Mane-iac

The Mane-iac is a female Earth pony "super-villain" from Maretropolis who appears in Power Ponies and the IDW comics' My Little Pony Annual 2014. She is the main antagonist and archenemy of the comic book superhero team, the Power Ponies. She is called Mane-iac Mayhem in some merchandise.

Development and design
The Mane-iac appears to be inspired by the Joker of DC Comics, sharing his origin, green hair, and relative insanity. In addition, her powers are similar to those of Marvel Comics' Medusa and the way she "walks" with her mane is similar to how Doctor Octopus from the Spider-Man comics moves around with his robotic appendages. Her name is derived from the word "maniac."

The Mane-iac's body design is similar to those of Princess Luna, Fleur Dis Lee, and Princess Cadance. She has a grayish blue coat, a mane of long green tendrils, and green eyes with red pupils.

Depiction in the series
In the beginning of the episode Power Ponies, Spike shows Twilight Sparkle a couple of pages of a Power Ponies comic book on which the Mane-iac is depicted. Spike refers to her as the Power Ponies' "most evil nemesis." Spike says that she used to be the power-mad owner of a hair-care product company until she accidentally fell into a vat of green liquid and was electrocuted by a downed power line. The accident gave her strange new powers—such as a prehensile, stretchable mane—and caused her to go insane. Another page shows the Mane-iac breaking into the Maretropolis Museum and stealing something called the Electro-Orb.

When Spike and his friends are sucked into the comic book world of Maretropolis and become the Power Ponies, they witness the Mane-iac steal the Electro-Orb from the Maretropolis Museum. The Power Ponies confront her, but she watches in amusement as the Power Ponies struggle to use their newfound superpowers before leaving the scene with the orb.

The Power Ponies track the Mane-iac to her headquarters at the abandoned shampoo factory and defeat her henchponies in a battle. However, the Mane-iac uses her "Hairspray Ray of Doom" on the Power Ponies, freezing the ponies in place and rendering their powers useless. She then takes the Power Ponies prisoner, but leaves Spike/Hum Drum alone, considering it pointless to capture him.

Inside the factory, the Mane-iac uses the Electro-Orb to power her doomsday device, which resembles a cross between a large pink blowdryer and a cannon. The Mane-iac says she will use the cannon to amplify the power of her mane by "one million times", expelling an energy blast that will cause everyone in Maretropolis's mane to grow wild. As she gives her victory speech to her followers, Spike traps some of her henchponies and helps in freeing his friends. Just before the Mane-iac can use her weapon on Fluttershy/Saddle Rager, a firefly enters her line of fire, and she swats it. This action angers Saddle Rager, transforming her into a powerful muscular pony. The Mane-iac fires her doomsday device at Saddle Rager, but the beam reflects off Saddle Rager and hits the Mane-iac instead. Saddle Rager destroys the doomsday device, and the Mane-iac's mane grows out of control, wrapping around her like a straitjacket.

Personality
The Mane-iac is shown to behave in an evil and unhinged manner, expressing delight at the prospect of oppressing Maretropolis. She sneers at the Power Ponies when they fumble with their newly acquired superpowers. The Mane-iac thinks very little of the Power Ponies' sidekick, Hum Drum, even deciding not to take him prisoner with the other heroes. She is also portrayed as sadistic and cruel, claiming that the Power Ponies only keep Hum Drum around because they feel sorry for him and calling him useless. Much like her name is a pun, she often uses puns when she speaks.

Depiction in Rainbow Rocks
In My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks, the human version of the Mane-iac is seen on the cover of a video game Applejack and Rainbow Dash play at a slumber party. Her artwork on the box is identical to artwork of her in Equestria Girls merchandise.

HubNetwork.com description
''Every comic book city has a supervillain. In Spike the Dragon's comic book, Maretropolis has Mane-iac, who gained her powers -- and those wild tendrils and magic orb -- after an unfortunate accident at her shampoo factory. When Twilight Sparkle and friends are transported to Maretropolis as the Power Ponies, they have to defeat Mane-iac and save the city in order to return home.''

IDW comics
A depiction of the Mane-iac appears on Phoenix Comics & Games (and Everfree Northwest) exclusive cover RE of, and the Mane-iac herself appears on 's SDCC convention cover.

In the 40-page Power Ponies story of My Little Pony Annual 2014, the Mane-iac forms a "league of villainy" with several other Maretropolis super-villains, including Pharaoh Phetlock, Long-Face, High Heel, Smudge, and Shadowmane. Together, the villains defeat the Power Ponies and drain their superpowers. When the Mane-iac steals the Masked Matter-Horn's powers, she gains a unicorn horn. Through newfound teamwork, the Power Ponies eventually defeat the Mane-iac and her team and recover their powers, and the Mane-iac and her cohorts are sent to prison.

In the 8-page mini-comic Return of the Mane-iac, the Mane-iac escapes from prison and discovers the Crystal Mirror in her old shampoo factory headquarters. With it, she travels to the human world and encounters a human version of herself.

Software
The Mane-iac appears in the Hub Network's online game Power Ponies Go. In level 5, she appears every few seconds and tries to damage the player with her Hairspray Ray of Doom. The final scene of the game (when level 5 is cleared) shows her firing her doomsday device at Spike/Hum Drum, only for the blast to bounce off Spike's reflector and hit her instead.

The Mane-iac is voiced by Brittany Lauda in PlayDate Digital's app Power Ponies.

Merchandise
A collectible figure of Mane-iac Mayhem, along with a collectible figure of Spike the Dragon as Hum Drum, was made available at San Diego Comic-Con 2014 and, following the convention, on HasbroToyShop.com. An Equestria Girls doll of Mane-iac Mayhem was also made available exclusively at these venues.

The Mane-iac is shown on Acidfree's first art print.

Quotes
"Power Ponies! [laughing] How kind of you to join us! [evil laughter]"

- Power Ponies

"Time for the mane event!"

- Power Ponies

"Well, this has been quite the mane-raising experience. But I really must be going. [laughing]"

- Power Ponies

"Congratulations, Power Ponies! [laughing] You shall live just long enough to see me fire... the instrument of your destruction!"

- Power Ponies

"I think it's time... let my hair down! Hahaha! MwaHaHahaHa!!"

- Enterplay collectible card game card #110 R