Warning! Spoilers ahead for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Somewhat surprisingly, Marvel Studios still approves of their Mandarin twist from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. While the MCU's latest film introduces the real Mandarin as the titular hero's father, the fake Mandarin is still featured in a role that goes beyond a simple cameo, proving Marvel's commitment to the hilarious character in the MCU. While Trevor's past Mandarin impersonation could have been referenced with a simple line of dialogue in the new film, Marvel chose to double down and do much more with Trevor (and it's actually quite impressive).
In Iron Man 3, the US was being plagued by Ben Kingsley's Mandarin, an international terrorist. However, once Tony Stark managed to track down the elusive villain, it was revealed that the Mandarin wasn't real and was simply a role played by the All Hail the King that there was indeed a real Mandarin who had led the organization known as the Ten Rings for generations.
While the real Mandarin (played by Tony Leung) and the Ten Rings are featured in Shang-Chi, Trevor is remarkably featured as well, having become the Mandarin's captive. Living in the Ten Ring's dungeons, Trevor was found by Shang-Chi and his allies and he actually ed them on their quest, helping them gain access to the mystical village known as Ta Lo and being a present member throughout the film's second and third acts. Because Trevor's role was surprisingly larger, it proves that Marvel Studios still stands by the choice made in Iron Man 3 to have Ben Kingsley be a fake Mandarin, a major twist that was very divisive amongst fans and critics alike.
Had Marvel wanted to walk back their decision with Ben Kingsley's character, they could have just left it with the real Mandarin's line of dialogue that referenced Trevor and what happened with AIM. However, they chose instead to feature Trevor himself in the film while giving him much more than a simple cameo. As such, he actually proved himself to be an invaluable and crucial part of the film's plot, a clear sign of Marvel's commitment to the one and only Trevor Slattery.
All in all, Trevor's inclusion in Shang-Chi is one of the most humorous parts of the entire film, and it's impressive that the studio essentially doubled down on a character who embodied one of the MCU's most polarizing elements of Iron Man 3. That being said, Trevor's significant inclusion in the face of the real Mandarin finally coming to the MCU is downright incredible, and it's a testament to Marvel's creativity, finding ways to give fans what they had been hoping for while also giving them far more than expected.
