Mantraps

Created by Millennium FX

"There are creatures out there in the real world that are monsters, and they are coming to get you..."

Unthinking and unseeing creatures, the slug-like Mantraps devour their prey once they are put into its path.  

Originally created by the Dot AI interface, they devour almost two planets' worth of people, due to the self-centred nature of both worlds’ inhabitants. 

Giant slug-like monsters, the Mantraps are a creation of the Dots of Finetime and the “Homeworld”, borne from the technology developing a hatred towards its self-obsessed and vapid residents. The Dot and Bubble social media system resulted in colonists constantly speaking to - and over - each other, causing the AI to hate its users. As a result, it creates the Mantraps to destroy them.  

The Mantraps wiped out the entire population of the Homeworld, before turning their attention to Finetime, an outworld colony for the youngest, richest and most ‘beautiful’ people. Hunting their victims by surname, the Dot social media provides directions that point their prey directly into the path of Mantraps, meaning they rarely realise what is happening until it's too late - and they are eaten. 

The Doctor attempts to save a number of colonists, including Lindy Pepper-Bean, by asking them to turn off their Bubble and escape in the TARDIS. However, the colonists reject the Doctor’s help, likely leading the Mantraps to overwhelm the colony.