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I and the swarm are the same. My thousands of legs have crawled across your flesh. One day, I will burrow deep and devour you.
— The Sentinel to Mary

The Sentinel [1] is a monstrous creature identified as a Fallen Angel named Beelzebub, escaped from Hell to assist the Devil in his rise to dominate the world, acting as his right-hand man.

He is a character in the third season portrayed by actor Samuel Roukin.

Character Description

"He has fallen from Heaven and risen from Hell. The Sentinel has made his way to Salem." [2]

Early Life

For time immemorial he was entombed in Hell because of his siding with the Devil during the rebellion in Heaven. In 1685, the Sentinel took part in the rite of Deal with the Devil of Mary Sibley into Witchcraft in the form of a swarm of roaches, after hearing her call for help. [3]

Personality

The Sentinel had a sadistic and detached personality, that prevents him from grasping humour or understanding human emotions. His character is strongly influenced by his otherworldly nature because, by his own admission, he — as well as his brethren, the Fallen Angels — has never been a child, nor has he ever been conceived. Sometimes, he speaks of himself as if he were a multitude of entities, characteristic shared with his brother, Satan, who proclaims himself "Legion" (of demons). The Sentinel is a misanthrope, namely feeling a distinct dislike for mankind.

During his stay in Salem, Massachusetts, the Sentinel started to experience both pleasure and weakness of a human host. While Satan introduced him to the intoxicating vine, he also dispensed harsh punishment to this flash. Cotton Mather, instead, aimed to more instinctual needs in order to weaken him. Thus, the Sentinel became acquainted with the pleasures of the flesh at the Bird's Nest brothel, and with food, having a predilection for oranges.

Physical Appearance

The Sentinel's true eyes

The Sentinel reveals his true nature

In human form, the Sentinel is a tall man with broad shoulders, clear and bulging eyes and a square jaw. The Sentinel has cropped hair and is clean-shaven. His body is athletic and muscular and has a hairy chest. His clothing consist of a total-black leather outfit reminiscent of the guards in the pay of Von Marburg witches, like Captain Braun. Despite his human appearance, his true nature was still able to be detected by the eyes. Albeit regular blue eyes, they easily turned into golden compound eyes at will.

His real, physical form is that of a monstrous skeleton covered with a thin layer of rotted flesh, with bared sinews. He can also take the semblance of a swarm of insects as his human body is only a temporary camouflage.

Throughout the Salem Series

Season Three

A hooded sinister figure emerged from the ground during a rainy night and wandered the woods surrounding Salem, Massachusetts until approaching two hapless guards lighting a fire. The creature attacked one of them and pinned him against a tree, revealing his face. Under the hood, the monster appeared to be a skeleton covered with rotting flesh and cockroaches that promptly started to crawl on the body of the victim. After what seemed like a gruesome meal, the monster dropped the lifeless victim to the ground and shook off the swarm of insects, revealing a regenerated human form.

The monster thus, found his way to Salem and entered the House of the Seven Gables. Once in the house, he went upstairs and traced the master bedroom where the Devil, now fully in control of John Sibley's body, was asleep. The hooded man promptly removed the blankets, waking up the "child," who immediately recognised him. The two briefly conversed in and ancient otherworldly language til the Devil ordered him to speak English as what he referred to as the Old Tongue brought up unpleasant memories. The hooded creature, now identified as one of the Devil's brethren, expressed concerns about the End of Days. [4]

12B-Samuel Rouking Salem preview

The Sentinel with the centipede

When Mary Sibley showed up at the front door of her former home, the Sentinel initially mistook her for one of the refugees asking shelter from nearby villages destroyed by war. The woman revealed her true identity and was escorted to meet “the Boy”. As the Devil wanted to test her true motivation, the Sentinel stepped in to extract the truth from her lips. Left alone, the Sentinel used his magical abilities to restrain Mary, as if her wrists were suspended from an invisible rope. The Fallen Angel, then, extracted a centipede from his mouth and placed it inside Mary's ear in order to discover her most inner secrets.

Initially, he deceived the woman into believing that she had passed the test, only to trick her later. When the woman tried to stab the Devil in the bathtub, the child quickly assumed the appearance of a grown-up naked man. In fact, he was the Sentinel in disguise. At that point, he grabbed Mary from the throat and asked for permission to kill her.[5]

When the Dark Lord denied him the permission to kill Mary, the Sentinel accused his brother of having softened and of being blinded by love and lust for her. Angered by such insinuations, the Devil hit the Sentinels groin, thus giving him a first taste of an actual weakness of the human body. The Fallen Angel, however, was granted permission to torture Mary once again.

