The MCU Has Finally Redeemed A Controversial 13-Year-Old Twist

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Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery talking to Awkwafina as Katy in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Published Feb 6, 2026, 7:00 PM EST

Ross is a writer for screenrant. He always stays up to date on the latest movies, whether it's blockbusters or independent dramas. When not watching movies, he can be found at the beach or traveling to amusement parks to ride the best rollercoasters. He is a fan of Marvel, DC, Star Wars, John Wick, Game of Thrones, and anything Disney.

Marvel Studios' latest TV series, Wonder Man, has finally redeemed a divisive twist that surprised audiences 13 years ago. The MCU has featured many surprising plot twists, such as Michael Keaton's Vulture being Liz Allen's father in Spider-Man: Homecoming or the Winter Soldier killing Tony Stark's parents in Captain America: Civil War.

One shocking reveal that left audiences with mixed reactions was the Mandarin twist in 2013's Iron Man 3. The film built up Ben Kingsley's character as a sinister terrorist who was an intimidating threat for Iron Man. However, it was only a trick, as Kingsley was revealed to be Trevor Slattery, a British actor.

The real villain was Guy Pearce's Aldrich Killian, who hired Trevor to portray the Mandarin in various videos. The Mandarin did eventually appear in Shang-Chi, but some audiences felt let down by Iron Man 3's twist. However, Wonder Man has finally proven that this surprising choice was worth it.

Trevor Slattery's MCU Development Has Redeemed The Iron Man 3 Twist

Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery in Wonder Man

The Mandarin is one of Iron Man's most notorious villains in Marvel Comics, which is why his Iron Man 3 role was anticipated by many comic book readers. While the Trevor twist is a hilarious scene, it's understandable why some audiences were disappointed in how the film treated the Mandarin.

Even Aldrich Killian wasn't a completely satisfying replacement for Kingsley's initial portrayal of the character. Fortunately, The Mandarin, a.k.a. Xu Wenwu, in Shang-Chi, is one of the MCU's most compelling villains and delivered a captivating version of the character, even if it made some changes from the comics.

The Iron Man 3 twist also introduced Trevor into the MCU, and Marvel Studios has given him a fascinating journey. The character mainly started as comic relief, a bumbling, goofy actor who took the Mandarin gig as a way to make easy money.

He returned in Shang-Chi, revealing that Wenwu's crew broke him out of prison with intentions to kill him, but decided to keep him around after seeing his talents as an actor. In Wonder Man, he returns to the U.S., and forms a bond with Simon Williams as his mentor/friend.

However, he is also spying on Simon as an informant for the Department of Damage Control, who knows Simon has powers. Wonder Man features the best version of Trevor in the MCU so far, primarily because he has a significant supporting role.

In the other projects, he was mainly a side character used for comedic effect. In Wonder Man, the show takes him seriously, though he does still have some hilarious lines. The show reveals he's actually a gifted actor with a deep passion for the craft and an understanding of its history.

Watching him and Simon bond over their shared love of acting is one of the best aspects of the show, and Trevor does offer wise, helpful advice. Through Wonder Man's ending, he not only redeems himself for his past wrongdoings, but also proves that Iron Man 3's twist was worth it.

Tony Leung proved to be an excellent Mandarin in Shang-Chi, and Kingsley's MCU journey as Trevor has been rewarding to follow. Wonder Man hasn't been green lit for a second season, but it is intriguing to see what could happen with Trevor and Simon if Marvel brings them back.