The concept of the Makluans is intrinsically tied to two separate, iconic creations from the Silver Age of Marvel Comics: the monster Fin Fang Foom and the villain, the Mandarin.
Fin Fang Foom, who would later be retconned as a Makluan, first appeared in Strange Tales #89, published in October 1961. He was created by the legendary duo of writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. In his initial appearance, Fin Fang Foom was a product of the pre-superhero “Atlas Comics” era, which heavily featured giant monster stories. He was simply a mythical Chinese dragon awakened to menace the world, a common trope of the time reflecting Cold War anxieties.
The technology associated with the Makluans, the Ten Rings, debuted alongside their first wielder, the Mandarin, in Tales of Suspense #50 in February 1964. Created by Stan Lee and artist Don Heck, the Mandarin was conceived as a “science-fu” archnemesis for the technology-based hero, Iron Man. His rings were depicted as artifacts of alien origin, but the specific race was left a mystery for years.
The crucial retcon that connected these two concepts occurred decades later. In Iron Man #274 (Vol. 1, March 1992), as part of “The Dragon Seed Saga” by writer John Byrne and artist Paul Ryan, it was definitively established that Fin Fang Foom was a member of the Makluan race and that the Mandarin's rings were advanced Makluan technology. This storyline brilliantly unified disparate elements of Iron Man's lore, retroactively providing a cohesive origin for both the monster and the rings, and officially introducing the Makluan race by name and nature into the Marvel canon.
The in-universe history of the Makluans is a tale of cosmic exploration gone awry, leading to a profound and often destructive influence on Earth. The narrative differs dramatically between the primary comic universe and the cinematic universe.
The story of the Makluans' arrival on Earth begins thousands of years ago. The Makluans, hailing from the planet Maklu-IV in the Maklu system of the Greater Magellanic Cloud, are a species of immense intellect, longevity, and a culture centered around scientific achievement and conquest. Driven by a desire for expansion, a crew of Makluan explorers left their homeworld aboard a starship. These Makluans possessed their species' inherent ability to shapeshift, but often maintained a draconic form, which they considered their true shape. The captain of this vessel was a Makluan named Axonn-Karr. His crew included the now-infamous Fin Fang Foom, who served as the ship's navigator. Their peaceful mission of exploration took a turn when they became fascinated by the fledgling civilizations on Earth. Observing humanity, the Makluans decided to abandon their non-interference protocols. However, a faction of the crew, peace-loving and benevolent, wished only to observe and integrate. The majority, led by Axonn-Karr, saw humanity as a primitive species to be conquered and ruled. This ideological schism led to conflict. The peaceful faction shapeshifted into human form, integrating into human society and quietly hiding from their aggressive brethren. The warlike faction, meanwhile, prepared for conquest. To maintain their cover, they used their shapeshifting abilities to enter a state of suspended animation, placing themselves in stasis within their crashed starship, hidden deep in the Valley of the Sleeping Dragon in China. Fin Fang Foom was designated as a contingency; in the event the ship was ever discovered, he would awaken to protect it and eliminate any threats. The ship's primary power source and propulsion system were ten powerful cylinders, or “Rings,” which were left aboard the vessel. Centuries later, the warlord who would become the Mandarin discovered the crashed Makluan ship. He ventured inside, where he found the skeletal remains of Axonn-Karr 1) and the Ten Rings of Power. Studying the advanced alien technology, he mastered the rings, reverse-engineering their functions and claiming them as his own weapons. The power of the rings became the foundation of his criminal empire and his lifelong conflict with Iron Man. The awakening of Fin Fang Foom and the eventual revelation of the Makluans' true history would become a central plot point, forcing the Mandarin to confront the original owners of his incredible power.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe presents a radical reinterpretation of the Makluan concept, divorcing the Ten Rings from a race of space dragons and reimagining them as ancient, mystical artifacts. The Makluan race as depicted in the comics does not exist in the MCU.
In the film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), the origin of the Ten Rings is explored. They are revealed to be ten metallic arm-bands of unknown composition and origin that grant their wielder immense power and eternal life. Thousands of years ago, Xu Wenwu (the MCU's version of the Mandarin) discovered the rings in a crater or tomb. Using their power, he became a legendary conqueror, building a clandestine army known as the Ten Rings organization that shaped world events from the shadows for centuries.
The film reveals that the rings are not merely tools but also a beacon. They are transmitting a signal to a location unknown to Wenwu. After the death of his wife, Ying Li, Wenwu becomes convinced that she is speaking to him from her home dimension of Ta Lo, and that she is trapped behind the Dark Gate. He believes that using the power of the Ten Rings is the key to freeing her.
It is ultimately revealed that Wenwu was being deceived by a soul-devouring, extra-dimensional entity known as the Dweller-in-Darkness. The Dweller was the one sending the signal, manipulating Wenwu to use the rings to shatter the gate and release it upon the world. The rings themselves are shown to have a connection to Ta Lo, as their unique energy signature and power are recognized by its inhabitants. Their true origin remains a mystery, but they are clearly ancient, powerful, and possibly inter-dimensional in nature.
A mid-credits scene shows Wong, Bruce Banner, and Carol Danvers studying the rings. They determine the rings are far older than Wenwu's discovery and are broadcasting a mysterious beacon, confirming their status as a significant cosmic artifact whose full story has yet to be told. The term “Makluan” is only referenced as a subtle nod in tie-in material, with some early MCU concept art and guidebooks alluding to Makluan script on the rings, but this is a non-diegetic Easter egg for comic fans rather than a canonical fact within the films. The MCU fundamentally changed the origin from advanced alien science to ancient, possibly magical, extra-dimensional technology.
