Sentinel

For other uses, see Sentinel.

The title of this article is a nickname, call sign, or alias.

This article is about a subject that has not been identified with an official name and is known only by a nickname, call sign, or alias.

"Being a Hunter is more than just pummeling someone else. You will embody an entire persona when you're out in that arena. Take Sentinel. His persona is a stormtrooper who championed the Empire until it no longer suited him, and now he is using his skills for battle. People come to watch him because he's so very easy to hate. Which you'll understand if you make a roster and become a Hunter"

―Daq Dragus, to Rieve^[4]

Sentinel^[2] was a human^[1] male^[2] stormtrooper of the Galactic Empire. As a trooper,^[1] Sentinel was the last survivor of three of his regiments.^[2] Following the fall of the Empire,^[5] Sentinel continued to operate,^[2] creating the on-stage persona^[4] of someone unwilling to accept defeat.^[2] In reality, he had come to hate the Empire and had abandoned it, but used the stormtrooper persona as a way to gain attention amongst the crowds of the Hunters of the Outer Rim; the onlookers found it easy to hate him. Sentinel told J-3DI there were "a million" reasons he had left the Imperial Military, one of which was his hatred of the class-A thermal detonator.^[4]

In the Grand Arena, Sentinel was outfitted with an E-Web heavy repeater, which suited his style of long-range attacks, often striking from above. He had dark facial hair and was wont to banter with the other Hunters. His bungalow was situated across from Rieve's, and he at least once visited his teammate's home. Fellow Hunter Grozz, a Wookiee, did not have much fondness for Sentinel given his Imperial past. This wariness was evident both in the arena and backstage.^[4] As his Arena persona, Sentinel's closest ally was Dizzy of the team Slingshot.^[2] He was someone whom fans loved to hate due to his vocal Imperial persona.^[1] When goons attacked the arena, intent on destroying it, Sentinel joined his fellow Hunters in fighting off the invaders.^[4]

Balada hinted that Sentinel would be pleased with a new addition to the Hunters of the Outer Rim. The new addition was eventually revealed to be the KX-series security droid, K-A0S.^[6] Sentinel picked up on the feud between K-A0S and their fellow Hunter, Grozz,and decided to take advantage of the situation. He spoke with K-A0S about teaming up for an Imperial takeover of the Arena, which the droid eventually agreed to.^[7] And so, Sentinel, K-A0S, Rieve, and some of the more "villainous" Hunters teamed up, parading around the Arena covered in Imperial flags. Although they were mostly ignored by the other Hunters, Sentinel was delighted, despite having no further plans than a vague "bring back the Empire."^[8] But despite his best efforts, Sentinel's Imperial resurgence movement ultimately fizzled out. Rieve focused her attention on training and, after winning her match with Grozz, K-A0S refused to leave her room.^[9]

Balada teased a new Hunter coming to the Arena. As usual, she refused to divulge many details before the official reveal, although she did tease that while Rebel veteran Zaina would be pleased with the latest addition to the roster, Sentinel would not.^[10] The new Hunter turned out to be Pilbush, an Ewok devoted to the Rebel Alliance, who joined as a direct result of Sentinel's Imperial takeover of the Arena.^[11]

Sentinel and Pilbush eventually met in person and cemented their mutual distaste. Pilbush spoke to Sentinel in Ewokese, communicating a sentiment so inappropriate that J-3DI refused to translate it in its entirety. Sentinel was equally rude, first pretending not to see her, then mocking her for using Imperial equipment despite her adoration of the Rebellion. Enraged, Pilbush lunged at Sentinel, who easily held her off with one hand. Humiliated, Pilbrush disengaged and slunk off.^[12]

Late one night, Sentinel snuck toward Pilbush's AT-ET and spray-painted the Imperial crest onto it. He was caught on security footage and tried to explain that since Pilbush's walker was made from Imperial materiel, he was only expressing his Imperial loyalty. Daq Dragus was unimpressed, and forced Sentinel to clean the Ewok's walker.^[13]

Sentinel sat down for an interview with Boz Vega to discuss the animosity between him and Pilbush. Sentinel was vocal in his dislike of the Ewok and insulted her species, skills, and walker, eventually getting so heated that he raged off, knocking a hot cup of caf onto Boz's lap.^[14]

When Pilbush destroyed Sentinel's favorite E-Web Heavy Repeater with her AT-ET, Sentinel responded by disassembling her walker's legs and leaving them outside her door. When Daq Dragus learned about these goings-on, he reproached them and insisted they repair each other's equipment.^[15] Finally fed up, Pilbush challenged Sentinel to a Clash.^[16]

Sentinel won the Clash but was ungracious in victory, mocking Pilbush once again, and stomping on Ewok crafted necklaces. He continued ranting even as he left the winner's podium and returned to his prep pod.^[17]

Sentinel wasn't finished tormenting the Ewok. One night, he left a data-slate containing footage of the Rebel Alliance's greatest defeat at the Battle of Hoth on Pilbush's doorstep. She retaliated by blasting a hole through Sentinel's Prep pod. As punishment, Daq Dragus forced the two of them to work together to move Sentinel's surviving possessions to a new pod. Hours later, once they were finished, Dragus told them to say once nice thing about the other. Sentinel refused, Pilbush started cursing at him, and Dragus walked away in disgust.^[18]

Behind the scenes[]

Sentinel first appeared in the canon competitive video game Star Wars: Hunters as one of the playable characters, developed by NaturalMotion's BossAlien and published by Zynga,^[19] which had a soft-launch on November 16, 2021,^[20] before the global release on June 4, 2024.^[21] The character was designed by concept artist Ross Burt.^[22]

At global launch, Sentinel was the second Hunter unlocked in the Hunter's Path progression. He has three active abilities. His first is the Combat Shield, which an be activated and deactivated and increases weapon firing rate. He also has the Suppressing Shot, which knocks down an enemy while consuming weapon heat. His third active ability is the Barrel Slam, in which he swings his blaster, knocking back and damaging enemies in close range. Sentinel's Ultimate is Empire's Finest, in which two stormtroopers fly in to follow Sentinel and fire at enemies.^[2]