Mantis is a Celestial hybrid empath with the ability to sense other people's feelings and alter them. She was raised alone by her father Ego and later recruited as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy led by her paternal half-brother, Peter Quill. Since she was a child, Mantis helped ease Ego's neurotic behavior with her powers until the Guardians came to his planet. After bonding with Drax the Destroyer, she came to care for the Guardians and then allied with them to help prevent Ego from conquering the Galaxy. With her own servitude to Ego ended, she became a full-fledged member of the Guardians and accompanied them on further adventures.
When the Guardians were called to action to stop Thanos from collecting the Infinity Stones, Mantis accompanied some of the Guardians to Knowhere where they failed to stop the warlord from gaining the Aether resulting in Gamora being captured. After, they traveled to Titan where they teamed up with Doctor Strange, Iron Man and Spider-Man to fight Thanos head-on. The fight once again ended in failure, leading to Mantis and her fellow Guardians turning to dust. Fortunately, five years later, the remaining Avengers resurrected the victims of the Snap, bringing Mantis back to life. She then participated in the Battle of Earth. Afterward, she resumed being a part of the Guardians, with all of them reunited again, now joined by Thor.
In 2025, Mantis and the Guardians continued to operate alongside Thor, helping planets in need. However, when news reached them of the campaign of Gorr the God Butcher, the Guardians and Thor went their separate ways, setting out to aid those in need. Months later, with Christmas time nearing on Earth, Mantis traveled there in order to retrieve Kevin Bacon as a gift for the still grief-stricken Quill. Joined by Drax, the pair tracked down Bacon and successfully brought him to Quill, who immediately demanded they return him, but then Bacon ended up celebrating Christmas with them. Afterwards, Mantis finally revealed to Quill that they were siblings.
After Rocket was gravely injured during an attack by Adam Warlock, Mantis, alongside her fellow Guardians, embarked on a mission to save his life that would eventually put the group into conflict with High Evolutionary, the creator of Rocket. Successfully defeating High Evolutionary and saving Rocket's life, Mantis chose to leave the Guardians of the Galaxy in order to be her own person, feeling as though she spent her entire life doing what Ego, and later the Guardians, wanted her to do.
Mantis came from a race of empathic insectoid beings, whose homeworld was visited by Ego, as he sought to produce a Celestial hybrid heir.[5] Although being born as one of Ego's spawns, Mantis did not inherit any of her father's powers, but developed empathic abilities.[1] While still in her larva state, she was taken by Ego and brought to his planet, living there alone with him all the way into adulthood. Mantis grew up rather naïve and unsociable,[5] but learned that emotions could be stronger than any warrior or suit.[6]
Ego utilized Mantis' empathic abilities to ease his mind during his long, galaxy-scouring searches for his other children, helping him sleep whenever it was needed. Mantis was well aware of Ego's Expansion plot, as well as the deaths of his various children who failed to help him finish it, but nonetheless remained in his services as she had nowhere else to go.[5]
Ego eventually got wind of Peter Quill's whereabouts and, accompanied by Mantis, tracked him and the Guardians of the Galaxy, where Ego saved them from a skirmish with the Sovereign. They all then landed on Berhert, where Ego revealed himself as Quill's father. There, Mantis was introduced to the Guardians as a servant to Ego, not revealing to be his daughter or Quill's half-sister.
That night, they sat around a fire, where they discussed how Ego hired Yondu Udonta to retrieve Quill and deliver him which he ended up not doing. Ego then told Guardians of how they tracked them, and invited them to his planet. Mantis stayed quiet during this conversation. When Ego, Quill and Gamora left the area, Mantis attempted to introduce herself to Drax by smiling, believing it would get him to like her.
However, Drax thought she was weird, which she explained that she was not aware of how to interact in a social setting. Noticing Rocket, she believed he was their pet, so asked Drax if she could pat him. However, when she went to do so, Rocket tried to bite her, causing her to retreat in fear. Drax then broke out in laughter, informing Mantis that it was a practical joke, so she joined him in laughing, trying to fit in with the first people she had encountered, creating a fondness for Drax.
The Guardians chose to take Ego up on his offer, and decided to visit his planet. The next morning, Quill, Gamora and Drax joined Ego and Mantis onboard Ego's Ship and prepared to depart from Berhert. Once they took off, Ego decided to sleep during the journey, so Mantis tended to him and used her empathic abilities to induce a state of sleep upon him.[5]
With Ego now asleep, Mantis joined Peter Quill and Drax, who wanted to ask her a personal question, something she was intrigued by, having never been asked one before. Quill asked about the purpose of her antennas, which Drax revealed they had a bet on. Drax stated he believed that they were for protecting her from low leveled doors, and Quill believed it was for anything else.
Mantis confirmed that Drax's theory was wrong, revealing that they had something to do with her empathic abilities. Gamora then asked about them, so she explained her abilities to the three, telling them that she was an Empath, meaning she could feel people's feelings. She then asked if she could display her abilities on Quill, which he agreed to. Mantis then touched Quill's hand and began to sense his feelings.
Mantis was able to detect that Quill was feeling love, which he perceived as his love for everybody, but she revealed it was an attraction towards Gamora. Drax then began to hysterically laugh at Quill, and then asked Mantis to feel his feelings. When she touched his chest, she, too, began to break out into laughter, which was completely new to her, having never felt humor as strong as that. She then joined in on laughing at Quill's expense.
Wanting to continue using her abilities due to the enjoyment she was getting from it, Mantis moved onto Gamora to sense her feelings. However, Gamora grabbed her by the wrist and threatened to break her jaw if she tried. She then revealed that she was also able to alter people's emotions. She explained that she could make a sad person happy, or a stubborn person compliant. Although, she stated that she mainly used the ability to help Ego sleep. Drax then asked if she could do that to him, so she complied and put him to sleep.
