Why didn't the Great Protector try to stop Xu Wenwu from destroying the Dark Gate?
In the movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, I am wondering why the Great Protector didn't try to stop Xu Wenwu from destroying the Dark Gate with the Ten Rings.
When Xu Wenwu started to blast away at the Dark Gate, the Great Protector was down at the bottom of the lake, being either asleep or oblivious to what was going on up at the Dark Gate. I would think that it would have been awakened by, or would have been attracted to, a powerful magic that was being used on the Dark Gate and that it should immediately swim up, come out of the lake, and intervene in the matter.
Or, perhaps it knew what Xu Wenwu was doing but out of self-preservation it chose not to intervene because the dragon knew that it didn't have enough magical power to oppose the power of the Ten Rings?
Why didn't the Great Protector try to stop Xu Wenwu from destroying the Dark Gate?
Best Answer
I don't think there is an in universe answer for this, so this is speculation on base of the movie itself.
As we can see in the final fight the ten rings are powerful devices that can even kill / destroy a being of the size of the dragon.
In the beginning The Great Protector is stronger than the Dweller. But then the Dweller starts to feed on souls. In the moment the Dweller is defeated by the rings, the Great Protector was already weaker than the Dweller as can be seen in their direct fight. The conclusion is: the Great Protector would have also been defeated by the rings.
It is a very wise and powerful being, knowing that it needs Shang Chi to be able to defeat Xu Wenwu or could otherwise be destroyed itself...
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More answers regarding why didn't the Great Protector try to stop Xu Wenwu from destroying the Dark Gate?
Answer 2
We can't be certain...
It may be that The Great Protector only acts to aid an existing fight
Historically The Great Protector comes to aid of humanity if and when there is sufficient will on their part to resist the Dweller-in-Darkness and the Soul Eaters.
YING NAN: The Great Protector joined their fight and turned the tide.
This begs the question as to why The Great Protector historically joins an existing fight rather than being more proactive. It may be that The Great Protector sees her role as aiding the forces of good rather than doing the job for them. In the present day scenario, The Great Protector revealed herself only when Shang-Chi, the champion of those opposing Xu Wenwu and the Dweller-in-Darkness, took to the field.
The Great Protector fights the dark creatures rather than the humans
Throughout the battle sequences The Great Protector directs her attacks against the Dweller-in-Darkness and the Soul Eaters. She does not get involved in conflicts between humans, and so may not have felt stirred to challenge Xu Wenwu.
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