‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings’: Who or What Is the Beacon Calling?

As much as the ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings’ movie was entertaining and a fine refreshment in the overall MCU, some questions remained unanswered, so we are here today to unravel them. Many fans wondered who or what the beacon is calling at the movie’s end, and we bring you our theory and answer to that question.

The beacon introduced in the ‘Shang-Chi’ movie’s mid-credit scene most likely called the Makluans, a dragon-like alien species whose technology was used to create the Ten Rings in the first place. One of the most prominent Makluan characters in Marvel Comics is Fin Fang Foom, and it is not unlikely that he will appear as the next villain Shang-Chi will have to face.

Now that you know our theory regarding the mysterious beacon, feel free to keep reading to find out everything about it in more detail and explanation.

The beacon is most likely connected to The Great Protector’s and/or Dweller-in-Darkness’s species

From the moment Wenwu discovered the ancient and mystical village of Ta Lo, we expected that everything would eventually unfold there. However, the main problem was that the village was hidden and difficult to enter. Wenwu witnessed that when he came to the entrance to the village. There was a beautiful gatekeeper with exceptional martial arts skills forbidding him to go any further.

That brave warrior was Ying Li, who would later become Wenwu’s wife. Wenwu, also known as Mandarin, obtained the Ten Rings thousands of years ago, granting him the power of gods and eternal life. Of course, how he used the power of the Ten Rings was not nearly worthy of living in a sacred place like Ta Lo, so he and Ying Li had no choice but to find their home elsewhere.

So, Ying Li left her home behind her, but that also meant leaving the powers granted to her by the Great Protector. She was happy, nevertheless, as she and Wenwu created a family and had a son Shang-Chi and a daughter Xialing. Ying Li often told the story of Ta Lo to her children and described it as a village in another dimension full of magical creatures, and it was later revealed that the village is far more than that.

It’s worth mentioning that Ying Li was not the only one that sacrificed something, as Wenwu took the Ten Rings off and was ready to live a mortal life with his family. Of course, that also left his family vulnerable and without adequate protection. Years later, Wenvu’s sins from the past come to collect their debt, and Ying-Li is killed in the process.

The tragedy destroyed their family, and Wenwu decided to put the Rings in his arms again and never take them off again. Wenwu was seeking ways to connect with Ying Li again, so he started researching the legend of Ta Lo profoundly.

That’s when he heard the voice of Ying Li calling him to rescue her. However, it was never Ying Li calling him, but the Dweller-in-Darkness lured him to use the Ten Rings to free him and his army of Soul Eaters.

Ta Lo is more than just an ancient and mythical village

Wenwu’s mission eventually led everyone to Ta Lo. Shang-Chi, Xialing, and Katy first arrived and learned from Ying Li’s sister, Nan, the complete legend of Ta Lo and what that place actually was. Nan explained to them that Ta Lo is far more than just a small mystical village. It is actually a dimension in the Multiverse with great cities and culture.

Thousands of years ago, Dweller-in-Darkness attacked with his army of Soul Eaters. They decimated Ta Lo’s largest cities and were headed to the Earth’s universe to do the same. Only with the help of The Great Protector, a mystical dragon, Ta Lo’s warriors manage to trap the Dweller and his army behind the Dark Gates.

Over the centuries, many have tried and failed to free the Dweller-in-Darkness, and now the Soul Eaters sensed that the Ten Rings have the power to break them free, so they lured Wenwu to Ta Lo as well.

Shang-Chi knew he needed to stop his father from opening the Dark Gates, and he confronted him in a grand battle. Eventually, Dweller-in-Darkness was freed, and he took Wenwu’s soul. Seconds before that, Wenwu passed the Ten Rings to Shang-Chi, and he used them to help destroy the Dwellers and his army.

Everything that happened at Ta Lo drew the attention of Kamar-Taj, especially when Shang-Chi used the Rings for the first time. So, let’s see what was all that about.

What does the beacon at the end of Shang-Chi movie mean?

After the threat in Ta Lo was eliminated, Wong summoned Shang-Chi and Katy to Kamar-Taj so they could provide some answers regarding the Ten Rings. Back in Kamar-Taj, Bruce Banner and Captain Marvel were also present as holograms.

They knew almost nothing about the Ten Rings, and their origin was unknown. All they knew was that the Rings were far older than thousands of years, and when Shang-Chi used them for the first time, a beacon inside the Rings awoke and started to send a message. And since the movie never explained what kind of message it sends and where, here is the most popular theory.

The most popular theory, and the one I believe to be true, is that the beacon is calling the Makluans, Fing Fang Foom, to be exact. Fing Fang Foom is a shape-shifting alien resembling a dragon in the comics. If we follow this theory, the Ten Rings were created from Makluan technology and brought to Earth by Fing Fang Foom, and there is a reason why the beacon awoke when Shang-Chi used the Rings and not before.

We can see in the movies that the Ten Rings change their color to orange only in the presence of Ying Li and Shang-Chi. And what do they have in common? They both possess the magical power of the Great Protector, who is also most likely Makluan. So, it seems like everything is connected, and it will be interesting to see how will future Marvel projects explain all of these.

What do you think about this theory? Share your thoughts in the comments below!