The Origin and History of the Mandarin and the Ten Rings

On this week's episode of History of the Marvel Universe, we're looking at the origin and History of Iron Man's nemesis, the Mandarin!
Sources:
Tales of Suspense 039 (1963)
Tales of Suspense 050 (1964)
Tales of Suspense 054-055 (1964)
Tales of Suspense 061-062 (1965)
Tales to Astonish 066 (1965)
Avengers 020 (1965)
Fantastic Four Annual 003 (1965)
Tales of Suspense 076-078 (1966)
Avengers Annual 001 (1967)
Incredible Hulk 107-108 (1968)
Iron Man 009-011 (1969)
Incredible Hulk 114 (1969)
Captain America 125 (1970)
Amazing Adventures 002-003 (1970)
Iron Man 057-058 (1973)
Iron Man 068-070 (1974)
Iron Man 098-100 (1977)
Iron Man Annual 005 (1982)
Iron Man 180-181 (1984)
Iron Man 241-242 (1989)
Uncanny X-Men 256 (1989)
Avengers 311-312 (1989-1990)
Iron Man 260-275 (1990-1991)
Iron Man 307-308 (1994)
Marvel Comics Presents 169-170 (1994)
Iron Man 312 (1995)
Cable 033 (1996)
Iron Man 009-010 (1998)
Iron Man 054 (2002)
Wonder Man 001-003 (2007)
Iron Man: Director of SHIELD 015 (2007)
Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin 001-006 (2007-2008)
Iron Man: Director of SHIELD 021-028 (2008)
Invincible Iron Man Annual 001 (2010)
Invincible Iron Man 025 (2010)
Invincible Iron Man 033 (2011)
Invincible Iron Man 512 (2012)
Invincible Iron Man 522 (2012)
Invincible Iron Man 526 (2012)
Iron Man 023-028 (2014)
Punisher 001 (2018)
Additional information from the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.
Twitch:
/ merrymarvelite
Discord:
/ discord
Patreon:
/ merrymarvelite
Twitter:
/ merrymarvelite
Instagram:
/ merrymarvelite
Tumblr:
/ merrymarvelite
Music:
"Twisted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
#Marvel #IronMan #Mandarin

[@MerryMarvelite]

Hey, heroes! Thanks for watching another video and welcome to a new month! The list of Patreon supporters has been updated, so let me give a special thank you to JT H, Magnús Ingi, Vento, Jurassic Jacob, Gilles B, Miss Oblivion, Vincent Aaron Stauffer, Chill Rhino, Eric Martinez, Steph G, Gary Pryor, Kevin Villarta, Just Another Monday, and Puka04! In case you missed it, I also stream on the weekends! This weekend on Saturday I'll be playing Metroid: Fusion and on Sunday I'm playing Pokémon Red & Blue simultaneously. You can join me at 2:30 Eastern Time over on www.twitch.tv/merrymarvelite Until next time, true believers... Excelsior!

[@jalenikezeue4114]

Seriously I am So Happy that The Mandarin Is finally gonna Be on The Big Screen Are you also Happy

[@johnnygyro2295]

I think I prefer the Armored Adventures versions. Gene Khan resembled Temugin, wanting to conquer the world because he thought it would be more peaceful under one rule. Meanwhile his step father, Zhang, was a pretender who just wanted to use the rings as a crime boss/warlord like the classic Mandarin. Edit: Not sure if you've done videos on them yet, but here are some I would like to see: Squirrel Girl, the High Evolutionary, Thunderbolt Ross/Red Hulk, Arnim Zola and Chthon. Edit 2: Finished watching your High Evolutionary two parter and, holy shit, it was quite the saga.

[@ramn5143]

MANDARIN 💥

[@scottdoesntmatter4409]

By the way, being a descendant of Genghis Khan is no big deal. He had hundreds of children, no joke. Practically all of Asia is descended from him.

[@worstspytf2824]

So his "origin" is literally just "You want to know how I got these scars? but slightly more grandiose?

