Spoilers for all works set prior to Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame are unmarked.
Xu Wenwu (徐文武) / The Mandarin
"I told my men they wouldn’t be able to kill you if they tried. Glad I was right."
Click here to see his ancient appearance
Species: Human
Citizenship: Chinese
Affiliation(s): Ten Rings
Portrayed By: Tony Leung
Voiced By: Jesús Cortés (Latin American Spanish dub), Kazuhiro Yamaji (Japanese dub), César Emílio (Brazilian Portuguese dub)
Appearances: All Hail the King note | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
"I've had many names throughout my life. The Warrior King, Master Khan, the most dangerous man on Earth. For years, I thought that was all I was meant to be. But when I met their mother, everything changed."
Xu Wenwu is the mysterious leader of the Ten Rings terrorist organization that menaced Tony Stark in Iron Man. Though Aldrich Killian's scheme to use his image in Iron Man 3 made it seem that he — under the moniker Mandarin — was a mere fabrication, the Marvel short All Hail the King reveals that he is indeed real and has been around for over a thousand years, only resurfacing back into prominence after the loss of his beloved wife. He is also the estranged father of Shang-Chi and Xialing, and seeks the land of Ta Lo in the hopes of bringing his family back together.
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- Abusive Parents: Zigzagged between this and Good Parents. He was quite the happy family man and a fun-loving father, but the death of his beloved wife caused him to spiral back into his villainous ways, causing him to mistreat both Shang-Chi and Xialing as they grow older. He forces his son to undergo Training from Hell to become one of the world's best assassins, then sends him on a mission to kill the man responsible for putting the hit on his mother. He also neglects Xialing due to her reminding him too much of her mother, causing her to grow up into a bitter woman who runs an underground fighting club in Macau to survive. But he's also receptive of some of his shortcomings, recognizing just how much the Iron Gang hit has hurt Shang-Chi and understanding his need for emotional space, letting him run away from the Ten Rings to live out a normal life. At least...until the seeming spirit of his wife begins haunting him and kickstarting the film's plot. He also treats his adopted son Mattias with trust and kindness, even standing up for him and defending his choice of name (Razor-Fist) when Katy and Xialing make fun of him about it.Mattias: Your father took me in and gave me a home, and a purpose.Xialing: And a razor arm.Mattias: It's a razor fist.Xialing: That makes no sense.Katy: She's right because it's technically an oxymoron. If you think about it, "fist" is blunt, "razor" is like sharp—Wenwu: Stop, please. Mattias can call his razor whatever he wants.
- Action Dad: Wenwu is not only a centuries-old warlord who wields ten rings that grant him supernatural powers, but he is also the father of Shang-Chi and Xialing.
- Actually Pretty Funny: He had every intention to punish Trevor Slattery for stealing his identity after breaking him out of Seagate. Painfully. But when the ham ended up doing an impromptu one-man Macbeth while pleading for his life, he ended up loving it enough to keep him around as a Court Jester. He also can't help but express his amusement to Katy that Trevor, of all people, was able to strike fear into the heart of America (and Tony Stark!)...by appropriating an orange.
- Adaptation Relationship Overhaul: In the comics, The Mandarin is considered to be the Arch-Enemy of Tony Stark/Iron Man, due to his organization being responsible for kidnapping and torturing him. In the MCU, while Tony still becomes Iron Man because of the Ten Rings kidnapping him, he and Wenwu never encounter each other face-to-face before the former dies fighting Thanos. In fact, it's implied that Tony didn't know that Wenwu even existed, thanks to the events of Iron Man 3 and Avengers: Endgame.
- Adaptational Attractiveness: The Mandarin in the comics was often emphasized as an old man and a kind of demonic figure. Here he's played by the handsome Tony Leung Chiu-wai, who often played romantic male leads and heroic figures in Hong Kong/Taiwanese/Mainland movies.
- Adaptational Heroism: In the comics, the (true) Mandarin is an outright villain (albeit sympathetic), while Xu Wenwu is portrayed as a morally complex man who even briefly gave up his life of crime. His death protecting his son is a far cry from the comic version of the Mandarin.
- Adaptational Late Appearance: In the comics, the Mandarin was one of Iron Man's earliest enemies and his Arch-Enemy, debuting less than a year after the latter's 1963 introduction. In the MCU, the Mandarin finally appears on-screen in the movies in 2021, which is not only a full 13 years after the original Iron Man, but two years after Tony's death in Avengers: Endgame. As a result, he ends up fighting Shang-Chi instead.
- Adaptational Nationality: Played with. The character was a straight-up Yellow Peril in the comics. In the Iron Man Films , his organization is apparently based in Afghanistan; however, the Ten Rings is shown to have members from various countries, meaning the Mandarin's exact nationality was still in doubt until Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, where he is confirmed to retain his Chinese heritage.
