The Marvel Cinematic Universe has given fans a lot of pairings that they love to see. From friendly dynamics between Captain America and Iron Man to antagonistic duos like Thor and Thanos, the chemistry between characters is a major driving force behind each installment into the franchise.
The release of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has introduced the titular superhero as one of the MCU’s newest sensations, and it’s only a guarantee that he will eventually meet up with many other MCU characters. But who are the characters who should be the first in line for him to meet, and why should they meet first?
The Hulk
The end of the movie showed Bruce Banner back in his human form with no explanation over The Hulk’s status. This implies that the two are separate once again, and with Shang-Chi having met the nice and shy Bruce, it would be a hilarious contrast for him to see The Hulk.
A meeting with Shang-Chi finding out that Bruce has an alter ego with rage issues, leaving Shang-Chi clueless over how to deal with The Hulk, would be interesting. It would make for plenty of funny interactions between the characters, and a potential fight between Shang-Chi with the Ten Rings against The Hulk is an intriguing thought as well.
Gamora
The obvious narrative connection between Shang-Chi and Gamora stems from both of them once abandoning their younger sisters. The current Gamora is the one who traveled from 2014, meaning she has not undergone the same development as either her prime counterpart or Shang-Chi.
This would make a meeting interesting, as Shang-Chi can appeal to Gamora to reconcile with Nebula. They are both also trained assassins with issues with their fathers, making Shang-Chi and Gamora very similar.
War Machine
War Machine has long been considered among MCU’s most underrated superheroes, and one way to make him a main focus is by integrating him with new characters like Shang-Chi. More than anything, it’s Rhodey’s knack for pointing out things others don’t see that will make their interaction interesting.
It’s more than likely that Rhodey will throw in a sarcastic comment about how Shang-Chi uses the Ten Rings, along with his own experience with the fake Mandarin that Rhodey will want to talk about. A combination of Shang-Chi’s powers and War Machine’s abilities would be entertaining to watch as well.
Spider-Man
Shang-Chi’s entry into the New York Sanctum is something he and Peter Parker have in common, as the latter will arrive there in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Shang-Chi can very well show up in the movie to greet Peter.
They’re meant to be around the same age, and having fought beings of enormous power in their youths, the two can have their experiences as common ground. Mainly, though, Shang-Chi and Peter can be placed in the new Avengers, with their friendship becoming a long-running aspect of the team.
Korg
Responsible for quite a few of the funniest scenes in the MCU, Korg fits into just about every situation. One thing Shang-Chi missed was the presence of a friend purely for comic relief, and pairing him with Korg can do the trick.
Korg likes to make light of big-time situations, which will work well with Shang-Chi, as his command of the Ten Rings will surely intrigue Korg. As Shang-Chi has also not met alien characters yet, so Korg can be the one he meets first to learn of the larger universe.
Sylvie
Her appearance in the Disney+ series has established Sylvie as the best Loki variant, and it’s time she interacts with characters from the film universe. Shang-Chi could have good chemistry with her due to Sylvie’s distrust, which he can relate to after having grown up in similarly harsh circumstances.
Sylvie needs to learn to place her faith in people, and Shang-Chi is someone she could trust. As Shang-Chi is helping the Masters of the Mystic Arts now, he could meet Sylvie as the effects of the multiverse set in.
Doctor Strange
It was a mystery why Doctor Strange wasn’t present at the New York Sanctum when Wong summoned Shang-Chi and Katy. While the reason might be revealed in due course, the prospect of seeing Shang-Chi interact with him has now opened up and should be followed through.
Wong and Doctor Strange can be shown introducing Shang-Chi to the world of magic, while Strange could study the Ten Rings as well. With Strange taking on the mentor role for Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home, he can also be placed in a similar role for Shang-Chi going forward.
The Eternals
The mystery behind who the Ten Rings summoned has left Shang-Chi viewers alight on Twitter, speculating the many possibilities. With the Eternals set to debut shortly, it can very well lead to the Ten Rings signaling toward these beings.
Shang-Chi already confronted a powerful force like the Dweller-in-Darkness, and it makes sense for him to confront a similarly large threat that the Eternals have to deal with. Interacting with them could lead to greater secrets about the Ten Rings, and someone as young as Shang-Chi next to eternal beings would make for a nice contrast.
Kang The Conquerer
The ending of Loki’s first season set the stage for Kang the Conqueror to be the next big bad, with a variant of him set to appear in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as well. As one of the leading superheroes for future movies, Shang-Chi has to interact with this threat.
Ideally, this should be as part of the new Avengers as they team up to beat the evil Kang variants. However, Shang-Chi could deal with a particular version of Kang all by himself in a new sequel to his solo movie as well.