| HistoryText
| - A line of direct descendants from the worlds' most famous and successful conqueror Genghis Khan was preserved through the ages. Leading a secret organization known as the Ten Rings, whose purpose was to bring about the rule of Khan's legacy and rule by his principles. The eldest male heir in this line adopting the title of The Mandarin. Picking it up when several members of the family maintained its power and wealth by becoming powerful mandarins within China's imperial regime. Often acting as behind-the-scenes manipulators.
The Ten Rings was a secret society, and The Mandarin was most often believed to be nothing more than a legend, but the name still carried notoriety in the criminal underworld nonetheless.
The current Mandarin was the son of a formerly powerful Chinese businessman who moved to Hong Kong after his company went under during the course of the invasion of Japan during World War II. The family losing everything. As he was the next in line to become The Mandarin it was demanded that he find a way to recuperate his losses. And while in Hong Kong they came across a successful and immensely wealthy English businessman who had an unwedded daughter. He was pushed into courting her, and did thus. Eventually leading to the two getting married, in spite of the fact that he didn't love her. He believed that it would be tainting "Khan's Bloodline".
Though he hid it from his wife, she believing he was nothing more than your traditional triad gang leader. Into their marriage however, his resentment towards his wife began to seep through. And when they had a son, he was very privileged. Given the best of education in the classics, science, as well as combat skills. His father being particularly harsh to instill an unrelenting drive for success as well as a merciless attitude so he wouldn't be held back from reaching his ends. His mother however by contrast, showed great compassion towards her son. And in spite of her husband's more apparent vitriol for her, refused to leave him in order to stay with and protect her son in any way she could.
Eventually however, the grandfather died. Making his son the reigning Mandarin. And now with his attention being needed to be focused on running the Ten Rings, they executed a plan they put together to eliminate the problem of having his wife looking over his shoulder. During a family get together back in Britain, the Ten Rings organized a terror attack that led to their deaths, including the mother. Evidence was left however to point fingers at the Irish Republican Army and keep attention off of The Ten Rings. When he told his son about this, he stayed in line loyally. But once left alone, he broke down in tears for his mother. Feeling helpless in how he could do nothing to undo it, and was even being told that such a death of someone he cared about was necessary for the greater good. Even being told that he'd have to make such decisions in the future.
And life continued like this for him as he was further prepared for his eventual ascent to the role of The Mandarin. For a time however he ran away, and traveled to see other regions of the world. For a time thinking that perhaps he could make himself his own man. However, his travels did not help matters. As the pain, suffering, and abuse of power he witnessed perpetuated his sense of jadedness, leading to his returning home. His father eventually died of an illness, and because of what he formed his son into, he shed no tears for his father. As he was taught to be cold and merciless.
Another thing that became instilled in him however, was a deep and barbarous rage. Instilled into him through the hardship and abuse he faced. During his worldly travels his anger was triggered on multiple occasions, leading to him brutally beating some he came across. But after winding up killing somebody in one of his fits of rage he desperately sought to control it. Trying to suppress all emotions in general, and putting up a stolid, stoic, and core demeanor at all times in order to mask his internal feelings.
It was during his reign that Tony Stark was captured by the Ten Rings in Afghanistan, and it was by his orders that he was kept alive in order to give them the secrets to his weapons. A decision he came to regret later however, as Tony Stark managed to escape and become Iron Man. And for a time he hunted down and eliminated Ten Rings cells. During his time as leader however he began to relish the power it came with, and accepted it as his destiny. Believing like he was told his bloodline, power, and status were all justification for his extreme actions. Fully believing that he had the right to rule and control the world.
Eventually the world he lived in started to change, as they discovered that they were truly not alone in the universe. And witnessed the great power of other-worldly beings like the Asgardians and Chitauri who proved to be more powerful than the human race. This made The Mandarin fear for the human race's survival as a whole, and he felt compounded a problem that already existed. Something that he in part learned during his worldly travels. In his mind society often coddled the weak, and felt that things were not getting any better. And he knew that such other-worldly beings could easily swoop in and destroy them all. During the aftermath of the battle of New York he ordered a group of his men to bring back the alien technology that they could find. And with his genius-level scientific mind he studied the technology, and with it started creating weapons of immense power. Including a set of ten power rings he created as the "future symbol" of the Ten Rings organization. Each ring having a different but great ability. He also began to arm other Ten Rings enforcers with weapons created from studying the Chitauri technology.
