User blog comment:LoveWaffle/We Didn't See It Coming - Iron Man 3 and the Future of the MCU/@comment-5977347-20130513205536/@comment-3317214-20130514145701

Mr Xemnas,

Nah, the "Mandarin" was just blowing things up to try and prove a point to America. The real Mandarin's plan was much more complex. He was intentionally doing that, but at the same time, using that as a mask for what was really going on. Trevor was the mask. But it was still Killian doing the talking underneath it.

I think Tony vs the (real) Mandarin was possibly the greatest challenge of his life, emotionally and physically. I think Killian was a true menace. He was gonna have the world in the palm of his hand, being the man in control of the President of the US, and (as far as the public is concerned) the leader of the most feared terrorist organisation.

I don't think he exclaimed passionately that he was the Mandarin, because he figured that he was kinda sorta technically the Mandarin. He was the true Mandarin. The mastermind behind the whole operation. Trevor was just a decoy.

Killian had the attitude, the plan, the villain-ness, and the tattoos to prove it. And no, the tattoos weren't just to ease fans. If you don't buy that he had the tattoos because he was the Mandarin, then why did he have the tattoos? The Mandarin is "supposed" to be a racist caricature - this is much better.

Sure, at first I felt a little betrayed when they pulled that surprise on me in the cinema. But only for a little bit. Killian proved to be an excellent Mandarin. And Trevor proved to be amazing!

Also, Pepper said she used to work for Killian. And that he always used to ask her out.