Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Marvel’s Wonder Man
No one expected Sir Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery to become such a popular character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When he first appeared in Iron Man 3 in 2013, very few people – even Marvel Studios themselves – could have imagined he’d still be around in 2026 with Wonder Man.
Despite his recent appearance in Marvel’s Wonder Man, there’s a continuity issue with Trevor Slattery’s backstory. It’s unclear how his origins fit with being created as a fake terrorist by Aldrich Killian and AIM in Iron Man 3. Here’s an explanation of the plot hole, and why it doesn’t seem like a major problem.
Wonder Man Sees Trevor Recognized For His Past Roles (Before “The Mandarin”)
After escaping from his captivity and time serving the real Mandarin (as shown in the 2021 film Shang-Chi), Trevor Slattery is captured again. To avoid returning to prison to finish his original sentence, he’s forced to work for the Department of Damage Control.
This sets the stage for Trevor to meet Simon Williams, another actor, who the Department of Damage Control mistakenly believes has superpowers. At the premiere of Wonder Man, Simon realizes Trevor isn’t just the actor who pretended to be the Mandarin – he also recognizes him from a previous role on an episode of the CBS show Omnibus.
On the same flight, a woman recognizes Trevor from his days on the TV show South Shore Hospital. He used to be the star, but he was fired due to addiction, and another actor, Joe Pantoliano, took over the lead role.
The show Wonder Man establishes that Trevor Immanuel had a more extensive career than previously known. We already learned about his work in Iron Man 3 and an unreleased CBS pilot called Caged Heat (shown in the All Hail The King short film), and now Wonder Man confirms he had even more roles.
Considering Trevor’s previous acting roles before Iron Man 3, it’s odd that AIM would choose him to portray the Mandarin, given his potential for public recognition – as we see happening in Wonder Man. It would have made more sense to use someone completely unknown, which was how Trevor was initially depicted in the 2013 movie.
13 Years Later, The MCU’s Most Controversial Twist Has Been Earned (Despite The Confusion)
Even though his return creates a bit of a storyline inconsistency considering how he was first introduced in Iron Man 3, I’m happy to overlook it. Getting more of Trevor Slattery in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and seeing Sir Ben Kingsley deliver such a fantastic performance in Wonder Man, is well worth it.
The reveal that Kingsley wasn’t the real Mandarin in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was definitely a controversial move. But the actor has since won fans over with a funny short film, a great supporting role in Shang-Chi, and now a leading part in what many consider to be one of the MCU’s strongest shows.
Trevor Slattery’s story is one of the most surprising and enjoyable in the whole series, becoming genuinely touching thanks to his role in Wonder Man. The big reveal from Iron Man 3 has really proven its worth over time, and we can overlook any questions about why he wasn’t more well-known before pretending to be The Mandarin.
All episodes of Marvel’s Wonder Man are now streaming on Disney+.
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2026-01-30 18:31