- Adaptational Wimp: In the comics, in addition to his martial arts skill and chi manipulation, the Mandarin's Makluan Rings each had their own unique power (concussive force, vortex creation, disintegration, darkness, light, flame, cold, electricity, mind control, and matter rearrangement). In the movie, the rings are ten components of one artifact and grant one (extremely versatile) ability (though they do also grant eternal life to the wearer), and Wenwu is no more than an ordinary man without them. The inspiration was the iron rings, used in training in Chinese martial arts such as Yau Kung Mun and Hung Gar, producer Jonathan Schwartz says he was inspired by The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, however, the film Kung Fu Hustle also has such rings and Shang-Chi owns a poster of Kung Fu Hustler.
- Affably Evil: Diabolical Mastermind he may be, but he's also a loving family man and wants to be a good father. He's also unfailingly polite, surprisingly patient, and even at his worst is able to think logically. He's also more understanding about Katy's Heritage Disconnect than any other Chinese character, certainly any older one. Hey, if there's one person who understands changing times and adjusting to new cultures, it's an immortal.
- A God Am I: In the past, though he himself never says it, his wife recounts him as being akin to one when talking to a young Shang-Chi.
- Alas, Poor Villain: Despite his previous diabolical actions that had terrorized and ruined the lives of many, like Iron Man, beneath his ruthless and calm demeanor, he is a very old man who never fully moved on from losing the love of his life, still loves his children and doesn't want to harm them, and wants his family to be reunited and happy once more. He was at first fully willing to leave behind his life of crime upon falling in love with Ying Li; it was only her death that made him return to being the leader of the Ten Rings. He solemnly admits he never wanted to fight Shang-Chi and he just wanted to bring his wife back after Shang-Chi decides to stop fighting and tries to remind him they can still be family. His final act is to save his son's life and give him the Ten Rings. He spends his last moments remembering the happy life he had with his family before giving Shang-Chi a solemn but encouraging small smile. Shang-Chi himself comes to sympathize with him, forgive him for their rough past, and mourn his death, hoping he can find peace and reunite with Ying Li after defeating the Dweller-in-Darkness and freeing his soul.
- Always Someone Better:
- Despite being a centuries-old warlord and conqueror with immeasurable experience and skill who is using the Ten Rings, he's completely outmatched by Ying Li when they first meet. Shang-Chi mentions that she's the only one who ever beat him.
- After a thousand years of planning and battles, he gets conned and killed by the Dweller-in-Darkness.
- Wenwu himself is this to Shang-Chi. Shang-Chi notes that no matter how hard he trained and tried, he can never escape the shadow his father casts over, and Wenwu notes that Shang-Chi is afraid of him and that is why he never tried to challenge him directly and instead ran away, as he knows he can't possibly defeat his father. When they fight, while Shang-Chi goes all-out and struggles to keep up, Wenwu is holding back as he summarily wipes the floor with his son. It's only after Shang-Chi masters Ta Lo's fighting style that he is able to match his father and force him to fight seriously.
- Anti-Villain: In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, he's driven primarily by his desire to bring back his wife and reunite his family. He's also a vicious killer and terrorist who is willing to burn down Ta Lo and kill everyone in it for apparently keeping her imprisoned behind the dark gate. He's also unaware that his quest will unleash soul-stealing Eldritch Abominations on the Earth, and refuses to listen to reason when his son tries to talk him down, but when it's finally revealed to him what he has done, he ends up giving his life to give Shang Chi the Ten Rings so he can survive and win the fight. Doug Walker put it best:Doug: The guy is really sympathetic and charming to the point where you're almost wondering why he is the villain, then as it keeps going, you figure out why.
- Appropriated Appellation: Wenwu's amused that an American terrorist has picked the name "Mandarin" when posing as him, pointing out that the U.S. government was nearly toppled by "a pretender named after an orange", but he accepted it as one of the many titles and nicknames he's had over his lifetime.
- Archnemesis Dad: He's both Shang-Chi and Xialing's father and wants the former in particular to return to his side. However, neither of his children wants any part in the Ten Rings, putting them at conflict with each other. That being said, it's mainly Shang-Chi who takes up most of the conflict. While Wenwu considers Shang-Chi as a speedbump in his goal to bring back his wife and still wants to reunite his family without excluding him and holds back the entire time they fight, Shang-Chi at first wants to kill him to both stop him and because he blames him for his mother's death but he ultimately forgives him and is distraught by his death.Wenwu: My son, you cannot run from your past.
Shang-Chi: You're just a criminal who murders people.
Wenwu (trailer only): Be careful how you to speak to me, boy. - Atrocious Alias: As it turns out, Wenwu never gave himself the title of the Mandarin before, only adopting it (or more "barely tolerating" it) after Trevor Slattery was referred to as such while impersonating him in Iron Man 3. While having dinner with his children and Katy, Wenwu makes his disdain for the name clear.
- Badass in a Nice Suit: Wenwu spends much of his modern-day screentime in variations of neatly tailored "mob boss"-style suits, only switching to proper combat garb when he leads the Ten Rings to invade Ta Lo.