Eventually however he discovered Extremis. A creation of the scientist Maya Hansen that could make those who bonded with it nearly invincible super soldiers. Shortly afterward however, the head of AIM named Aldrich Killian put forth his Mandarin ruse. Killian believed the Mandarin legend to be nothing more than a myth, and decided to appropriate its name because of the power it held. However he decided to make its image that of a Bin Laden type Middle Eastern terrorist. Feeling that that's what American society had come to seen as the "boogeyman" and great threat. The true Mandarin was enraged with how his name and image were being sullied, with the Ten Rings as a whole being framed for the bombings caused by the Extremis test-subjects who self-destructed. The Mandarin sent his men to find any information they could about the imposter so that he could deal with it.
When Aldrich had the assassination attempt on the president being filmed, the Ten Rings was able to find out where they were. He had a group of his men already stationed in America provide him with information as he decided to make his way there to deal with the situation personally. There he managed to track down Killian after he fled the scene, barely making it out with his life. The Mandarin confronted Killian in one of AIM's secret lairs where he made his existence known to him, and decried him for what he did. This led to the two engaging in a fierce battle, that ended with The Mandarin killing him with his disintegration-beam ring. It was there that he also stole the schematics and data on Extremis for his own purposes.
The Mandarin however still needed to find a way to keep a response team from trying to thwart his plans, and also needed Stark Repulsor technology to help him complete the device that would spread the Aerosol Extremis on a global scale.
When his Ten Rings terrorist cell ran by Raza starts engaging in business with the powerful Stark Industries business Obadiah Stane, The Mandarin had his men gather all the information they could on him. Just in case he'd need something to use against him later. His men eventually discovering that he had an illegitimate child that was the product of an affair with a woman and former Stark Industries intern named Joan O'neil named Ezekiel. And when learning about Ezekiel himself, hears about how he was at the top of his class, and was later rumored to be helping to dealing in high tech machinery abroad for criminal groups. Interested, The Mandarin sought after Ezekiel, and eventually found him in a run-down prison in another part of the world. There he found a young, jaded man with no real sense of direction. He revealed his identity as The Mandarin to Ezekiel, who was shocked as he had never believed The Mandarin to be anything more than a myth. He offers him a path of greatness and purpose by his side, and when Ezekiel accepts Mandarin buys his way out of prison.
Borjigin takes Ezekiel under his wing as a student, and protegee. Borjigin was able to empathize with Ezekiel because of the story regarding his father. Borjigin having resentment towards his father as Zeke did to his. As well as both being adept genius scientists. With Mandarin seeing much of himself in Zeke, while in Mandarin Zeke was beginning to find the father figure he never had. Ezekiel worked on modifying Extremis alongside Mandarin, and in the process became fascinated with the potential of upgrading the human body with technology. The Mandarin even trusted Zeke with knowledge of his true plans concerning upgrading the human race as a whole with Extremis.
At around the same time Borjigin met Justine Hammer, the new head of Hammer Industries after he brother was arrested. Borjigin sought to make an alliance between the Ten Rings and Hammer Industries and managed to succeed. In the process courting Justine as well, with the two becoming lovers. The Mandarin doing this as a way of having her under his control in a way, and to eventually keep her from thinking too hard on or second guessing certain things. Essentially, like his father before he engaged in a romantic relationship to help further an agenda rather than out of actual love. And like what happened with his mother, The Mandarin knew how this would have to end. However, the longer he stayed with Justine the more such a decision weighed on his mind and he struggled with it as he did come to find himself legitimately caring about her.
As stated earlier, he needed some Stark Tech to complete another part of his plans. And thus he sent Zeke to act as a double agent and mole to aid in a plan to help the Ten Rings ally Hammer Industries in a takeover of the company. Ezekiel managed to play on Tony's emotions to be taken into a fold. On the official level, the cover story concerning Obadiah's disappearance was maintained. And although The Mandarin revealed the truth of his father's death to him. Ezekiel feigned knowledge of it. Claiming that while he was too late to re-build bridges with his father, he did want to get to know this part of his family legacy. The board of directors was hesitant, but Tony managed to win the debate.
