Attention, there are several MCU spoilers!
After two exciting solo adventures and a joint mission with the Avengers, Robert Downey Jr. plunged back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2013. In Iron Man 3, Tony Stark gets it to do with the Mandarin. As it turned out in the film, however, the much-heralded villain was nothing more than a charlatan.
It’s still one of the most controversial twists in the MCU: when Iron Man is finally able to identify the supposed opponent, it turns out that the character embodied by Ben Kingsley is just one Actor named Trevor Slattery acts, who slipped into the role of the dangerous terrorist.
After the Iron Man 3 disappointment, Shang-Chi brought the true Mandarin to the MCU
In a franchise that often plays it safe with its creative choices, the Mandarin reveal is quite remarkable. Nevertheless, many fans were after the cinema visit disappointed and upset. Marvel nevertheless stuck with Kingsley’s character and brought her back in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
You can watch the trailer for Shang-Chi here:
Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings – Trailer (German) HD
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings introduces us to the real Mandarin in the MCU. He is played by acting legend Tony Leung Chiu Wai, who plays the villain hard, but also a tragic side gives. He has led the Ten Rings for centuries. He wasn’t happy about Trevor Slattery’s machinations.
To uphold his legacy, the real Mandarin has captured the fake Mandarin. In the course of the film, however, Slattery is able to escape the clutches of the Ten Rings thanks to Shang-Chi and Co. Freed from the burden of an alleged villain, Kingsley transforms the character into one classic MCU sidekick.
The development is interesting: Since then, the MCU has hardly dared to subvert previously built expectations, which is what the surprise character diminishes. Rather, the MCU is currently about fulfilling expectations and fan dreams, as the nostalgically charged Spider-Man crossover and the Mr. Fantastic cameo in Doctor Strange 2 have recently proven.
a notice: We published this article in a similar form in December 2021.
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How did you like the Mandarin twist in Iron Man 3?