- Been There, Shaped History: He spent a thousand years doing this. When listing his past names and aliases, he even infers that he was once Genghis Khan.
- Beethoven Was an Alien Spy: He lists one of his many titles throughout history during the dinner scene as "Master Khan", implying he was Genghis Khan at one point. Which would mean that in the MCU's history, Genghis was immortal until the 2020s and had possession of mystical, mysterious, superpowered rings and tried to conquer a magical dimension of Chinese mythical beasts.
- Benevolent Boss: Downplayed. While supplementary material shows he's not above a few You Have Failed Me moments, there's a good reason why he's inspired over a thousand years' worth of loyal men at his side. He's surprisingly warm with his followers and unlike Aldritch Killian, he is never cruel or physical with any of them. As revealed in a deleted scene, he rescued Mattias when he was a boy, raising him as his own and defending him when the others make fun of his name.
- Berserk Button: His is other people using his name. Norriss claims that such a thing is worth ten holes in the body of any given impostor. He nearly does this to Trevor Slattery for his antics in Iron Man 3, only deciding to spare him because he found the actor's spontaneous performance of Macbeth amusing enough to keep him around as a sort of court jester. Implying his wife would be ashamed of the man he has become is a BIG one for him too; not even his son is safe from that one.
- Big Bad Ensemble: Played With in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. While the Dweller-in-Darkness is the greater threat responsible for manipulating Wenwu into attacking Ta Lo so it can be set free, Wenwu remains the most prominent and personal threat as the majority of the film's conflict revolves around the unresolved familial issues, which the Dweller is exploiting but remains otherwise uninvolved with.
- Big Bad Wannabe: In the end, it's revealed the Dweller-in-Darkness has been manipulating his grief to trick him into releasing it, posing as his dead wife with the promise they can be reunited if he destroys the gate. Once the gate is weakened, the Dweller escapes and quickly kills Wenwu.
- Climax Boss: While the Dweller-in-Darkness eclipses him as the Final Boss, Wenwu's final fight with his son is effectively the true climax of the story. After years of being trained into a weapon, Shang-Chi manages to defeat his father and claim the Ten Rings as his own, before casting them aside in a rejection of his violent teachings. Wenwu realizes his mistakes and concedes defeat before sacrificing himself to save his son, gracefully gifting him with the Rings before his death.
- Comic-Book Movies Don't Use Codenames: While it's indicated that he has been called the Mandarin in the past, he doesn't seem to care for the name, doesn't mention it among the names he's used, and even mocks the impostors' choice of a name. Likewise, his real name, Wenwu, is mentioned only once (alongside him noting his wife was the only one who would call him by it), with everyone around Shang-Chi referring to Wenwu in father terms.
- Composite Character: The Mandarin in the comics was loosely based on Fu Manchu anyway, but in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, he takes the place of the latter (aka Zheng Zu) as Shang-Chi's father and the Big Bad. A good deal of his characterization is based on Zheng Zu.
- Coup de Grâce: After he's finished interrogating an Iron Gang Mook, he throws a ring right into his head, right in front of his son. Thankfully, the audience gets a Gory Discretion Shot.
- Curb Stomp Cushion: While during his first fight with Shang-Chi his son does hold his own for a while using his staff and even manages to deliver some good hits in, it quickly becomes apparent that he is no match for his father. Wenwu repeatedly knocks him down with superior fighting skills while clearly going easy on him and when it seems he is close to winning, Wenwu responds by getting more serious and easily breaks his staff and sends his son to the ocean with a punch to leave him out of the fight.
- Cycle of Revenge: Long ago, he fought with the Iron Gang. They attack his compound after he retires to get vengeance and kill Ying Li, he personally attacks their operations and sends his son to kill their boss.
- Dark Is Evil: Wenwu wears dark clothing when he goes on missions of conquering and destroying, though subverted when he chooses to sacrifice himself to save Shang-Chi from the Dweller-in-Darkness.
- Death Equals Redemption: Uses the Ten Rings to protect Shang-Chi from the Dweller-in-Darkness and when the creature steals his own soul, he gives the Rings to his son as his final act, which lets him finish off the creature. Shang-Chi is visibly saddened by his sacrifice, acknowledges his redemption, and sends out a paper lantern on the water in remembrance of him.
- Deathly Dies Irae: The four notes are a big part of his theme music, reflecting the darkness within his more sympathetic qualities as well as the degree to which Ying Li's death drives his actions. It's especially prominent in the flashbacks as he murders the Iron Gang members responsible.
- Decomposite Character: He is one of three characters in the MCU adapted from the Mandarin, the others being the impostors Trevor Slattery and Aldrich Killian. Slattery (in his role as the faux Mandarin) wore a costume similar to the comics Mandarin and wore ten rings on his fingers, while Wenwu wears a utilitarian dark blue outfit into battle and wears the actual Ten Rings on his forearms.
- Determinator: In spite of the disapproval he receives from his family, Wenwu makes it clear that he will destroy his wife's village and bring her back to him, no matter who or what will stand in his way.