The group eventually made it to Ego's planet after their trip, where they departed from Ego's Ship, as Ego welcomed them to his planet. Mantis remained alongside Ego as they made their way through the planet, amazed by it. Ego then revealed to them that he was a Celestial, and proceeded to explain his origins and how he met Meredith Quill. However, only Mantis really knew of Ego's true nature, and that he had fathered many children, of which he had later murdered.[5]
As Peter Quill reunited with Ego, Mantis, having enjoyed the connection she made, continued to bond with Drax. As they sat together, Drax asked how Mantis ended up on Ego's planet, which she informed him that Ego had found her during her larva state and had kept her as his own from then on, which Drax believed made her his pet. Drax then stated that he thought Mantis was hideous, but it meant it was a good thing as Ego loved her for who she was on the inside, making Mantis proud to be ugly.
Looking at the pools in front of them, Drax then told Mantis about his daughter and how he used to take her to the forgotten lakes of his homeworld. He then said that Mantis reminded him of his daughter, which she interpreted as Kamaria being disgusting, but Drax corrected her, that it was her innocence. Mantis then decided to understand Drax's feelings, so she touched his shoulder, causing her to become saddened.
Getting to know Drax caused Mantis to care for him and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Knowing the impending danger the Guardians would soon encounter, she decided to inform him of Ego's true intentions, in hopes to save them. However, before Mantis could tell Drax, she was interrupted by Gamora, causing her to keep her secret to herself. Gamora asked what they were doing, which Drax informed of how they were bonding, which Mantis added on how she was ugly, which Gamora disagreed with.
Gamora then asked Mantis to show them to their quarters where they would be staying. As they made their way, Gamora asked about the lack of population on Ego's planet, which Mantis stated that she was only there to assist Ego, making a civilization unnecessary. Being suspicious of what was happening before she interrupted them, Gamora brought up what she was going to tell Drax earlier, Mantis chose to continue lying to them.[5]
After eavesdropping on a conversation between Ego and Peter Quill, Mantis could not let the people she had bonded with suffer from Ego's plans. She headed to Drax's quarters to inform him of the danger about to commence, but Drax thought she wanted to be intimated with him, which made him gag. Mantis reassured him that is not how she feels and then proceed to inform him of Ego's plan.
After informing Drax, Gamora and Nebula burst in and Gamora attacked Mantis wanting to know what was happening on the planet and who the bodies were in the cavern. Defending herself from Gamora, Mantis then used her powers to alter Gamora's emotions to make her scared, resulting in her letting Mantis go. Mantis informed them that the dead bodies in the caverns were Ego's children. Gamora made it clear that they had to get off the planet, but Mantis told her that Ego would have manipulated Quill to his side.
Mantis, along with Drax, Gamora and Nebula rushed to save Quill from Ego as he started his Expansion until Rocket, Yondu Udonta and Groot crashed down in a ship, temporarily defeating Ego. They entered the building, where they were greeted by Groot inside the Laser Drill, and they got on board to escape from Ego. When Drax and Rocket argued, Mantis interrupted in telling them that Ego was not defeated, and he would be returning soon.[5]
"He's coming." "Didn't you say you could make him sleep?" "When he wants. He's too powerful. I can't!" "You don't have to believe in yourself. Because I believe in you!"
Knowing that they had to defeat Ego, the Guardians of the Galaxy piloted the Laser Drill to Ego's core, in attempts to destroy it. As they made their way down, Mantis expressed that she found Rocket very cute, still thinking he was their dog. They eventually made it through the layers, where Mantis pointed out where the core was and warned them to hurry, as Ego would find them.
When the Sovereign began to attack, Mantis, Drax and Gamora fell out of the ship. They all managed to land safely on the ground and they witnessed Ego reforming in front of them. Drax then asked Mantis to use her powers to put Ego to sleep, but she doubted herself due to Ego's power. Drax then reassured that she didn't have to believe in herself as he believed in her. Mantis then touched the surface and used her powers to put Ego to sleep as he was about to attack them.
When Yondu Udonta used the Laser Drill's weapons to destroy the Sovereign fleet, one of the lasers nearly hit Mantis and Drax, but she was still able to maintain control over Ego. The rest of the Guardians then regrouped while Mantis continued to control Ego until she was knocked out causing Ego to regain control.
Drax picked her up and flew her up to the surface where Kraglin Obfonteri was waiting to pick up the Guardians in the Quadrant. As Drax made his way, Ego began to attack each member which caused Drax to sink into the ground but still managed to lift Mantis up so she didn't suffocate. When Drax was freed by Quill, he continued to the ship and put Mantis inside.[5]
As the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy made their way up to the Quadrant, Groot detonated the bomb on Ego's core causing Ego to perish, and Mantis, no longer bound to him. The Guardians then flew away with Peter Quill and Yondu Udonta still on the collapsing surface. The Guardians eventually retrieved Quill and a lifeless Udonta from space and then held a funeral for their fallen ally.
After the funeral, Mantis privately revealed to Drax that Ego was her biological father, but that she did not want him to tell the others, especially Quill. Drax stated that Quill should know that she was his sister, although Mantis replied that their only connection came from being children of Ego, and that Quill found his parentage shameful. Not wanting to ruin her new place with the Guardians, Mantis thought it was best to keep the truth hidden about her familial connection.[7]
Later, Mantis, Drax and Rocket sat in the cockpit, when they noticed a fleet of ships arrive, releasing colorful lights. They learned it was that it was the Ravagers, and they were giving Udonta a Ravager's Farewell. As Mantis watched, she stated that she thought it was beautiful, which Drax added by calling Mantis beautiful, admitting to his true thoughts on Mantis. Mantis was then welcomed as a new member of the Guardians, and proceeded to go on many jobs with them.[5]
Four years later, Mantis and the other Guardians of the Galaxy discovered a distress call from the Statesman. They decided to respond to it, and made their way to the ship's destination, listening to The Rubberband Man, which Mantis enjoyed. Mantis then acknowledged that they were arriving into the airspace, so Peter Quill warned them of the potential danger up ahead, so he told them to put on their "mean faces," something Mantis took literally.
Once they arrived at the location, they were welcomed by a field of floating debris, having arrived too late. Suddenly, a man landed on the front of the ship, who was still alive, so they brought him on board. They all then observed the unconscious man, as Mantis sensed that he was feeling tremendous pain. She then used her abilities to wake him up, causing him to be initially in shock. He then introduced himself as Thor and told them about the attack, and they discussed Thanos and the Infinity Stones.
