You remember the first time you saw him. A tiny, levitating figure in a gas mask, drifting through the hallways of a burning hospital in Cyprus. It was eerie. Honestly, if you played the original Metal Gear Solid back in '98, your brain probably did a backflip. "Is that... Mantis?" you wondered.
Yeah, it was. But the psycho mantis metal gear solid 5 experience is a far cry from the fourth-wall-breaking boss who told you how often you saved your game. In The Phantom Pain, he’s known as Tretij Rebenok—the "Third Child." He doesn't say a word. He doesn't read your memory card. He just floats there, a silent conduit for everyone else’s absolute worst impulses.
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The Puppet Master Who Is Actually a Puppet
Most people think Psycho Mantis is the one pulling the strings in MGSV. It looks like it, right? He’s summoning giant flaming whales and making Metal Gears jump like they’re in an action movie. But here’s the kicker: he has almost zero agency.
In Metal Gear Solid 5, Psycho Mantis is essentially a "psychic sponge." He doesn't have a plan. He doesn't have a manifesto. He’s a kid with an open-door policy for other people's hatred. Ocelot explains this in the tapes—basically, the kid's mind is so sensitive that he gets "highjacked" by whoever has the strongest lust for revenge nearby.
Think of him like a high-powered antenna. If you're standing next to him and you're really, really mad? Congrats, you just inherited a supernatural hitman.
Who Was Actually in Control?
It’s a revolving door of bad vibes. Seriously. Throughout the game, the "pilot" of Psycho Mantis changes based on who is the most pissed off in the room.
- Volgin (The Man on Fire): At the start, it’s all Volgin. His sheer, undiluted rage at Big Boss is what woke Mantis up in the first place during that plane ride over Cyprus.
- Skull Face: Later, Skull Face uses him to control Sahelanthropus. He uses the boy as a literal remote control for his giant robot.
- Eli (Young Liquid Snake): This is where it gets interesting. Eli is just a kid, but his "will" is so much more concentrated and venomous than the adults around him that he actually hijacks Mantis right out from under Skull Face’s nose.
There’s a subtle visual cue most people miss. Look at Mantis's shoulder. When he's under Eli's influence, he actually develops a small red beret or a piece of cloth that mimics Eli’s outfit. When he’s with the Man on Fire, he looks different. He’s a mirror. A literal reflection of the phantom pain everyone else is feeling.
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Why Is He So Much Stronger in MGSV?
This is a huge point of contention among fans. In Metal Gear Solid 1, Mantis is a tough boss, but he’s not "teleporting a 50-ton mech" strong. In psycho mantis metal gear solid 5, he feels like a god.
Why the downgrade later in life?
Well, it’s not necessarily a downgrade. It’s about focus. In MGSV, he’s a raw, unstable conduit. He’s tapping into the "parasitic" nature of the vocal cord parasites and the collective anger of literal legends like Volgin. It’s messy, uncontrolled power. By the time he joins FOXHOUND as an adult, he’s learned to filter the noise. He wears that mask to keep people out. He traded raw, explosive psychokinesis for precision, mind control, and—well—the ability to tell you that you like Castlevania.
The Tragic Origin You Missed
If you didn't listen to every single cassette tape (and let's be real, who did on their first run?), you might have missed his actual backstory. He wasn't born a monster. He was born in a small Soviet village. His mother died during childbirth. His father hated him for it.
One day, young Mantis accidentally reads his father's mind and sees that pure, cold resentment. The kid snaps. He burns the whole village to the ground. That’s why he wears the bandages and the mask—he’s physically and mentally scarred by the first time his powers ever truly "switched on."
Psycho Mantis Metal Gear Solid 5: The Actionable Lore Breakdown
If you're trying to wrap your head around his role for a lore run or just a deep dive, keep these facts in mind:
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- The Plane Crash: The game starts because Mantis was being transported on a plane that flew too close to the hospital where Big Boss (and Venom) were waking up. The "resonance" caused the crash.
- The "Third Child" Name: It’s a reference to Soviet psychic research. He was literally the third successful subject in their "Rebenok" program.
- The Ending: He doesn't stay with Diamond Dogs because he chooses Eli. Their bond is the most "pure" because it’s based on a shared, youthful hatred of their "fathers."
What you should do next: Go back and watch the "Man on Fire" boss fight. Pay close attention to the floating boy. You’ll notice that when you douse Volgin with water, Mantis momentarily loses his "anchor." If you look at the way he moves, he isn't attacking you—he's reacting to the "command" of the rage he's currently inhabiting.
If you really want to see the complexity of psycho mantis metal gear solid 5, try to find the "Hidden" cutscenes involving Eli and the escape from Mother Base. It shows the moment Mantis stops being a tool for adults and starts becoming a partner in crime. It’s the birth of the duo that eventually takes over Shadow Moses.