Mentok the Mind-Taker

Mentok the Mind-Taker is a fictional alien in the 1960s television program Birdman and the Galaxy Trio. His character re-appeared in the send-up series, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law. Mentok uses his powers of telepathy or "Mind-Taking", for his own purposes.

Appearance

Mentok is an alien, with green skin and luminous yellow eyes. He also has the initial 'M' secreted cleverly across his face; both his hair and his beard are in the shape of an 'M'. His face is generally very triangular and thick-set. He wears a black shirt with a purple tunic. Embroidered on this is his "M" logo.

Birdman and the Galaxy Trio

In this series Mentok appeared as a villain, using his telepathic powers to cause general havoc. His telepathic powers include mind-reading, hypnotism, teleportation, precognition, and telepathy. He used these powers to brainwash Birdman and force him to be a mindless servant for Mentok's own nefarious deeds.

Unusually, he enlists the help of various "Mind-Taking" machines in spite of the fact he doesn't need them.

Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law

Mentok, voiced by John Michael Higgins, plays the role of judge in this series - taking over the job from Mighty Mightor, since renamed Hiram Mightor, after his disappearance in the 5th episode of the first series (Shoyu Weenie). He is now retired from villainy, and uses his powers to entertain himself during trials, which apparently bore him, as he frequently holds his head in his hands or stares vacantly into space. His most regular displays of his powers occur during his entrances into court.

His catchphrase "Boweeeeeeeop" imitates the eerie musical instrument, the theremin, which he does often after he's announced his self made title: "I am Mentok, the mind-taker!"

During his time on Earth, Mentok has worked as a mufti (having renamed himself from Muzzi Mufti to Mentok sometime within the last two centuries); a sex trade worker, a Cossack, and an E.S.T. instructor.

Much like all of the characters that have reappeared within the series, Mentok's personality has been revamped for comedic effect: to be more specific, he was revamped to act like a sarcastic, immature stage magician. He has a childish attitude towards the cases, and frequently enjoys patronizing characters for their individual quirks, including Inch High Private Eye for his size, and Secret Squirrel for his proclaimed inability to keep his "Squirrel Secret" (Blackwatch Plaid).

In the episode "Identity Theft", Elliott, known as The Deadly Duplicator, accidentally duplicates Judge Mentok. Now elated at having four copies of himself (three of whom were later shot dead by Phil Ken Sebben), he clicks his fingers and the four snap into red and white vests and straw hats and begin to sing in barbershop quartet style – his reaction suggests this has been a secret ambition of his for a while.

In the episode "Mindless", it is revealed via home video that, in an obvious parody of Superman's origin, Mentok was rocketed to Earth by his parents to save him from a doomed planet. His mother, ironically, then told her son not to go into law, a warning he chose to ignore (and he later regrets his ignorance to his mother's wishes).

In the series, Mentok seems to have befriended Birdman. He places trust in him by requesting Birdman be his attorney when he was arrested in the episode "Mufti Trouble", and is tolerant of Birdman's requirement to do-over 38 cases in one hour in the final episode. In spite of this, however, his penchant for mischief resulted in his releasing Nitron in that episode ("The Death of Harvey").

Altered appearance

Several deviations in Mentok's appearance have occurred since his revamp for Harvey Birdman, including a bigger goatee, with a more distinct 'M' shape. His altered facial shape is possibly due to the transition from traditional cel animation to Adobe Flash. As Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law progresses into season two, Mentok loses the sleeves to his garment, instead brandishing two purple cuffs.

See also

• Hanna-Barbera
• Williams Street
• Adult Swim
• Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law