ShangChi Why Marvel Is Right To Replace Fu Manchu With The Mandarin

Shang-Chi: Why Marvel Is Right To Replace Fu Manchu With The Mandarin

Fu Manchu might be important in the Shang-Chi comics, but his racist history makes Marvel’s decision to replace him with the Mandarin the right one.

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ShangChi Why Marvel Is Right To Replace Fu Manchu With The Mandarin

Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ titular hero (Simu Liu) will be the first Asian-American lead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but his greatest comic adversary, Fu Manchu, will be rightfully replaced by the Mandarin (Tommy Leung Chiu-wai) in the film. In the comics, Fu Manchu is a genius, master sorcerer, and father of Shang-Chi. He was introduced to Marvel Comics in 1973, but Fu Manchu’s history traces back to the 1910s novels by Saxon Rohmer. In the original books, as well as the adaptive films they spawned, Dr. Fu Manchu embodied Yellow Peril, the racist fear that Asian cultures threatened Western civilization. After Marvel Comics lost the rights to the Fu Manchu name, the character was renamed Zheng Zu, but his xenophobic origins would remain.

The Mandarin has some similarities to the character he will replace. Like Fu Manchu, he is a super genius with magical abilities, though he is most commonly seen as an enemy of Iron Man. The villain’s MCU debut will pay off a years-long tease that began with the first Iron Man movie. A terrorist organization called the Ten Rings appeared, referring to the ten alien rings that give the Mandarin his powers. Imposter versions of the character (Sir Ben Kingsley and Guy Pearce) faked out audiences in Iron Man 3, but the short film “All Hail the King” confirmed the true Mandarin’s existence. The inclusion of the Mandarin’s ten rings in the Shang-Chi movie’s title suggests that he will have a major role, taking Fu Manchu’s place as Shang Chi’s ultimate enemy.

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Despite Fu Manchu’s deep roots in Shang-Chi’s story, Marvel’s decision to substitute him for the Mandarin is a smart one. Although the Mandarin’s characterization has included Orientalist elements, Fu Manchu perpetuated racist stereotypes for nearly a century, his history in media outside of Marvel comics shaping Western ideas of Asians for the worse. The character’s legacy of harm contrasts directly with the filmmakers’ mission to uplift Asian-American audiences. The Mandarin, a newer character, has more room for re-interpretation and reclamation by the Asian-American creatives behind the film.

When Fu Manchu was brought to Marvel Comics the character’s overt racism persisted, epitomized by his yellowface-like design. Shang-Chi was born after Fu Manchu selected a “perfect” white American woman to bear his children, echoing his mission to “kill the white man and take his women” in the 1932 film The Mask of Fu Manchu. The character has little room for respectful revision in adaptations, not to mention his exclusion would respect the wishes of Shang-Chi creator Jim Starlin.

By comparison, the Mandarin’s history is not quite as loaded. Although earlier designs had a caricatured look, modern incarnations have strayed from this. Despite his villainy, the Mandarin has a strong sense of honor, which echoes stereotypes and humanizes the character at the same time. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ Japanese-American director Destin Daniel Cretton, who also tackled racial justice through film in Just Mercy, could easily lean into these humanizing elements to ground the character in reclamation of stereotypes.

Although Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings omission of one of its most egregiously racist characters is a huge step in the right direction, there is still much Marvel can do to avoid reinforcing stereotypes. The Shang-Chi comics lore still has other Orientalist elements for filmmakers to overcome, although their empowering creative vision will certainly ensure these are handled well. Even after Shang-Chi is released, the MCU should continue to highlight Asian characters, including outside of the niche of martial arts and mysticism historically occupied by Asians in action movies.

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Link Source : https://screenrant.com/shang-chi-fumanchu-mandarin-replacement-racism-controversy/

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