Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings more than proved to be a worthy entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only did the film introduce fans to an exciting new hero, but it also cracked open a new corner of the interconnected world. One of the key elements of this corner of the MCU is the Ten Rings organization, which, as revealed in the film's post-credits scene, is still alive and well. However, it now has a new leader in the form of Meng'er Zhang’s Xu Xialing, the sister of the titular protagonist. Now, Zhang is opening up about what it was like to actually film the cool scene that closed out the movie.
Many were likely surprised when they learned that the ancient organization, founded by Wenwu (Shang-Chi and Xialing’s father), would carry on. And it should make for some interesting drama down the road. When speaking with CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg ahead of the Marvel movie’s home release, Meng’er Zhang couldn’t speak too much to the future. However, her comments on her approach to the final scene could be an indication of what we can expect from her character as she settles into her new position:
Yeah, that scene was a really, really cool scene. And I just want to feel that Xialing owns it. So I just sit there [does subtle pose] like I own it, you know? And also I think between Xialing and Shang-Chi, Xialing is the one who is like their father more. She is ambitious, she is more ambitious than Shang-Chi. And she actually… she actually is power hungry. And so I think she wants it, she wants. And yeah, it feels great.
The actress definitely looked like a boss when sitting on that throne and delegating tasks within her new organization. Considering her thoughts on her character, it makes sense that she would want to seize control following her father’s death. For years, the skilled young woman was shut out of the Ten Rings, though she managed to forge a path for herself as a successful businesswoman. Now, she’s definitely put her own stamp on the ancient group that lingered in the background of the MCU for years.
Of course, fans now have to wonder how Simu Liu’s leading hero, who was under the impression that the group was being dismantled, is going to react to the news. As many know, he has strong feelings about his dad’s former dealings, so he likely won’t be pleased. This could effectively drive another wedge between him and his sister, who were starting to rebuild their relationship by the end of his first solo movie.
The Ten Rings organization made its first appearance in the MCU in 2008’s Iron Man, in which a sector of the group kidnapped Tony Stark. The villains’ brand would later be co-opted in Iron Man 3 but, by Shang-Chi, it had been totally reclaimed. The group’s future currently seems bright, as they could appear in a number of future Marvel productions. Additionally, Meng’er Zhang, during her interview with us, also shared an idea she has for her character’s future.
It’ll be interesting to see what Xialing plans to do with her new position. And whether her intentions are good or evil, they’ll surely shape the cinematic universe as a whole in one way or another.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is now available to stream on Disney+ and will arrive on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on November 30th.
