15 Ways The MCU Improved Marvel Mythology

At the time, the big Mandarin fake out in Iron Man 3 divided fans. The Mandarin had long been one of Iron Man's most prominent villains in the comics, but had also been a very problematic Asian stereotype. So the reveal that Ben Kingsley's version of the character was actually a propaganda mouthpiece for AIM incensed die-hard fans of the comics who had been anticipating a perfect adaptation delivered by a venerated actor and relieved fans who were concerned about seeing a racist caricature on screen.

But time has been kind to this creative decision and most of the fandom has gotten behind Kingsley's washed up English actor Trevor Slattery, helped in no small part by the hilarious reveal which definitely softened the blow. It was also helped by the one-shot All Hail the King, which revealed that there is in fact a "real" Mandarin hiding in the MCU somewhere and is expected to appear in the Phase 4 Shang-Chi movie.

And while he may present a problem in that film, it was definitely a good idea to skip over him for Iron Man 3. It avoided a bigger controversy, got one of the biggest laughs the MCU ever delivered, and the one-shot hinted that Trevor Slattery might make a reappearance.