- Dies Differently in Adaptation: In the comics, the Mandarin was killed by Ezekiel Stane during Matt Fraction's run on Iron Man, while Shang-Chi's father Zheng Zu met his end at the hands of the Prince of Orphans in Secret Avengers. In the film, Wenwu has his soul stolen by the Dweller-in-Darkness.
- Disc-One Final Boss: Admittedly, he lasts longer than most examples of this trope, but after being positioned as the Big Bad for most of the film, it's revealed that he's being manipulated by the Dweller-in-Darkness. In the climax, he dies at the Dweller's hands, allowing it to take over as the Final Boss for Shang-Chi and Xialing to defeat.
- The Dreaded: Centuries of conquests earned him a reputation as a notorious and feared warlord. One of his apt monikers is "The Most Dangerous Man on Earth".
- Embarrassing Nickname: Wenwu doesn't actually care for the "Mandarin" name at all, sarcastically mentioning that it was a stupid name that Westerners gave him to make him out to be the boogeyman. Driving it home that the mandarin meaning "orange" had no actual connotations to him.
- Empowered Badass Normal: He is a ridiculously skilled warrior on par with Captain America, but the Ten Rings augment him into a One-Man Army and Person of Mass Destruction. He's outright compared to a God by his wife.
- Even Evil Can Be Loved: Despite how he's treated his children and their bitterness, in the end just as Wenwu never stopped loving them, his children still ultimately loved him as he is still their father and he did still have good memories with them before his wife died after all. Shang-Chi ends up being unable to bring himself to kill him after getting all the Rings and seeing his father is still fully willing to fight and instead tries to reason with him and when he ends up giving his life to save his son, Shang-Chi is left visibly distraught and wishes for him to find peace after the battle is over. Even Xia-Ling, who Wenwu never had too much time with after Ying Li's death, is just as distraught to see his corpse. Additionally, his Elite Mook Mattias clearly cares deeply for him and holds him in very high esteem. He even lights a lantern in his memory after his death.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: His defining trait.
- He genuinely loved his late wife Ying Li - enough to put aside the Ten Rings, in fact. His entire quest within his debut film is driven by his desire to bring her back.
- He sincerely loves his children, wanting Shang-Chi to take his "rightful place" within the Ten Rings and showing a nicer side to himself whenever interacting with them. Even when they were against him, he never kills or harms them if he can avoid it, simply locking them up in a cell when they oppose his plans and clearly holding back in his fights against Shang-Chi, seemingly proud of him when he demonstrates his skill and wields some of the Rings against him. Ultimately, his last use of the rings is in a Heroic Sacrifice to push Shang-Chi away from the Dweller-in-Darkness, his last moments spent remembering the times he shared with his son.
- A deleted scene also reveals that Wenwu found Mattias as a boy and took him into the Ten Rings, effectively raising him as his own son. They are shown to be close and Mattias is clearly very loyal to his father-figure.
- Even Evil Has Standards:
- He was going to execute Trevor for slandering his name. Then Trevor revealed he was a good actor with his Macbeth monologues, and Wenwu realized that he was a pawn for a corporate white guy. When he talks with the kids about it, he's actually amused that America fell for Trevor's act hook, line, and sinker. Trevor himself admits that he understands why Wenwu was mad because his character was a racist caricature and has a healthy respect for him.
- Shang-Chi's memory of when he accompanied his father to the Iron Gang's hideout to confront Ying-Li's killer, Wenwu DOES NOT pull his punches with the gang members, but it's shown that several people, including young women who are implied to be their girlfriends (or maybe just hookers) and other men who seem to just be their friends, are left unharmed by him when he and Shang-Chi leave. He likely recognized that while they were there, they probably had nothing to do with what happened.
- Wenwu is quite unscrupulous in his approach to not only revenge but methodology (casually telling his children he'll burn the village of Ta Lo to the ground and kill everyone in it if it fits his agenda). That being said, he's horrified when he unwittingly unleashes the Dweller-In-Darkness, which goes on to slaughter not only innocent Ta Lo villagers, but also his own men and would have no doubt gone on to destroy the world had Shang-Chi, Katy and Xialing not been there to stop it. It's this realization that leads him to pass the Ten Rings down to Shang-Chi to ensure his safety at the cost of his own life. Wenwu is ruthless, but he's not heartless.
- Subtle, but as pointed out elsewhere, Wenwu arms his men with non-lethal weaponry during his invasion of Ta Lo, hinting he has no real desire to kill any of the villagers despite seeming eager to burn it to the ground earlier. It's likely he is doing so out of love for his wife, but it could also be because he is a man of culture and dislikes the idea of destroying such a sacred place. In all likelihood it's both.
- Evil Is Petty: Trevor was locked up after the events of Iron Man 3 has been a collaborator in Killian's terrorism. Despite finding the "Mandarin" moniker to be embarrassing, Wenwu was still greatly offended that pretenders took on his mantle for their own agendas so he went out of his way to break Trevor out of prison so that he could kill him personally. But then opted to essentially make Trevor into his personal Court Jester for his own amusement.
