The 10 Rings, the criminal organization founded by Xu Wenwu in the Middle Ages, has been causing chaos in the MCU. Tony Stark would never become Iron Man if not for the organization attacking a U.S. military convoy in the Sacred Timeline. Eventually, the big twist in 2008’s Iron Man was that Raza Hamidmi al-Wazar, the cell’s leader, was working with Obadiah Stane to buy Stark Industries and kidnap Tony.
When Stane used pieces of Stark’s original armor, al-Wazar believed he had a deal with Stane to provide an army for the organization. Stane took the armor instead and used it to become the Iron Monger. He also killed al-Wazar and his men in the process. While that sequence looked like the end for the villain, it seems like there will be more to do with the character. Faran Tahir, who played al-Wazar, will reprise the role in Marvel’s untitled Vision series.
10 Rings Set To Make Return to Marvel Series
Tahir’s return to Marvel definitely adds intrigue to the Vision Quest series. Jac Schaeffer initially developed the series before being taken over by Terry Matalas. The show is expected to follow White Vision as he tries to learn his tragic history. Todd Stashwick joined the series in an undisclosed role, and James Spader will reprise his role as the rogue AI Ultron and Vision’s “father.” It could be possible that al-Wazar could be in flashback scenes, given his history with Stark; however, he could be seen in the present, considering that his death was only assumed.
It is possible that al-Wazar somehow survived Stane’s attack and eventually got mixed up with Ultron. If he’s still alive, al-Wazar will now live in a world where Xu Wenwu is dead, and his daughter, Xu Xialing, is in charge of her father’s empire. Her story could be tied into the events of the Vision series, leading to the organization having a massive role in the show. Details are very scarce on the show, but the project has been developing since 2022 as a TV series in May. Shang-Chi and The Legend of the 10 Rings blended a deep dive into the organization and martial arts.
The film starred Simu Liu as Shang-Chi alongside Tony Leung, Michelle Yoah, Ben Kingsley, Meng’er Zhang, Benedict Wong, and Awkwafina. Iron Man hinted at the 10 Rings, and a deleted scene from Shang-Chi referenced al-Wazar, signaling that the 10 Rings may play a major role in future MCU projects. Tahir has quite a diverse career background, having played roles in Elysium and Star Trek. He also had roles in The Old Man, Prison Break, and Scandal.
Regarding the reference, Wenwu mentioned a meeting with al-Wazar in the deleted scene. This may have been teasing the character to return and to represent the 10 Rings in future MCU projects. Not only could Vision Quest feature al-Wazar in a prominent role, but it could also bring Xialing (played by Zhang) and show how the organization has grown since the post-credits scene in Shang-Chi, which showed her to be the organization’s leader. The organization could be the main antagonist for Vision.
Al-Wazar’s Return Posied For a Major Impact
Al-Wazar’s return makes it clear that any character, even from the earliest of films, has the potential to come back in a new movie or series. Tim Blake will be in Captain America: Brave New World, playing Samuel Sterns for the first time since The Incredible Hulk (2008). Tahir manages to make his performance very memorable, regardless of how small or large his roles are. Not only could he have a huge role in the Vision series, but he could also have a massive role in the MCU in the future.
Vision Quest is set to take after the events of WandaVision, which saw a “resurrected” Vision. The plot looks to be about Vision seeking to regain his memories after he died in Avengers: Infinity War. Paul Bettany will reprise his role as Vision, and he voiced Stark’s A.I. J.A.R.V.I.S. in the Iron Man trilogy before Ultron built him in his body in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Vision joined the Avengers in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War until his death at the hands of Thanos in Infinity War.
He was brought back to WandaVision by his grieving wife Wanda’s magic, and the all-white Vision was directed to destroy the “true Vision,” only to have his memories restored before getting away from Westview. Besides the expectation of Vision seeking his memories, the plot details of the series remain under wraps. Additionally, shows like Daredevil: Born Again and Ironheart, which will continue Riri Williams’ story, will stream on Disney+ for the MCU. Wandavision showed the artificial character going through a mix of magic and heartache.
It remains to be seen how Ultron and al-Wazar will fit into Vision’s story once the series arrives. Agatha All Along teased the possibility of Wanda being resurrected, and if that happens to be the case, it could play a massive role in the series. That alone could connect both spin-offs in more ways than one. In addition, the Vision series is expected to continue the story of Agatha: All Along, adding another layer of interest to the project.
Final Thoughts
Vision has been through a lot since his first appearance in Age of Ultron, so having this show in place can help the character find himself and stand on his own. Bettany revealed to the Hollywood Reporter that he was excited about the upcoming project.
He said, “We’re cooking up something that I’m really excited about,” while joking that he couldn’t reveal more details about the series. With al-Wazar’s return, it’s reasonable to assume that 10 Rings will have a significant role in the series. How Marvel plans to incorporate the organization and affect Vision’s character development remains to be seen, and the series is set to premiere sometime in 2026.
