In classic Marvel fashion, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ features a substantial number of post-credits scenes raising more questions than they answer. If you emerge from the theater this weekend having just watched the Simu Liu-led Phase 4 movie’s stinger scratching your noggin, that’s absolutely by design.
Marvel boss Kevin Feige has already spoken at length in pre-release interviews about how the bonus footage – if you can even call it that at this point, considering how integral to the overarching MCU narrative previous post-credits scenes have proven to be – would compare to Iron Man‘s Avengers setup, but how so?
There’s no nod to the Young Avengers or even a newly-reformed version of the existing team previously led by Captain America at the conclusion of Shang-Chi. Instead, audiences are treated to a sequence of cryptic events revolving around the ten rings.
Upon returning to San Francisco, Shang-Chi and Katy encounter Wong. Before the trio is even able to share pleasantries, however, Doctor Strange’s friend and colleague whisks them away to the Sanctum Sanctorum.
Here, they’re tentatively exposed to the wider Marvel universe when holograms of Bruce Banner and Carol Danvers burst to life. The gathering, while brief, reveals that the ten rings (the mystical weapon, not the organization of the same name) have begun emitting a signal of unknown purpose. Concurrently, Shang-Chi’s estranged sister, Xialing, is revealed to have succeeded the pair’s father as leader of the villainous organization, thus setting the stage for a direct sequel.
As for Banner and Danvers, fans will no doubt have to wait for Phase 4 to unfold further before their role becomes clear but until then, feel free to speculate in the usual place below!
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is out in theaters now.