What Exactly Happened To Trevor Slattery In Shang-Chi?

Contains spoilers for "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings"

"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" is off and running as the newest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has hit theaters. The movie introduces MCU fans to a new cast of characters, including Shang-Chi (Simu Lu) himself, his friend Katy (Awkwafina), and the formidable warlord Wenwu (Tony Leung). Shang-Chi is thrown into a world of magic and mystery as he searches for a way to defeat his father — the legendary leader of the Ten Rings.

Although it is the first time we meet him in person, the leader of the Ten Rings played a big part in a former MCU film — albeit indirectly. Although his true name is revealed as Wenwu in "Shang-Chi," he once went by another name — the Mandarin. Longtime MCU fans will remember the first "appearance" of the Mandarin way back in 2013, in "Iron Man 3." He was played by Ben Kingsley — who, as it turns out, was an imposter named Trevor Slattery. Trevor was an actor hired by the real villain, Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), to distract Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) from Killian's true intentions. This revelation caused a big upset with Marvel fans, who did not appreciate the fakeout from writer/director Shane Black, and was regarded as one of the biggest mistakes the studio ever made.

Now, in "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," Trevor has made a surprising return. His role in the movie may be minor, but it also raises important questions: How did he get there, and what happened to him between "Iron Man 3" and now?

At the end of "Iron Man 3," Trevor Slattery is imprisoned thanks to Tony Stark. However, it seems that over time, he acquired a certain infamy for his deeds. In the Marvel short film, "All Hail the King" (now available on Disney+), Slattery has become something of a celebrity among his fellow inmates at Seagate Penitentiary. He entertains the other prisoners by doing his best Mandarin impression and earns the respect of some dangerous characters.

When a documentarian named Jackson Norriss (Scott McNairy) arrives to make a movie about Trevor, the actor is more than happy to oblige. However, it turns out that Norriss is actually a member of the Ten Rings, and he is there to enact vengeance on Trevor for impersonating the organization's leader. However, instead of killing him, Trevor is taken captive and assisted in breaking out of the prison.

The next time we see Trevor, he is imprisoned is in Wenwu's compound in "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." He helps Katy and Shang-Chi to escape, and together they travel to the hidden realm of Ta Lo. It is there that Trevor attempts to atone for his sins as he joins in the epic battle at the film's climax, which he surprisingly manages to survive. Whether or not Trevor still has a part to play in the MCU is unknown, but perhaps his role in "Shang-Chi" will help fans move on from the franchise's infamous faux pas.