- Expy: Xu Wenwu is a modern reimagining of Fu Manchu (down to his full name being mnemonically similar in structure), an ancient warrior-king with eternal youth hailing from China who practically conquered the world through his syndicates and political assassinations. Fitting since Fu Manchu was Shang-Chi's father in the comics before Marvel lost the rights to the character. What separates him from his Yellow Peril counterpart is that Wenwu is willing to give up his warmongering ways to settle down with Ying Li and start a family. In Shang-Chi (2021), Gene Luen Yang did a Ret-Canon and picked up Wenwu traits in Shang-Chi's father's past.
- Face Death with Dignity: After pushing Shang-Chi away and being subsequently attacked by the Dweller-in-Darkness, his expression remains calm until his death, passing on the Ten Rings to his son to wield and even silently encouraging him, giving him a slight smile.
- Fatal Flaw: His inability to let go of his grief. His love for his wife caused him to renounce his villainous ways and focus on raising a happy family. Unfortunately, when she died, he was unable to accept her passing and was left stuck in his grief. This made it all too easy for the Dweller-In-Darkness to manipulate him by playing on his inability to let go of his wife's death and accept her passing. Even when Shang-Chi tells him that she's gone, he's too stuck to move on.
- Foil:
- To his son, Shang-Chi. Both are highly accomplished martial artists with a strong familial connection to Ying Li and they both wield the Ten Rings with proficient mastery. While Shang-Chi is able to move on from Ying Li's death, Wenwu was (for a while) unable to accept the fact that she is truly gone.
- To Wong. Both are Chinese experists in fields of ancient powers. While Wong is a firm good sorcerer who uses his powers to protect people from the start, Wenwu uses his Ten Rings to conquer and commit criminal acts until just before his death (expect the time when his wife was alive). Wong also has a noticeably better relationship with Shang-Chi despite Wenwu being his father.
- Freudian Excuse: His actions throughout the film are motivated by his grief of his dead wife, who he legitimately loves. He is also manipulated by her voice from Dweller-in-Darkness.
- Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: Shang-Chi says this to him. For all that Wenwu claims to care about his family, it doesn't change the fact that he abandoned them when his and Xialing's mother Ying Li died and went back to his criminal empire, especially when they need him the most.
- Frontline General: The very first scene we are introduced to him in the film was him wiping the floor with the frontlines of the defending enemy army, just with a steady horse and the Ten Rings he wields. The besieging Ten Rings army he commands, in practice, is mostly there to just mop up an enemy force he has already softened on his own.
- The Ghost: Since the revelation of his existence he was only referenced by name in Iron Man 3 and All Hail the King, without appearing personally. The most that the audience ever saw of him was in the Iron Man 3 prelude comic, where his face (and ethnicity) had been obscured by Chiaroscuro. This finally changes in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, where he's the Big Bad.
- Go Out with a Smile: Wenwu saves Shang-Chi from the Dweller-in-Darkness, getting caught himself. His final act as he's dying is to bestow the rings to his son with a small smile.
- Greater-Scope Villain: As the founder and leader of the Ten Rings, Wenwu played a substantial, albeit indirect, role in Tony Stark becoming Iron Man, though Tony's entire superhero career passed without a single encounter between them. In general, Wenwu spent the whole Infinity Saga operating in the shadows while various representatives acted on his behalf, with most of the world not even knowing of his existence. He is finally shown in person with Phase Four's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
- Grow Old with Me: After falling in love with Ying Li, Wenwu gives up the Ten Rings and the longevity that they grant him, planning to live a normal, happy life with his wife. When Ying Li is murdered at a young age, Wenwu's grief causes him to regress and return to his life as a warlord.
- Happily Married: To Ying Li. He stopped using the Ten Rings and had a happy and peaceful family life with her and their children before returning to his old ways after she's killed.
- Heel Realization: He has one before his death and gives his rings to Shang-Chi.
- The Heavy: While the Dweller-in-Darkness may be the one manipulating Wenwu into attacking Ta Lo, Wenwu's relationship with his children is the emotional cornerstone of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Most of the film's conflict originates from Shang-Chi's dark past with his father, and greater focus is placed on getting Wenwu to come to terms with his grief over the loss of his wife than the threat of the Dweller.
- Hypocritical Humor: He mocks Trevor for using "The Mandarin" as his alias while impersonating him, despite apparently caring enough about it to have Trevor dragged to him for using it (though he's probably more mad about the exposure of his organization and the mockery of his reputation than anything else).
- Ignored Epiphany: Downplayed, but when Shang-Chi calls him out for not being there for his children after the death of their mother, choosing power and revenge over them, he's genuinely shocked and you can see a flash of guilt on his face. Unfortunately, he's too focused on his mission to really take it in and their fight continues. Had he listened to his son then, the movie would have ended very differently.
