Zheng Zu
Zheng Zu | |
---|---|
Death-Dealer | |
Notable aliases | Fu Manchu Wang Yu-Seng |
Abilities | Genius-level intellect Hypnosis Martial arts expert Medical practitioner Longevity Master sorcerer |
Zheng Zu (
The character debuted in Special Marvel Edition #15 (
Publication history
The character of
In 2020, Shang-Chi starred in a self-titled five issue miniseries written by
Fictional character biography
Born during the early
On one such mission, the Sorcerer Brothers and the Deadly Warriors protected the Tianjin Prefecture from Fin Fang Foom. The Ancient One, a fellow sorcerer and friend, provided the brothers the Eyes of the Dragon, a pair of stones that granted longevity and vigor while requiring the sacrifice of another. By 1860, the brothers had aged decades beyond their natural lifespans through the use of longevity spells and had grown weaker as a result. During the Second Opium War, the Society fought against British forces, but were defeated by Dormammu and the Mindless Ones summoned by the British sorcerer Baron Harkness, resulting in the death of the Deadly Warriors. Zu attempted to use the Eyes of the Dragon to save the fatally wounded Yi at the cost of his own life, but not wanting to rule the Society alone, Yi reversed the spell, granting Zu immortality and restoring his youth, giving him the power to defeat the combined British forces. Following the death of his brother and the Deadly Warriors, Zu led the Society alone, establishing five houses in their honor. Without his brother's guidance, Zu lost his way, becoming increasingly bitter and ruthless. After losing one of the houses during the Boxer Rebellion, Zu renounced his country and followers for their perceived weakness and lied about his brother's death, claiming he killed him for being weak as well and stole his spirit energy to augment his own. Zu subsequently relocated four of the Society's five houses to foreign countries within the Eight-Nation Alliance to monitor those who had fought against China and the Society during the conflict.[21][22][23]
For the next century while building his criminal empire, Zu would steal the life essences of his blood relatives, including those from numerous offspring he fathered in order to preserve his longevity.[24] Zu would lose possession of the Eyes but created the Elixir Vitae to prolong his longevity. Over time, Zu would use many aliases for himself and the Society, eventually choosing the name "Dr. Fu Manchu" and renaming the Society as the "Si-Fan".
When his daughter Zheng Bao Yu was a child, Zheng Zu showed her the Moon, where he said that he would one day have the power to move one world in order to rule another world.[25]
Zheng Zu was revealed to have discovered the knowledge of Jack the Ripper's methodology.[26]
Zheng Zu later took the woman Mara Ling to be his wife as part of an arranged marriage, despite the fact that she loved a blind archer named Li.[27]
Zheng Zu discovered the existence of the heavenly realm of
During their childhood, Shang-Chi and Shi-Hua accidentally discovered one of their father's secret laboratories in his Hunan retreat. As punishment, their father told Shang-Chi that he gave Shi-Hua a merciful death, explaining that the luxury of human bonds was weakness. In truth, he secretly sent Shi-Hua to the House of the Deadly Hammer in Russia. Shang-Chi would continue to be raised in isolation in his father's Hunan retreat; unbeknownst to Shang-Chi, the Hunan retreat was the House of the Deadly Hand, with Shang-Chi chosen to be its champion.[30]
Like with Shang-Chi and Shi-Hua, their father selected several of his other children to be raised in the Society's other Houses as their respective champions, with daughter Zheng Zhilan
