20 Video Game Villains That SHOULDN'T Have Died
9. Psycho Mantis - Metal Gear Solid 1 & 4
Psycho Mantis is far and away the most iconic and memorable boss in the entire Metal Gear Solid franchise, and honestly one of the greatest bosses in video game history - full stop.
Mantis is basically the peak of Hideo Kojima's bonkers, fourth wall-breaking insanity, and though his death at the conclusion of the first MGS does strike an unexpected emotional chord, it also feels like we were only just scratching the surface of the character.
Clearly Mantis' telepathic abilities could've made him one hell of an incredible recurring boss character in subsequent games, with Kojima playing all manner of creatively meta tricks every time he showed up.
Mantis ended up sitting out the second and third games, though did reappear in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots as a spectral force controlling the boss known as Screaming Mantis, and once again in prequel Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
With Metal Gear Solid now being so far in Kojima's rear-view, though, it's slightly painful to consider all the incredible Mantis boss fights we could've had if only he was kept alive.