If you've only seen the MCU movies, you may assume the Ten Rings are a vaguely defined terrorist group co-opted by a biotech tycoon, but you'd be mistaken. In Marvel Comics, the Ten Rings are literally Ten Rings, worn by the villain Mandarin (the real Mandarin). But what are their comic book origins, and how they may feature in the MCU's Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings?

The Marvel Origins of the Ten Rings

The Ten Rings first appeared in Takes of Suspense #50, and their origin was expounded upon in Tales of Suspense #62. During the Communist revolution in China, a descendant of Genghis Khan stumbled across a crashed alien spaceship in China. Upon investigating the ruins, he discovers an injured white dragon from the alien race known as the Makluans (the same species as the villain Fin Fang Foom). The star-ship was powered by ten hollow cylinders, which the investigating human steals, becoming The Mandarin.

Related: Every New Marvel Character Confirmed For Phase 4

Over time, the Mandarin discovers how to use each of the Makluan cylinders as weapons, wearing them as ten seemingly-magical rings. This, combined with his genus-level intellect and unparalleled martial arts training, allows him to become Iron Man's greatest foe in his quest for world domination.

While the rings have had other bearers over the course of Marvel history, the Mandarin is most closely tied with the Rings. The Mandarin alone (presumably because of his long understanding of the rings and familiarity with Makluan technology) can summon the rings to him even if they are worn by others. The rings have also absorbed an intense hatred for Tony Stark from the Mandarin. After the Mandarin is seemingly killed in Iron Man #26, the rings seek out bearers most likely to be worthy enemies of Tony Stark.

How the Power of the Ten Rings Works

Later issues revealed more about how the Ten Rings work, and there have been several retcons. In current Marvel continuity, the Rings are each powered by the spirit of a dead alien warrior with a limited AI. The rings cal also warp the mind of all but the strongest willed-bearer, making it the bearer's goal to resurrect the ten spirits. Once, a Rigellian Recorder updated the Ring's AI to grant them sentience.

Each of the 10 Rings gives its bearer a different power. (Writer Keiron Gillen also renamed the rings' in the 2010s; they were a bit 60s sounding before. These new names are in quotes below.) The Ten Rings are as follows:

Ice Blast/"Zero": Think Mr. Freeze from DC or Cone of Cold in D&D. This ring can shoot ice blasts and lower temperatures to nearly absolute zero.

Mento-Intensifier/"The Liar": This ring can control the mind of one person at a time, and create mental illusions.

Electro-Blast/"Lightning": The name says it all. This Ring can shoot lighting.

Flame Blast/"Incandescence": This ring basically turns it's bearer into another Human Torch, granting fire powers and flight.

White Light/"Daimonic": This ring's powers are poorly defined. It has been shown to do everything from blind opponents with flashes of light to control gravity and magnetism. Officially it controls “electromagnetic” energy, but gravity is not electromagnetic energy (while ironically the infrared energy controlled by "Incandescence" and the Lightening controlled by "Lightning" is). This ring can also create holographic illusions (as opposed to Liar who created mental illusions).

Matter Rearranger/"Remaker": This is another ring with poorly defined powers; it has been shown to do everything from creating poison gas to turning air into cement. Officially, it appears to give its bearer powers similar to Molecule Man, allowing them to reshape the bonds of matter according to their will, though on a much smaller scale.

Impact Beam/"Influence": This ring emits beams of force, somewhat like Cyclopes's eye-beams. It also can generate sonic waves as well. There is some evidence it might be able to produce tractor beams.

Vortex Beam/"Spin": This ring creates controllable mini-tornadoes to be used in combat or to fly.

Disintegration Beam/"Spectral": This ring has a disintegration ray with a 20 minute recharge time.

Black Light/"Nightbringer": This ring creates impenetrable darkness.

Related: Iron Man is Sinking Marvel's Newest Hero - By Accident!

How the Ten Rings Became Terrorists in the MCU

Mandarin attacking Iron Man.

It is hard to imagine now, but at one point cinematic universes were an untested model in Hollywood (unless you count Universal's classic monster movies). Magical rings from alien dragons controlled by a super-genius descendant of Genghis Khan was a bit much for audiences to swallow in 2008. Yet the Mandarin is considered Iron Man's most iconic villain. So in the first Iron Man, director Jonathan Favreau hinted at the villain he eventually wanted to build towards instead.

Related: Iron Man's Hulk Cameo is Part of a Bigger, Secret Story

Thus, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Ten Rings are introduced as the terrorist organization that Obadiah Stone hires to kill Tony Stark. They operate with uncertain motives and villainous methods. Each cell works independently of the other, so the one wiped out in Iron Man was only the tip of the iceberg.

Changing the Ten Rings from artifacts to a terrorist organization was a stroke of genius of Favraeu's part because it combined Iron Man's captivity origin with his classic archenemy. However, trying to make the Ten Rings more down-to-earth did lead to problems later. In Iron Man 3, it was revealed that the Mandarin was a persona created by Adrian Lillian (and played by fictional actor Trevor Slattery who was played by very real actor Ben Kingsley) to distract from glitches in the Extremis project. This was such a disappointing twist that Marvel retconned it in the short film All Hail the King. In this film, the imprisoned Slattery learns the real Mandarin still exists and is seeking revenge on those who stole his name. The real Mandarin also apparently controls the (still very active) terrorist group The Ten Rings.

The Future of the Ten Rings in Shang-Chi

Shang-Chi and Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be released in May of 2021 as part of Marvel's Phase 4. This title suggests a quest (a la Raiders of the Lost Ark), so it is possible the Ten Rings will appear in their original comic book form. If that weren't tantalizing enough, The Mandarin (played by Tony Leung Chi-wai) will appear at the main antagonist to the master of kung-fu, Shang-Chi (played by Simu Liu). With Marvel comics currently relaunching Shang-Chi's origin in preparation for the movie, the MCU will see the Ten Rings centered around Shang-Chi rather than Iron Man. That's all fine and dandy. As Avengers: Endgame demonstrated, magical alien artifacts don't exactly agree with the MCU's Tony Stark's constitution.

Next: Shang-Chi's Five Deadly Weapons Rewrite Marvel History

Key Release Dates