Manhole Zombie

Manhole Zombie is a zombie in Plants vs. Zombies 2 who is first encountered on Day 6 of Zombopolis. He only spawns during large waves or the Rush Hour ambush, and he, along with some City Zombies and occasionally their Coneheaded variant, will rise from Manhole Covers along the Roadway. Interestingly, he cannot be harmed from straight or lobbed shots, due to his armor. The only way to harm him is from below or from behind.

Origins
Manhole Zombie is based off of manhole covers, lids to small, deep holes in city streets that lead to a sewer. He also wears a trash can, a metal container meant for containing garbage.

Description
Manhole Zombie has messy, unruly, rambling black hair that is topped by a manhole cover. He has vicious sideburns that form a mustache and a flowing goatee. He appears to have no clothes other than a metal trash can, the lid of which he uses as a shield. He walks the lawn barefoot, and has flies circling him, due to his immeasurable odor.

Strategies
Manhole Zombie can be difficult to deal with, as he nullifies the two most common forms of damage from plants. But if properly dealt with, he proves to be less of a challenge.

Though Manhole Zombie is completely invincible to all ranged and lobbed attacks, this does not mean he is immune to damage from piercing plants such as Lightning Reed, Laser Bean and Snapdragon, or low-to-the-ground plants like Spikeweed and Spikerock. One should also take note that explosive area-of-effect plants such as Cherry Bomb are effective counters to Manhole Zombie.

Though damaging Manhole Zombie is difficult, usually, it is the zombies he spawns and protects that cause more issues. As Manhole Zombie blocks most projectiles, in most circumstances it means that the zombies that follow him can tread the lawn unscathed. And while the aforementioned Spikeweed and Spikerock prove very helpful when dealing with his crowds, Vilet also proves to be very effective against him. She lobs projectiles that damage the zombie farthest away from behind, meaning that she can deal with Manhole Zombie's followers while other plants deal with Manhole Zombie himself.

An especially dangerous scenario is during Rush Hour, when several Manhole Zombies can spawn from the same Manhole Cover. In this instance, it is best to use Cherry Bomb, but Snapdragon, Lighting Reed, as well as Spikeweed and Spikerock are all helpful. To conclude, Manhole Zombie can prove to be very threatening, but only if the player lacks certain plants.

Trivia

 * He appears to be a reference to Trash Can Zombie.