Mantis (BW)
- Mantis is an Insectron from the Beast Wars II portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.
A word of advice: If you see a "do not disturb" sign hanging outside the door of Mantis (マンティス Mantisu), cross the hallway on your tippy-toes. Because if this Insectron is rousted from his peace and quiet, he'll be anything but peaceful in response. Mantis has a temper that would intimidate Bighorn and will fly off the handle at the slightest irritation. Even his Insectron cohorts know to keep their distance from him and he'll most commonly be found resting in isolation far, far away from his teammates.
Unfortunately for his RnR, Mantis has a constant thorn in his side: Autolauncher, who seeks to crush Mantis and prove he's the best Discmaster in the galaxy. But Mantis's telekinetic control of his discs in mid-flight certainly gives him an advantage, to say nothing of the scythe-like appendages he uses to filet his foes at close range.
Sometimes it's best to let sleeping bugs lie, at least if you value your limbs, organs and miscellaneous fluids.
Fiction
Beast Wars II cartoon
- Voice actor: Hiroki Takahashi (Japanese)
Mantis was at rest in some ancient ruins, until a Predacon bombing run woke him up; enraged at his peace and quiet being disturbed, he viciously attacked the Maximals exploring the ruins and came close to terminating Lio Convoy. A sudden display of artillery from Apache took him down. Following this, the Predacons brought the ruins down and Lio Convoy saved Mantis's life. The Insectron rejected the offer of friendship then, merely cackling that they'd meet again... Mystery of the Ancient Ruins The Insect Corps Arrive The Strongest Tag Team? Autorollers Roll Out! Predacon General Offensive! Who Is the Strongest Warrior!? Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger! Fly Out! Planet Gaea Assemble, Thirty-Nine Warriors
Beast Wars II manga
Mantis was part of an assembled Maximal force that took off in the Yukikaze to reach Nemesis. All hands survived the destruction of the ship by the Predacons and engaged their enemies in battle on the artificial planet's surface. All Hands, Make a Special Attack on the Evil Planet!
IDW Beast Wars comics
Mantis acquired a wide array of combat skills by competing in various athletic and military competitions in the past, including Discmaster. He's also even-tempered and easy-going. Okay. Beast Wars Sourcebook #2
Toys
Beast Wars
- Mantis (Deluxe, 1998)
- Japanese ID number: C-20
- This figure is a redeco of the Predacon Manterror, with the purple changed to blue and the Predacon energon chip changed to a Maximal one. He transforms into a praying mantis, with a pressure-launch disc launcher hidden in each horrible foreclaw.
- Mantis vs Autolauncher (Vs pack, 1998)
- Japanese ID number: VS-20
- Mantis was available both as an individual and in a two-pack with his rival Autolauncher.
Notes
- IDW's Beast Wars Sourcebook describes Mantis as being friendly, good-natured and very approachable. That...is terribly, terribly wrong. Ben Yee's excuse is "I wanted his personality to fit in with the rest of the Insectrons, and thus I made him something else entirely" [1]; after all, the point of a book of character profiles is to completely rewrite the characters, right? Right?
