Next month Studios will debut its newest , Shang-Chi, in Shang-Chi and the of the Ten Rings (2021). First appearing in the 70s and created by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin, Shang-Chi is one of the most competent fighters in history.
Here is your full guide to the Master of . and how his powers may show up in the
Shang-Chi’s skills and abilities in the MCU
What are Shang-Chi’s skills and abilities?
Shang-Chi is the son of the criminal mastermind, (later renamed Zheng Zu) in lore. His father, along with other tutors, raised Shang-Chi in China, training him in the way of multiple martial art disciplines and various philosophical beliefs. Unbeknownst to him, Shang-Chi was born via a woman genetically selected by , with his destiny to become a warrior for his father’s evil pursuits. Due to his supposed birthright, Shang-Chi is an expert in martial arts, often selecting hand-to-hand combat instead of using weapons. has more to say on Shang-Chi’s skills and abilities:
A natural athlete as well as peace-loving and composed, Shang-Chi may be looked upon as a level-headed individual who practices meditation and inner-cleansing as arts within themselves. His use of chi, or internal energy, aids him not only in combat, but also in commanding his emotions in tense situations. This pronounced calm even allows him to dodge bullets.
What, if any, superpowers does Shang-Chi have?
Shang-Chi’s defining “power” is his use of martial arts, having bested numerous opponents without the use of any superhuman abilities. In some of his appearances, Shang-Chi has gained powers like growing to a great size, duplicating himself, and most notably, gaining the powers based on the , ‘s, ten rings in the mainstream Earth-616 continuity.
How do Shang-Chi’s abilities differ in the comics and the ?
With Shang-Chi and the . What is suggestive though, is that will replace /Zheng Zu with Wenwu AKA the (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) as Shang-Chi’s (Simu Lui) father. This teamed with the title itself points to Shang-Chi gaining at least some of the ten rings’ powers in the next MCU entry. In the comics, the ten rings’ powers include ice blasts, matter rearranging, disintegration beams, and lightning blasts, among others. of the Ten Rings not releasing until next month, it is not known how both his martial arts combat and other potential superpowers will appear in the
From both of Studios’ trailers of Shang-Chi and the of the Ten Rings, we can ascertain that Shang-Chi’s impeccably powerful fighting skills will play a huge role in the . The trailers also showed highlights of the ten rings in action so the potential for the titular to take up those superpowers is ripe for the taking.
Most interestingly, the trailer saw the return of Wong (Benedict Wong) and Abomination (Tim Roth) in a Wong vs. Abomination moment.
Shang-Chi’s fighting styles as shown in the MCU Shang-Chi
What fighting styles appear in ‘s Shang-Chi?
It is not yet known exactly what martial arts disciplines will appear in the MCU’s Shang-Chi . In the books, Shang-Chi was a specialist in many fighting styles with a particular focus on Chinese martial arts. The is known for his manipulation of chi — the ability to use focused energy to create powerful strikes and breakthrough difficult barriers.
What fighting styles is Shang-Chi skilled in?
Shang-Chi was originally introduced into the as the Master of via #15 — is a form of Chinese martial arts akin to karate. Shang-Chi is also a master at pressure point precision meaning he can incapacitate his enemies in one strike.
What weapons, if any, does Shang-Chi use?
Often opting to use hand-to-hand combat due to his extensive martial arts training, the Kung Fu master will also harness the abilities of the ten rings in the new MCU , although in what capacity is yet to be seen. also wields weapons such as swords, nunchaku, shuriken, and staves. The
How Shang-Chi gained his skills in the MCU
Where did Shang-Chi receive his training?
In the books, Shang-Chi’s origin begins in China where he is taught from a young boy to become a martial arts master.
What was the purpose of Shang-Chi’s training?
The purpose of the ‘s training was the entire reason he was born. Shang-Chi’s father trained him from infancy in the hopes that his innate martial arts skill could be used as a weapon against his enemies across the globe.
Who were Shang-Chi’s teachers?
Shang-Chi was trained by his father, . After uncovering the truth of his father’s quest for world domination, Shang-Chi becomes allies with Sir Denis Nayland Smith — his father’s long-time enemy — and MI-6.
Skill differences between the MCU and the books for Shang-Chi
How were Shang-Chi’s skills represented in the books?
The main skills shown in the Shang-Chi comics are his use of acrobatics, gymnastics, and martial arts. However, throughout his tenure with the publisher, Shang-Chi has taken on numerous other abilities. In the Spider-Island story arc beginning in The Amazing Spider-Man, Shang-Chi gains the abilities of Spider-Man after being infected with the Spider-Virus. Shang-Chi also utilized Pym Particles to grow to a huge size in the NOW! series Avengers World in 2014.
The the ‘s ten rings in a Secret Wars storyline before eventually gaining the skill of intangibility from his student Kitty Pryde. Yes, the X-Men. also gained the ability of most of
How are Shang-Chi’s skills represented in the ?
Through the footage shown in the Shang-Chi the , his father, the power of the rings can be seen in a visually stunning battle, although the energies depicted look slightly different from the very specific abilities of their , we can see that the eponymous will showcase his acrobatic prowess as well as the fighting skills he is most well-known for. During a confrontation with
In a rather surprising clip, Shang-Chi is shown underwater facing a giant dragon. Fin Fang Foom, a merchandise leak for Shang-Chi shows this dragon as being called The Great Protector. However, that name could just be a placeholder until is ready to reveal the official debut of the green dragon. books fans will know that this beast is most likely one of the Makluans — the creatures who originally created the ten rings of power. While fans may see this to be the legendary shape-shifting dragon,
What are some differences between Shang-Chi in the books and the ?
Perhaps the biggest difference we can ascertain from the the ‘s ten rings are now actual objects in this MCU , different from the Ten Rings terrorist organization seen in the trilogy, and like the rings worn by the from . However, while the physical rings are present in Shang-Chi and the of the Ten Rings, their design is seemingly different from their literary counterparts. Director Destin Daniel Cretton’s is opting for an enlarged version of the rings that can stack up the arms of their wearers. clips thus far, is that
Shang-Chi has had a rather tumultuous history throughout the years of meaning the upcoming MCU has a rich collection of storylines and action scenes to choose from.
The meets will release exclusively in in September with a 45-day theater run before (2021) drops in November. in the wake of the recently said that it will be an interesting “experiment” (2021) controversy. The continues to grow with the introduction of new as Phase 4 continues.
Will you be watching Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings this September? Let us know in the comments!