Thor then tried to take their pod, but Quill refused it, trying to put on a deeper voice, which his whole team called out immediately. Thor then told them that Thanos was going to Knowhere, a place Mantis was not aware of, to retrieve the Reality Stone. Thor informed them of the other Infinity Stones' locations, two being on Earth with the Avengers which Mantis thought included Kevin Bacon, recalling Quill's stories.
He then told them that he had to go to Nidavellir to get a weapon capable of killing Thanos, however, Gamora wanted to try and stop Thanos from getting the Reality Stone. Rocket decided that he and Groot would join Thor while the rest of the Guardians went to Knowhere. As they departed in the pod, Mantis waved them goodbye. During the flight, Mantis greeted Drax, who at the time believed himself to be invisible, destroying his belief.[4]
Once they arrived on Knowhere, they discovered that it was deserted, except for in the third quadrant, so they headed there. They then entered the Collector's Museum, where they found Thanos already there. Peter Quill tried to lead them, stealthily, but they didn't pay attention to him, and continued into the Museum.
When they saw Thanos threatening the Collector, Drax went to kill him, seeking vengeance for his family, before the team was ready. Not being able to stop him, Mantis put him to sleep, causing him to hit the ground hard, alerting Thanos of their arrival. They then hid, as Quill tried to organize an assault, which was ignored by Gamora, who went to attack Thanos. They then watched as she stabbed Thanos, killing him, believing to have been successful.
However, it was revealed to all be a ruse, as Thanos had already obtained the Reality Stone and used its power to make Gamora believe she had killed him. He then revealed that the Museum was actually decimated and in flames, and that he knew they would come. When Thanos took Gamora captive, he saw Mantis, and decided to use the Reality Stone again, turning her into living strips. After a confrontation with Quill, who failed to kill Gamora, Thanos used the Space Stone to teleport away with his daughter. Mantis then returned to her normal form.[4]
Searching for Gamora[]
Mantis sees the coded message channel
"I would kill either of you if it would stop that blinking yellow light." "What blinking yellow light? The coded message channel? How long has this been on?"
Defeated, the Guardians of the Galaxy sat in the Benatar still on Knowhere as Peter Quill attempted to recover from their loss. Mantis noticed a blinking yellow light from the ship, which not known to her was the coded message channel. She sat in front of the light and became mesmerized by it. When Quill and Drax began to argue and blame each other about what happened, Mantis unknowingly alerted them to the channel. When Quill checked it, he discovered twenty-three messages from Nebula telling them to head to Titan.[11]
They arrived on Titan and came on board a Q-Ship that had just crash-landed. A fight then broke out as Drax signaled to them that there were other people on board. Mantis encountered Peter Parker who had been knocked onto the ground, causing him to become scared by her as she tried to put him to sleep. He then webbed her up and she was left stuck.
A standoff then occurred, with Quill demanding to know Gamora's whereabouts, but the three they were fighting had no idea what they were talking about. When Drax told Quill to shoot Parker, believing he could take Tony Stark's attack, Mantis cried out that he could not. Doctor Strange agreed with her and told Drax he couldn't, before asking who they worked for. When Parker revealed that they were the Avengers, Mantis mentioned that they were the people Thor told them about before. They all then realized they were on the same side, and decided to form an alliance.[4]
They all then left the Q-Ship and Peter Quill quickly noted that the gravity on Titan was way off, so Mantis started bouncing and jumping up in a playful manner. Peter Parker, confused by Mantis' behavior, asked Quill what she and Drax do. Mantis overheard and responded that they "take names, kick ass", mixing up the phrase, leaving Parker and Tony Stark dumbfounded.
Quill then called them over, but Mantis and Drax continued to not be productive in the formation of the plan, due to their style being more improvisational. Mantis then noticed Doctor Strange levitating and twitching his head and out of concern due to not knowing what he was doing, asked Stark if he did that often. Stark went to check on Strange, who stopped levitating and told them he had used the Time Stone to see into the future and that out of fourteen million, six hundred and five timelines, they only won one.
Now aware of the stakes, they finally formulated a plan, and everyone got into position. Thanos arrived and they began their attack, utilizing and combining their abilities to defeat him. They eventually got Thanos restrained, so Strange used his Sling Ring to open an portal dropping Mantis onto Thanos' shoulders. She then used her abilities to put him to sleep.
Knowing she could not hold him forever, Mantis told them to hurry with the removal of the Infinity Gauntlet. Sensing his feelings, Mantis informed them that Thanos was mourning, which Drax question what he could possibly mourn. However, Nebula, who had recently arrived, revealed that Thanos had killedGamora, causing Quill to lose it completely and began to attack Thanos, despite them nearly getting the Gauntlet off.
