Simu Liu IS Shang-Chi

[metaphysician]

We're getting a Black Widow movie where the main character isn't superhuman, so no reason that Shang Chi can't be a regular human as well.

Other than the fact that, in the source material, he *isn't*? Where, exactly, did this alleged love for faithfulness to the comics vanish?

 

[Dark Raven]

Other than the fact that, in the source material, he *isn't*? Where, exactly, did this alleged love for faithfulness to the comics vanish?

It's only in the recent comics that he can produce clones of himself. That is not one of his abilities in the classic comics.

And I've already discussed before how him creating clones of himself simply lowers the stakes and takes away any of the suspense. As I said on the previous page:

If he can pull that out of the bag each time, then he's never in any kind of danger. The fun of these old Bruce Lee movies was him going up against whole armies of people and taking them down all on his own. If there were multiple versions of him, then the stakes are lowered.

I'd rather have Shang Chi outnumbered and outmatched and having to fight his way out of there through sheer martial arts skill alone than relying on doubles.

 

[THORin]

Aside from being my new man crush, this dude is just so sweet and kind and relatable. I really hope that audiences like him in the role, because I already adore him.

 

[BarryAllen]

Simu Liu is great casting and he's very charismatic and with good comedic timing. He reminds of Chris Pratt from Parks and Rec, so this could bode well if this big break turns out well.

 

[imbruglia]

"chi (qi) allows him to strike with inhuman force enabling him to break through barriers such as brick, concrete and iron, withstand physical impacts almost to a superhuman degree, and ease all forms of pain and discomfort."
this is pretty much superpower ish so..

 

[spider-neil]

Ground his powers in reality and reduce the use of CG. The only CG should be set extensions and Mandarin's rings.

 

[Binary10]

It's only in the recent comics that he can produce clones of himself. That is not one of his abilities in the classic comics.

And I've already discussed before how him creating clones of himself simply lowers the stakes and takes away any of the suspense. As I said on the previous page:

I dont think it lowers the stakes, i think if done right the action scene could be really unique to the mcu. he can have limitations to his clone powers, maybe he can only do 5 or ten. And if he tries to do more then his regular amount of clones, it results in weakening him.

 

[Dark Raven]

I dont think it lowers the stakes, i think if done right the action scene could be really unique to the mcu. he can have limitations to his clone powers, maybe he can only do 5 or ten. And if he tries to do more then his regular amount of clones, it results in weakening him.

I already discussed this in more detail here Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings General Discussion and Speculation thread

Also I don't think it will look all that unique, especially since the Matrix has already done something like that before with duplicates.

 

[Zarex]

Why, exactly, do you want to nerf him that badly compared to the comics? Because in the comics, he *is* superhuman on a similar scale to movie Captain America. He has never *not* been superhuman.

I first saw Mr. Chi in Marvel Two in One, in which he flipped the frikkin' Thing. That's not the ability of a peak human.

 

[Rice Eater]

I'll admit I wanted to have powers for more selfish reasons. I didn't want the first Asian superhero to also be the weakest Avenger and least this the least capable when it came to fighting huge threats. That doesn't mean I want to have Hulk strength or blast lasers from his hands though.

I had read about the chi abilities and figured they could use that to officially say he's Cap level in terms of strength and speed. I'm not going to let the decision of no powers ruin the movie for me but I'm definitely rooting for it.

 

[Dark Raven]

I first saw Mr. Chi in Marvel Two in One, in which he flipped the frikkin' Thing. That's not the ability of a peak human.

Back in the 70s, Kung Fu and Karate were seen as far more mysterious and like some mystical fighting art. Because people had seen experts breaking boards and doing other fantastical things, those who didn't know as much about it thought that it was almost a superhuman ability. That's why even the Mandarin (who was a Karate expert rather than Kung Fu expert) was supposed to be able to crack open Iron Man's armour and potentially beat him in hand to hand combat.

So Shang Chi might not really have had superhuman abilities back then, but just that it was exaggerated because people thought that Kung Fu and Karate experts could do more than they might actually be able to.

In reality, if either a Kung Fu or Karate expert fought Iron Man and tried to crack open his armour with a punch or chop, they would probably break their hand quite badly. There is no way, even with all their chi concentrated, that they would be able to split Iron Man's armour in half or even make a dent.

 

[Pink Ranger]

One good thing is that in the MCU, because of Doctor Strange the audience kind of sees magic as an extreme form of Asian martial arts. When it comes down to it, Strange, Wong and Mordo are kind of just normalish guys with destiny and training, but weren't exposed to gamma rays or anything. So Shang's "chi" can be an offshoot of the sorcery we saw in Doctor Strange. Not that Shang should have anywhere close to a sorceror's powers, but some of his more powerful focus moves can be influenced by MCU's version of magic.

