The Case for Mantis

After much anticipation, Mantis became the Celestial Madonna because she had learned humility whereas Moondragon had not. What evidence worked in Mantis' favor? On a superficial level, Mantis seldom used the word I, typically referring to herself instead as "this one" (and, as a result, the first time I read a comic book featuring Mantis, I thought she was speaking of another character).

While giving lip service to a form of detachment, Mantis was not without flaw. Unhappy in her relationship with the Swordsman, Mantis made romantic overtures toward Vision by saying that others suitors were unworthy (Avengers #128). Already in love with the Scarlet Witch, Vision rebuffed such advances. When Mantis came to regret her behavior, Vision gladly accepted her apology (#131). Ultimately, Mantis' willingness to acknowledge when she was mistaken gave her an edge over Moondragon.

Mantis joined the Avengers in #114 (Aug. 1973). As the Celestial Madonna, she married an intelligent plant that took on the physical appearance of the Swordsman.

Measuring Up to Mantis

New Defenders #138 ended in a cliffhanger, as the team witnessed Moondragon in hand-to-hand combat against the former Avenger known as Mantis. An even bigger surprise came in #139, when the New Defenders discovered that they were merely seeing a mental projection of Mantis that Moondragon had created to face some festering resentments.

Moondragon's bitterness harked back to Giant-Size Avengers #4, when she and Mantis were contenders for the title of Celestial Madonna. Both women were well-versed in the martial arts and had unique psionic abilities. Mantis also had a sense of humility that Moondragon lacked, and that absence of humility was the deciding factor that cost Moondragon the title.

Moondgragon handled the disappointment by eventually proclaiming herself a goddess free the moral confines of good and evil. Moondragon's acts of hubris in Avengers #219-220 led the Norse god Odin to hinder her powers with a mystic headband and sentence her to the custody of Valkyrie effective New Defenders #125.

Silently observing from Asgard, Odin determined that Moondragon finally learned humility in battling the image of Mantis; he mystically removed the headband at the end of #139. The lesson was short lived, however, as Moondragon's thirst for power continued.

This image of Mantis comes from The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.

Master of the Martial Arts

A crossover event that spanned Defenders #8-11 and Avengers #115-118 caused the two teams to clash in a series of skirmishes.

One of the biggest surprises in the multi-part story came when Black Panther and Mantis teamed up against Dr. Strange.

While facing the two Avengers, Dr. Strange revealed that his studies in the Himalayas included not only the mystic arts but also the martial arts (Defenders #9).

Although Dr. Strange held his own in physical combat remarkably well, he eventually defeated Black Panther and Mantis with these magic words.

In the exalted name of the eternal Vshanti--
And other gods beyond and below--
Let the strength and cunning of these, my enemies--
--from their mortal bodies flow!

The above image of Mantis and Black Panther comes from Defenders #9 (Vol. 1).