[@Wolf-bz6kq]

He sounded like a better villain then what we got in iron man 3

[@ArcTrooperRod-269]

ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX & INTERESTING VILLAINS IN ALL FICTION

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

My problem with Mandarin has been that he is a character both stuck in 60s style plots and constantly getting visual revamps. Also, his adaptations are all over the place in terms of consistent presentation. But when he faces off against Iron Man (about twice a decade) it is HUGE! While other heroes win the day from the villain, Iron Man barely survives the day against the Mandarin. Finally, does anyone else think the explanation for his name in the Shang Chi film was bollocks? Mandarins were officials in any of the nine top grades of the former imperial Chinese civil service. They created the Mandarin dialect to facilitate communication. But audiences will just walk out of the theater thinking otherwise.

[@mcpics4448]

I think his name make sense once you related it to his villain name the mandarin because it actually translated to that if you break it down

[@Dragonflyjones67]

I was found the Mandarin to be the fascinating supervillain ever. Even Dr Doom wants his autograph.

[@victorvondoom6176]

I agree

[@matthiascerebri3315]

Not after Iron Man 3, though

[@dark_nightwing_xl2797]

Armored adventures

[@dark_nightwing_xl2797]

@@matthiascerebri3315armored adventures had the best mandarine

[@trexadvent4726]

It's about time you did the History of the Mandarin. I was a kid when I saw the Mandarin for the first time in the Iron Man Armored Adventures series

[@dark_nightwing_xl2797]

Bruh the best marvel tv show

[@judynblackwell]

Love these. They are so addicting. You speak at such a nice pace and explain every thing so clearly!

[@vincentfranklin17]

No matter if his origin is made up, Mandarin is most interesting!

[@jalenikezeue4114]

I prefer The Mandarin's Original Origin Becase It's Full of Imagination 👍🏽⭐👍🏽

[@HarosGaming]

he is 1000 year old so how he born in the 90s

[@quentinfogger5755]

Can you do history of the U-Foes, the Squadron Supreme, Young Avengers, Dark Avengers, Masters of Evil, the Thunderbolts and the Illuminati?

[@jalenikezeue4114]

Oh Yeah Thunderbolts definitely

[@johnnygyro2295]

The U-Foes would be cool to see.

[@zacqwan3525]

Midnight sons and big hero 6 too

[@astrostar49]

This video was dope. Very informative. Thank you for doing this.

[@GuyWebz]

I’ve been waiting to see this, THANK YOU!!!!

[@gr8tbigtreehugger]

Thanks for this great in-depth video!

[@skeletontoes7692]

Awesome 1st time I've been around for a premiere.

[@doublerr2.059]

Love it Can’t wait for the next Video 🔥🔥

[@quentinfogger5755]

What would have happened if we saw Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark Iron Man fighting against Tony Leung as the real Mandarin in the MCU and who would win between them?

[@johnpittsii7524]

Thanks for the info as always 👍. Much ❤ as always 😊

[@adrianisokay]

Awesome, these videos are awesome

[@ericw8478]

Not every character needs to have a totally detailed/revealed origin, particularly villains. Some can just remain mysterious.

[@jendersonmohammed443]

My favourite Iron Man villain EVER!

[@matthewschwartz6607]

I LOVE all of these origin stories! Can you do one on the villain The Master Of The World (Who has something of a similar origin to The Mandarin.)?

[@goncalofernandes1432]

I love the Mandarin so much

[@TheTiger2311]

Good cover of the Mandarin.

[@keithdrummond1003]

How convoluted 😊

[@Firemac]

this man can't stay dead

[@CuddyMac]

Do The Punisher. Appreciate the content.

[@majinsole8554]

Really enjoy these. ~_~

[@davidwelch2791]

6:27 Reminds me of the "engineer pilot" from the flick Alien. It looks like a skeletal remains of a xenomorph or a brood. Be safe and be 😎

[@latintiger]

please do Sunfire

[@ArcTrooperRod-269]

I honestly Found Mandarin's morality Agenda pretty intriguing *like, despite his drastic & brutal methods, he GENUINALLY THINKS he's the good guy of a story Told wrong*

[@trexadvent4726]

What was up with the Mandarin being the main villain of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings just like Ghost was the main villain of Ant-Man and the Wasp, did Tony Leung nail it in playing the real Mandarin in the MCU? Which other Marvel Superheroes do you think we will see fighting against Iron Man villains instead of Iron Man himself?

