Shang-Chi: 21 WTF Moments
8. "Aunt" Ying Nan Is Actually Just That
Shortly after arriving in Ta Lo, the team are introduced to Ying Nan (Michelle Yeoh), Shang-Chi and Xialing's aunt.
It's a great part for a seasoned, badass actress like Yeoh, though audiences would be forgiven for anticipating a twist where Yeoh actually turns out to be playing their mother-in-hiding somehow. It is Disney after all, right?
But alas, in a welcome subversion of expectations, Yeoh is genuinely playing their extremely cool aunt, and Shang-Chi and Xialing's mother is legit dead for good, as a flashback later reveals.
Considering how eye-rollingly obvious a reveal it would've been, it's neat that the movie doesn't bend over backwards to contrive an emotional reunion between parent and children.