After having dragged the woman by the hair through corridors completely unknown to the former owner of the house, the Sentinel showed off some of his most important powers. Restricting her with magic, the Sentinel placed a box with a snap closure on Mary's head; The Angelic Box of Anguish allowed the Sentinel to torture not only her body but also her spirit, being able to create anything even from a grain of sand. The cries of the suffering woman alarmed Baron Sebastian, who immediately ran to the aid of his beloved Mary. The Sentinel mocked him for such weakness, and then demanded information about his utter attention when he gave him a pendant containing a bright red stone, Angel's Tears or, as known to the alchemists, Red Mercury. The Sentinel instructed Sebastian to bring it to their allies, so as to use it to stir up the destruction around Salem.

Later that night, the Sentinel took part in the punishment of Mary Sibley in the woods where the Devil deprived her of every bit of magical power in a ritual known as “Reckoning”, effectively rescinding their diabolical pact.[3]

Salem-Promo-Stills-S3E04-11-Mary and Sentinel 01

The Sentinel tempting Mary

Cotton Mather's escape put the Sentinel in a state of agitation as the man still had some authority within the Puritan community and could frustrate their work. He expressed his disappointment to the Demon in front of Sebastian and Anne, who were equally concerned, especially about their own safety.

Later, the Sentinel tried to lead Mary to suicide by instilling in her doubts about her purposes in life. Having lost all of her powers, she was just a woman who could prostrate herself to the mercy of God. The Sentinel cast an illusion upon the square in front of the boudoir, making it look like a bottomless precipice from which the woman could throw herself into the void. To betray the veracity of the spell, an exaggeratedly large moon and a starry sky in a way that resembled the same trick Mary used when she was about to welcome Dr. Wainwright into her hive. When the Sentinel inadvertently revealed to Mary that the Devil didn't hold her soul anymore, she was heartened and challenged the Sentinel to kill her. Forced before the harsh truth to be nothing more than a poppet subjected to the Dark Lord's will, the Sentinel became bitter, and started staring the square from the balcony while Mary left the room.[6]

The tortures that the Dark Lord inflicted on Anne Hale as punishment for allowing Cotton Mather to escape and not being able to bring him back bore the Sentinel, who cynically commented on the moaning an injured animal produces. The torture soon came to an end when Cotton returned voluntarily to the House of the Seven Gables, and bow to the Dark Lord's will.

Salem-Promo-Stills-S3E05-06-Cotton and the Sentinel

The Sentinel discussing with Cotton

When Mather was charged with writing the story of the Devil and the Fall of the Rebel Angels, the Sentinel told his own version of the facts. He told Mather how they had rebelled against a tyrant, and the two had a theological bickering to then agree that, just or unjustly, the rebellion failed.

Later, the Sentinel feared for his life when Mary confessed to the Dark Lord about having suicidal thoughts. However, she did not say a word about who had entangled such thoughts in the first place. In this regard, the Dark Lord made the woman aware of his true plans. A Royal Marriage in which both would become the new Gods. This exacerbated the relationship between the Sentinel and the Devil, to the point that he threatened the Dark Lord to lead their brothers and rebel against him. [7]

The Sentinel expressed disappointment about the plans of the Dark Lord, and the apparent lack of interest of the latter to their fallen brothers imprisoned in Hell.[8]

Four days before the fateful unholiest day, the Sentinel surprised Cotton Mather to look around a mysterious and sinister door. When asked for explanations, the Reverend revealed that he had heard his father's voice, Increase Mather, on the other side of the door. The Sentinel had arrived just in time to prevent it from opening the door, revealing its nature as a Hell Gate.

Later, the Sentinel sided with Mary and Essex Hive against the Dark Lord because he felt betrayed by the latter about the real intentions for the Great Terror they had started with; Samael simply wanted to take the place of their tyrannical Creator, and reign undisputedly on the Universe. The entreaties of the Dark Lord surrounded by the earthly and bloody powers of the Essex Hive were of no use, not even when he used the angelic name of the Sentinel, Beelzebub, in a cry for help.[9]

Freed of his conceited brother, the Sentinel carried on the original plan to bring the destruction of Salem, activating the Clock of Damnation, known simply as “The Instrument.” Therefore, he entrusted the custody of the dark object to Thomas Dinley, who hid it in his barbershop.

Intoxicated by alcohol, the Sentinel began to tail against his brother trapped in limbo. Cotton Mather took advantage of the Sentinel's weakness to lure him into a trap. Led to the Bird's Nest to discover the pleasures of the flesh, the fallen angel was starting to understand the reality of the human being in all its facets.