[@quentinfogger5755]

Apart from the Ten Rings, what do you think makes the Mandarin the best villain for Iron Man? What would happen if he fought against Technovore? Can you do history of Technovore?

[@MarsM13]

The Iron Man and The Mandarin’s life-stories parallel each other, except the Mandarin’s is much more evil at every level. Both Iron Man and Mandarin began as aristocrats. Iron Man was raised by parents who were cold and concerned with hardening him up and making him a real man. The Mandarin was raised by an aunt who hated him, and raised him to be an evil super-soldier, obsessed with war and science and martial arts and political deviousness. He was raised to be the harshest possible version of what a “real man” is. Iron Man squandered some of his fortune on wasteful, hedonistic things, but ultimately was responsible enough to keep his company afloat and keep the people under him employed and prosperous. The Mandarin squandered every bit of wealth he inherited, bankrupting his estate to transform himself into a super-soldier. His estate became so bankrupt he couldn’t even afford to pay property taxes. As a result, the lives of everyone who depended on his estate was ruined. Out of a desire to protect American soldiers with the best equipment and keep his company alive, Iron Man de facto supported American actions that were at least semi-colonial. It’s a stain on his conscience that he works every day to rectify. The Mandarin explored new lands, discovered alien resources, and outright conquered, colonized, enslaved the native villages there so he could exploit the resources there, i.e. the alien technology and rings. He was pretty much colonialism-incarnate. He remains a proud conqueror and exploiter to this day. In short, the Mandarin is an exaggeration of Stark’s worst traits.

[@andreedwards3916]

Can you do Iceman, please?

[@quentinfogger5755]

Can you do history of the Beyonder, Crossfire, Living Laser, Iron Monger, Titanium Man, Crimson Dynamo, Whiplash, Ultimo, Darkhawk, Union Jack, Annihilus, the Badoon and the Broods?

[@pike100]

Is that all? ;)

[@matthiascerebri3315]

Or also Living Laser, Modok, Count Nefaria, Radioactive Man and Fin Fang Foom

[@R4MM57EIN]

1:42 hard as iron

[@edwardstewart6372]

The origin of Hardcore from the 90's Cage comic book.

[@trexadvent4726]

What do you think Iron Man 3 would have been like if we saw the real Mandarin in that movie? That was really shocking to see the Mandarin being a fake in that movie.

[@pike100]

I HATED the Iron Man film in which the Mandarin was a phony who was just being portrayed by an actor (within the movie).

[@zacqwan3525]

Can you do the origin of big hero 6 and midnight sons

[@twtninjayaungwarrior2127]

Can you do rom the spaceknight origin video

[@trexadvent4726]

Who do you think would win between Thanos and the Mandarin? Thanos has the Infinity Stones and the Mandarin has the Ten Rings

[@tommymccown8727]

I was thinking about the same thing!!!? Which rings are more powerful!? And then can't they even have bracelets or necklaces with a hell of a powerful Go Go Gadget type of thing!? Lol

[@shawnsouth327]

Bro are you serious? just because the items of power they use are similar doesn’t mean they have similar power levels The mandarin is regularly handled by iron man and Thanos without the gauntlet has gone toe with Tyrant a near equal to galactus, Fought on par with Odin, and humiliated the hulk

[@pike100]

Thanos would mop the floor with the Mandarin.

[@dragonballtalk8527]

Do strife and Sphinx marvel characters long video

[@kingbeef66]

The MCU really dropped the ball on the Mandarin. The Earth-616 version would’ve made a better MCU version of the Mandarin.

[@shadowbane7401]

are you actually dumb?

[@quentinfogger5755]

Which Iron Man cartoon do you think did a great job in portraying the Mandarin between the 90's Iron Man show and the Iron Man Armored Adventures series?

