Sentinel (BW)

Sentinel is a defense computer from the Beast Wars portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

Sentinel is the name of the Axalon's automated defense system, it is not only regarded as extraordinarily effective but as perhaps too effective. To put it simply, most battles near the Maximal Base end by someone activating Sentinel. Understandably, the Maximal device is highly coveted by the Predacons.

The Sentinel System itself consists of an extremely powerful energy shield, and the simultaneous activation of every weapon attached to the Axalon, plus an array of internal defense systems. Despite its power, the shield can be disabled under unusually heavy fire.

Fiction

Beast Wars cartoon

Voice actor: Ian James Corlett (English), Nobuo Tobita (Japanese), Yūichi Nagashima (episodes 6 and 9 only), Shinichirō Miki (Japanese, episode 18 only), Fang Shuqiao (Chinese), Víctor Delgado (Latin-American Spanish), Bernard Métraux (French), Thomas Karallus (German)

The Sentinel system was developed by Rhinox. Initially, the system went haywire when Rattrap and Dinobot got into a brawl, damaging the console, and all but Rattrap managed to escape the ship. Rattrap was able to move through the ship, avoiding Sentinel's defense systems, and shut the computer down without being killed. A Better Mousetrap Optimus ordered Sentinel to stand down as he and the other Maximals returned to base one night. The Probe Clone One proved incapable of shutting down Sentinel — though it recognized him as Dinobot, it didn't detect any hint of a spark, and repeatedly shocked Clone One as a defensive measure. Double Dinobot Sentinel was unable to shield the Axalon after the ship was damaged in an energon storm, resulting in a temporary Predacon takeover. Possession

Blackarachnia was able to construct a device which opened a hole in Sentinel's shield big enough to penetrate, and Inferno also exposed a blind spot — by simply burrowing under the force field. Other Voices, Part 1 On several occasions, Sentinel's shields were overcome by sheer firepower. The Agenda (Part 1) The Agenda (Part III)

Waspinator proceeded to steal Sentinel for himself, installing it in his quarters, hoping to protect himself.

Still didn’t work.

After the Axalon was dragged off a cliff and crashed into the lake below, the Maximals tried to retrieve Sentinel's CPU from the wreckage. Rattrap piloted a submarine into the wreckage and brought the module to the surface. Despite their efforts, the Predacons attacked, and the module wound up in Megatron's clutches. Given the need for the Maximals to focus on defense of the Ark, this forced the Maximals into an almost entirely defensive footing for the rest of the war. Changing of the Guard

However, even Sentinel proved ineffective against the onslaught of the Vok emissary Tigerhawk, who destroyed the Darksyde and Sentinel with it simply by landing. Of course, he was surrounded by a ball of energy moving at an incredibly high speed, so that probably helped. Other Victories

2006 IDW Beast Wars continuity

A standard version of the Maximal Sentinel program was modified for use in a crashed alien starship named the Orcanoch, and accidentally merged with the ship's artificial intelligence, creating an entirely new personality. Beast Wars Sourcebook

TransTech

Packrat managed to recover Sentinel from the wreck of the Darksyde, and installed it back at the Maximals base after the Beast Wars had finished. Sentinel took issue with the Maximal's thievery, but ultimately did nothing to stop him, and was used to warn him of potential Predacon activity. When Packrat returned one day from his haul, the extra-dimensional Thrustinator arrived in the timeline to abduct Packrat, due to his status as an "anomaly". Sentinel proved unable to detect him, due to his merged Predacon/Vehicon physiology, and Packrat was taken to Axiom Nexus before he could damage the timeline. Collections

Notes

Foreign names

• Japanese: Cyberguard (サイバガード)