This caused Mantis to start to lose her grip on Thanos, allowing him to fight back, throwing her off him and keeping the Gauntlet on his hand. Parker went to save her from falling, catching her in midair. When Thanos threw a moon at Titan, Parker webbed Mantis and the other Guardians up to a cliff to safety.[4] After regaining consciousness, Mantis was informed that her fellow Guardians had their souls removed by Thanos, after using the Soul Stone, and that she needed to restore them. After a few failed attempts, she was successful and saved Drax, Quill, and Nebula.[11]
Mantis, along with the assembled allies, formed a line behind Steve Rogers. After he gave the signal for everyone to charge at the opposing army, Mantis ran on the frontline. She used her abilities to subdue a Chitauri Gorilla by putting it to sleep and kicking it. Later, Mantis, alongside other female heroes, joined Carol Danvers, when she was tasked with taking the Nano Gauntlet to the Quantum Tunnel.[12]
Mantis kneels out of respect
The battle ultimately ended when Tony Stark used the Infinity Stones to wipe out alternate Thanos and his entire army, at the cost of his own life. As the allies knelt out of respect for him, Mantis, unfamiliar with the gesture, simply followed everyone else but remained confused.[13]
As Mantis had been wounded during the battle, she spilled her blood on the battlefield, which was collected by Nick Fury's secret Skrull unit and placed into a vial known as the Harvest alongside other enhanced DNA samples. The Harvest vial was later administered by Super-Skrulls Gravik and G'iah, granting them access to Mantis' physiology and abilities.[14][15]
Afterwards, the Guardians all returned to the Benatar and flew to New Asgard in Norway where they picked up Thor, who decided to accompany them. When Peter Quill and Thor addressed who was the leader, Mantis joined in the playful banter as Drax suggested that they fight and Mantis agreed with Rocket that they use knives. However, they told them there would be no fight.[12] Mantis' short time on Earth resulted in the citizens learning of her existence, and she was featured at the New Jersey AvengerCon.[16]
Over the next couple of years,[3] Mantis and the Guardians of the Galaxy welcomed Kraglin Obfonteri into the team, while helping Thor lose weight and get back into shape. During this time, Mantis began wearing an accessory between her antennae and later dyed her hair color to be more greenish. At one point, they let Thor pull the Benatar for strength training. During a journey to a swamp-filled planet, Mantis and her teammates fought off swamp robotic creatures while Thor watched from his perch on a rock.[17]
In 2025, at Thor's request, the Guardians traveled to Indigarr, thinking it would be a "relaxing holiday," but ended up facing Habooska the Horrible and his army, they were also accompanied by Korg, Thor's friend. As Thor was meditating to find peace within himself, Mantis and Star-Lord went to ask him for help to win the battle, which he accepted, and he flew away on top of Stormbreaker. Mantis returned to the battle with Star-Lord, now using a giant gun.
Taking cover from enemy fire, Mantis then listened as Thor gave a speech to King Yakan of the Indigarrians and then single-handedly defeated Habooska and his army, accidentally destroying the Sacred Temple in the process. After saving the Indigarrians, Mantis and the rest of the Guardians received the thanks of King Yakan.[17]
Inside the Benatar, the Guardians argued with Thor for bringing Toothgrinder and Toothgnasher, after initially finding the goats funny, Mantis teams up with Nebula to try to kill the goats, only to be stopped by Thor. Later, Mantis and the Guardians watched the calls for help in horror, discovering that several gods were being killed by Gorr the God Butcher. Before answering the calls, Thor saw a distress call by Sif and then told the Guardians that he needed to help her and the Guardians said goodbye to Thor before leaving.[17]
Operating from Knowhere[]
Buying Knowhere[]
The Guardians bought Knowhere from the Collector to rebuild it after it was destroyed by Thanos. They were also joined by a superpowered dog named Cosmo and they acquired a new ship as their main source of transportation. By December 2025, Mantis had removed her accessory from her antennae and had changed her hair color back to normal.[1]
"Maybe because I'm his sister, I feel like I should give Peter a happy Christmas. He's so sad about Gamora being gone. Maybe if we gave Peter a really wonderful Christmas gift, it would make him happy."
In December 2025, Kraglin Obfonteri told the story of how Yondu Udonta ruined the Christmas of Peter Quill to Mantis, Drax and Nebula, which disturbed Mantis, who found the story very sad. Nebula and Obfonteri left to continue rebuilding Knowhere, so Mantis told Drax that she wanted to do something for Quill for Christmas, since he was sad about losing Gamora, and due to her secret that she was his sister.
Drax suggested to Mantis telling the truth to Quill, but she felt the shame of their shared connection would be too painful of a reminder whenever Quill would see her. Mantis felt that she should get Quill a special gift, although Drax repeatedly brought up Mantis eating all the Zarg-Nuts, which frustrated Mantis. When Drax asked what kind of present, Mantis said it had to be something Quill would never forget. Drax suggested they give Quill's hero, Kevin Bacon as a present. Mantis agreed and the two quietly left and took the Bowie, which Mantis piloted to Earth.[1]
They soon arrived, hovering over Earth's atmosphere and arriving directly above the skies of Los Angeles, California. Mantis looked down and became confused as to why the people were staring in their direction, so Mantis asked Drax if he turned on the stealth mode, which he had not. She landed the ship above the Hollywood sign, and made their way to the city.
Walking along the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre, Mantis mistook a Captain America cosplayer for Steve Rogers and hugged him. This ended up scaring him, causing him to run away, much to her confusion. Mantis and Drax then spotted an Ant-Man cosplayer, Captain Marvel cosplayer, and Black Widow cosplayer. She and Drax were then mistaken for cosplayers themselves and earned lots of money. Mantis frowned when the Captain Marvel cosplayer came close to her as she knew now that wasn't the actual one.
Looking for Bacon, Mantis and Drax went to a club where they used their money to buy alcohol. Initially skeptical, Mantis enjoyed it and doused countless shots and began dancing with the partygoers. After the club had closed down for the night, Mantis and Drax rested on the sidewalk outside. Wondering aloud about Bacon, a woman named Sara, who owned the store next door, offered them a star tours booklet with Bacon's home address but Mantis had no money so she used her powers and stole the star tours booklet and all the money that Sara had along with her.[1]
They arrived at Kevin Bacon's house and found a gated entrance. Mantis rang the gate doorbell and stated she was looking for him, when Bacon hung up, she kept trying to no use. She then said she should get tossed over, in which Drax literally did so, much to her annoyance. When he leaped over, he stole a Christmas elf from the lawn. Mantis scolded him, however, saw a candy cane and picked it up. Mantis called out for Bacon, before Drax broke into his house using the window by the door. The horrified Bacon calls the police and tries to run away, with Mantis jumping from wall to wall while chasing Bacon.
Bacon escaped from his house, but ended up with Mantis and Drax jumping through the street to catch him. The police arrived and ordered Mantis and Drax to stop, however, Drax was bulletproof to their bullets and Mantis kept walking to them. She grabbed one with the candy cane, and proceeded to incapacitate the others, putting them all to sleep. When another police car came, Drax flipped the police car upside down, and Mantis told Drax he could not just kill them. She walked to see if they were okay and gave them her candy cane. Mantis then used her powers to put Bacon in a trance and convince him to go with them.
