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Wu Chow, also known as Wu Chan, is one of the two main antagonists (alongside Rathbone) in the 2003 film Shanghai Knights and the subordinate of Lord Nelson Rathbone.
He is portrayed by Donnie Yen.
Biography
Wu Chow is the illegitimate brother of the Emperor of China, and he works with the corrupt Lord Nelson Rathbone to acquire the Imperial Seal of China that will allow him to become the new emperor. When Rathbone steals the Imperial Seal, he stabs the Keeper of the Seal with a dagger owned by Wu Chow, claiming it's a "gift from an old friend". Wu Chow himself is first seen talking with Rathbone as he is traveling through London in his carriage, and he is later seen when Chon Wang, Roy O'Bannon and Chon Lin spy on him in Rathbone's palace. Rathbone hands Wu Chow the Imperial Seal before setting fire to the building in an attempt to kill the trio, but they manage to escape unscathed. However, the Seal is stolen in the process.
Wu Chow appears again after Rathbone and his Boxer guards capture Wang and Roy and take them to a deserted pier. Wu Chow ties up Lin and attempts to discover the whereabouts of the missing Seal from Wang and Roy, who are unable to tell him where it is. Wu Chow and Rathbone reveal their plan to assassinate the Royal Family at a fireworks show and frame Lin (who had previously been imprisoned for attempting to kill Rathbone) for their murders, leaving Rathbone next in line for the throne. Wu Chow and Rathbone then kidnap Lin and leave Wang and Roy to drown before leaving, but again they escape thanks to Wang's martial arts skills.
At Queen Victoria's Jubilee Ball, Wang and Roy board a fireworks barge where Lin is tied up and rescue her. Wang then confronts Wu Chow, who is about to kill the Royal Family with a Gatling gun, and they engage in a vicious martial arts fight. Wu Chow gains the upper hand and is just about to strangle Wang to death, when suddenly Lin appears with a firework rocket and blasts Wu Chow into the air with a firework, obliterating him.
Trivia
- To clarify, Wu Chow is the secondary main antagonist, not the secondary antagonist. Both Wu Chow and Rathbone are the main antagonists, but Rathbone is the Bigger Bad of the two.