Does The 'Wonder Man' Ending Set Up A 'Shang-Chi' Sequel?

WARNING! SPOILERS for Wonder Man.

Wonder Man, the MCU's latest TV series, has proven a hit with audiences. The series follows the growing friendship between struggling actors Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery as they vie for roles in famous Director Von Kovak's Wonder Man movie. Meanwhile, Trevor is reluctantly working undercover for the Department of Damage Control, gathering information on the secretly superpowered Simon.

Wonder Man was released under the 'Marvel Spotlight' banner, usually intended for smaller, character-driven stories within the MCU, but not as strongly tied to the current overall arc or saga. However, these stories are not entirely unrelated to the wider world, with some fans now believing that Wonder Man's ending could be setting up a plot for the eagerly awaited Shang-Chi sequel.. and it's all to do with Trevor Slattery.

Let's take a look at Trevor's history in the MCU so far, and how events in his latest appearance could hint at the future.

Becoming The Mandarin

Trevor Slattery was first introduced back in Iron Man 3. Initially, he appeared to be a terrorist known as The Mandarin, working under the symbol of the Ten Rings. The Mandarin was supposedly responsible for a series of terrorist attacks, including an attack on Tony Stark's home, in the aftermath of which Tony was briefly Missing, Feared Dead.

Later in the film, Tony discovers that Aldrich Killian is the true mastermind behind the attacks. He had hired Trevor, an addict, to play the Mandarin in propaganda videos, supplying him with drugs and alcohol as payment.

Trevor, in his drug-addled state, never realised the attacks were real, genuinely believing The Mandarin was just a character in a movie.

Held Hostage by The Ten Rings

Following Iron Man 3, Trevor is imprisoned for his role in the Mandarin saga. Surprisingly, he enjoys his time behind bars, as his celebrity status earns him protection from other prisoners. However, at the end of the Marvel One-Shot short All Hail The King, Trevor is abducted from prison by agents of Wenwu, the leader of the real Ten Rings criminal organisation, for misappropriating his symbol and impersonating him.

At the time, most assumed that the Trevor character had simply been killed after his kidnapping. Therefore, it came as a surprise when Trevor reappeared nearly seven years later in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Wenwu's estranged children, Shang-Chi and Xialing, along with Shang-Chi's friend Katy, unexpectedly encounter Trevor while locked up within Wenwu's base.

Trevor explains that Wenwu initially planned to execute him, but when his Shakespeare monologues proved entertaining, decided to simply keep him prisoner, employing him as a Jester. During his time in captivity, Trevor managed to achieve sobriety, and befriend Morris, a strange little creature native to Ta Lo. Trevor's friendship with Morris proves a vital plot point, as after escaping Wenwu, Trevor and Morris are able to guide the group safely to Ta Lo. He later joins the battle to save Ta Lo from the Dweller-In-Darkness.

Undercover for Damage Control, Return of The Mandarin

In Wonder Man, set sometime after the events of Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings, Trevor Slattery returns to the U.S hoping to resume an acting career, only to be immediately arrested for having failed to complete his prison sentence. He is placed in the custody of Agent P. Cleary of Damage Control, making a deal to gather intel on Simon Williams, a potentially superpowered person of interest, in exchange for not returning to Prison.

Trevor's mission becomes complicated when he forms a genuine friendship with Simon, a fellow struggling actor. The situation comes to a head when, after both Simon and Trevor have won coveted roles in Von Kovak's Wonder Man, Simon discovers Trevor's deal with Damage Control. Upset at the betrayal, Simon unintentionally blows up a part of the set

Eager to fix things with his friend, Trevor re-assumes The Mandarin persona and takes credit for the explosion, after which he is arrested and locked in Damage Control's high security prison. The series ends with Simon, now embracing his powers, breaking Trevor out.

How could this lead to a 'Shang-Chi' sequel?

Had Trevor only used The Mandarin character again, we may not have a problem. The problem is that, once again (although for the first time fully acting of his own accord), Trevor commandeers the symbol of The Ten Rings.

At the end of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Shang-Chi believes that Xialing has travelled home to shut down Wenwu's Ten Rings operations. Instead, as revealed in the film's post-credits scene, she instead takes over the organisation herself. Trevor's misuse of the symbol may adversely affect whatever Xialing wants to turn the organisation into, or draw unwanted attention. It could also alert Shang-Chi to the Ten Rings organisation's continued existence, and his sister's deception, potentially providing story content for a Shang-Chi sequel.

It wouldn't be beyond the realm of possibility for Simon and Trevor to become involved in said sequel. Trevor has already become an unlikely fan favourite, and in the comics, Wonder Man is often a supporting player in others' titles rather than the headliner. A supporting role in another character's sequel could prove fitting for Simon's next onscreen appearance.

Wonder Man has been a wonderful surprise for fans, and wherever the characters show up next, we'll be excited for more.