Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has been a long time coming, and the titular hero is the first new mainstay hero of Phase 4 to get their own film. It seems that Marvel Studios has once again made the right call—reactions to the film across the board are off the charts, showcasing yet another win for the MCU.
What hasn’t been in the spotlight nearly as much is Meng’er Zhang’s Xialing, Shang-Chi’s sister—who certainly proved her merit throughout the film. She even ran an underground fight rink that recruited both Wong and Abomination, a mighty feat at such a young age.
Zhang’s character was also going through a similar personal journey as Shang-Chi. By the end of the film, both had inherited the Ten Rings from their father—Xialing’s situation was just a little bit different.
Zhang Talks Shang-Chi's Sister's Post-Credits Scene
The Direct was able to sit down and talk with Meng’er Zhang, who portrays Xialing in the just-released Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
When the film ends, the last after-credits scene gives Xialing all of the attention, showcasing how she is now in control of her father’s legacy; more namely, The Ten Rings.
How will Xialing differ from her father when it comes to controlling such a large-scale organization?
According to Zhang, she’s “very excited," for Xialing's future, and the actor believes the character to be “like her father in many ways.”
“I’m very excited for her… I think she is like her father in many ways. She loves power, and she’s such a tough, strong woman.”
Of course, one of the main things people want to know after the release of the movie is what didn’t make it into the film? More particularly, is there anything noteworthy that got left on the cutting room floor?
Zhang holds strong in saying that “she really love[s] the final version of it,” and that she “think[s] it’s perfect.”
“I just love everything that we did for this film, and I really love the final version of it… I think it’s perfect. It punched me so hard, and I cry every time I watch it.”
With Xialing in such a place of power and importance, it looks like she is set to be in a key role within the MCU going forward. But when it comes to the wider scope of it all, one has to wonder how she may interact with other corners of the MCU.
Would Xialing be the type that would ever be open to working with a group like the Avengers? Or is she very much focused on her own agenda, and doing things her way?
Meng’er Zhang wouldn't elaborate on the topic, simply saying that “anything’s possible:”
“I don’t know. I really want to know. But you know, anything’s possible. This is the Marvel Universe.”
Xialing, Leader of the Ten Rings
While Meng’er Zhang certainly held strong when it came to revealing anything new, it was interesting to see her comment that Xialing is very similar to her father—something which is evident in the film itself.
But what Zhang’s reiteration may indicate is that the Ten Rings may not change all that much. Of course, some adjustments are all but guaranteed—after all, there will likely be a stubbornness to go against the specifics of how her father ran the organization through the years.
But with her similarity to her father Wenwu, don’t be too surprised if Shang-Chi ends up butting heads with his sister in the future.
While it’s not likely that Xialing will become a full-on bad guy by any means, she’s bound to back some questionable ways of doing things when she’s in control of an organization like that. After all, her previous ownership involved an illegal underground fight club, so the character’s certainly not a goody-two-shoes.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is out now in theaters.