After bonding between the two and Ezekiel had deeply entered his circle of trust, The Mandarin put forth the next stage of his plan. Tony Stark at the time was putting together a satellite system project that would allow those who controlled it to be able to monitor every part of the Earth, physical and digital, 24/7 so that they could pre-emptively stop threats. Though it would generally be debunked as an illegal invasion of privacy, members of the government think that it may be the best course of action in spite of this. With the rise of more super-beings as well as the revelations of several major traitors within the United States itself like Obadiah Stane, Justin Hammer, and Aldrich Killian they became paranoid. Especially given that the last almost murdered the president, took control of the man who would be next in office, and take over the supply and demand of the war on terror. Because of Zeke's intel he manages to leak to the public the satellite system's true purpose, which up to that point was being hidden from them and downplayed. The world message ending with, "Courtesy of The Mandarin". Tony, still believing it is Aldrich Killian, starts to travel the world to hunt him down. Fearing what else he could do, and being angry about what he did. An action that has turned him into an outcast worldwide. After a long while of searching and battling members of the Ten Rings he eventually comes across what he believes to be their main headquarters.
He breaks in, but is then caught in a trap. Being hit with a powerful magnetic device that immobilizes him, and he is then locked into a powerful magnetically sealed electrified chamber alongside the true Mandarin. Both of which were of his design and creation. The Mandarin revealed his true identity to Tony, and the two engage in a hostile conversation where the Mandarin reveals that in all the time he's fought the Ten Rings he's come to see them as rivals. He goes on to talk about the fact that he believes both of them essentially want to do the same thing. To help save, protect, and preserve the world. He also reveals how sending him on a wild goose chase across the world was meant to distract him from the situation at Stark Industries. Tony is awestruck and shaken upon hearing of Ezekiel's treachery in helping Hammer Industries take over his company. The Mandarin goes on to say that he has come to respect Stark for what he's tried to do, and given that he's also a scientific genius who was born to wealth and privilege sees him as something of a kindred spirit. Tony argues against his assertions, but The Mandarin notes how he's become a pariah since the public discovered what he intended to do. He asserts that they are not quite as different as he claims. Saying that both of them understand that sometimes in order to do what's best for the world's people one must sacrifice comforts that the people take for granted. He claims that he is about to put forth a plan that will forever change the game and allow the human race to become something truly great, and puts forth an offer for Iron Man to become his ally. Saying that if he didn't he would surely lose given that he's lost his company resources and thus his power. Telling him that he had nowhere else to go, and says that with their minds put together there was no end to what they could accomplish. Explaining that he had a vision for a stronger world, but Tony refuses. Though The Mandarin deep down knew this would be the answer, he was still disappointed in his decision. He then told Iron Man that they'd have no other choice but to do battle. Tony is off put by this, as The Mandarin looks to be a flesh and blood human. Trying to take him out quickly Iron Man charges him only to find out he has strength far beyond that of an ordinary human, being able to match him in his armor blow for blow. The Mandarin restricting himself to his skills as a warrior to try and prove a point to Iron Man and himself. Only drawing a sword to use during their battle. The fight is fierce, and given the fact that the Mandarin is far more skilled as a fighter Tony is at the disadvantage. Eventually wearing down Tony to the point of breathlessness with his fierce attacks. Tony realizes that he cannot hope to defeat Mandarin with the brute force of his armor. When on the ground he calculates in his mind what he should do, and when Mandarin prepares to strike another powerful blow, Tony manages to block the strike at the perfect angle and use his own strength against him. During The Mandarin's subsequent disorientation Iron Man manages to put in several good hits, and slams him into the ground. Tony scans the room to try and find a way out, but when all else fails he blast a powerful uni-beam at the door, but to no avail. He hears The Mandarin speak to him and he quickly turns, having not expected him to recover so quickly. Mandarin then remarks that, "Your tech's power is impressive. Now witness my greatest achievement." Mandarin raises his right hand, and fires a blast from a ring on its hand. Iron Man is hit with his disintegration beam and his armor begins to crumble from his body, with its atoms and molecules falling apart. The shock of what's going on and his exhaustion from the fight causes him to fall to his knees. Mandarin then walks towards him, and with one final desperate move Tony takes a swing at him. Mandarin manages to catch his fist in his hand and begins to crush it, making Tony fall to his knees again. Mandarin tells him that it is not his time to die yet. Saying that he'll show Tony his genius and plans when the time comes. But until then, he says he'll leave Tony to his suffering. Now being hated and distrusted by a great deal of the world, and also having lost the access to his company and by extent his "power". The chamber opens up and The Mandarin walks out, telling Tony that, "You better get moving." And as Tony leaves the base through a self-destruct sequence explodes. Making Tony's knowledge of its existence and location pointless.
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