[@thadevilzadvocate]

90s ironman. Just didn't like Mandy's outfit. Didn't seem to fit him.

[@dark_nightwing_xl2797]

Armored adventures there is no debate

[@dark_nightwing_xl2797]

@@thadevilzadvocateyou’re delusional armored adventure, had the best mandarine

[@ramn5143]

MANDARIN 💥

[@caesardragin2063]

Are you going add shang chi next?

[@caesardragin2063]

Can you talk about the midnight sons? Please

[@jeromewhite2360]

I miss this character aside from himself being killed.

[@quentinfogger5755]

Which one of the Ten Rings of the Mandarin is the most powerful and we wish to have in real life? Why were the Ten Rings happen to be bracelets in the MCU?

[@pike100]

I hated that the rings were ret-conned into bracelets in the Shang Chi movie; that was stupid.

[@MyDamonBlack]

I would love to see X-Man Nate Grey, Mr.Sinister Nathaniel Essex

[@MichaelKurse]

Fin Fang Foom! Dragon of Doom.

[@MyDamonBlack]

Please do the origin of the shi'ar empire

[@rockmanmix6242]

Oh can you do Vulcan or the shi ar empire?

[@OfficialTruDru]

See my Power!!

[@lacintag5482]

Finding magical rings in a crashed spaceship? Is this a Green Lantern thing?

[@starkodinson9757]

Can you do a video on Knull

[@CapedCrusader007]

So the Mandarin is Marvel's version of DC's Joker. No one knows where he came from but he is here to cause chaos.

[@trainerredcharizard7982]

Ok now i know The history..i always thought The Mandarin to Be ra's Al ghul/vandal Savage of Marvel

[@devonjohnson3549]

Can you do William Baker AKA Sandman Oh Curt Connors the lizard can Hobie Brown the prowler

[@trexadvent4726]

Don't forget about Spider-Man villains like Kraven the Hunter, Tinkerer, Chameleon, Spider Slayers, Hydro Man, Molen Man, Cyclone, Spot, Big Wheel and Rocket Racer?

[@ellisfurr7406]

his story sounds like jokers multi choice

[@trexadvent4726]

Can you do origin of Wonder Man, the Grim Reaper, Molecule Man, Sentry, Mr Immortal, Captain Universe, Dreadknight, Hypnotia, Blizzard, Starhawk, Flerken, Whirlwind, Chemistro, Whiplash, Ronan the Accuser, Ego the Living Planet, the Living Tribunal and Super_Skrull along with Avenger-X and the Protector?

[@pike100]

Wonder Man's story would be interesting.

[@quentinfogger5755]

Are you going to do history of Xialing, Razor Fist and Death Dealer in your next video?

[@SunBearerofEl]

It’s only the punisher, always the punisher.

[@munoken]

Yeah Marvel Studios messed up another villain.

[@pcpt]

by making him not racist?

[@pike100]

​@pcpt Don't be ridiculous. MCU messed up because their Mandarin didn't have 10 rings (worn on the villain's fingers) with 10 different cool powers.

[@kingbeef66]

@@pcpt Bullcrap. They completely bastardized the character and concept, and they just hide behind political correctness because they couldn’t handle the fantastical elements of him and the mere fact that he’s an Asian/Chinese villain despite us having Asian/Chinese villains before. You assume we want the Mandarin to have buck teeth, and say chin chang chong all the time like an exaggerated stereotype joke you see in Family Guy or South Park.

[@thetoyranter8409]

This is the Mandarin they should have made!! The one they made in the shangi chi movie was dum

[@onyx081]

*dumb

[@pcpt]

no the shang chi one didn’t have chinese stereotypes

[@thetoyranter8409]

@@pcpt Like I fuckin said! The movie sucked ass! Give The fans our real Mandarin

[@LuisFelipe-cz7uw]

@@thetoyranter8409 yes

[@pike100]

​@@pcpt They could have eliminated the stereotypes, but still have shown the Mandarin as having 10 power rings worn on his fingers. The bracelets were stupid!