Mantis, Drax and the enthralled Bacon break into a Christmas decorations store and steal everything, taking it on the ship. While inside the ship, Mantis and Drax asked Bacon about his adventures that Peter Quill was talking about, however, they realized that Bacon was not a hero, but just an actor. They both were disgusted, believing that actors were repugnant people and thinking that Quill's perception of Bacon was warped. Mantis used her powers to get Bacon to act as an actual hero.[1]
With the help of the rest of the inhabitants, the Guardians of the Galaxy decorated Knowhere for a Christmas party, which amazed Peter Quill, but he soon got horrified when he found out that his present was Kevin Bacon. Quill immediately told Mantis to get Bacon out of the trance which she did, but later Bacon then decided to stay at the Knowhere for a while and performed a song with Bzermikitokolok at the Christmas party. Mantis then gave a Christmas decoration to Drax as a present and after that Groot delivered his present to her.
Mantis and Quill hugging
Later that night, Quill asked Mantis why she would go such lengths to make him happy and she told him about Kraglin Obfonteri's story how Yondu Udonta ruined Christmas for him. Quill then told her the rest of the story and how Udonta made up for it. Mantis then admitted to Quill that the real reason was that they were siblings. Quill was astonished, but told her it was the best present he could ever receive. The two hugged.[1]
Over the next few months, the Guardians of the Galaxy continued working to rebuild Knowhere and turn it into a base of operations for the team. However, during this time, Peter Quill fell into a deep depression, still not over the loss of Gamora. One day, while music was playing through the speakers on Knowhere, Mantis danced and asked Drax to join her, but he refused. Later, the Guardians discovered that Quill had passed out drunk once again, which both concerned and disappointed them.
Nebula carried Quill to his bed, and when she came out, Mantis asked what she was going to do about Quill. Nebula brushed off any responsibility for Quill, instead redirecting it back to Mantis due to him being her brother, but Mantis replied that Quill never listened to her previously. Rocket suggested Mantis using her powers to make Quill happy, but Mantis firmly stated that it was wrong to manipulate the feelings of friends. Drax interjected about the time she made him fall in love with his sock, but Mantis found that funny.[18]
That night, Mantis witnessed Rocket attacked by Adam Warlock. Mantis and Rocket rushed to the armory, where the former wondered who the attacker was, but Rocket did not know. Adam eventually made his way into the armory and immediately blasted Rocket away. Mantis lunged at Adam, but he grabbed her and broke her arm before throwing her aside.
Adam was removed from the armory by Drax, so Mantis went to check on Rocket, who was wounded badly. Mantis called Peter Quill over to help, so he grabbed the Med-Paks and brought them over. Quill put one on Rocket while Mantis applied her own Med-Pak on her arm, which instantly healed it. However, when they turned on the one on Rocket, it malfunctioned and started electrocuting him. They rushed Rocket to the Med-Bay, where it was discovered that there was a kill switch inside him and that they needed a passkey from OrgoCorp to save him, so they left immediately.[18]
Once they arrived at the Orgoscope, Mantis helped Peter Quill bypass the security shields. As they did, Quill lamented over all of the loved ones he had lost, so Mantis asked about him going back to see his grandfather on Earth, but Quill had no interest and was confused about her bringing it up. Mantis explained that Quill was upset about those he has lost, but his grandfather also lost everyone and could still be alive, so Quill should visit him.
The Bowie was then boarded by the United Ravagers, as Nebula had contacted the alternate Gamora to help them on their mission. As Mantis got changed, she thanked Gamora for her help, but she was only doing it because Nebula was paying her. The Guardians and Gamora put on Space Suits and descended onto the Orgoscope's surface. While Nebula cut through the surface, Quill tried to talk privately to Gamora, but all of the Guardians could hear, so Mantis interrupted her brother due to the awkwardness of the conversation.
After getting inside, they were immediately discovered by Master Karja, but they were able to maintain their cover. However, they did lose their Space Suits, causing Nebula to yell at Mantis, as she accidentally put them in the decontamination pod that released them into space. They then split into two teams, with Mantis and Drax accessing the spaceport so they could escape, while Quill, Nebula and Gamora retrieved the passkey. Mantis and Drax took an elevator down to the spaceport, where Mantis used her powers to make a guard fall in love with Drax to let them through.
Mantis and Drax found the spaceport, but they were soon surrounded by the Orgosentries, so Mantis felt they should run, but Drax wanted to fight. The two were forced to fight, much to Mantis' frustration, so she swiftly kicked Master Karja in the head and proceeded to use her powers to influence some of the Orgosentries. Mantis ran to help Drax up when he got shot, but as they tried to escape, Master Karja shot Drax again, as well as Nebula, who joined the fight, so they surrendered. They were saved by Quill who hacked the Orgosentries' suits, allowing them to escape on the Bowie when Groot arrived.[18]
Back on the Bowie, the Guardians of the Galaxy viewed Rocket's file, and witnessed in horror the torture that he underwent at the hands of the High Evolutionary, which made Mantis cry. They noticed that the passkey had recently been deleted by Theel, so Mantis obtained his coordinates and they decided to track him down and recover it.
As they headed to Counter-Earth, the Guardians put on their uniforms, and Mantis wanted to give advice to Peter Quill, so she told Drax the Destroyer exactly what to say, hoping her brother would take him seriously, as she felt no one ever listened to what she said. Mantis hid and watched happily as Drax perfectly repeated her words to Quill. However, Quill became suspicious of Drax using analogies, so Drax tried to give his own examples, despite Mantis gesturing to him to stop. Drax blew Mantis' cover as Quill turned around, seeing her behind him and realizing she had put Drax up to it.[18]
The Guardians of the Galaxy arrived at Counter-Earth, where they encountered the Humanimals, but were immediately treated as hostiles so they attacked the Guardians, with Mantis being hit in the back by a bat by one of them. After Groot scared the Humanimals away, one of them, Neelie, invited them into her home.
