Mantu hailed from the planet of Manaan and was a Selkath who made his living as a bounty hunter. Among his species, he was considered a legendary figure, a status that unfortunately clashed with the generally peaceful nature of his people. While the Selkath were widely known for their pacifistic tendencies, Mantu's brutal methods in the bounty hunting profession significantly tarnished that reputation. His actions eventually attracted the eye of Count Dooku, a Sith Lord, and Moralo Eval, a criminal mastermind from Phindian, leading to an invitation for Mantu to participate in a series of trials at the Box located on the planet of Serenno.
At some point during his life, Mantu established himself as a bounty hunter and gained notoriety throughout the galaxy. In 20 BBY, amidst the Clone Wars, Mantu, along with several other bounty hunters, received an invitation from the Sith Lord Count Dooku and the Phindian criminal genius Moralo Eval. The invitation was to compete in a series of challenges within the Box on Serenno.
The bounty hunters faced off in potentially deadly trials for the prize of kidnapping Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine of the Galactic Republic. Mantu successfully navigated the first two challenges, progressing to the third. Upon entering the third challenge, the hunters discovered the room was actually a ray shield cage. The only way to bypass the shield guarding the control switch was to inject a lethal serum that would temporarily protect the user from the shield's energy. Rako Hardeen quickly instructed the bounty hunters to follow [Derrown](/article/derrown], as he was the only one capable of surviving the serum's effects. Mantu and the remaining bounty hunters, except for Jakoli, who was killed by an electric shield rising from the floor, advanced across the moving platforms. Tragically, Mantu accidentally made contact with the shield, suffering an electric shock that left him partially unconscious. As he regained his senses, weakened, Mantu grabbed onto a platform to prevent himself from falling, only to be used as a bridge by Embo. Subsequently, the platform supporting his feet descended, electrocuting Mantu once more, causing him to fall to his death.
Mantu was a male Selkath bounty hunter, measuring 1.54 [meters](/article/meter] in height, equivalent to 5 [feet](/article/foot] and 1 inch. He had [blue](/article/color] eyes and gray-pink skin. He differed greatly from the typical Selkath. He possessed a stocky, hunched form and cold, damp skin, with a malevolent glint in his eyes. This was in stark contrast to his species, who were known for their helpful and peaceful nature, dedicated to protecting their oceans and caring for the sick. Ironically, Mantu had become one of the most prominent modern legends of his species, known as a ruthless and bloody bounty hunter and a cold-blooded killer. He often relied on surprise to ambush his targets, a behavior that was deeply despised by his species.
Mantu used a deactivator hold-out pistol while at the Box.
Mantu was conceived for the animated TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, making his debut in the episode "The Box." The character's body model was a modified and repainted version of the model used for another Selkath character who had previously appeared in the episode "Padawan Lost."