The nature of the Makluans is explored extensively in the comics, while their MCU counterpart is purely technological.
The Makluans of Earth-616 are a fascinating and formidable species with a unique biological makeup.
The Makluans are a Tier-3 technological civilization on the Kardashev scale, capable of interstellar travel and reality-altering science.
In the MCU, since the race does not appear, the analysis focuses solely on the artifacts that carry their legacy in name only.
The Ten Rings in the MCU are a set of ten mystical, metallic bracelets worn on the forearms. Their origin is a complete mystery, but their power is undeniable.
The legacy of the Makluans on Earth is primarily defined through three key individuals and their interactions with Earth's heroes and villains.
The primary interaction point for the Makluans and their legacy has been with Iron Man. Tony Stark, a man of science and technology, found his ultimate antithesis in the Mandarin, a man wielding alien science so advanced it appeared to be magic. Their decades-long conflict was a battle of technological philosophies. When Iron Man learned the rings were Makluan in origin, it expanded the conflict, forcing him to contend not just with a human terrorist but with the cosmic implications of his enemy's power. The Makluans themselves, once awakened by Fin Fang Foom, attempted to carry out their ancient plan of conquest. This led to a massive confrontation where Iron Man and the Mandarin were forced into an uneasy alliance to repel the alien dragons. This event was crucial as it showcased the scale of the Makluan threat and demonstrated that even the Mandarin was outmatched by the beings from whom he stole his power. This storyline solidified the Makluans as a legitimate cosmic threat beyond just being a piece of backstory for a single villain.
The story of the Makluans has unfolded across several key arcs that defined their role in the Marvel Universe.
First appearing in Strange Tales #89, Fin Fang Foom's origin was that of a simple monster story. A Chinese scholar, Chan Liuchow, used ancient texts to awaken the sleeping dragon Fin Fang Foom to drive off invading forces from the Communist Chinese army. This early story established Foom's immense power and his connection to ancient China but lacked any alien context. It was a classic monster-of-the-month tale that would only gain its true significance through later retcons.
In Tales of Suspense #62, the Mandarin's origin is recounted. We see him discover the crashed alien starship, the skeletal remains of its pilot (Axonn-Karr), and the ten cylinders of power. This story established the alien origin of the rings, framing them as a source of incomprehensible science that the Mandarin's genius was able to master. For years, this was the extent of the knowledge about the rings' creators; they were a mysterious, unnamed alien race, and their story was merely a prelude to the Mandarin's own.
This is arguably the most important storyline for the Makluan race. Written by John Byrne, this arc masterfully connected all the dots. The Mandarin, seeking to amplify his power, detects another energy source similar to his rings: the sleeping Fin Fang Foom. He awakens the great dragon and attempts to bend it to his will. Foom, however, is far more than a simple beast. He telepathically summons the rest of his hidden Makluan crew, who emerge from their human guises. It is here that the full truth is revealed: the Mandarin's rings are Makluan technology, and Fin Fang Foom and his brethren are the rightful owners. The Makluans reclaim the rings and begin their long-delayed conquest of Earth. In a desperate move, Iron Man is forced to team up with the Mandarin. Tony Stark provides the technological know-how, and the Mandarin provides his intimate knowledge of the rings' power. Together, they manage to use the rings' energy to create a massive explosion, seemingly vaporizing the invading Makluans. This storyline was a landmark moment, elevating the Mandarin's backstory and officially cementing the Makluans, their nature, and their history within the Marvel canon.
The Makluan concept has been adapted and altered across various Marvel media and alternate realities.
As detailed extensively above, the MCU version represents the most significant departure. Here, the concept of a “Makluan” race is entirely absent. The Ten Rings are mystical artifacts of unknown, possibly extra-dimensional, origin. Their power is more uniform, focused on energy manipulation and physical enhancement, and their visual design is changed from finger rings to arm-bracers. The villain Wenwu is a composite character of the comic's Mandarin and Fu Manchu, but his power comes from discovering the rings, not from studying alien technology. This adaptation prioritizes a mystical, Wuxia-inspired fantasy narrative over the science-fiction/alien invasion angle of the comics.
This 2009 animated series provided a faithful yet streamlined adaptation of the comic book lore. The Mandarin is a central antagonist, and his ten rings are explicitly of Makluan origin. In this continuity, the Makluans were a benevolent race that sought to guide humanity's evolution. They bestowed ten rings of power upon a worthy guardian. However, the guardian was eventually corrupted, becoming the first Mandarin. The rings were scattered, and the series follows the modern-day Mandarin's quest to reassemble them. Fin Fang Foom also appears as a Makluan guardian of one of the rings, serving as a powerful test for Iron Man. This version maintains the core concepts—Makluans, rings, Fin Fang Foom—but reframes their intent from conquest to benevolent guidance that went wrong.
In the Ultimate Marvel universe, the Mandarin is not a single person but a corporation: Mandarin International. The Ten Rings are not alien artifacts. The Makluan race and Fin Fang Foom did appear in Ultimate Hulk vs. Iron Man, where it was revealed that Fin Fang Foom was a massive bio-engineered dragon created by the Mandarin International's rogue scientists. The corporation also attempted to harness mystical powers from ancient Chinese artifacts, but the direct connection to a race of alien space dragons was severed in this more grounded, modern re-imagining.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, which featured a hero training with iron rings on his arms.