As Peter Quill explained their situation to Neelie, who couldn't understand them, Mantis tried to help by making a face to represent "dying," which Nebula felt would be misinterpreted as Rocket already being dead. Mantis tried again by making a face for "dumbass" when Quill apologized for Drax the Destroyer's behavior, but Nebula once again critiqued her attempt, so Mantis got angry at her for always criticizing. Neelie pointed them towards Arête Laboratories, so Quill told Mantis and Drax to stay and protect Rocket while the rest headed there.
Waiting by the Bowie, Mantis played with a pinwheel until she saw Drax steal a motorcycle, wanting to help the others. Mantis reminded Drax that they needed to protect Rocket, so Drax tricked her, claiming that he was just going to ride back to the ship. Mantis got on the bike with Drax, only for him to head straight for Arête Laboratories. They arrived at the location, as Arête Laboratories began to ascend and Counter-Earth was being destroyed. Nebula contacted them to bring the ship, but when she turned around, she saw them standing behind her, with Mantis pointing at Drax.[18]
The three jumped onto Arête Laboratories but were unable to get inside as it ascended into space. Before the trio passed out from lack of oxygen, Drax the Destroyer was able to break down the door, where they discovered children locked in cages.
When Nebula started pushing and berating Drax for being stupid, Mantis stepped in to his defence, telling Nebula she had no right to push him. Nebula then insulted her for supporting weakness, but Mantis didn't care and called out Nebula for needing to criticize others to make herself feel better. Mantis told Nebula that despite Drax being stupid, he still loved them and made them laugh, which she viewed as more important than intelligence and competence. However, Drax was hurt by hearing that Mantis thought he was stupid, so she used her powers to make him forget.
They freed the children and made contact with Peter Quill, who revealed that he had already escaped the ship. Mantis asked how, so Groot explained that they jumped off as it took off. They then heard Rocket's voice, and the three were relieved to learn that he was alive. Now knowing the pain and suffering he had been through in his past, Mantis told Rocket that they all loved him and were happy he was alive. They were interrupted when the High Evolutionary arrived and knocked Mantis, Nebula and Drax unconscious, and threw them in a pit.
They were found by some of the children that escaped, and Mantis realized that Quill would be heading to rescue them so they needed to stay clear of the starboard wall. Unable to understand their language, Nebula tried to tell the children this information, and Mantis made hand gestures to assist. Nebula was confused by what Mantis was doing, causing Mantis to snap at Nebula. This scared the children, so Drax stepped in and calmed the children down by making monkey noises and then spoke to them in their language about the plan.
The walls of the pit them lifted, and the three found themselves surrounded by three Abilisks. They tried to escape, but were cut off at every turn, rendering them trapped. When all hope seemed lost, Mantis stepped out and approached one of the Abilisks. Nebula told her to stop, but Mantis reminded them that Abilisks only ate batteries, not people, and suspected the creatures were just scared. Nebula and Drax then watched as Mantis touched one of the Abilisks, which did not attack her, and she used her empathic powers to connect with the creatures.[18]
The Guardians entered a hallway filled with the High Evolutionary's guards and Hell Spawn, and as a team, they managed to successfully defeat every single enemy. Star-Lord made a plan for them to connect the hole in Arête Laboratories to Knowhere, so Mantis joined Star-Lord, Drax, Groot and Gamora to rescue the children while Rocket and Nebula piloted the ship. Mantis was able to free many of the prisoners, including Lambshank, whose grotesque appearance startled Mantis, but she pretended that she screamed at something else behind her.
The Guardians directed the children to the hole that was connected to Knowhere and helped them get to the other side. Cosmo used her telekinetic powers to hold the two vessels in place, but it began to tire her out, so Mantis used her powers to give Cosmo more strength. When they noticed Rocket hadn't returned, the Guardians went searching and found him fighting the High Evolutionary. The rest of the Guardians joined in, with Mantis leaping into the air and kicking him in the face. Once defeated, the Guardians witnessed as Rocket chose to spare the High Evolutionary.
Rocket informed the Guardians about the caged animals, so they rushed to rescue them before the ship exploded. Mantis carried a primate and tossed it at Ssssaralami. The Abilisks were also saved and brought to Knowhere, so Mantis guided them across. Once everyone was safe, the Guardians ran onto Knowhere right as the ship exploded, but Star-Lord didn't make it. The Guardians watched helplessly as Star-Lord got stuck in space. Mantis screamed in panic as her brother began to freeze to death. Fortunately, Adam Warlock saved Star-Lord, and the Guardians all hugged.[18]
In the aftermath of the battle, the Guardians of the Galaxy were summoned together and listened to Peter Quill reveal that he was leaving the team and returning to Earth. Mantis added that she was also leaving, explaining that her whole life she had down what others wanted, referring to Ego and the Guardians, but she now wanted to discover what she wanted.
Drax the Destroyer immediately told Mantis that he would come with her, but she objected. Drax stated that she needed someone to protect her, but she affirmed that she did not. Nebula interrupted saying that she needed Drax to stay on Knowhere. With everyone going their separate ways, Rocket Raccoon thought the team was over, but Quill appointed him captain, and they all saluted the new leader. Before departing, Mantis and Drax shared a moment and waved goodbye to each other. Mantis then called the Abilisks she rescued and walked away, ready to begin her journey on her own.[18]
Personality[]
"You are horrifying to look at. But that's a good thing." "Oh?" "When you're ugly and someone loves you, you know they love you for who you are. Beautiful people never know who to trust." "Well, then I am certainly grateful to be ugly!"
Mantis is somewhat naïve, showing no offense when Drax the Destroyer refers to her as Ego's pet and not understanding what a practical joke is or that she embarrassed Peter Quill by revealing his attraction to Gamora. This is probably due to her being isolated with Ego for most of her life. Despite this, her use of higher-level vocabulary shows she bears intelligence. She holds a passive demeanor, always bowing her head in Ego's presence and being hesitant to attack anyone. This inevitably resulted in her having low self-confidence needing Drax to goad her on in using her powers against Ego. In spite of her loyalty to Ego, she was unable to condone him slaughtering his own children eventually telling the Guardians of Ego's true plan and working with them to thwart him.
