Marvel’s martial artist superhero Shang-Chi is headed to the big screen in 2021. Not only will Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu as the titular hero, but it’ll also finally make good a long-dangling MCU plot threat by introducing Tony Leung as the one, true Mandarin.While it might seem strange to pit Shang-Chi against a villain most commonly associated with Iron Man, this choice backs up a popular theory that the Mandarin will be depicted as Shang-Chi’s father in the MCU. Here’s why we think that theory will come to fruition in the new movie.
Marvel Comics’ Mandarin
Shang-Chi and Fu Manchu
Shang-Chi has fairly complicated origins (which we break down in greater detail in our Shang-Chi Explained feature), some of which create problems for Marvel Studios as the character makes the jump from page to screen. Originally, Shang-Chi was depicted as being the son of Dr. Fu Manchu, a villain created by pulp novelist Sax Rohmer and licensed to Marvel back in the ’70s.
The problems here are two-fold. One, Marvel no longer has the rights to the Fu Manchu character. Not only has this made reprinting the early Master of Kung Fu comics difficult, it’s prevented them from referencing Shang-Chi’s parentage in subsequent comics. Two, Fu Manchu is now widely criticized as a racist caricature and an example of the “Yellow Peril” storytelling trope. Even if Marvel could bring Fu Manchu into the MCU, it’s doubtful they’d actually want to use a villain with such a problematic history.
In the comics, Marvel’s solution to the Fu Manchu problem has been to essentially replace him with a different character named Zheng Zu. A recent series called Secret Avengers revealed that Fu Manchu was one of several cover identities used by Zheng Zu over the decades. As a mystical, immortal sorcerer, Zu has no trouble impersonating others and keeping his true identity hidden from the outside world.
From Zheng Zu to Mandarin
Marvel Studios could opt to follow the example of the comics and introduce Zheng Zu in place of Fu Manchu. However, Zu isn’t a character with much name cache. He hasn’t appeared much in the comics since that initial Secret Avengers reveal. And given the relatively small mainstream exposure Shang-Chi has outside the comics, it’s in Marvel’s best interests to spruce up the character’s origin story by linking him to a more recognizable Marvel character. That’s why we think Mandarin is being re-imagined for the MCU as a replacement for Fu Manchu/Zheng Zu.
It’s a logical change given the many similarities between Zheng Zu and the Mandarin. Both are immortal men of Asian descent who wield seemingly supernatural powers. Both prefer to lurk in the shadows, manipulate others and keep their existence a secret from the outside world.
Then there’s the fact that the Mandarin is one of the greatest martial artists in the Marvel Universe. While he generally relies on his powerful rings (which grant him control over forces like fire, electricity and radiation), the Mandarin has shown himself capable of battling foes like Iron Man with nothing more than his fighting prowess. It makes sense to reveal that Shang-Chi is descended from that proud lineage. The greatest superhero martial artist in the MCU had to learn his skills from somewhere, right?
Conversely, Marvel may want to give Shang-Chi an upgrade and throw in some superhuman powers to augment his martial arts skills (similar to how Black Panther gained his new energy detonation power in the MCU). If so, it becomes much easier to explain how he acquired powers if his father is The Mandarin.
The Mandarin Family Legacy
Both Mandarin and Shang-Chi are characters with troubled histories in Marvel’s comic. Not only is Shang-Chi the son of one of the most infamous “Yellow Peril” villains in pop culture, the Mandarin himself is another unfortunate example of that trope. Suffice it to say, those early Mandarin stories in Tales of Suspense don’t exactly stand the test of time.
Much as 2018’s Black Panther dealt with issues of race and social inequality, we’re fully expecting Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to confront issues of representation and Asian American identity. This is Marvel’s first Asian-driven superhero movie. There’s no doubt going to be a concerted effort to acknowledge the troubled history of Shang-Chi and Mandarin and reinvent both characters in a way that makes sense for 21st century audiences. Linking the two characters as father and son is one way to find their shared humanity and ensure that the MCU doesn’t repeat the mistakes of the comics.
Jesse is a mild-mannered writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
