Shang-Chi, the newest MCU star, has just recruited another ally to his cause who may already be pulled in another direction.
WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Shang-Chi #3, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
Shang-Chi has only just begun coming to terms with what it means to have inherited his father’s dark legacy in the Five Weapons Society, and already he is playing a dangerous game of tug-o-war over the fate of yet another long-lost sibling. Beyond his half-siblings Esme and Takeshi who have stood by his side during his time as Supreme Commander, the enigmatic Zhilan has just made her own miraculous introduction. While Shang-Chi is ready to bring her back into the family she was so brutally exiled from, other forces are also making their move to secure her allegiance, and they aren’t all as benevolent as Shang-Chi and his allies.
As soon as footage of Zhilan in action defending tourists from a massive lake monster surfaced, it came to the attention of the Five Weapons Society. Takeshi immediately recognized the sister he had been order to kill by their father so many years ago, all for Zhilan’s personally held heroic beliefs which ran afoul of the family standard. Now that those same aspirations are held by the Supreme Commander, Shang-Chi decides it is time to bring his other long-lost sibling home again in Gene Luen Yang, Dike Ruan, Truina Tree Farrell and Travis Lanham’s Shang-Chi #3.
Unfortunately, Zhilan is hesitant to hear him out upon their arrival, and the simple meeting escalates into an all-out confrontation. The group soon find another key player involved in the brawl when Wolverine makes an appearance, revealing that Zhilan is a mutant. As such, there is a place for her on Krakoa. This would seem like the perfect escape, considering the local protesters that have invaded her once secret dwelling place and the unsteady offer to rejoin her family. In a stunning turn, Zhilan decides to return with Shang-Chi and try to find her place in a better Five Weapons Society than the one she was ousted from so long ago.
Shang-Chi’s other siblings are already apprehensive about Zhilan’s return, with Takeshi in particular voicing concerns about her not having been properly vetted before being allowed in. The Supreme Commander is sure that he has done the right thing, though, and his advisor Mister Ling’s reminder that Zheng Zu likely feared Zhilan’s power helps to reinforce that notion.
While not everyone is happy about the arrangement, Shang-Chi’s inner circle is willing to accept his decision, at least openly. However, in the dead of the night, Zhilan is approached by an ominous figure with an offer that would see her burn everything around her to the ground.
Shang-Chi’s other villains have already been given much the same opportunity to bring him to his knees by someone who is presumably this same mysterious figure, and there is little doubt that the threat they pose is severe even without knowing precisely what exactly that threat may be. Should Shang-Chi discover that his other half-sister has turned against him, he might not have any family left on his side considering the already shaky ground he is on with the rest of the Five Weapons Society.
With any luck, Zhilan will prove herself to be the one person who is certain of her brother’s good intentions. If not, Shang-Chi will have yet another complicated family matter to deal with.
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