- I Have Many Names: Wenwu is his original name, but he's used many aliases throughout his long life.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Even though Wenwu is a ruthless warlord, nothing is more important to him than his family and he's shown to treat his followers quite well.
- Lightning/Fire Juxtaposition: His chi while using the Ten Rings visualizes as blue lightning, in contrast to his son's chi which visualizes as red-orange fire.
- Love at First Punch: The first time he met Ying Li she kicked his ass, being the first person to ever do so. The choreography of the fight makes it clear there was an instant attraction between them.
- Love Redeems: During his time married to Ying Li, Wenwu put away the rings and fully intended to grow old with her. However, after she was killed by his old enemies the Iron Gang, he put the rings back on and recommitted himself to the Ten Rings. But then, upon realizing that the Dweller-in-Darkness has been using his grief to play him like a fiddle and free itself from its prison, he gives the rings to his son in order to save him at the cost of his own life.
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- May–December Romance: With his wife, Ying Li. While it's unclear how old Ying Li was when they first met, she was unquestionably mortal with a mortal lifespan, while he was over a thousand years old thanks to the Ten Rings. He put away the rings so he could grow old with her, preventing their relationship from becoming a Mayfly–December Romance. *
- Meaningful Name:
- The word "Mandarin" comes from an English term used to refer to government officials in imperial China and Vietnam. Indeed, the Mandarin is said to have advised powerful figures throughout human history.
- His given name "Wenwu" is based on the Chinese dual concept of wen (civil administration) and wu (martial affairs), a philosophy that a militant leader would require in running his army.
- It should be noted that Wenwu does NOT willingly go by the name "The Mandarin." In fact, he derides the term, and explicitly states that it is an Atrocious Alias made up by Aldrich Killian, and is only suitable to describe chicken and oranges.
- Movie Superheroes Wear Black: He's usually depicted with a green robe or outfit in the comics. In Shang-Chi, he instead wears a black robe (and eventually black and blue armor) in battle.
- My God, What Have I Done?: After blasting Shang-Chi into Ta Lo's lake, he briefly stares at what he's done with a quiet look of shame and sadness before leaving. He then has a more horrified reaction after he unknowingly unleashed the Dweller-in-Darkness.
- Mysterious Past: His entire character is surrounded by mystery. All that's known is that he obtained the rings a thousand years ago through unknown means and used them to acquire power and wealth.
- Named by the Adaptation: In the comics, the Mandarin's true name was never confirmed, but he has had a history of using a variety of aliases, with "Gene Khan" being his most common alias. In the MCU, it's established that his real name is Xu Wenwu.
- Necromantic: Everything he does in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is done in the hopes of bringing his dead wife Ying Li back, which puts him at odds with the heroes.
- Never My Fault: He apparently blames his son for his wife's death, accusing him of running and hiding when he could have helped her despite being just a child. Also, he believed it could have been avoided if he still used the Ten Rings that his wife made him promise to give up.
- One-Man Army: Thanks to the power of the Ten Rings as well as his martial arts prowess, Wenwu proves himself strong enough to level entire armies solo, as is seen in the prologue of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
- Papa Wolf: Despite the rough upbringing he gave to Shang-Chi and Xialing following the death of Ying Li, Wenwu does love both of his children, and he ultimately gives his life so that they can defeat the Dweller-in-Darkness.
- Parents as People: While he started out as a genuinely loving father and caretaker for Shang-Chi and Xialing, Wenwu begins to treat both of them awfully after the death of their mother, forcing his son to join the organization while simultaneously neglecting his daughter. He had a Heel Realization about this when they both ran away, and decided to give them space while they made their way in the world; it turns out he knew where they both were the whole time, and only summoned them back when he thought he could resurrect their mother. However, in spite of his Sanity Slippage and ruthless attitude, Wenwu truly loves his family, and spends his dying moments giving his son the Ten Rings he once used to give him an edge against the Dweller-in-Darkness.
- Pet the Dog:
- Decided to spare Trevor Slattery after finding the actor's antics amusing despite him stealing his identity, and realizing that Trevor was a mere pawn and not the actual villain. He even formally takes up the name of the Mandarin, despite finding it to be ridiculous.
- An understated one, but Trevor Slattery states that Morris (a Dijiang from Chinese mythology) was discovered by Wenwu after another failed attempt at finding Ta Lo. Rather than harm or kill him, he decided to take him back with him and keep him as a pet. This also serves as one towards Trevor, as while he is still technically a prisoner, having Morris for company made him far less lonely.
- Properly Paranoid: While his suspicions ultimately got the better of him, he was at least correct that his wife left their family a map to her village.
- Race Lift: The comic Mandarin was half-English through his mother. Tony Leung is Chinese by way of Hong Kong.
- The Real Remington Steele: He was thought to be a fabrication by Killian in Iron Man 3. Turns out he's indeed Real After All, and doesn't take kindly to someone stealing his name for their schemes.
- Really 700 Years Old: Apparently, he's been around since before the Middle Ages, as the rings granted him eternal life. In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, he is confirmed to be at least one thousand years old.