Tony McKay and Sir Denis Nayland Smith later launched an attack on the Si-Fan,[32] after which Zheng Zu captured both of them, killed McKay with a "hellish green liquid" that 'took six seconds" to accomplish and used his Japanese sumo wrestler bodyguard Tak to cripple Smith by crushing his legs. Zheng Zu later introduced schizophrenia to a gorilla which was used as the final guardian of his New York headquarters.[33]
Zheng Zu's African base was raided by the British military, where many of his followers there were killed. Upon finding a disfigured infant named M'Nai after also finding his parents dead, Zheng Zu decided that he could shape M'Nai into a powerful servant and M'Nai was raised alongside Shang-Chi. M'Nai and Shang-Chi became inseparable, even referring to each other as brothers.[34]
Shang-Chi as a boy heard from K'uei Meng that Zheng Zu had plans to rule the world. When Shang-Chi confronted his father, Zheng Zu dismissed it as slander and Shang-Chi never saw K'uei Meng again.[35]
Another event in Shang-Chi's childhood is seeing his father thank a dacoit for saving his life. Years later, that same dacoit was killed by Zheng Zu for failing in his mission.[36]
When Shang-Chi bested his fellow student Ah Lung in combat, Zheng Zu demanded that Shang-Chi kill him. Due to Shang-Chi hesitating, Zheng Zu had his guards kill Ah Lung.[37]
When Zheng Zu had his pupil Shoh Teng seemingly betray Shang-Chi to MI-6 agents that were secretly on Zheng Zu's side, Zheng Zu "rescued" Shang-Chi and killed their leader, Death-Dragon, in order to earn Shang-Chi's trust.[38]
When Shang-Chi was 19, Zheng Zu dispatched Shang-Chi to London to kill Dr. Petrie, who was said by Zheng Zu to be a threat to world peace. Shang-Chi was successful in killing Petrie and was confronted by Nayland Smith, who told Shang-Chi the truth about his father. After meeting with his mother in New York, who confirmed Smith's claims, Shang-Chi fought his way past Zheng Zu's bodyguards at his New York base, where he told his father that they were now enemies.[33]
Zheng Zu later dispatched M'Nai, now calling himself Midnight, to kill Shang-Chi, only for Midnight to perish upon falling off a crane and his cape snagging onto a hook.[34]
Zheng Zu sent his Si-Fan assassin Chow Loo to kill Shang-Chi, only to have Chow Loo fail in his mission. When he tried to cover it up, Zheng Zu had him transformed into a gorilla-like creature to fight Shang-Chi in Los Angeles, where he was killed in battle.[39]
Zheng Zu later tried to move the Moon from its orbit around Earth in an attempt to move one world in order to rule another world (as he had promised Zheng Bao Yu years before) but was defeated by Shang-Chi and his allies.[40]
Under the alias of Wang Yu-Seng, Zheng Zu planned to kidnap Zheng Bao Yu and Shang-Chi to jump-start the Elixir Vitae, which now needed the blood of his own children to return him to full vigor. With the help of the Death-Dealer, Zheng Zu captured Shang-Chi and held him hostage in order to get his blood, only for Shang-Chi to escape. Zheng Zu brought Zheng Bao Yu to Honan to have her blood as he was pursued by Shang-Chi. To combat Shang-Chi, Zheng Zu unleashed a clone of Shang-Chi to fight Shang-Chi, which ended up being bested by Shang-Chi and killed. When a dying Zheng Zu attempted to lap up the clone's blood to save his life, the fortress began to crumble around him as Shang-Chi left his father to meet his doom.[41]
Determined to rid the world of his father's stain, Shang-Chi traveled to A.I.M. Island to determine what his father's connections with A.I.M. were. His findings were inconclusive.[42]
After Zheng Zu's apparent death, their organization was divided into factions: Sleeping Dragon Clan (led by Chiang Kai-Dong), Steel Lotus Group (led by Hsien Ming-Ho), Wild Tiger Mob (led by Deng Ling-Xiao) and Coiled Serpent Syndicate (led by Mao Liu-Cho).
