User blog comment:LoveWaffle/We Didn't See It Coming - Iron Man 3 and the Future of the MCU/@comment-5977347-20130513205536/@comment-3317214-20130525003324

''I admitted it was useless for analysis. You may need to read things again.''

I don't think you mentioned anything about analysis in your definition.

''Not at all transferable. It's not as if Larry David can just start calling himself George Costanza.''

Well, he could, if George Costanza was heavily based off of Larry David, and used as David's mask, as well as being a very symbolic mask to begin with.

''Doesn't make sense to assume that since he can breathe fire. A much more logical reason to get a dragon tattoo. Or maybe he just wants a dragon tattoo. Occam's Razor this.''

You don't need to provide that link every time you want to point out the breathing-mallen-fire thing... Well, there's no mention of Mallen in the film, so there's a bit of assuming there too. And whatever Killian's reason for liking dragons is, I think it's definitely safe to assume that it's no coincidence that Killian has dragon tattoos, and his creation - the Mandarin - has dragons all over his set.

Because you don't know what his audience would see.

Didn't the audience already see the President trapped in the Iron Patriot armour suspended in mid-air with chains?

''Does it really matter, though? Mandarin or not, Killian's the bad guy.''

Well, no, it doesn't. You're right, Killian is the bad guy, whether he is or isn't the Mandarin. And he does a damn good job of it. But, the idea of him being the true Mandarin (which is definitely what the author intended - and that aside, is fairly clearly laid out in the film), is awesome.