Why The Ten Rings Organization Is More Dangerous Than Hydra

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings fully delved into the capabilities and origins of the MCU's The Ten Rings, depicting them as even more dangerous than Hydra, another secret criminal organization. While The Ten Rings are mostly explored in Shang-Chi, Hydra had major roles in Phase 1 and 2 of the MCU, both on film and television. Hydra and The Ten Rings have many similar traits. Both are ancient organizations that worship their founders, and both have influenced the course of world history through assassination, corruption, and other crimes. The two groups are even implied to be allies in Ant-Man, but if the two ever became rivals, the MCU makes it clear that The Ten Rings would prove stronger than Hydra.

Hydra began thousands of years before the MCU’s Phase 1, originating as a cult that worshipped Earth’s first Inhuman, Hive (as explained in Agents of SHIELD). The cult was drastically changed in the 1930s when Johann Schmidt, the transformed Red Skull, took over Hydra and integrated it into Germany’s Nazi Party, making it their advanced weapon development division. Under Schmidt’s control, Hydra was more concerned with world domination than their ancient founder, essentially replacing Hive with the Red Skull. Hydra kept this new mentality after losing WWII and the Red Skull, integrating themselves within SHIELD and continuing their reprehensible work in secret.

The Ten Rings was founded sometime before the Middle Ages by Xu Wenwu, aka The Mandarin. After discovering ten mysterious rings in either a crater or a tomb, Wenwu gained incredible superpowers and an increased lifespan. Over time, his conquests resulted in numerous followers, who collectively named themselves after Wenwu’s powerful ten bracelet-like rings. Like Hydra, following the Red Skull’s apparent death, The Ten Rings controlled the world from the shadows, influencing people in power and killing all who opposed them. Given Wenwu’s uncanny ability to remain in his prime since the Middle Ages, The Ten Rings worshipped him like a deity and some referred to the organization as a “faith.”

The Ten Rings Had a Stronger Influence On World History

Xu Wenwu sitting on his throne in Shang-Chi.

Although Hydra and The Ten Rings have similar goals, the Ten Rings pursued world domination for far longer. Having begun sometime before the Middle Ages, The Ten Rings has pulled the strings of the world's history for well over a thousand years, cementing itself as the dominant criminal power in the world. Unlike the WWII-era history of Hydra in the MCU, The Ten Rings kept its true capabilities secret from the world’s general populace, with their most public branch being the Afghanistan-based cell seen in Iron Man, whose plans to force Tony Stark to build advanced weapons for them backfired, resulting in the creation of Stark’s Iron Man persona.

Hydra, while potentially being even more ancient than The Ten Rings, spent most of its history trying to bring Hive back to Earth, using its vast resources and influence as means to that end. Hydra only sought to conquer the world when the Red Skull took over the cult, and their time as a branch of the Nazi Party was cut short when the Allies won World War II. Once it had secretly infiltrated SHIELD, Hydra was finally at a point where they could rival The Ten Rings, using SHIELD resources and their secret weapon, The Winter Soldier, to influence conflicts and entire governments to favor them. Their endgame, as shown in Captain America: The Winter Soldier was intended to be Project Insight, where they’d eliminate all current and potential threats in one fell swoop. Thanks to SHIELD forces, including three Avengers, Project Insight was halted and Hydra was severely weakened.

Hydra's Strength Peaked Within A Century

For the majority of Hydra’s history, their one goal was to return their founder, Hive, to Earth to have him rule the world. With Hive stranded on the planet Maveth, Hydra used all resources at their disposal to reach Maveth. For centuries, they were unsuccessful, only changing their goal once the Red Skull replaced Hive as their worshipped leader. While undoubtedly a threat to the entire world under the Red Skull’s command, Hydra was at its most dangerous point when embedded within SHIELD. This era was brief, however, as Project Insight’s failure and Hydra’s existence becoming public reduced the organization to a terrorist organization, albeit a well-equipped and particularly deadly one.

The Ten Rings, however, were at the peak of their power for most of their history, with The Mandarin’s influence quickly growing to its peak during the Middle Ages. The Mandarin continued to conquer and influence the world in secret but took a relatively brief break from his criminal activities in the late 1990s when he fell in love with Ying Li and started a family with her. Though still powerful, this was the only point in Shang-Chi's The Ten Rings’ history where they weren’t active. The Ten Rings soon returned to their unscrupulous ways when Ying Li was killed by a rival crime organization, leading The Mandarin to don his ten rings once again and resume his activities as a warlord, quickly returning The Ten Rings to the height of their power.

The Ten Rings Outlived Hydra

Xialing in a cage match in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Following the failure of Project Insight, Hydra became fractured, with new leaders rising and falling in quick succession, as shown throughout Agents of SHIELD and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Hydra’s last prominent leader, the US Airforce General Hale, was killed at the end of Agents of SHIELD season 5, effectively ending the threat of Hydra's leaders enough to ensure they didn't catch the attention of The Avengers or the rebuilt SHIELD.

The Ten Rings suffered significant losses in Ta Lo, as shown in Shang-Chi. Among these losses were their founder and leader, The Mandarin, dealing a debilitating loss to the ancient group. Despite this, The Ten Rings lived on. Wenwu’s daughter, Xu Xialing quickly took over The Ten Rings, and although her brother, Shang-Chi, believes her to be dismantling The Ten Rings’ criminal operations, Xialing may simply continue her father’s work and become one of the world’s most dangerous criminal leaders. Hydra is hardly a threat at this point in the MCU timeline, but by the end of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, The Ten Rings is without doubt the most dangerous criminal organization.

Next: Why SHIELD Wasn't Aware Of & Didn't Try To Stop The Mandarin