The new Wonder Man show redeems one of the worst twists in the MCU.
Marvel Television’s Wonder Man is created by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest. The series stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams/Wonder Man, while Ben Kingsley also reprises his MCU role as Trevor Slattery.
What MCU twist does Wonder Man redeem?
One of the most controversial twists in the MCU to date is the Iron Man 3 reveal of The Mandarin. The first half of that movie, directed by Shane Black, sets up Kingsley’s character to be a notoriously evil villain; however, it’s then revealed that he’s actually just an actor who is hired to play the part. Many criticized the way that this was handled and how what could have been an all-time great villain was reduced to one-liners and gags.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings gave Marvel fans what they wanted in presenting them with a true Mandarin, played by Tony Leung. Kingsley shows up in that movie, too, though his character is largely just on the sidelines and used for comedic relief.
Wonder Man, however, makes Trevor truly likable for the first time. Since acting as the Mandarin, Trevor has gotten sober and is turning his life around. He’s now returning to the United States in Wonder Man, hoping to get a second shot in Hollywood, though he’s quickly learning that he can’t escape his past. Whether it’s because the Department of Damage Control (DODC) wants to force him to work for them or just because he can’t go anywhere without being recognized, he’s grappling with a lot.
Most importantly, though, is that Wonder Man is the first time that Trevor actually feels like a real human being. He’s not just being used for jokes and gags; instead, we see a much softer, more sensitive side to the character, and get to see him grow in some unexpected ways. Even if the threat of the DODC is looming, he grows to care about Simon and wants to help him succeed. It’s a refreshing change of pace to see Marvel take a character who was once only used as a joke and actually find something poignant to say.
All eight episodes of Marvel Studios‘ Wonder Man are now available to stream on Disney+.