[@philipdunwody3909]

interaction

[@cecollins68]

Yo imagine being a regular person in the marvel universe just trying to live life but having to deal with all of these individuals in colorful ass spandex, battling and blowing shit up every FUCKING DAY!! every day you wake up wondering if today's the day your apartment or workplace gets hit by a death ray or a hero gets thrown thrown into the train or highway you use to get home 😐😐

[@oh.boy.cheese.e54]

Imagine being the janitor

[@toric6005]

Lol don’t sound so dubious on the Mandarin’s dad about being a descendant of Ganges Khan. Apparently a full 1% of the population of the world is.

[@pike100]

LOL!

[@tommymccown8727]

The subtle Atrs of villainy!!?? Sounds like he studied under my wife's The club of evil!!?? Lola

[@alexkotsch3230]

Could you do the history of Ezekiel Stane? He's the son of Obadiah Stane or the Iron Monger. I know it's a little hard to know which story is understandable about him, all I know is that there is one version of him that is white and has blonde or brown hair and the other version of him is african and bald and maybe burned on the right side of his face like Raza. But still do you think you can tell us that history?

[@tommymccown8727]

Id could swear that the writer's of these comics were higher than grocery prices!!?? Lol !!!!!? Because most of the names of things are really out of space thinking!!?? Lol

[@juanbisonosuero3650]

Wait the mandarin game mind control people that are wearing his rings😂 I can’t wait for for this payoff in the most recent issues of Iron Man🎉

[@tommymccown8727]

Ehy would he ever mess with the Inhumans!?? Their pretty bad ass!!!!! Lol 😆

[@MerryMarvelite]

The Mandarin is tough but Black Bolt is someone you do not want to fight.

[@drivebye2709]

1:33 Iron Wiener

[@robertleewilliamsjr.]

The origin of the Mandarin that I heard was an archeologist named Michael Brock, who discovered the ten power gems that were being guarded by Fimm, Famm, Fumm, which transformed him into The Mandarin and he embedded the gems into the ten rings that belonged to his late wife.

[@dregoezable]

The mcu mandarin In the movie Shang chi is so weak

[@pcpt]

they should have made him more powerful and actually have given him rings instead of bracelets. i’m glad they got rid of the stereotypes though

[@pike100]

​@@pcpt I am with you completely on this comment. 😊

[@occamsrazor4370]

That’s not Mandarin, where are his bracelets?

[@LuisFelipe-cz7uw]

Esse e o verdadeiro.

[@pike100]

I hope you're kidding with the "where are his bracelets?" comment.

[@kingbeef66]

@@pike100 I hope he’s kidding too. The bracelets were lame and a bastardization of the original ten rings.

[@KingNazaru]

And the MCU ruined him twice.

[@raypaz2947]

Seriously he used to be Iron Man’s archenemy

[@jonathannkalpha7606]

The one in Ironman 3 was bad Shang Chi Mandarin was actually good

[@KingNazaru]

@@jonathannkalpha7606 Neither were good. Neither were the real Mandarin.

[@jonathannkalpha7606]

@@KingNazaru Shang Chi one was good but i agree on you when you said neither of them are mandarin

[@KingNazaru]

@@jonathannkalpha7606 Shang Chi didn’t do a good adaptation of the Mandarin. And it was mediocre movie that barely scraped a profit. Just another disappointment from modern MCU.

[@michaelm9211]

I think I like the movie version better.

[@darkservantofheaven]

Same

[@trexadvent4726]

Can you do origin of the Brood, the Gladiator, Hyperion, Blue_Marvel, Alistair Smythe the Ultimate Spider Slayer, Loxias_Crown AKA Hunger, Quasar, Squirrel_Girl, Kang the Conqueror, Annihilus and Tryco Slatterus the Champion of the Universe?

[@Collector261]

THIS is the bad guy that SHOULD had been in the IRON MAN 3 movie. The true Mandarin . The one with the 10 rings.

[@pcpt]

yes they should of given him the rings. it was bad how they got a white guy to pretend to be chinese even for the plot. if they were to have the white guy play an actual villain then that would of been messed up