Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings arrived in theaters yesterday evening, and we're all loving it here at CBM. It's early days for the film, but news of a sequel can't be too far off, especially after the overwhelmingly positive response this origin story has been receiving from fans and critics alike.
As with every other MCU film, there are a couple of post-credits scenes setting the stage for future stories, and both are likely to have major ramifications for this shared world.
We've mentioned the stingers a couple of times on the site today, but it's time to take a much closer look at them in order to break down both what they reveal about the characters and what comes next. These weren't played for laughs and are clearly meant to set the stage for future stories, and their impact is likely to be felt over multiple big (and small) screen franchises.
From Captain Marvel's location to the MCU's next big bad, here's everything we've learned...
5. The Hulk's New Status Quo
One of the biggest surprises in this stinger is the fact Bruce Banner is back in his human form despite finding a way to unite his two personas between the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
We were under the impression that Smart Hulk was part-Bruce, part-Hulk, and there was no indication he had the ability to revert to his normal self. Using the Infinity Gauntlet could be to blame, of course, and Bruce's arm is in a sling (meaning he definitely hasn't healed from the damage the Stones did).
We can't help but wonder if this change is to save a little money in the She-Hulk TV series, but it's possible Bruce's days as The Hulk are now firmly behind him.
If so, that's huge, but it's good to see he's still playing an active role in whatever remains of The Avengers. Hopefully, whatever damage the Stones did to him isn't terminal because we'd hate to say goodbye to the Jade Giant in any form even if Jennifer Walters is on the way to the MCU.
4. A New Ten Rings
In the second stinger, we catch up with Shang-Chi's sister, Xialing. While she was supposedly returning to their father's base to shut down his operations, she's instead taken them over - no great surprise considering we first found her running an illegal underground fight club!
This new Ten Rings has male and female warriors training and appears to be a vastly more modern enterprise than the one Wenwu spent a thousand years ruling over.
Razor Fist is by her side, and an ominous title card promises that "The Ten Rings Will Return." The question is, was that referring to this group or the weapons Shang-Chi wields? It could be both, but we're definitely anticipating Xialing's group making a major impact in the MCU moving forward.
The Power Broker could have a formidable new rival, that's for sure...
3. Captain Marvel Is Back In Space
Carol Danvers may have returned to Earth to battle Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, but she clearly didn't stick around for long after Tony Stark's funeral.
After spending years protecting the cosmos, perhaps that shouldn't come as too much of a shock, but her interaction with Shang-Chi confirms Captain Marvel is still protecting the spaceways. An alert pulls her back into action, and Spider-Man: Far From Home made it clear that Nick Fury is up there with her.
At the end of WandaVision, Monica Rambeau was approached by a friendly Skrull who indicated that she was needed in space, and that's bound to be where she crosses paths with Carol again.
How Ms. Marvel factors into all of this remains to be seen, but rumour has it that Kamala Khan's powers will come to her via Nega-Bands rather than her being an Inhuman.
2. Katy's MCU Future
It would have been all too easy for Awkwafina's Katy to be little more than comic relief, but during that final battle, she proves herself as being more than capable of holding her own.
This is no annoying Darcy-style sidekick; instead, she's a character who proves to be just as likeable as Shang-Chi, and we can't help but wonder if there's romance on the cards for these two best friends. There are certainly hints that there might be as the movie progresses, but this could be a slow-burn subplot in the MCU.
Katy isn't just here to be a love interest, though, because Wong, Bruce Banner, and Captain Marvel all address her as Shang-Chi's equal; they're partners!
We love to see it, and can't wait to see her continue to make an impact in these movies.
1. An Incoming Threat
When Shang-Chi took the Rings from his father, he activated something inside them that appears to have sent a beacon into the cosmos. No one knows the origin of the Ten Rings, but we have a feeling their creators - space dragons known as the Makluans - are coming to collect them!
Fin Fang Foom is one of those aliens, and he could quite easily be reinvented (with a less stereotypical name) as a major threat who poses a problem for the entire planet.
The Makluans could be used to explain how Ta Lo exists in "another universe," as well as how The Great Protector ended up residing there. Tying Chinese mythology into Kakaranthara would be a neat way to expand on this corner of the MCU and explain how those legendary creatures came to be.
There are other possibilities, but this feels like the most compelling and likely.