- Redemption Equals Death: Just when he seemed to finally listen to his son and put his desperate desire aside, after realizing that the Dweller-in-Darkness thoroughly deceived him into destroying the Dark Gates and releasing it by pretending to be his deceased wife, he gives the Ten Rings to Shang-Chi while the monster absorbs his soul, out of guilt that he was a pawn and the lengths he went to see his wife were for nothing. He doesn't fight and instead dies peacefully. His final moments are spent silently regarding Shang-Chi proudly, fondly reminiscing the times he spent with his son.
- Reimagining the Artifact:
- The Shang-Chi movie seeks to rework the Mandarin's Yellow Peril characterization for the 21st century by having him be the Big Bad in a movie revolving around an Asian lead (Shang-Chi), thereby downplaying the worst aspects of the trope.
- In the comics, his iconic look has grossly aged, but in order to still homage it, it's instead used only for a flashback set centuries ago, where such appearances would make sense (and even still, attention was made to make it as historically accurate as possible instead of a Westerner's idea of an East Asian emperor's wear), while his modern appearance is a suit-and-tie crime boss for the most part, only "dressing up" when going into battle, and his battle clothes being a plausible, stylish-but-not-garish leather ensemble.
- The name itself, "The Mandarin", has otherness connotations, but here, it's reimagined as a name given to him by people who had no idea he was even truly real, and he's alternatively insulted by the name and amused by the fact it managed to bring fear to Westerners despite its ridiculousness.
- Related in the Adaptation: He is Shang-Chi's father in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, while in the comics, he and Shang-Chi have no connections, familial or otherwise. This was done because Shang-Chi's original father from the comics, Fu Manchu, was Exiled from Continuity due to legal reasons.
- Relative Button: Insinuating that his wife would hate the man he's become will really set him off. Even if the one saying it is his own son.
- Retired Monster: After spending a thousand years as a conquering warlord; he became one after falling in love with Ying Li. However, her death brought him out of retirement.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: He massacred members of the Iron Gang upon learning of their involvement in the death of his beloved wife Ying Li. Similarly, his desire to attack her home is due to the Dweller-in-Darkness warping his mind into believing that they're holding her prisoner, and he wants to raze the village to the ground in revenge.
- Rogues' Gallery Transplant: Wenwu debuts in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, despite the fact that the Mandarin and Shang-Chi never cross paths in the comics, or at least, in the mainstream Marvel Universe.note The Mandarin is traditionally the Arch-Enemy of Iron Man, and while Wenwu has a vague and distant connection to Tony in the MCU via his organization, they never met. One Doylist reason is that the filmmakers of Marvel Studios didn't think the Yellow Peril subtext of an American White Male Lead going up against a scheming Asian villain was fitting for the times, which wouldn't be the case with a story centered on an Asian protagonist and a predominantly Asian supporting cast. The other reason was that Marvel
didn't have the rights to Shang-Chi's original enemy from the comics, Fu Manchu, and since the Mandarin was based on that character anyway, he was a pragmatic alternative (not to mention that the Fu Manchu character is is loaded with stereotypical connotations, making it unlikely that he would directly be used). - Sanity Slippage: Played with. Shang-Chi and Xialing suspect him of undergoing this when they are forcibly returned home, due to him believing that his wife is still alive, and calling out for them to reunite at her mother's old village. As it turns out, Wenwu's voice in his head actually does exist, although it's actually the Dweller-in-Darkness manipulating him into setting it free to wreak havoc upon the world.
- Self-Serving Memory: To a degree. When he recounts the story of his and Ying Li's courtship, Wenwu claims that the elders of Ta Lo objected to him living in their village simply because he was an outsider. When he confronts Guang Bo (one of the elders) in person, the latter claims that they barred Wenwu from their village because his violent past put them at risk - and given what happened to Ying Li, it's hard to argue that point. It's also apparent his violent past plus his usage of the Rings is what allowed him to be corrupted by the Dweller-in-Darkness, as nobody else seems affected, adding the additional reason why they wouldn't want him around.
- Summon to Hand: Wenwu can use all ten of his rings as projectiles that he can summon back to his arms.
- Together in Death: Shang-Chi and Xialing hope that he is reunited with his beloved wife in death and found peace in the end.
- The Unfought: Tony Stark died without ever facing the leader of the organization that put him inside a cave with a box of scraps, or even knowing he wasn't just a myth that Aldrich Killian used for his own petty goals.
- Unseen No More: He appears on screen in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings after having sat out Iron Man's entire Character Arc.
- Unwitting Pawn: The Dweller-in-Darkness manipulates him into freeing it and the Soulsuckers by making him believe his wife was beyond the seal. When he realizes the truth, he uses his last acts to save his son and give the Ten Rings to him.
- Victory Is Boring: He's said to have practically conquered Earth through his shadowy organization, with full access to the world's entire wealth. It didn't satisfy him, so he sought to conquer other worlds like Ta Lo. Ironically, it was there he met Ying Li, the first person who has bested him in combat and showed him a fulfilling life without the need for conquest.
