Simu Liu's New Superpowered Comic Book Character Is The Exact Opposite Of Shang-Chi

The following contains spoilers for the first three episodes of Invincible, now streaming on Prime VideoInvincible's role for Simu Liu is the exact opposite of Shang-Chi. Simu Liu had already been making a name for himself thanks to roles in shows like Kim's Convenience when he was cast as Shang-Chi for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The martial arts master was the lead character in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and is poised to be a major figure going forward in the superhero franchise. It's also now not his only superhero role, as Liu formally joins the cast of Invincible season 3 as Multi-Paul.

Despite being a return to the superhero genre for Liu, Multi-Paul is a very different kind of character than Shang-Chi. Whereas the latter was a well-meaning warrior who ultimately fought to stop his father's grief from dooming the world, Multi-Paul is a vicious killer who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. The sheer number of differences between Multi-Paul and Shang-Chi makes the contrast between them all the more distinctive, especially as Multi-Paul is set to play a quietly important role in the critically acclaimed Invincible season 3.

Simu Liu's Multi-Paul In Invincible Couldn't Be More Different Compared To Shang-Chi

Multi-Paul Being A Villain Isn't His Only Big Difference Compared To The Heroic Shang-Chi

Introduced in "You're Not Laughing Now," Simu Liu's Multi-Paul is a ruthless villain and almost the complete opposite of his role in the MCU, Shang-Chi. Paul Cha is the sister of Guardians of the Globe member Dupli-Kate, and possesses a similar ability to create perfect copies of himself. Whereas his sister became an altruistic hero, however, Paul became a ruthless assassin working for the Order. Immediately, this villainous character stands in contrast to Simu Liu's former superhero experience as the lead hero in a Marvel Cinematic Universe film.

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Beyond that initial difference, Multi-Paul also possesses a number of more specific contrasts to Shang-Chi. Whereas Shang-Chi abandoned his father's efforts to turn him into a criminal like himself, Multi-Paul has thrown himself into his lethal line of work. Multi-Paul is frequently shown to be fine with murder, sacrificing his own duplicates as part of his plans. Shang-Chi exhibits far more restraint in combat. While both characters deeply love their differently morally aligned sister, Paul is shown to be a far darker character than the ultimately noble Shang-Chi.

Multi-Paul Will Become A More Important Character In Invincible Season 3

Multi-Paul's Connections To The Order Might Set Up New Villains For Invincible

Multi-Paul doesn't steal the spotlight in the first three episodes of Invincible, but he does quickly establish himself as a surprisingly important character. His connection to the Order serves as a handy introduction to that global criminal conspiracy, who go on to become more overt enemies of the Guardians of the Globe in the original Invincible comics. His presence serves as an easy way to delve further into the backstory and personality Dupli-Kate, who was largely sidelined in season 2 following her apparent death fighting the Lizard League.

Multi-Paul may be imprisoned following his assault on Rex, but the character is poised to have a more important role going forward in season 3. His place as a member of the Order makes him a potentially important character for the criminal sub-plots that involve characters like Titan. His role as a villainous sibling to an established hero makes him a harrowing showcase of what could become of Invincible's brother Oliver if he doesn't follow in Mark's footsteps. Casting a star like Simu Liu in the role also hints more is in store for Paul going forward in Invincible.