The Marvel Cinematic Universe rarely has only one entry for a superhero character and the usual practice is to dole out trilogies. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings introduced the titular character in his adventure into Ta Lo, where he went on to claim the Ten Rings’ powers after battling the Dweller-in-Darkness.

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A lot happened in the movie that will be followed up in full for a sequel to come and fans have plenty of questions about the Shang-Chi movie remaining to be answered. With quite a bit of a wait in store until then, it’s worth recapping all the ways that the next entry has been set up by the first.

Xialing's Takeover Of The Ten Rings Organization

Xialing after she beat Shang-Chi in the fight club in Shang-Chi.

Xialing proved to be one of the bravest characters in Shang-Chi by going against her father and becoming a fighter in her own right, so it’s interesting to see what her vision for the Ten Rings is now that she is taking over.

The movie also left her intentions ambiguous since this was the same faction Xialing had earlier claimed she wanted to see destroyed. Since Xialing has never been in a position of power before, her hold over perhaps the greatest army in the world could have a lot of ramifications on the future or end up impacting the characters positively.   

Fallout From Remaining Enemies Wenwu Made

Split image of Wenwu and Fake Mandarin

Ying Li’s death was a result of Wenwu’s mistakes as the enemies he made in his many years of conquests came back to haunt him. Shang-Chi was also left tortured after he took the life of his mother’s killer, meaning the events of the story were all tied to Wenwu’s actions.

It makes sense for the sequel to take a similar route by revealing further enemies of Wenwu who will now target Shang-Chi and Xialing. Wenwu claimed that the Mandarin wasn’t the only title he had been given in his villainous career, which leaves the likelihood of his past catching up with his children.

Unlocking The Secrets Of The Ten Rings

Wenwu commands the Ten Rings

This was the main setup for Shang-Chi’s MCU future as Wong appeared to take him and Katy to the Sanctum. With Captain Marvel revealing that the Ten Rings aren’t alien in origin and Wong confirming that they’re not mystical, it’s currently a mystery as to what the weapons are for.

This is certain to be followed up within the sequel and there should also be additional plotlines dedicated to unlocking further capabilities of the Ten Rings. Shang-Chi’s use showed the Ten Rings take on a different appearance to Wenwu’s and he will most likely be shown tapping into their full powers.

Continuation Of Shang-Chi & Katy's Partnership

Awkwafina as Katy and Simu Liu as Shang Chi

The movie kept the friendship between Shang-Chi and Katy as strictly platonic with no indication of a romantic connection. However, this has been done initially with previous couples as well, like Peter Parker and MJ, so there’s a chance that Shang-Chi and Katy’s relationship may blossom in the sequel.

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Apart from that, the ending also alluded to them entering a superhero partnership, as they were telling their friends about their adventures. It’s not known how this will work since Katy doesn’t have powers, but it will be interesting to see if they will be an official partnership or stay on the down-low.

The Association Of Wong & Abomination

Wong and Abomination's fight in the cage in Shang-Chi

In a twist most wouldn’t have seen coming, Abomination became one of the likable characters in Shang-Chi as it was revealed his fight with Wong was staged between them. They were even on a first-name basis, but where they headed off to after that particular scene isn’t known.

It’s unlikely that their pairing will come up again in any of She-Hulk, Spider-Man: No Way Home, or Doctor Strange 2 as those stories don’t match this dynamic. This leaves the Shang-Chi sequel to explain how this duo came about and what their overall intentions are supposed to be.

Trevor's Training In Ta Lo

Trevor Slattery surrendering in Iron Man 3.

Aside from being perhaps the funniest character in Shang-Chi, Trevor also went along in rectifying his earlier mistake of posing as the Mandarin. Although he was last seen posing as a corpse during the battle to avoid fighting, it’s clear that he ended up staying in Ta Lo.

Everyone who resides in the village is treated as an equal, which should lead to Trevor training to be just as proficient as the other inhabitants. The sequel is well placed to bring Trevor back with a different skill level and it would be equally as entertaining to see him actually be brave this time around.

The Status Of Ta Lo After The Dweller-In-Darkness' Defeat

Shang-Chi-Great-Protector

The mystery of Ta Lo was very much associated with the Dweller-in-Darkness being trapped there. Now that this has been resolved, it’s up to the next movie to show how the village is dealing with the vanquishing of their great enemy.

Moreover, the Great Protector is now supposed to be the only powerful creature that fans know about and its status should also be revealed. With Ta Lo also fighting off Wenwu, who was their longest-running enemy, its activities are ambiguous and how this ties into the Dweller-in-Darkness’ defeat remains to be seen.

Shang-Chi's Association With The Avengers

Split image of Shang-Chi and the Avengers Endgame Poster

Knowing the MCU, it’s likely that Shang-Chi will show up in another superhero’s movie before getting his own sequel. However, the same scenario can be applied in reverse and another Avenger can appear in the Shang-Chi follow-up.

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The sequel could see someone like Nick Fury or a seasoned Avenger pairing with Shang-Chi as part of his inclusion in the superhero team. This will be similar to how The Hulk appeared in Thor: Ragnarok as some of the Avengers have been used on an individual basis. The appearances of Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner in the post-credit scene implied that these two could reappear in the next movie.

Exploring The Other Cities In Pocket Dimensions

Shang-Chi Ta-Lo

Ying Nan revealed that there were multiple other places in Ta Lo that could be accessed through hidden portals. The village isn’t the most dangerous place in the MCU but it very well could be if the sequel chooses to explore Ta Lo in more detail.

Ying Nan’s statement wouldn’t have been uttered if it wasn’t going to be a setup for the future. There is a lot of potential in the mystery behind Ta Lo, such as its origins and the possibility of more creatures like the Great Protector.

The Signal The Ten Rings Are Sending

Shang-Chi commands the Ten RIngs

The biggest mystery from the movie came right at the end when Wong, Bruce Banner, and Captain Marvel all showed up to inform Shang-Chi that the Ten Rings are acting as a beacon. The hook for fans is to learn who is being summoned.

While it’s very much possible that this plot thread will be followed through earlier, it’s also likely that the scene will be kept on the back-burner until it’s time for the sequel. Whatever is being called toward the Ten Rings is definitely going to be a game-changer and can very well be the next big antagonist for Shang-Chi to face.

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