Zheng Zu employed
Zheng Zu later sent his dacoits to aid Zaran against Shang-Chi and the Marvel Knights. Although they succeeded in destroying the building that Shang-Chi was in, Zaran failed to slay him.[50]
Using the aliases of the Comte de St. Germain and the Ghost, Zheng Zu employed his son, Moving Shadow, as he prepared the Hellfire weapon. He was opposed again by MI-6 and Shang-Chi, with the resulting battle destroying the Hellfire weapon.[51]
Under the alias of Han, Zheng Zu offered his daughter Kwai Far to the
Zheng Zu eventually died sometime after his last encounter with his son. Aloysius Thorndrake of the
The Prince of Orphans and the Valkyrie arrive at Zheng Zu's grave, where they find a few Shadow Council agents on guard, knowing that someone would come to the grave. They defeat the Shadow Council agents, take one of them prisoner and have him taken to an unknown location. Meanwhile, Max Fury informs Aloysius Thorndrake about the two unfortunate mishaps. Zheng Zu is not pleased, for there is only two days left to complete the ritual needed to restore himself to life. Aloysius promises to Zheng Zu that Max Fury and John Steele will handle this.[54]
Zheng Zu prepares the ritual that will enable him to use Shang-Chi's life-force to resurrect himself. Disguised as a Shadow Council agent, the Moon Knight gives the signal and the Secret Avengers drop in on the Shadow Council. Captain Steve Rogers fights Max Fury, while the Valkyrie fights John Steele. The Prince of Orphans disrupts the ritual, causing Zheng Zu to turn to stone, which the Prince of Orphans then shatters.[55]
The reveal of Zu's true identity results Fah Lo Suee's real identity, Zheng Bao Yu being revealed as well. Now in full control of the Hai-Dai, Bao Yu resumes her father's long-forgotten experiment of bio-engineering Brood eggs as weapons, which she uses to carry out hits in New York's Chinatown. The plot is uncovered by Misty Knight and Annabelle Riggs of the Fearless Defenders with help from Elsa Bloodstone; the three track Bao Yu and the Hai-Dai assassins and scientists to an underground laboratory. With the help of No-Name of the Brood, the Fearless Defenders defeat the Hai-Dai and destroy the experiments, forcing Bao Yu to teleport away from her lair.[56]
With Zu's death, the title of Supreme Commander of the Five Weapons Society was passed down to his son, Brother Staff. Believing that the Society had been reduced to a "glorified drug ring" under Staff's leadership, Shi-Hua, now known as Sister Hammer, challenges him at the House of the Deadly Staff in London to usurp control of the Society. Despite Hammer defeating and mortally wounding Staff, Zheng Zu's spirit selects Shang-Chi as the new Supreme Commander instead of Hammer. An enraged Hammer assumes control of the Society and sends the Warriors of the Deadly Staff to kill her brother in America.[21] When Shang-Chi is poisoned by Shi-Hua, a dilapidated spirit resembling Zheng Zu commands him to awaken.[30] While Shang-Chi is recuperating at the House of the Deadly Dagger in France, the same spirit beckons him to the House's shrine room. Believing the spirit to be of his father, Shang-Chi obliges, uncovering a shrine dedicated to Zheng Yi and a mysterious map. The spirit reveals that he is actually Yi and disappears before revealing anything else to Shang-Chi.[22] With Takeshi and Esme, Shang-Chi locates Yi's tomb in Henan. While Takeshi and Esme are preoccupied with a monster guardian created by Zu, Shang-Chi is able to reach Yi's grave and converses with his spirit. Zheng Yi reveals the truth about Zheng Zu to his nephew and when Shang-Chi requests his guidance in stopping Shi-Hua and her army of jiangshi, Yi instead tells him to stop running away from his family, warning that losing them would cause him to lose his way, like his father.[23] When Shang-Chi and Shi-Hua are pulled into an astral plane where they relive Shi-Hua's memories of her harsh upbringing in Russia, a vision of Zheng Zu attacks them. Shang-Chi is able to fight and restrain Zu. Reliving her memories and Shang-Chi's reveal of their father allows Shi-Hua to renounce Zu. When Shang-Chi is named the new Supreme Commander of the Five Weapons Society, Zheng Zu's spirit congratulates him, remarking that he is destined to become like him.[57]
