Guardians of the galaxy game mantis

Affiliation and Relationships

Affiliation

Guardians of the Galaxy

Physical Characteristics

Gender

Female

Unusual Features

Antennas

Origin and Living Status

Living Status

Alive

Reality

Earth-TRN912

Personal Information

Occupation

Adventurer, mercenary

Base of Operations

Milano

Creators and Appearances

Creators

Kasper Hartman, Ethan James Petty, Craig Towsley, Dave Stager, Stéfanie Jolin, Jocelyn Baxter

The Mantis featured in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is an entirely different character than the Mantis featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Eidos-Montréal taking more inspiration from the character's comics than her onscreen depiction in James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy films. Whereas Pom Klementieff's Mantis was largely used as comic relief in the MCU's Infinity Saga, the Mantis of the Guardians of the Galaxy game is much more in tune with her comics-self, being an excellent martial artist and possessing precognitive abilities.

[Warning: Major spoilers for Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy are below.]

Mantis arrived in the MCU as an orphan picked up by Ego. She accompanies the celestial to help him sleep, and remained by his side until the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. When Ego sought Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Mantis traveled with him to the planet of Berhert where she was portrayed as a timid servant to Ego. This portrayal of Mantis couldn’t be further from her character in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, with Mantis potentially being the one MCU character that Square Enix takes the least inspiration from.

Mantis has a very limited role in the MCU. While she ultimately sides with the Guardians of the Galaxy and reveals Ego’s plan, her powers fall short of the Mantis in the comics and in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. In both the MCU and Marvel’s GOTG, Mantis has empathic abilities that allow her to feel the feelings of others. Additionally, Mantis has the ability to change someone’s feelings, for example easing them into contentment or putting them to sleep. In the MCU, Mantis aids the Guardians by putting Ego to sleep, and she suppresses Thanos on Titan long enough for the Avengers to nearly remove the Infinity Gauntlet from his hand. However, this is all that is seen of Mantis's powers in the MCU, which is why her character differs greatly in Marvel's GOTG.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Game's Mantis Has Different Powers

Another major defining characteristic of Mantis in the MCU that is not at all portrayed in Marvel’s GOTG is her being influenced by Drax. It’s clear that Mantis respects and looks up to Drax for guidance in what little screen time she has, particularly due to the fact that Drax has intense emotions of laughter and sorrow without showing either. Drax reassures the timid Mantis and encourages her to use her abilities, but even after being freed from Ego’s servitude Mantis has yet to fully embrace what she could be capable of. In contrast, the Mantis shown in Marvel’s GOTG is the polar opposite in terms of personality and power. Although she isn't officially a Guardian, Mantis could be a new character to join the Guardians of the Galaxy in a sequel game.

From the moment Mantis makes her first appearance in Marvel’s GOTG she is aware of the team even though she hasn’t met all of them. Mantis’ knowledge of the Guardians isn’t because they’re widely recognized, but rather through her powers. Mantis is referred to as the Celestial Madonna in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy game, which is how she already knew who the Guardians were before she met them.

Additionally, the Mantis in Marvel’s GOTG is an expert pilot and martial artist, neither of which are a part of her character in the MCU. When Mantis fights Drax she cannot remember if she’s already been taught how to fight or if she has yet to learn. Nonetheless, she confidently takes Drax on and quickly beats him. Using her empathic powers, Mantis further subdues Drax and aids the Guardians on their journey to release him from Magus’ control.

Mantis’ ability to overpower Drax is no small feat because in Marvel’s GOTG Drax fought Thanos to the death in a one-on-one battle. While she can only predict the future, Mantis confidently shares only what needs to be shared to steer the Guardians on the right course. Confidence is one of Mantis’ defining characteristics in the comics and in Eidos-Montréal's game - a stark contrast compared to the timid depiction seen in the MCU.

The MCU's Mantis Isn't As Confident As The GOTG Game Version

In Marvel’s GOTG, Mantis confidently lets Rocket know that he could die from a number of events during the Guardians’ journey to rescue Drax, be it from drowning, falling, or getting crushed. Mantis speaks with such confidence that one might assume she knows the Guardians will succeed, but can’t reveal that information to them. In a sequel to Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, Mantis could easily step into a more prominent role guiding the Guardians from one decision to the next. Conversely, the Mantis of the MCU could remain a minor supporting character in the next Guardians of the Galaxy film.

Additionally, in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, Mantis serves as a therapeutic friend to Gamora and had encouraged her to join the Guardians before the start of the game. Mantis also reveals that she and Star-Lord share a love interest in some timelines. Mantis in Marvel’s GOTG constantly shocks the team with what she says about each of the Guardians, and even reveals that there are a few timelines where Groot’s species is the dominant force in the galaxy. As a result, Mantis fluently speaks Groot’s language and, other than Rocket, is the only character to understand Groot in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.

It’s possible that the MCU’s version of Mantis can still unlock the powers of her Marvel’s GOTG counterpart, but doing so may require her to spend time with the Priest of Pama. The Priest of Pama is a pacifist group during the Galactic War, and regards Mantis as the Celestial Madonna more than any other character in Marvel’s GOTG. The Priests train Mantis to use her powers through meditation, and, thanks to her training, Mantis manages to save some of their members when the Universal Church of Truth attacks their home planet. Before the events of Marvel's GOTG, Mantis also nudged Gamora into spending time with the Priests of Pama after she left Thanos, one of the main reasons why the game's Gamora is nothing like the MCU's Gamora. Instead of the outside world influencing her, Mantis is a strong and influential presence Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and the opposite could be said of her MCU counterpart.

Next: How Guardians Of The Galaxy Game's Drax Is Different From The MCU's