Shang-Chi: 8 Characters Who Should Appear
2. War Machine
With Tony Stark no longer in the picture, there aren't really any pre-existing characters with ties to the Ten Rings in the franchise except for his best friend, James "War Machine" Rhodes. The organization kidnapped and tortured his best friend, and - even though it was part of Killian's ruse - kidnapped President Ellis and caused a whole lot of problems in Iron Man 3.
If anyone we know to date in the MCU would be first in line to combat the organization, it'd be Rhodey. Now, Rhodey's inclusion in this list is not to imply that Shang-Chi's big debut should be reduced to a buddy film between the two characters, but - of all the Avengers we've met over the years who are still alive and kicking - Rhodey would really be the best option for a cameo or supporting role.
Aside from giving Shang-Chi an "in" with the Avengers, similar to the Falcon's brief role in the original Ant-Man, Rhodey's presence would also establish what the future holds for the character. Every single Avenger save Bruce Banner has a confirmed film or television project in the works that they're headlining or a part of, but Rhodey's seemingly been left out in the cold. What better way for War Machine to be involved than helping new blood fight the very organization he has every reason to want to see destroyed?