The Sentinel found his defeat in a squalid alley in Knocker's Hole, where he was attacked by John Alden. The two had a violent fight that caused enough bloodshed but was incredibly fatal to the Sentinel when John Alden was able to pierce his heart with an Angel Dagger. The dark angel, at this point, became a swarm of insects before dissolving into nothingness.[10]

Powers and Abilities

This monstrous and mysterious being is endowed with enormous powers as he is one of the Architects of the Universe. His most characteristic feature is that of changing shape to his liking and with an ease shown by no other creature before. As Beelzebub, the lord of flies, the Sentinel is able to take on the appearance of a swarm of insects and act as if he were a multitude of individuals at the same time. The Sentinel has also shown affinity for various types of insects, used as conduits for his peculiar magic.

Millipedes in Mary's ear

The Sentinel inserts a demonic centipede in Mary's ear

His power is greater than that of the most powerful witches and he seems to be in no way affected by life-threatening injuries, as cuts heal in a matter of seconds without causing the slightest pain as if stabbing a puppet. The Fallen Angel currently known as the Sentinel is also able to conjure up his clothes in the space of a heartbeat so that his naked body is instantly covered from head to toes with his black uniform. One of the unique powers of the Sentinel is to extract the deepest secrets from his victims by entering a supernatural centipede that the demon pulls out of his mouth in his victims' ear canal, and then he swallows it again to acquire the information that the invertebrate has stolen.

He is able to create credible and detailed illusions, glamouring surrounding area with his magic. Since he participated in the creation of the Universe, the Sentinel is able to manipulate and alter reality and its various dimensions, intersecting them however he prefers.

Appearances


Memorable Quotes

The Devil: "Finally, brother, you are here."
The Sentinel: "Nostoah nanaeel olani noasmi..."
The Devil: "Stop. I haven't heard the old tongue in aeons. I can't say that I like it. Too many memories. But I quite like this one... English."
The Sentinel: "English. English. That's what it is. Better call it "anguish." Sounds like the whimper of whipped dogs."
The Devil: "I see your long entombment has not improved your mood. For once, old friend, rejoice. It has begun."
The Sentinel: "Once, we raised an army of brothers and stormed the very citadel of Heaven. We all know how that ended... in the bowels of newly formed Hell, so I've seen new beginnings before. Forgive me if I hold my tongue, this time, for a successful end."
After the Fall
________________________________
Mary: "I will not leave him a motherless child."
The Sentinel: "Motherless child? You really have no idea what he is? What we are! I can assure you neither of us have ever been children. We were never even born.
Mary: What are you?"
The Sentinel: "God's first creation and his most enduring."
The Heart Is A Devil
________________________________
The Sentinel: "We have met before."
Mary: "Never."
The Sentinel: "Seven years ago when the Dark Lord's vessel was taken from your womb. You cried for help. I came in a multitude. The ground around you opened up, and a swarm of insects crawled up through the earth onto your stomach and across your chest. They are me. I and the swarm are the same. My thousands of legs have crawled across your flesh. One day, I will burrow deep and devour you."
The Heart Is A Devil
________________________________
The Sentinel: "Is this the mighty Angel of Death? When did you ever spare a life?"
The Devil: "This life is precious to me."
The Sentinel: "Has that tiny meat suit corrupted you? This human body is a pitiful sac of blood, piss, and water. I fear in your case, mostly piss."
The Reckoning
________________________________
The Devil: "There are punishments far worse than death."
The Sentinel: "Trust me. I did. Once. I persuaded a full legion of our brothers to follow you and throw God, that ungrateful tyrant, from His celestial throne."
The Reckoning
________________________________
The Devil: "Our brothers will be freed and our tyrant father will weep. But I would have my mother beside me then."
The Sentinel: "Beside you? Or beneath you? Just what exactly do you plan to have her with? That boy's tiny member? Or will one of your wretched witches snatch a grown man's...(the Devil grabs his genitals) Oh!"
The Devil: "These suits of meat are capable of the most exquisite pain."
The Reckoning
________________________________
The Sentinel (to Mary): "I am no incubus that takes pleasure in the sleeping. I would have your spirit sharp when I teach you just how foul and helpless your body is. Not worth the pathetic strength that remains."
The Reckoning
________________________________
The Sentinel (to Mary): "I once stood as close to God as I stand to you now. I knew him well. He loves nothing more than to forgive those willing to beg him. Could I but step back in time and beg, I would. I cannot, but you can."
Night's Black Agents
________________________________
Cotton Mather: "You have seen the very face of God."
The Sentinel: "And His ass. It wasn't always easy to tell them apart."
Cotton Mather: "Blasphemy."
The Sentinel: "Truth is blasphemy. All power corrupts. And God's divine power is no exception."
The Commonwealth of Hell
________________________________
The Sentinel: "This was to be our time. Revenge against God. A chance to free our brothers from Hell and make this world our kingdom. We did not suffer and survive the wrath of God only to make you God instead."
The Dark Lord: "Be careful how you speak to me."
The Sentinel: "You are first among equals. Stronger than I or any of our brothers, but you are not stronger than all of us."
The Dark Lord: "Brother, is that some kind of threat?"
The Sentinel: "If that time comes, I won't waste time with threats."
The Commonwealth of Hell
________________________________
The Sentinel: "I don't share my late brother's ambition to be God, nor to marry my mother. Nor even to destroy all of mankind, although I don't particularly mind if I do. All I want is to free my fallen angels and make Earth their new home."
Friday's Knights
________________________________

