Marvel Makes Shang-Chi's Confusing Post-Credits Scene Even Weirder

This article contains spoilers for Ms. Marvel episode 6.

Ms. Marvel episode 6's post-credits scene makes Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings own post-credits scene even more confusing. Post-credits scenes have become synonymous with the MCU. It's not that Marvel was the first studio to use them, but rather that they've become a characteristic feature of the franchise. According to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, Marvel's love of post-credits scenes is inspired by his own love of the movies. "I always liked that sort of thing, whether it’s Ferris Bueller or Masters of the Universe," he admitted. "As a film nerd, I never wanted it to end."

The MCU's post-credits scenes generally serve as the connective tissue tying the different films and TV shows together, which explains why they often include shock casting (Brett Goldstein as Hercules, Charlize Theron as Clea, or Harry Styles as Starfox), or direct setup (the discovery of Thor's hammer in Iron Man 2, or Shang-Chi's sister taking over the Ten Rings). Unfortunately, the MCU's post-credits scenes don't always work, largely because the studio changes direction a lot more than most viewers realize. With the benefit of hindsight, only one of Phase 1's post-credits scenes made sense.

The post-credits scenes for Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings and Ms. Marvel episode 6 seem to clash, simply because they present alternate visions of Captain Marvel. In Shang-Chi's post-credits scene, Captain Marvel participates in a holographic conference to discuss the mystical artifacts Shang-Chi now wields. She has a new hairstyle, but is still wearing the costume from Avengers: Endgame. She then appears in Ms. Marvel's post-credits scene, in a strange body-swap sequence triggered by Kamala Khan's mysterious bangle. The hairstyle is the same, suggesting the two scenes happen around the same time, but Captain Marvel has a totally new costume.

Why Shang-Chi's Post-Credits Scene Was So Confusing

Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner as holograms in Shang-Chi post-credit scene

Shang-Chi's post-credits scene has always been rather confusing. On the one hand, Bruce Banner's arm is still in a sling after Avengers: Endgame, meaning the scene can't be set too long after Thanos' defeat. On the other, Captain Marvel's hair has had time to grow out, meaning it must be some months later. The latter is probably the more accurate, given the Chinese festival of Qingling is a major part of the plot in Shang-Chi, setting the film around early April 2024 - but that makes Banner's sling seem rather odd. Now Ms. Marvel features the same hairstyle for Carol Danvers - and yet it's pretty definitively set in fall 2025 (set decorations are dated for 2025, Kamala has just begun her junior year, and her school appears to be beginning preparations for a homecoming dance). So there's actually well over a year between Shang-Chi and Ms. Marvel in the MCU's chronology. Presumably, Carol Danvers liked the hairstyle she got in April 2024, and had her hair cut in the same style in fall 2025.

Why Captain Marvel's Costume Is So Different In Ms. Marvel

It's entirely possible Captain Marvel doesn't consider costume changes to be a big deal; she wears a Kree device that allows her to redesign her outfit with the literal touch of a button. From an out-of-universe perspective, there's probably a simple reason; Marvel like to give their characters new costumes for each film, and the new outfit most likely wasn't ready when the studio got round to Shang-Chi's post-credits scene, prompting them to stick with a previously-established one instead. Timeline-wise, Shang-Chi's post-credits scene is known to have been shot in early 2021, while production on The Marvels didn't start until May of that year. It's unclear when Ms. Marvel's post-credits was shot, but it may well have been concurrent with the production of The Marvels given reshoots and additional photography were shot in 2022.

This is the irony of Marvel's post-credits scenes; viewers understandably pore over the slightest details, but in reality they can be shaped by out-of-universe factors as much as Marvel's desire for an overarching narrative. While Captain Marvel's costume change may be a plot point in The Marvels, in truth it's entirely possible Marvel allowed the inconsistency to happen simply because they didn't really feel it mattered that much. As noted, on close examination the MCU's post-credits scenes have often had logic gaps and continuity problems - Marvel filmed an entire one-shot, The Consultant, to fix The Incredible Hulk's post-credits scene - and it's no surprise to see the issues continue in Phase 4 with Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings and Ms. Marvel.

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