Even years later, her naïveté persisted as shown by her practicing a "mean face" after Quill sarcastically told the Guardians to do so as they neared the wreckage of the Statesman. Much like Drax, she was blunt to the point of open honesty telling Iron Man, a presumed enemy at the time, that Drax was unlikely to survive his Repulsor Cannons. Mantis was almost entirely non-malicious instead approaching Spider-Man out of curiosity. Despite her lack of weapons, she was a brave individual openly jumping at Thanos in spite of the Titan possessing four Infinity Stones and later using her powers to subdue him. Though maturing, her child-like mind-state still persisted as, in spite of Thanos' imminent arrival, she took advantage of Titan's fluctuating gravitational fields to mimic the effects of a trampoline. Mantis, while generally having a calm personality, is easily angered by Drax, possibly due to the fact that Drax was her closest friend. Since Drax was the one who encouraged her and supported her when she was still serving Ego, she acts most comfortably around Drax. Mantis was very protective of Drax who would often get into arguments with Nebula and other Guardians, as Mantis and Drax has a very close bond and a near sibling relationship, and the fact that Drax was able to embrace his self.
Even while fighting the cops when she and Drax attempted to bring Kevin Bacon to Knowhere, Mantis didn't want to kill them, but just put them to sleep, however, while fighting real enemies, Mantis is willing to take violent measures, such as when she made a Orgosentry to start shooting at her allies, resulting in several fatalities, and when she viciously attacked the High Evolutionary's subordinates.
After all the years with the Guardians, Mantis became more caring towards the other members, especially Peter Quill who was her half-brother. Initially, Mantis hesitated and didn’t want to tell Quill as she was afraid that will make them distant. Mantis is shown to be very considerate as she wanted to cheer Star-Lord up and hence decided to go to Earth during Christmas time in search for a Christmas present, even kidnapping Kevin Bacon to make Quill happy. She also expresses her consideration by preparing Christmas lights and decorations to decorate Knowhere for celebrating the holidays. Eventually, she told Star-Lord the fact that they were siblings and they developed a much closer relationship, with Mantis as Star-Lord’s actual family.
Mantis did not have her own purpose her entire life before leaving the Guardians. As Ego’s daughter, she followed Ego’s orders blindly and acted as a servant to the Celestial. Even after joining the Guardians, she did not have her own purpose too as she only followed the Guardians and worked with this close-knit family, and did everything only for the interests of the group, neglecting her own. After all the adventures with the Guardians, Mantis seeks to find her own purpose in the universe and leaves with the Abilisks in search of this, saying an emotional farewell with the Guardians and especially Drax who broke into tears.
Hybrid Physiology: Due to her mother's species' heritage, Mantis possesses superhuman attributes and empathic powers. As an insectoid-like being, Mantis developed from a larval stage into a humanoid form, and some liquids have a unique reaction on her, such as alcohol, which turns into smoke upon contact with her.[1]
Superhuman Strength:
Mantis sending an enemy flying
Mantis has superior strength than humans. She was able to pull a large robotic creature underwater on a swampy planet,[17] was able to throw police officers against each other, send Master Karja flying with a kick, and was strong enough to restrain a Kree soldier before incapacitating him with her powers. During the Attack on Arête Laboratories, Mantis kicked and threw several enemies at considerable distances, even breaking a guard's bones by throwing him at Groot's arm. She was also able to kick the High Evolutionary with enough force to launch him flying far away. Mantis was able to easily break a metal lock on a cage containing Lambshank. While saving the animals with the other Guardians, Mantis managed to push a tapir.
Superhuman Durability:
Mantis being hit by burning debris
Mantis's heritage allows her to withstand otherwise lethal physical damage, as she effortlessly landed on her feet, completely unharmed after falling from several stories, endured the heat of the Laser Drill beams, and was merely knocked unconscious when a piece of flaming debris struck her at full force. During the Battle of Titan, Mantis received a headbutt from Thanos, and was knocked unconscious but unharmed when he violently grabbed her and sent her flying, with Spider-Man preventing a more violent collision. While on Earth, Mantis gets tossed a large distance over a gate by Drax and only complains about being in pain, and later, she landed from the balcony of a two-story house. Mantis also withstood falling on her neck on different occasions, with the last fall being relatively high. Shortly after being noticed by the High Evolutionary, Mantis withstood an attack from him that knocked out even Drax and Nebula, though she was also knocked out. In the Attack on Arête Laboratories, Mantis was able to withstand the quantum blast of an Abilisk, just leaving her with burns.
Mantis is extremely agile, using her capabilities to move quickly and effortlessly. She managed to jump on a Chitauri Gorilla to incapacitate it. She jumped over the stairs and onto the walls inside Kevin Bacon's home, climbing and leaping throughout the upper floor while attempting to catch him, and landed to the ground floor in one final leap. She also evaded the hits and shots of the policemen that tried to stop her from kidnapping Bacon, while putting them to sleep with her powers. During the Infiltration into the Orgoscope, Mantis quickly leaped from soldier to soldier to attack them with her powers. In the Battle of Counter-Earth, Mantis jumps a great distance to reach the High Evolutionary's ship and later she was also able to do inhuman acrobatic feats while fighting the High Evolutionary's henchmen. Later, while fighting the High Evolutionary, Mantis jumped from the ceiling to attack him.
Superhuman Stamina: Mantis can fight for great periods of time when compared to humans. She fought several Thanos' allies without any visible fatigue, and was able to jump repeatedly without getting tired while chasing Kevin Bacon to kidnap him.
Empathy:
Mantis connecting with Drax
Mantis can sense and experience a person's emotions and feelings through mere touch, making her antennas light-up. She was able to feel that Star-Lord was attracted to Gamora just by touching his hand and was able to feel Thor's anxiety even while he was unconscious. In addition, she can also experience a person's feelings rather than simply sensing them, allowing her to feel the grief and sadness of Drax, which caused her to weep, even while he remained emotionless on the outside. Mantis also experienced the anguish and mourning of Thanos while he was subdued by her and the other heroes. She was also able to sense Thanos' snap, even before anyone had evaporated on Titan. In the High Evolutionary's ship, Mantis connected with the Abilisks to feel their pain, calming them.
