The following contains major spoilers for Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #1, available now from Marvel.

Ever since the death of Shang-Chi's father Zheng Zu, his life has only gotten more complicated. He inherited the sprawling criminal organization known as the Five Weapons Society, and he has spent the past year fighting his own family to keep it together. While he and his once long lost siblings proved capable of doing just that, they also parted ways even more quickly than they had reunited, leaving Shang-Chi to watch over the spoils of their war. Even worse, the Five Weapons Society's worst enemies came to take it for themselves, only to learn exactly why Shang-Chi refused to wield the legendary Ten Rings in the first place.

Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #1 (by Gene Luen Yang, Marcus To, Erick Arciniega, and VC's Travis Lanham) found the hero trying to find some sense of normalcy in his life. Unfortunately, the endless number of enemies he has made over the years are unwilling to let that happen, as shown by their latest coordinated attempt to attack the Five Weapons Society directly. Thankfully, even the combined might of A.I.M., Hydra, the Red Dot Collective, the Inner Demons, and The Hand aren't enough to overpower the Master of Kung Fu. At least, not once he has called upon the Ten Rings to aid him in battle, something he had hoped he would never have to do again.

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shang-chi and the ten rings 1 come to me

While the Ten Rings as they are now known first made their appearance in 2021's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings starring Simu Liu, it wasn't long after that they made their comic book debut. Shang-Chi #11 by Gene Luen Yang and Marcus To gave readers their first glimpse of the Ten Rings of legend before the Master of Kung Fu wielded them against his murderous grandfather Chieftain Xin. After winning the battle and saving both the Five Weapons Society and Ta Lo from Xin's mad scheme, Shang-Chi was gifted the Ten Rings by the Jade Emperor of Ta Lo himself. He hasn't put them to use since returning, however, and he has plenty of reasons why.

Before his enemies arrived, the Ten Rings nearly killed two of the Five Weapons Society's own soldier who had come to gawk at them, seemingly of the Rings' own volition. As Shang-Chi explained to them, the Rings likely would have if he hadn't come to their aid, and that appears to be the case with his enemies as well. Whatever force it is that powers the Ten Rings is violent if left unchecked. At the same time, the Rings clearly want to be wielded by someone, and their affinity for Shang-Chi is especially concerning.

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shang-chi and the ten rings 1 you fools

When Shang-Chi used the Ten Rings to defeat Chieftain Xin, it almost cost the Supreme Commander of the Five Weapons Society everything. His efforts to reform the organization may not have gone entirely to plan, but they were ultimately fruitful nontheless. This was evidenced most of all by Shang-Chi's formerly estranged family sharing a heartfelt moment in which they talked him down from the evil ambition that the Ten Rings had brought out. Though the scene was touching in its finale, the way things started were genuinely terrifying, most of all for how reminiscent it was of Zheng Zu's early efforts during his heyday.

Between the Rings and the spirit of Zheng Zu that has taken to haunting his son on occasion, Shang-Chi is constantly staring down his own worst nightmares of becoming his father. Of course, Shang-Chi's journey as a hero began with the very first life he took in his father's name, making it hard to imagine any world in which he would stray so far from the path he has carved for himself. Then again, the unhinged, unexplained power behind the Rings is also something that Shang-Chi hasn't ever really faced before. With any luck, Shang-Chi will uncover the truth behind his new weapons and their power before they turn the legacy he has made for himself as a hero upside down.