While imprisoned in the Jade Palace dungeon in Ta Lo, Zheng Zu's spirit visits Shang-Chi to convince him to take the Ten Rings to stop Xin, who kidnapped Jiang Li (who was released from the Negative Zone by Shang-Chi) and plans to destroy their family. Xin, empowered by a taotie mask created from Shang-Chi's blood and Shi-Hua's severed hand, arrives at the dungeon to destroy the Zheng bloodline once and for all. Shang-Chi reluctantly allows his father to guide him to the Jade Emperor's vault containing the Ten Rings, donning them to save his siblings from his grandfather.[20] While fighting Xin, Shang-Chi realizes that Zu's spirit was influencing his thoughts, making him more ruthless and bloodthirsty. Shang-Chi hesitates when Zu orders him to kill Xin, allowing Xin to claim six of the Ten Rings from Shang-Chi and defeat him and his siblings. Shang-Chi fights Xin again at the New House of the Deadly Hand in New York City but loses the remaining Rings. Zu's ghost tells his son that his fear of turning into his father was why Shang-Chi was unable to wield the Ten Rings and urges him to embrace his Zheng lineage to save his family and home. With no other option, Shang-Chi gives in to his dark desires, reclaiming all of the Ten Rings from Xin and unlocking their full potential, giving him a similar appearance and personality to Zu's. Under his father's influence, Shang-Chi was able to easily defeat Xin and his Qilin Riders, using the Ten Rings to destroy their taotie masks. Before a corrupted Shang-Chi could execute Xin, he was talked down by Jiang Li and his siblings. Shang-Chi is brought back to his senses and spares Xin, prompting Zu's spirit to denounce him as a coward before disappearing.[58]
Zheng Zu's bones are extracted from battle between the Secret Avengers and Shadow Council by a gang of disgruntled Society members who attempt to use the remains as part of a ritual to summon a younger version of Zheng Zu to take over the Society. Shang-Chi and his siblings attempt to stop the ritual but Shang-Chi is accidentally sent back in time to the First Opium War where he encounters younger versions of Zheng Zu, Zheng Yi and that era's Deadly Warriors. As a younger man, Zu is shown to be heroic and amiable and befriends Shang-Chi. Zheng Zu and Shang-Chi work together to apprehend a corrupt Constable and part on good terms as Shang-Chi is transported back to the present; Zu remains oblivious to their familial relationship. Due to the experience, Shang-Chi and his siblings bury Zheng Zu's remains next to his brother's grave and with full funeral rites, honoring the man he once was.[59]
Powers and abilities
Zheng Zu is a genius in every field of knowledge. He is a skilled medical practitioner and surgeon, where he has cultivated various diseases and viruses to use against his enemies.
Zheng Zu is a master of disguise and can pass for any member of the human race, while speaking in their languages without any discernable accent.
Zheng Zu is a master of unarmed combat.
He can hypnotize people with his eyes to the point where few men could gaze into his eyes without falling under his control.
With the revelation of his true identity as the ancient sorcerer Zheng Zu, he is a master in the mystic arts and has discovered the means to immortality.
Other versions
Earth-79816
Shang-Chi believes that his Zheng Zu is a benefactor, he is shown to be loyal to Zheng Zu and the Five Weapons Society.[60][61][62][63][64]
Secret Wars (2015)
In
In other media
Role-playing games
Fu Manchu appears in the adventures Night Moves and Night Live for the role-playing game Marvel Super Heroes.[66]
Shang-Chi's profile in the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game mentions Zheng Zu and the Five Weapons Society.[67]
Film
Board games
In the Secret Wars Volume 2 for Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game, there is an adaptation of Battleworld version of Zheng Zu as Emperor of K'un-Lun and the Ten Rings school, the emperor's name is spelled Zheng Zhu.
Notes
References
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Capitalizing on the popularity of martial arts movies, writer Steve Englehart and artist/co-plotter Jim Starlin created Marvel's Master of Kung Fu series. The title character, Shang-Chi, was the son of novelist Sax Rohmer's criminal mastermind Dr. Fu Manchu.
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External links
- Zheng Zu on Marvel Database
- Fu Manchu at Comic Vine
- Zheng Zu at Comic Vine
- Fu Manchu at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
- The Shang Chi Chronology