Emotion Manipulation:
Mantis manipulating Kevin Bacon
Mantis is also able to manipulate emotions to some degree using her touch, essentially mind controlling someone. For example, she can make a sad person happy, or calm down an angry one. She was able to cause Gamora to become scared when attacking her. Mantis managed to influence a woman's mind to give her the map and all the money she had. Later, she also made Kevin Bacon come with her and Drax as well as having him pretend like he was a hero, on top of this, she made him a more happy version of himself. Mantis is also able to undo her trance from someone, as she did to release Kevin Bacon from her control when Quill ordered her. During the Infiltration into the Orgoscope, Mantis caused Bletelsnort to fall hopelessly in love with Drax, and later, while fighting the Orgosentries, Mantis manipulated them in abnormal ways, such as acting like a cat, dancing, and feeling violent rage. Mantis can also use this ability as emotional support on the battlefield, as she did with Cosmo, making her feel stronger and more capable.
Mantis can, also through touch, cause a person to fall asleep almost instantly, using her powers to manipulate a person into becoming docile. This technique can even incapacitate extremely powerful beings like Ego, Thanos and Chitauri Gorillas, but doing so requires that she has physical contact with the person. This power can be at least partially nullified, however, if the victim's willpower is strong enough as Mantis was only able to send Thanos into a state of half-consciousness. Conversely, Mantis can awaken people as she used this command after the Guardians rescue Thor when finding him adrift in space. Mantis can also use this to reunite a soulless body with their astral form, essentially reviving them.[11] When kidnapping Kevin Bacon, Mantis did not want to kill any police officers, so she made them go to sleep. In the Arête Laboratories, Mantis made a soldier fall asleep after she briefly strangled him.
Memory Manipulation: Mantis can manipulate the memories of other individuals through touch, given that emotions and memories are closely linked. She erased Drax's memory after an intense argument between her and Nebula.
Mantis was originally a poor fighter, having no formal training or combat skills. However, with years of experience with the Guardians of the Galaxy, Mantis has become an expert martial artist, able to defeat several members of Thanos' army and other enemies she and the other Guardians found during their missions. Mantis is also adept at swordsmanship.[19] While on a trip to Earth in order to kidnapKevin Bacon, she easily fought off multiple police officers while putting them to sleep. In the Infiltration into the Orgoscope, Mantis jumped into the air to kick Master Karja, and proceeded to incapacitate more guards, manipulating them before they could even use their weapons. During the Attack on Arête Laboratories, Mantis kicked a soldier and then spun in the air, landing on the ground, and shortly after, Mantis swung from Groot's arm to grab an enemy, pinning him with her thighs and throwing him away. While fighting another soldier, Mantis strangled him from behind and put him to sleep. Later, Mantis dropkicks the High Evolutionary.
Expert Marksman: Mantis acquired a level of proficiency in using firearms, shooting at the Booskan invaders in Indigarr during their battle.
Master Acrobat:
Mantis doing a flip on her enemy
Mantis' agility allowed her to perform acrobatic movements while chasing or battling her targets. She lunged around the walls of Kevin Bacon's house in order to catch him while he tried to escape, and later flipped and spun around many police officers to incapacitate them.
Pilot: Mantis is a capable pilot, able to pilot the Bowie in a trip to Earth. Mantis also co-piloted the Bowie on several occasions, such as when the Guardians of the Galaxy left Knowhere to save Rocket and when they were arriving at Counter-Earth.
Multilingualism: Mantis is fluent in her native language, and she can also understand Groot after spending years with Groot. However, despite having a translator, she was unable to understand the language of the Star Children.
Translator Implant: Mantis has a translator implant that helps her understand many of the languages spoken in the universe.[20] After finding children imprisoned in the High Evolutionary's ship, Mantis stated that their language was not in her translator.[18]
Space Suit: A special suit used to survive in the vacuum of space. Mantis and the other Guardians of the Galaxy used the suits until she accidentally threw them away.
Vehicles[]
Ego's Ship: Mantis and Ego used their ship to travel across the galaxy looking for Peter Quill. After the Guardians of the Galaxy entered the ship, Drax and Quill made a bet about what Mantis' antennae were for, and they discussed Mantis' ability to read people's emotions. Drax enjoyed Mantis revealing Quill's were for, and Mantis joined Drax's enjoyment. Mantis also explained that she could people to sleep, and demonstrated her ability on Drax at his own request.
Mantis and the other Guardians of the Galaxy boarded a laser drill and used it to go to Ego's core, hoping to destroy it and kill the Celestial. However, the ship got a hole in the bottom, causing Mantis to fall out.
Quadrant: Drax fled carrying the unconscious Mantis Battle on Ego's Planet onto a quadrant of the Eclector. The rest of the Guardians made it to the quadrant safely, except for Yondu Udonta, who sacrificed himself for Quill. Mantis and the other Guardians mourned Udonta in the Quadrant and held a funeral for him, watching as other Ravager clans came together and held a Ravagers' funeral for him.
The Guardians of the Galaxy used the Benatar following the destruction of the Milano. They responded to a distress call on the ship, causing the team to meet Thor and learn that Thanos was looking for the Infinity Stones. The team took the Benatar to Knowhere, hoping to stop Thanos from getting the Reality Stone there, but failed. Mantis and her teammates then took the ship to Titan, where they again confronted Thanos and Mantis was killed in the Snap. Five years later, Mantis returned and the team again took off in the Benatar, leaving Earth alongside Thor. The Guardians used this ship until it was replaced by the Bowie.
In the comics, Mantis was a human of Vietnamese and German descent whose father left her in the care of a sect of the Kree Empire called the Priests of Pama, who raised her with the intent of eventually mating her with the Cotati to produce a Celestial Messiah, as part of their religious prophecies. Later, she had her memory wiped and was sent to live alongside mankind to gain life experience, and has been a member of the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the Fantastic Four on various occasions.
Behind the Scenes[]
In an interview, Jonathan Schwartz said "She has never really experienced social interaction, everything she learns about dealing with people, she learns from the Guardians of the Galaxy, which is a very weird group to learn your social intricacies from."[22]
