Eternals, Chloé Zhao’s sci-fi addition to the MCU, is a sprawling film. Despite its stylistic ostentatiousness and cosmic significance, it does not diminish the importance of the franchise. With a timeline spanning over 7000 years, the film could stand alone without reference to the rest of the MCU, but this is a superhero universe, and as such, it is inextricably linked. You’ve probably picked up on the allusions to Thanos and the Blip that I made. Did you notice that a crucial third-act weapon looked like something you’d seen before in the first two films? Is it possible that there’s a link to Shang-Chi here?
What is the meaning of the Ten Ring symbolism?
Wenwu’s legendary mythical weapons in Shang-Chi, wielded by him and his son in the MCU. For millennia, Wenwu has had them, but no one knows where they came from or how old they are. A different approach was taken by MCU compared to comic books, where the rings were actual objects. Bracelets can be found here. As Shang Chi, he had a martial arts background. This adds an intriguing potential connection to Eternals, as well.
Take a look at the post-credits scene from Shang-Chi, for example. Wong then presented Chang-Shi’s Ten Rings to the rest of the Avengers at that location. The artifacts were not recognized by anyone. No Wakandan or alien database recognized them as a match. Additionally, they were said to have been used to communicate with something or someone in the ether.
‘Eternals’ has Shang-Chi’s Ten Rings
There is a lot of leeways here. It is our belief, however, that Shang-Chi’s ten rings created by Phastos for the Eternals are connected to the Unimind. In some form or another. Several factors contribute to our conclusion, starting with their appearance. It is only after Phastos creates the bands that we can see the inner workings of the rings in all their glory and complexity. There are striking similarities to the final scene of Shang-Chi. Also, it seems unlikely that the introduction of magical bracelets for the Eternals, who number 10, and transforming Shang-Chi’s Ten Rings into unknown magical bracelets is a coincidence.
The Ten Rings were created by Phastos, the only MCU character capable of creating such a powerful set of artifacts. In Eternals, Phastos demonstrated that he could create anything he could imagine. He is responsible for the vast majority of the world’s most significant technological breakthroughs. Since the Eternals have been hidden in plain sight for 7000 years, this would explain why no one in the MCU has been able to place them. It’s only natural that the beacon, which was designed to link the Eternals, would seek out its rightful owner. Isn’t it possible that the beacon is searching for the heroes who wore them?
How did Xu Wenwu get Shang-Chi’s Ten Rings if Phastos made them now?
This is by far the most important query. However, there are a few simple solutions. One is that both the rings and the Unimind are creations of Phastos, who mentions this in passing. Wenwu’s discovery of the rings coincides with the 7000-year existence of the Eternals in their current form, suggesting that an earlier version of the rings existed at the same time. Having all ten rings would also explain why Phastos was making prototypes that included a ring for Ajak. Shang-Chi’s Ten Rings are equal to ten Eternals, so there are ten Rings in total. Wenwu may have come across Phastos or the rings some 1000 years ago when they were still in their infancy.
Kang the Conqueror, another of our favorites, is included in the other, more out there, option. If Kang had been around for millennia, he could have encountered the Eternals in the past or the future. It’s unclear how Wenwu acquired the Unimind-uniting rings 1000 years ago, if they’re the same as the ones made by Phastos in the film, though there may be a spare for Ajak to complete the set. What would happen if Kang ever encountered the Eternals? Then he ended up bringing them back to the future? He could have easily given them to Wenwu from there. Or for Wenwu to steal them and win the fight against the enemy. It would also explain why Kang’s display of the multiverse in Loki resembled the Ten Rings’ internal workings.
What would this Ten Rings origin mean for the MCU?
The Ten Rings’ origins are explained here. Shang-Chi’s connection to the Eternals would also be strengthened. Using the 10 alien weapons would indicate that Shang can wield the most power of any Earth hero in the MCU. We’d gain a closer relationship with the Eternals or Kang depending on how Wenwu obtained them. As of right now, we don’t know how the Eternals’ connection to the Rings will affect the wars to come, but it’s possible that it will. Particularly now that the Avengers have them in their possession. As a result, the Celestials may not be pleased to find an Eternal weapon in the hands of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes when they return to Earth to judge humanity.
