Shang-Chi Set Up A Better MCU Thanos Replacement Than Kang

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings sets up a better potential replacement for Thanos than Kang the Conqueror – namely Xialing, Shang-Chi’s sister. The first three phases of the MCU have been officially dubbed the Infinity Saga, with Marvel acknowledging they are essentially all about the Infinity Stones – and the plans of Thanos, the Mad Titan, who sought to erase half the universe with a snap of his fingers. Thanos is rightly considered the greatest villain of the MCU to date, a villain so great it took a truly momentous assemblage of Avengers to defeat him.

But Thanos is not only significant because of his raw power, nor even because of the scale of his plans. Rather, he is important because his presence can be felt throughout the entire MCU, with so many films telling the story of the Infinity Stones. What’s more, there are strong hints the emergence of the Infinity Stones was no coincidence but was orchestrated. “The Mind Stone is the fourth of the Infinity Stones to show up in the last few years,” Thor observed in Avengers: Age of Ultron. “It’s not a coincidence. Someone has been playing an intricate game and has made pawns of us.” Naturally, viewers are eager to see whether Marvel has set up a villain in a similar role for Phase 4 onwards, and most attention has fixated on Kang, appearing as Loki villain He Who Remains – unleashed because of the events of Loki, and key to the developing Multiversal arc.

But the MCU has actually set up a better Thanos replacement than Kang – Shang-Chi’s sister Xialing, who has taken command of the Ten Rings, as was shown to viewers in Shang-Chi‘s post-credits scene. Granted, Xialing may not have the same brute power or cosmic influence as the Mad Titan Thanos, but Shang-Chi’s sister is perfectly positioned to affect almost every corner of the MCU from this newfound position of power at the head of her father’s operation. It’s important to remember that, prior to running the Ten Rings, she ran the Golden Daggers fight club seen in Shang-Chi in Macao – a club that attracted fighters as varied as Wong (and possibly other members of the Masters of the Mystic Arts), Abomination, former Black Widows, and Extremis soldiers. There is no doubt that Xialing will have carefully monitored potentially all of the fights, meaning she has a deep knowledge and understanding of all Earth’s various defenders. Under Xialing’s leadership, the Ten Rings have the potential to involve themselves in literally any superhero’s affairs – and it’s quite possible Xialing can recruit some of her former fighters too. In functional terms, Xialing can perform the classic Thanos role.

Shang-Chi‘s setup is further evidence the MCU has changed for Phase 4 and beyond. The first three phases were the Infinity Saga, a single overarching narrative that built to a climax, but now Marvel appears to be dividing their projects into what can be called “sectors,” carefully controlling the number of ties and connections in order to ensure things don’t get too complicated. That means viewers shouldn’t really be looking for just one Thanos figure who can tie a number of projects together. Instead, fans can look out for clues and appearances from a number of different villain figures, many of whom have already been shown; Kang the Conqueror, the Contessa, and now Xialing as well.

Shang-Chi‘s post-credits scene set the MCU in a fascinating new direction, with the Ten Rings a resurgent threat under a new leader whose ideology is still unclear. Xialing may not possess the raw power of Thanos, but in functional terms, she can serve the same role, with the Ten Rings able to naturally crop up in literally any Marvel property in the future – especially because of Xialing’s past with the Golden Daggers. Frankly, Xialing may have the potential to be even more important to the MCU’s future than her brother Shang-Chi.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4896 Articles Published)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

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