Gallery

Videos

Name

  • Beelzebub: also spelled Beel-Zebub, is a name of a demon. In Christian demonology, he is one of the seven princes of Hell. The Dictionnaire Infernal describes Beelzebub as a demonic fly who is also known as the "Lord of the Flies". The name Beelzebub is linked with the Canaanite god Baal.

Status and Rank

  • The Sentinel: as the right-arm man of the Dark Lord, this angel acts as his bodyguard, always on the alert.

Trivia

  • In an interview on Starry Constellation Magazine on May 2016, actor Samuel Roukin said that he had taken part in the third season of Salem. [11] From the descriptions given in interviews during San Diego Comic Con, actor Samuel Roukin was associated to the role of "The Sentinel", later confirmed by Season 3 photoshoot.
  • In anticipation of the Season 3 premiere of WGN America’s hit supernatural thriller “Salem,” the network has released character portraits featuring the twisted and sexy cast, including our first look at Samuel Roukin, who portrays "The Sentinel, a fallen angel and protector of the devil boy (Oliver Bell)".[12]
  • Pressroom described him as: "The Sentinel: a new type of evil" on Salem official Instagram account. The caption that, instead, accompanies the behind the scenes video of this character reads: "He has fallen from Heaven and risen from Hell. The Sentinel has made his way to Salem." [2]
  • The words used by the Sentinel are in Enochian, the language angels and demons speak.
  • Adam Simon said that The Sentinel is "very directly connected" to the Biblical fallen angel who has become known as Beelzebub, but without giving away other information. [13]
    • This was confirmed in The Man Who Was Thursday, the first time his ancient name is mentioned.
    • During the historical Salem Witch Trials, Beelzebub was held responsible for sowing his demonic influence in town; his name came up repeatedly during the trials, and afterwards, in 1693, Rev. Cotton Mather wrote a pamphlet entitled: Of Beelzebub and his Plot.
  • In Friday's Knights, The Sentinel revealed a preference for oranges. Always in the same episode, his sexual appetites were a topic of discussion among the prostitutes at the Bird's Nest; in particular, his concern that women were satisfied during intercourse.

References

  1. As per policy, pages are named according to official names used in press releases and credits. “The Sentinel” is also the title used throughout the entire series, with other names mentioned on rare occasions.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Meet the Character: The Sentinel
  3. 3.0 3.1 Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson (writer) & Wayne Yip (director). November 16, 2016. "The Reckoning". Salem. Season 3. Episode 3. WGN.
  4. Brannon Braga & Adam Simon (writer) & Nick Copus (director). November 2, 2016. "After the Fall". Salem. Season 3. Episode 1. WGN.
  5. Adam Simon (writer) & Tim Andrews (director). November 9, 2016. "The Heart Is A Devil". Salem. Season 3. Episode 2. WGN.
  6. Brannon Braga & Adam Simon (writer) & Joe Dante (director). November 30, 2016. "Night's Black Agents". Salem. Season 3. Episode 4. WGN.
  7. Adam Simon (writer) & Nick Copus (director). December 7, 2016. "The Commonwealth of Hell". Salem. Season 3. Episode 5. WGN.
  8. Adam Simon & Donna Thorland (writer) & Peter Weller (director). December 14, 2016. "Wednesday's Child". Salem. Season 3. Episode 6. WGN.
  9. Brian Peterson & Kelly Souders (writer) & Jennifer Lynch (director). January 4, 2017. "The Man Who Was Thursday". Salem. Season 3. Episode 7. WGN.
  10. Adam Simon & Donna Thorland (writer) & Nick Copus (director). January 11, 2017. "Friday's Knights". Salem. Season 3. Episode 8. WGN.
  11. Starry Constellation Magazine - Interview with Samuel Roukin May 9, 2016
  12. New Salem season 3 characters posters reveal first look at Sentinel
  13. Adam Simon about "The Sentinel"

See Also

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