Sentinel Prime

Status: Not Released

Wave: Animated Deluxe Wave 4

MSRP: $9.99

Size Class: Deluxe

Suggested Age: 5+

Assortment Number: 83462

Product Number: 83630

SKU Number: 653569341949

DPCI Number: 087-06-0024

Voice Actor: Townsend Coleman

Cartoon Overview
Sentinel Prime is a member of Cybertron's Elite Guard, and an old acquaintance of Optimus Prime. The two do not get along too well - Sentinel remarks that he's surprised Optimus even has a command when Optimus gets in touch with him.

There's a good reason for the grudge, too - about a thousand stellar cycles ago, Sentinel, along with Optimus and a female Autobot named Elita-1 journeyed to an off-limits world populated by giant spiders. It was Sentinel's idea, he wanted to get rich quick by recovering Energon Cubes from a downed Decepticon warship on the planet. When things went south because of the spiders, Sentinel and Optimus barely made it out before the Energon exploded. Elita was left behind, and when Optimus could find no trace of her, they assumed the worst. Sentinel held Optimus personally responsible for the loss of his friend. This led him to develop a deep dislike for organics that almost reaches xenophobic levels.

Even before this, though, Sentinel was an overbearing character, pushing everyone into doing what he wanted. He has very much a high school jock personality. His main skill seems to be his shield, which he can sling like Captain America. He's also prone to exaggerating facts, if his comment about past experiences with organics is anything to go by.

Sentinel Prime arrives on Earth with Ultra Magnus and Jazz in The Elite Guard, and takes great pleasure in pushing Optimus about. His arrogance and overbearing nature cause trouble with driving around Detroit, get him beat up by Grimlock, and eventually even try the patience of Optimus Prime. Even Ultra Magnus has to put Sentinel Prime in his place, by telling him that while Optimus may have washed out of the Autobot Academy, he still has several good qualities that Sentinel could do with taking on board.

In spite of Optimus' washing out of the academy, Sentinel and Optimus are both of the Prime rank (in Animated, Prime appears to be a title or rank, awarded to Autobots achieving a certain level within the Autobot Academy). Sentinel is also the one who chose the alt modes for the Elite Guard "so they could blend in" but his lack of local knowledge meant he chose very conspicuous modes.
Sentinel Prime's rivalry with Optimus Prime came to center stage in Return of the Headmaster. Sentinel is extremely overbearing towards Optimus, although likely he has an inflated ego based on his rank within Autobot society, and takes every opportunity to remind everyone - especially Optimus Prime - about it. Sentinel also demonstrated a total disregard for organics, talking down to humans and generally acting like he didn't have to obey their laws or customs - unlike Optimus' crew who do their best to fit in. It is also implied that at some point in the past, Sentinel Prime placed the blame for some mistake (probably the loss of Elita-1) squarely on Optimus, refusing to cover for Optimus' part in events.
When Sentinel fell victim to the Headmaster, he spent the rest of the episode being hauled around by Optimus Prime in a very humiliating position. He cares a lot about his status and feared what would happen if it became known that he, an Elite Guard, had fallen victim to a human criminal. Naturally he was also upset by how Optimus subdued his Headmaster-controlled body. However, he was also grateful for Optimus helping him save face in front of Ultra Magnus when he was questioned about the whole thing, and said "thank you" for the first time to Optimus, possibly mending their relationship.
Sentinel tried to pay Optimus back by helping him get his career back on track, but the cost was too high for Optimus, who would have had to lie about the Decepticons on Earth to do it. Optimus could not betray the people of Earth in such a way. Sentinel was quite shocked when he faced Starscream, his first "live" Decepticon, and got taken by surprise. He left Earth with Ultra Magnus and Jazz after Starscream was defeated and taken into custody.

Sentinel Prime was once a drill sergeant at one of Cybertron's boot camps. Back then, he was known as Sentinel Minor. One of his "achievements" was naming the new recruits, and in the process, naming Bulkhead, Bumblebee and the rest. At this time he also resented Ultra Magnus, thinking that he had been a big shot back in the war but that he'd lost it a little during peacetime. It is not clear if he still feels this way now, after having served directly under Ultra Magnus for a while.

Powers and Abilities: Sentinel Prime's main power is his force shield. He can generate a barrier around himself and others, controlling the size of the barrier to fit the situation. In Along Came a Spider, Elita-1 absorbed Sentinel Prime's powers, and demonstrated some mean shield slinging skills, which presumably Sentinel Prime also possesses.
In Return of the Headmaster, Sentinel demonstrated several more abilities - his shield can generate spikes along the edge, and act as a cutting blade in addition to a defensive tool. Sentinel also wields an energy lance weapon, whose blade can change size to fit the situation needed.
Sentinel also possesses a battle mask like several of the other Autobots. In keeping with his knight-themed design, it features a visor and faceplate, as well as an additional crest along the top of his head.

According to Bumblebee, Sentinel has an "asteroid sized chin".

Contributors
Sol Fury, ATLianz, Tim Formas

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