Summary

• Starfield's universe holds hidden lore and stories within unique quests, like the tragic tale of the Mantis and her son Leon.
• The Mantis, a vigilante in Starfield, harbors a dark secret within her lair, revealing a sorrowful story of family betrayal.
• Exploring the Mantis storyline showcases the devastating consequences of the mother-son relationship, adding depth to the game.

The universe of Starfield is huge, spanning different star systems and filled to the brim with unique quests that sometimes contain hidden lore or storylines that players can easily miss. As in typical Bethesda fashion, this additional context can often be found inside slates, audio logs, or computer consoles found throughout the Settled Systems. One of the most memorable missions in the entire game, however, is hiding dark lore that one could easily overlook unless they paid close attention.

Similar to the caped crusader in many ways, the Mantis is a space vigilante who serves the people and fights crimes across the Settled Systems. Located in a secret lair on Denebola I-b after receiving a message titled "Secret Outpost!," the completion of this mission results in a legendary Mantis Spacesuit and ship. While most know about this mission and its rewards, what some probably don't realize is that it also hides one of the more tragic stories across the Starfield universe.

The Mantis Story In Starfield Is Incredibly Sad

The Hidden Story Of The Mantis

Although the basics of the Mantis character are known among the vast majority of Starfield players, fewer players are likely to have closely followed along with the Audio Logs scattered across the dead bodies found inside of their lair. These logs hide a story of the Mantis or Doriane Voclaine (the woman who assumed the Mantis role) and her son, Leon — who was meant to take up the mantle of the Mantis after her death. The Mantis' lair is crawling with Spacers trying to strike treasure, and one of the bodies will reveal an Audio Log titled "Leon Voclain - Sic Semper Tyrannis," which contains a voice message from the Mantis' son.

Sic Semper Tyrannis loosely translates to "thus always to tyrants" and essentially means that tyrannical leaders will eventually be overthrown. This phrase also helps with a puzzle later in the mission.

In the tape, Leon explains that he stopped talking to his mother years ago and that his primary aim for visiting the secret lair was so that he could get his inheritance and party with the proceeds. Clearly, from the sound of the Audio Log, Leon is far less concerned with his mother's ailing health and more invested in getting his money. Sadly for him, it turns out that the Mantis lair was also crawling with booby traps and dangers around virtually every corner, set by Doriane to protect the Mantis secret.

Leon Voclaine Was Killed By His Own Mother

An Unintentional Tragedy

Traveling further down into the cave, "Mantis Revealed," gives additional insight into Leon's frame of mind upon the realization that his mother was actually the secret vigilante. In disbelief, Leon says, "I mean, the Mantis is a fairy tale. Someone to keep pirates from going off the deep end." He goes on to say, "She never talked about where she got her fortune."

Players can come across another slate called "Lair Slate: Leon's Corpse," where a Spacer explains that they have found Leon's body. Traveling further into the lair, Leon Voclain can be found dead — seemingly as a result of the turrets that his own mother set down. Why she wouldn't have turned off these defensive precautionary measures with the knowledge that her son was coming to meet her is another Starfield plot hole — but the result is the same: Leon was seemingly killed by his own mother.

Upon looting Leon's body, it's possible to find the last slate left by Leon entitled "Final Recording." In it, a struggling Leon can be heard choking and saying his final words, "This whole thing is a sick joke. Gotta get... out... Oh god..." confirming the fact that it was Doriane's turrets, not spacers, which caused Leon's demise.

The Story Ends On An Even More Somber Note

Additional Context For The Tale

Upon entering the Mantis lair and reaching the control center, it's possible to read Doriane's Computer, which reveals more details about the Mantis character. One of the logs entitled "You've earned it" is a letter from the former Mantis and explains that the original Mantis was more of a mercenary-type character who was hunting down criminals for financial benefit, not unlike the Trackers Alliance. Eventually, the role would evolve and center more around protecting the innocent and hunting down violent criminals.

According to the former Mantis, the title is ed down from one person to the next, keeping the legacy alive over time.

Sadly, Doraine terminal illness, which gave her only a year to live, is further elaborated, along with Doraine's feelings toward the relationship with her son. Inside a message entitled "About Leon," Doraine acknowledges her failures as a parent, stating, "I have failed him so much. The job always seemed so pressing. If I'm brutally honest with myself, the nannies and boarding schools raised him more than I."

This sad last ission towards the idea that she recognized she was a bad parent is an even more poignant resignation considering the outcome of Leon's life. She abandoned him as a child to take up the mantle of the Mantis, leaving others to raise him. Provided him with a cryptic message with the threat of losing his inheritance, then ultimately killed him in that process. Regardless of whether it was intentional or not or for the greater good of the Settled Systems, it's undeniable that the Mantis failed in her mission of parenthood.

Starfield Has Plenty Of Hidden Treasure For Those Who Look Long Enough

The Devil Is In The Details

In the wide-open universe of Starfield, there are a ton of small hidden missions and gems found throughout. When paid close attention to, some of these missions open up further pathways for elaborate, sometimes hidden lore that can either be investigated or ignored. Whether it's a mission that involves talking to several historical figures, there is some really cool content for those that go looking.

That said, the elation of getting an early-game Legendary ship probably outweighs the stark reality that the Mantis is actually hiding one of the saddest stories that Starfield has to offer, especially as one would need to look through different slates and audio logs to uncover the full story.