Richards, and Doctor Strange stand before Sentry. Strange says that he speaks for them all saying that they hold him in the highest regard, but that in the light of the grave new revelation that something has to be done. Iron Man says that this is ridiculous. He says that if they need reminding that this is the Sentry and that he has pulled their cans out of the fire a thousand times. He asks if they have forgotten what he accomplished with the Hulk. Sentry tells Iron Man that it is okay. He says that he has been doing this the longest and that he ought to know the difference between right and wrong by now. Thor says that Sentry’s deeds are known to them, but that the severity of this revealment defies measure. Cap says that Thor is right. He says that Sentry has been relying on the serum more and more as of late and asks if that isn’t so. Sentry asks them to reconsider. He says that the situation can be turned to their advantage and that the Void wouldn’t dare come back to Earth after this. Giant-Man says that Sentry doesn’t know that and that neither do they. Reed says, “Do you remember what you once told me, Robert: ‘Now is the time for vigilance.’ It’s time for us all to look inside and see what matters most. Counteract the poison. For the sake of mankind.” Sentry’s head drops. A mouth says, “Then it’s decided. To all intents and purposes, the Sentry must die.”

Sentry asks who it was. He says that Stark stood up for him and asks who was the one that decided that he should be sent away. Sentry says that he has to know who did it and why. Stark says that it is no use. He says that he starts to think that he has it, but then it is all lost to him… like pieces to a puzzle. Sentry says that they don’t have time to figure it out now. He says that he knows Stark was loyal to him, and that he is going to need his help. Sentry says that “he’s coming back” and asks Tony to petition the others for him… get them to understand. Stark asks if Sentry means the Void is coming back. Sentry flies into the air. Stark says, “Oh, God help us all…”

A young hero flies behind the Sentry. Suddenly the Void appears and sinks his tendril into the young boy’s chest. Sentry shouts, “Billy, NO!” A young man wakes up screaming. An old woman enters the room and says that she heard him crying out. She asks if anything is wrong. The young man, with one eye, one arm, and a giant scar down his chest tells his mother that it was only a dream.

Sentry lands in Manhattan. He wonders what it all means. He remembers now that he was a hero. He remembers something happened. It wasn’t his fault, but that someone betrayed him and sent him away. He also feels deep inside that it isn’t as simple as that. That there is something more. He knows that the key is there somewhere among the dirt and rubble of the edge of Manhattan. He feels compelled to come there as his mind is being lifted from the fog… he begins to see things clearly. As Sentry walks the path he realizes that no one has come this way for years… they aren’t allowed to… and that only ghosts can make it this far. Suddenly Sentry sees it and remembers that he was supposed to forget… his fortress… his Watchtower. An enormous headquarters looms on the horizon.

Forgotten… but not Gone rating: 9 out of 10

RETURN TO SENTRY ISSUES

RETURN TO FORGOTTEN... BUT NOT GONE

RETURN TO LEADER'S LAIR