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When Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four began, many fans were skeptical about the addition of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. In a world of intergalactic threats, where an alien warlord can turn half the universe to dust with a single snap, martial arts may have seemed a late addition at best. Shang Chi proves them wrong.
In fact, the titular character takes on a dimensional threat similar to Dormammu, if not quite on the same power level. He would likely be able to defeat many of the characters who’ve so far joined the MCU. With some of them, he wouldn’t even have to use the Ten Rings.
10 Hawkeye’s Sharp Aim Wouldn’t Help Him Against Shang-Chi
Clint Barton first appears in the MCU as the SHIELD agent keeping an eye on Thor’s hammer. As his codename Hawkeye illustrates, he’s known for never missing—and he proves that when he blows Loki up with an arrow during the Avengers. After the Snap kills his family, Hawkeye has a stint during which he goes rogue, fighting the yakuza as vigilante Ronin. He’s not afraid to spill blood and can be incredibly ruthless. He has mastered a great deal of martial arts styles. The Avengers: Endgame hand-to-hand fight between him and Natasha Romanoff remains amazing, and not just because of the high stakes. While he has a preference for the bow, he can also wield other weapons, like firearms, knives, and swords.
But as talented as Clint is, he’s not quite on Shang-Chi’s level. Not only is Shang-Chi highly trained in martial arts combat, but he has also learned the fighting style of Ta Lo. Even without the powerful Ten Rings, he has abilities of air manipulation inherited from his mother. This grants him enhanced strength, speed, and durability. Clint’s arrows would bounce right off the shields Shang-Chi can create.
9 Black Widow Is A Talented Assassin But Would Only Surpass Shang-Chi In Cunning
Like Clint, Natasha is an unenhanced human. She has a lot of red in her ledger, but her life as an Avenger has given her a second chance. She’s just skilled as her friend in martial arts and weapons mastery—if not more so. But against Shang-Chi, she’d be at a disadvantage. She wouldn’t be as strong or as fast as him.
Her Widow Bites can be lethal, but Shang-Chi has dodged lethal weapons in the past. Her only real asset in a fight with him would be her cunning. Shang-Chi is still somewhat inexperienced, and Natasha excels at manipulation. If she were able to fool him, she’d have a chance. But that’s a big ‘if.’
8 Steve Rogers’ Shield Isn’t Strong Enough To Defeat Shang-Chi
Steve may have recently given up the shield and his position as Captain America, but even before becoming ‘Old Man Rogers,’ he would have had trouble with Shang-Chi. He has been called the peak of human perfection, and his fights in Winter Soldier display his proficiency in hand-to-hand combat in a way others do not.
He’s strong enough to keep Thanos from using his glove, if only for a little while, and he’s able to use Mjolnir. But Shang-Chi’s fighting style definitely gives him the edge. Captain America’s shield, while a versatile weapon, can’t compare to the mystical Ten Rings.
7 Bucky Barnes’ Winter Soldier May Be Outclassed
A supersoldier like Steve, Bucky has the advantage of experience, having been an assassin for Hydra for the past decades. His enhanced physique is made even more dangerous by his metal arm, which he uses to block bullets or to cushion himself in falls from great heights. Many fans, in fact, expected him to take over Captain America’s shield after Steve’s retirement.
But in hand-to-hand combat, he’d have the same problem as Steve. His metal arm wouldn’t be able to help him much against the Ten Rings. He may be more successful as a sniper, though the comic version of Shang-Chi has even caught bullets. It’s not clear if the MCU Shang-Chi can do this, but it seems likely that, at the very least, Shang-Chi would be able to sense and dodge the projectile due to his powers.
6 Falcon Wouldn’t Be Able To Outfly Shang-Chi
The newest Captain America, Sam Wilson, uses Steve’s shield and the Falcon wings with beautiful efficiency. He’s already stood against supersoldiers in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and has more than proven his worthiness as a hero. That wouldn’t help him against Shang-Chi. The wings make him fast and agile, but they can be destroyed with one well-placed blow.
Redwing and the rest of his technology compensate for his lack of enhancements, but their durability in the fight against a talented superhuman is questionable. They’ve been helpful against the Flag-Smashers, but Shang-Chi can manipulate air. The flying Captain America would probably find himself grounded pretty quickly.
5 Black Panther’s Vibranium Suit Wouldn’t Be A Real Challenge For Shang-Chi
A superhero hailing from Wakanda, Black Panther receives his abilities from the Heart-Shaped Herb. Displaying superhuman strength, speed, and stamina, Black Panther performs remarkable feats of agility using a special suit crafted out of vibranium. The Black Panther habit is resistant to gunfire and physical damage, and the most recent version also grants him a level of immunity against energy blasts.
This could have made him a challenge for Shang-Chi, except for one tiny detail; Captain Marvel explains the energy the Ten Rings emanates is unlike anything she’s seen before. The artifacts are alien in origin, but they aren’t vibranium. The suit—while powerful—is unlikely to withstand the kind of damage the Ten Rings can do, as Shang-Chi has proven himself capable to make the Dweller-in-Darkness explode with his powers.
4 Shuri’s Intelligence Isn’t Enough To Give Her The Edge
Wakanda’s vibranium has endless potential for technology in every field, and T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, has made it her life’s work to prove that. But she’s more than just a scientist. She’s also a fighter, and she participates in both the battle against Eric Killmonger and the confrontation with Thanos.
Considering the death of regretted actor Chadwick Boseman, Shuri may take over the Black Panther mantle—assuming she can discover the secret of the Heart-Shaped Herb, at least. Unfortunately, like her brother, she’s limited by her technology. She’s probably not as skilled in combat as T’Challa either, so she wouldn’t have much of a chance.
3 Star-Lord Is At A Disadvantage Without His Awakened Celestial Powers
A half-human, half-Celestial hybrid, Peter Quill possesses superhuman resilience and regeneration abilities. In Guardians of the Galaxy, he is able to hold the Power Stone in his bare hand and survive. His meeting with his father awakens his Celestial powers, granting him immortality and the ability of cellular and energy manipulation. After Ego’s death, those skills are lost.
He’s also not known to be very level-headed, which would put him at a clear disadvantage. Star-Lord may be an expert combatant and his weaponry may be dangerous, but without his Celestial abilities, he couldn’t beat Shang-Chi.
2 Mantis May Not Be Able To Make Shang-Chi Sleep
One of the most interesting presences in the Guardians of the Galaxy, the alien Mantis can induce sleep in anyone she touches. It’s a very useful skill, and it works even against beings like Ego and Thanos.
In a confrontation with Shang-Chi, she’d fall short. She’d probably be knocked out before she could even try to use her powers on him.
1 Sharon Carter’s Resourcefulness Doesn’t Quite Make The Cut
Peggy Carter’s great-niece, Sharon, has proven to be quite a surprise in the MCU. In Captain America: Civil War, she compromises her position and betrays the US government to help Steve. Forced to go on the run, she takes up a life of crime and becomes the Power Broker in Madripoor.
Her resourcefulness and intelligence allow her to even earn a pardon at the end of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. But resourcefulness isn’t enough in a battle against a highly trained martial artist wielding ancient alien artifacts, and the skills Sharon learned as a former SHIELD agent wouldn’t help much. Sharon’s best bet would probably be playing dead, as she did in front of the Flag-Smashers. Beyond that, she’d be out of luck.
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