this has got to be one of the more "intelligent" angles in a long time on RAW. Psychologically problematic characters are hard to pull off- and I'm not talking about Victoria's "pull my hair and bite someone's fingernail off" crazy. This is getting good, folks....
I was there....When Chris Jericho beat Austin and Rock in the same night to become the first ever Undisputed Champion! (And for the incredible Eddie/ Edge "no DQ"!!!)
I was there....When Chris Jericho beat Austin and Rock in the same night to become the first ever Undisputed Champion! (And for the incredible Eddie/ Edge "no DQ"!!!)
Hmmm... I dunno. (And I'm totally taking a hypothetical, WWE is smarter than we think, kayfabe approach to this) Perhaps the burning of good ol' JR is the absolute indicator of the direction Kane will ultimately take. After all, Jim Ross is the lead commentator for RAW, and therefore, by proxy, is the fan's window into the world of the RAW brand. If JR serves as our conduit to lead us to cheer or jeer the WWE wrestlers on RAW each week and so forth, then Kane's attack last week is symbolic of Kane's heel turn. Also, notice how Kane told RVD and Steve Austin that he HATED the fans, despite the fact that last year, roughly around the same time, he was endearing himself to the fans, and even identified his following as the Kanenites.
Kane is a disturbed human being. When HHH humiliated Kane with the whole Katie Vick situation, it caused the Big Red Machine to ultimately snap. And why wouldn't the World's Heavyweight Champion attack Kane that way? For years, Kane has been a thorn in the side of HHH, from their feud back in 1999 to more recent events. It's a shame that Kane just couldn't see through HHH's BULLSHIT. Triple H was running scared, and could only get the advantage by preying on Kane's fragile mental and emotional state, instead of trying to prove how he's "that damn good" in the ring, where all feuds belong.
ANYWAY! I will also watch Monday night to see what happens next. All I know is that RVD is DOOMED...
David Crockett sez it best, folks: "Look at 'im, Tony! Look at 'im!"
After seeing the extra crispy JR, this thing could go one of two ways, and I hope it's the second. I haven't been this compelled probably since the HHH-Austin feud a couple years ago. If this doesn't work out though, there's always Y2J and HBK.........
I'd watch Raw regardless, but the Kane story has me excited to watch. I know I'm in the minority in liking the way they've handled this whole storyline, but that's OK, I'm used to it. I am stoked for tonight, and I think this is the third week in a row I've been able to say that!
sergei
"A true champion knows how to deal with adversity."-- Kurt Angle
The weekend house show report on Meltzer's site says that the Kane/RVD "match" there was a squash that lasted all of ten seconds -- which was pretty much what I expected for tonight; why give away an extended match free when you can schedule a rematch for Summerslam?
But it also says that Kane got big face pops for destroying RVD. Looks like immolating J.R. wasn't enough to turn him heel in the crowd's eyes. Hope they have a Plan B up their sleeve.
That aside, I remain hopeful. Sure, the Kane Saga has had its dumb twists, but let's not forget that not long ago people were complaining that there were no extended angles any more, that the undercard matches were just thrown together a week before the PPV. By that measure, this has to be an improvement.
"I do have a degree in electrical engineering... from almost 20 years ago. Punchcard systems were just becoming obsolete, we had rotary phones in the dorms, and a modem was still a gizmo the size of a shoebox into which you squooshed the phone receiver itself. In short, we lived like animals.
The instant obsolesence is why I became a writer. The rate of punctuation in a sentence doesn't double every 18 friggin' months, and you never have some 22-year-old looming over your shoulder, shaking his head, saying "dude... you're still using adverbs...?"
I think its a rare case of WWE trying to give fans what they want.
I mean, how many times have people on this board and elsewhere complained that they don't do enough to build storylines, and that HHH is dominating the show's main story.
In this case, they've taken someone who the fans may not love, but at least don't shit on, in Kane, and put him into a compelling story. They're using to tie together the show from week to week, and have at least one spinoff angle in the works, with Linda `firing' Austin tonight.
Is it the best story they've ever come up with? Probably not. It's compelling, though, and at least the writing team is TRYING to give us a reason to watch from week to week.
So, yeah, count me as one of the people who will be watching because of Kane this week.
The REAL Trish Stratus interview? A Scott Keith fan club? Plus the latest in hair care products in the newest Inside The Ropes!
The most interesting thing I think is that the fans still cheer Kane but he hates the fans. Once they get us to boo him, Kane can rightly say that everyone was hypocrites and that they do hate him.
Rorschach: "None of you understand. I'm not locked up in here with you. You're locked up in here with me."
I think if they try to force him to be heel this will fizzle for lack of heel heat. But I think they understand that, and will push him as a monster tweener, who does terrible things, but still evokes sympathy because people empathize with his reasons. He feels so guilty about surviving the fire unscathed he has convinced himself that he was horribly scarred, and anyone who tries to convince him otherwise is trying to take away a crutch that prevents him from having to face some horrible guilt and emotional pain. Or if you don't appreciate it on that level, there's always the bloodlust level, ie "he kicks people's asses, and then burns them up! Go, Kane!"
I think they would need to find a very vulnerable, sympathetic character for him to hurt to get him over as a real heel, but I think they'd be better off just going with the pops. (Same goes for Eddie) If they go that route, desperately seeking heel heat, when the fans would rather cheer, then I take back every good thing I've said about the direction of this storyline. But I really don't think they're going to do that.
sergei
"A true champion knows how to deal with adversity."-- Kurt Angle
He would only be fed to Orton. I like the beard, myself. Harley looks freakishly cherubic in that photo. I think I would look older if I stood next to him.