 

[Dark Raven]

One good thing is that in the MCU, because of Doctor Strange the audience kind of sees magic as an extreme form of Asian martial arts. When it comes down to it, Strange, Wong and Mordo are kind of just normalish guys with destiny and training, but weren't exposed to gamma rays or anything. So Shang's "chi" can be an offshoot of the sorcery we saw in Doctor Strange. Not that Shang should have anywhere close to a sorceror's powers, but some of his more powerful focus moves can be influenced by MCU's version of magic.

In The Invincible Armour, starring martial arts superstar Hwang Jang Lee (the villain from Drunken master), he didn't have super powers as such. But he was able to focus all of his chi in such a way that every part of him was invincible and able to withstand normal injury, as shown here in this trailer.



Now I suppose this kind of acted as super powers if you want to call it that, but he wasn't superhuman.

I wouldn't be opposed to Shang Chi being able to do something similar. I'd far prefer that than being able to create duplicates of himself.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I wouldn't be opposed to Shang Chi being able to do something similar. I'd far prefer that than being able to created duplicates of himself.

Agreed. No Sega Genesis moves allowed.

 

[BarryAllen]

I'm not inherently against Shang-Chi getting powers, but if they do it, I'd prefer it in a sequel. Have this movie establish him as THE premeire Marvel fighter.

Also if they go the powers route, I hope it's tech based (like in the newer comics with the Stark nunchucks), so we can get scenes were he's not reliant on it (like the scene in CA: TWS where Cap puts his shield away and defeats Batroc).

 

[Dark Raven]

I'm not inherently against Shang-Chi getting powers, but if they do it, I'd prefer it in a sequel. Have this movie establish him as THE premeire Marvel fighter.

Also if they go the powers route, I hope it's tech based (like in the newer comics with the Stark nunchucks), so we can get scenes were he's not reliant on it (like the scene in CA: TWS where Cap puts his shield away and defeats Batroc).

Why does he need tech-based nunchakus when Bruce Lee managed perfectly fine with normal ones? It makes Shang Chi seem less competent. I like how sometimes Bruce Lee didn't even show up to a fight with them, but took them off someone else who tried to use it against him.

 

[BarryAllen]

Why does he need tech-based nunchakus when Bruce Lee managed perfectly fine with normal ones? It makes Shang Chi seem less competent. I like how sometimes Bruce Lee didn't even show up to a fight with them, but took them off someone else who tried to use it against him.

I agree with you for the most part. I'm not in the Shang-Chi powers camp, but if they wanted to add a little more visual effects flair to a comic book movie universe, tech based nunchakus or even tech based cloning powers wouldn't be so bad. But I'm in agreement that actual powers takes away from the spirit of the original character.

 

[Web-Head]

 

[Dark Raven]

I agree with you for the most part. I'm not in the Shang-Chi powers camp, but if they wanted to add a little more visual effects flair to a comic book movie universe, tech based nunchakus or even tech based cloning powers wouldn't be so bad. But I'm in agreement that actual powers takes away from the spirit of the original character.

The only nod to duplicates of Shang Chi I want to see is perhaps a homage to the Hall of Mirrors fight in Enter the Dragon.

 

[metaphysician]

I first saw Mr. Chi in Marvel Two in One, in which he flipped the frikkin' Thing. That's not the ability of a peak human.

. . . yes? I well know this already. That's why I'm boggling at people suggesting he should merely be normal human levels of capability. In the comics, he never really was, he's always been the guy using wuxia martial arts to take on superhuman foes.

 

[Rice Eater]

Personally I don't like the idea of him being able to create clones. But using his chi as a super power of sorts to give him temporary speed and strength boost as suggested by Dark Raven is something I'd like to see

 

[Dark Raven]

Personally I don't like the idea of him being able to create clones. But using his chi as a super power of sorts to give him temporary speed and strength boost as suggested by Dark Raven is something I'd like to see

I find that it's like Captain America also having the power of invisibility or Black Panther also being able to turn into fire. It's like a completely different power altogether that doesn't fit with their core power set.

Shang Chi is the Master of Kung Fu, not the Multiple Man. Just like T'Challa isn't the Human Black Panther Torch.

If Shang Chi can create clones of himself all the time, why does he ever need to fight off an army by himself like Bruce Lee did on his own? And then it just becomes like one team against another team.

 

[Zarex]

. . . yes? I well know this already. That's why I'm boggling at people suggesting he should merely be normal human levels of capability. In the comics, he never really was, he's always been the guy using wuxia martial arts to take on superhuman foes.

I was supporting your point with visual evidence from the comics. It was for those who don't well know this already. I'm not certain where your confusion is coming from.

 

[Temur]

His name is "chi" and he's fighting a villain with chi powers. He should have chi powers himself.

Otherwise even without the rings it's a short fight. Shang punches Mandarin and breaks his own fist. The Mandarin karate-chops Shang and reduces him to chunky salsa in one hit. That's not a movie, that's the scene where the girlfriend dies in "The Boys".

 

[WBwins]

I’m mixed on Cloning powers for Shangchi as I can see the Pluses and Minuses of it.

That being said it looks cool in this video below