Matai Shang plays an integral part throughout the movie with many abilities and powers. He is a shape-shifter and can control actions with his powers. He keeps Sab Than under his belt by bestowing him with a special weapon which gives him a great advantage in his battles with Helium. He is described as being a thern but rather than being a religious figure only is an alien power who likes to mastermind the destruction of civilizations not only on Mars or Barsoom but ultimately on earth or Jasoom. Read on to compare his movie role with his role in the books:The Warlord of Mars is a science fiction novel written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the third of his famous Barsoom (Moons of Mars) series.John Carter discovers that a First Born knows the secret of the Temple of the Sun and he and the Holy Hekkador Matai Shang want to rescue the Holy Thern's daughter, who is imprisoned with Dejah Thoris and another Barsoomian princess, Thuvia of Ptarth.In The Gods of Mars, Matai Shang has nothing for contempt for John Carter as he, the Holy Hekkador and his fellow therns have held sway over all races of Barsoom as men and women are enticed to make what they believe is to be a last pilgrimmage down the River Iss to the lost sea of Korus to what they believe will be paradise only, in reality, to be devoured by the plant men and white apes or captured to serve the therns as slaves. That is, until John Carter finally returns to Barsoom after spending years on earth longing to return to his love, the incomprable Dejah Thoris, only to find himself in the Valley Dor fighting plant men, great white apes, therns and eventually the First Born. After learing the truth, John Carter wants to liberate Barsoom from the evil myths of the therns especially when he learns that Dejah Thoris, thinking he will never return, decides to take the pilgrimmage herself, only to be coveted by Matai Shang. Show less «