- Warrior Prince: He's described as a warrior king who's "inspired generations of men".
- Weak, but Skilled: Relatively. Wenwu is very powerful with the Ten Rings at his disposal, but even so, they're not as powerful as they are in the comics, so he's hardly the strongest villain in the MCU, especially compared to villains like Thanos or Ego. However, what he lacks in strength, he more than makes up for in skill. He's a warrior and acrobat whose experience and talent rival the likes of Captain America, Black Panther, Daredevil, Black Widow and even Shang-Chi and Xialing. He's also a Diabolical Mastermind who went unopposed and under the radar for 1,000 years and he's one of the most powerful crime lords on Earth, his empire spanning the globe and dwarfing the likes of even the Kingpin. Put simply, there's a reason Aldrich Killian chose him to strike fear into America.
- White Shirt of Death: In the present day, whether in suits or slightly more casual attire, he always wears a white shirt. Given the Chinese mythology and setting, the symbolism is clear: he brings death wherever he goes.
- Wicked Cultured: Judging by his decision to spare Trevor Slattery after seeing the latter's hammy, one-man performance of Macbeth and keep him as sort of a Court Jester, Wenwu apparently appreciates the works of William Shakespeare.note
- Willfully Weak: Wenwu is holding back during his fights with Shang-Chi, as he really doesn't have any intention to kill or harm him too much. In their first fight, he uses his rings mainly to augment his hand-to-hand combat skills and doesn't make use of its greater powers, simply blowing his son away with powerful blows, and only using them as projectiles to a limited extent. Their second fight does have him take Shang-Chi more seriously and use the rings much more, but if his willingness to fight him even after he has taken all the rings from him is of any meaning, it was clear he still has plenty of fight left in him. Given that he has had thousands of years of fighting experience over Shang-Chi, this was clearly the only reason Shang-Chi even lasted as long as he did against him.
Variants
Queen Hela's Xu Wenwu
Xu Wenwu (徐文武) / The Mandarin
Species: Human
Citizenship: Chinese
Affiliation(s): Ten Rings
Voiced By: Feodor Chin
Appearances: What If...?
A variant of Wenwu who encountered a powerless Hela after she was exiled by Odin.
- Adaptational Heroism: Compared to his Sacred Timeline self, who was pretty obsessed with conquest for the sake of power, this version believes that it's the best way to protect others from danger. Despite this, he very quicky chooses to abandon this approach to instead ally with Hela, with it instead being shown that they spend centuries protecting others from being conquered.
- Adaptational Relationship Overhaul: In both the movie and the comics, the Mandarin and Hela do not meet or interact. Here, they are enemies-turned-allies who share a fair bit of chemistry and join forces to liberate the Nine Realms.
- Almost Kiss: With Hela. She knocks him out before they do.
- Amazon Chaser: He becomes attracted to Hela after seeing her fight off several of his men with little effort. While he denies any ulterior motive in offering her traditional wedding clothes, he does try to kiss her before she slams his head against the table. He later comments that her new armour is nice, but prefers her in the dress he gave her.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Hela. Even after she knocks him out, she quips that he's actually handsome.
- Benevolent Boss: He fights as hard as he can to give his men time to retreat to safety from the Asgardian forces.
- Costume Evolution: Inverted. Since Hela is banished and falls into China during what is Earth's Middle Ages, this version of Wenwu retains the traditional light armour he wore at the beginning of the movie and keeps it, rather than changing clothes to suit the times.
- Distracted by the Sexy: His attraction to Hela is exploited by her when she uses her feminine charms on him so he'll let his guard down and give her a way to escape.
- Empowered Badass Normal: Even without his Ten Rings, he's a martial arts master and expert acrobat who leads a powerful army. With the Ten Rings, he's able to go toe-to-toe with Odin himself.
- Love at First Punch: He doesn't fully fall for Hela until after she slams his head into a table, even sheepishly telling his men that he wants her alive.
- Nerves of Steel: Wenwu is intrigued rather than intimidated when he meets the Goddess of Death and readily agrees to fight her. When Odin and the Asgardians show up, he single-handedly takes them on and shows no fear when the All-Father himself steps in.
- Nice Guy: He has the charm, wisdom and charisma of his original counterpart and none of his negative traits, making him a truly benevolent force and a hero in his universe.
- Ship Tease: Gets quite a bit with Hela during the episode, which ends with them forging an alliance as liberators and heroes.
- Underestimating Badassery: Both Hela and Odin dismiss him as a primitive who just happens to wield a powerful artefact, especially Odin. However, Hela does grow to have respect and admiration for him, while the All-Father himself ends up being defeated by Hela and Wenwu, with him being the one to finally strike him down with one powerful punch enhanced by the Ten Rings.
- Worthy Opponent: Understated, but Odin gives an impressed look when he witnesses Wenwu single-handedly repel the Asgardian fleet.
"I have to save her. She's calling to me."
