Shang-Chi’s Ten Rings can solely be wielded by the “worthy”, identical to Thor’s hammer Mjolnir – however they really punish the unworthy as properly!
Warning: comprises spoilers for Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #1!
Marvel’s Shang-Chi formally has a brand new weapon in comics, and it is rapidly taking over the properties of Thor’s well-known hammer Mjolnir. The Ten Rings have existed in Marvel Comics earlier than, however now there are two variations of the mighty set of weapons – one originating from area and one other from a celestial dimension dominated over by the Jade Emperor. In Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #1the rings do excess of mimic Thor’s hammer’s most well-known property – they eclipse it by being lethal to any deemed unworthy.
Beforehand the Ten Rings belonged to the Mandarin, an Iron Man villain who possessed ten rings of alien origin; worn on every finger, the rings produced totally different results thus granting the Mandarin phenomenal energy. The Mandarin’s historical past is interwoven with Shang-Chi’s within the comics and the connections are fairly sophisticated: initially created because the son of Fu Manchu, Shang-Chi’s father was retooled into Zheng Zhu – Wenwu within the MCU, often known as the Mandarin in that universe. The “Ten Rings” is Zheng Zhu’s felony group within the MCU, however is understood within the comics because the 5 Weapons Society.
With the entire above in thoughts, the Ten Rings of the movies have lastly made their means into the comics with the discharge of Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #1, written by Gene Luen Yang with artwork by Marcus To. After the Ten Rings bonded with Shang-Chi throughout the earlier story arc, they’re stored within the 5 Weapons Society headquarters. Considered one of Shang-Chi’s followers makes an attempt to the touch and declare the Rings for himself – they usually react violently, almost choking the would-be thief. “You are fortunate I heard you, warriors…” says Shang-Chi. “The rings would have killed you in any other case.” The rings clearly work for Shang-Chi – however solely Shang-Chi.
The rings have the identical safety system as Thor’s hammer, however with one drastic distinction: whereas Mjolnir is just unable to be moved by the unworthy, the rings will actively attempt to kill anybody not deemed their grasp. This showcases one other distinction: Mjolnir will obey the entire wielder’s ideas, however these rings clearly don’t (in any other case they would not have tried to kill Shang-Chi’s personal males). Each weapons are additionally made by deities: Thor’s hammer was created by his father Odin, whereas the Ten Rings are the non-public weapons of Jade Emperor, the ruler of Heaven in Chinese language mythology.
Nonetheless, the weapons act as opposites from a story perspective. Whereas in possession of Mjolnir, Thor is energy, in management, and assured in his talents (and he struggles with out it). Shang-Chi is completely able to combating with out the Ten Rings, however he spends a lot of the difficulty actively making an attempt to go away the weapons behind him. Thor should study to go away his previous behind and struggle with out Mjolnir, however Shang-Chi is frequently haunted by his previous – which is why the Ten Rings will not go away him alone.
