Daniel Bryan ain't Stone Cold and needs support to fight the regime:
Over the past three weeks, the entire Raw locker room has been featured in the main event. Unfortunately, they are spectators, no better or worse than fans in attendance.
For heels, there is no issue. In fact, top heels such as Alberto Del Rio being featured in the front line feel more important as foot soldiers of the WWE's new corporate army. And while this type of uniformity is damaging to the individual brands of WWE superstars in general, the act of allowing Triple and co. to run roughshod through the WWE garners heat.
That's where WWE's babyface problem rears its ugly head.
Dolph Ziggler and Christian have been two of the few WWE babyfaces to speak out against WWE's new establishment. For Ziggler's troubles, he has been punished. Most recently, Ziggler was made to face Ryback after being attacked by Dean Ambrose.
Meanwhile, Christian was booked to lose to Randy Orton last week for backstage comments made against the Corporation.
The bravery of Ziggler and Christian should have shaped the character of two babyfaces going nowhere fast. Any such character has been diffused through their public inactivity during the final segments of Raw.
Vigilantes do not pick-and-choose rebellion. Daniel Bryan has martyred himself for the greater good of fair management.
This immediately puts superstars like Christian and Ziggler in a compromising position. Their falling in line after speaking out and getting punished presents them as cowards.
With Michael Cole noting each week that the "WWE locker room" has spilled out to watch Daniel Bryan's latest crucifixion, casual fans can easily assume top babyfaces like CM Punk were standing idly by. So what if he wasn't actually on stage, or if he was not seen on camera. CM Punk is part of the Raw locker room, therefore he too represents WWE's ongoing emasculation of its roster.
Wait-and-see fans have defended this angle, swearing that a revolt will commence. But the damage has already been done to any babyface with the potential to get over. Cody Rhodes is an exception, but there is a strong possibility he turns heel upon his return.
Say there is a revolt. If all superstars revolt against the McMahon faction, who gets over? That's almost as bad as having them stand by and do nothing.
Imagine John Cena, the model top babyface, standing and watching the ongoing power struggle. If healthy, he'd be fighting alongside Daniel Bryan, which is an even stronger indictment on current babyfaces.
The uniformity of the WWE locker room has rendered WWE into a nine-person show. Through the blur of faceless superstars, there's Daniel Bryan, fighting the good fight alone. As such, he will be the only superstar to get over when all is said and done.
Over the past three weeks, the entire Raw locker room has been featured in the main event. Unfortunately, they are spectators, no better or worse than fans in attendance.
For heels, there is no issue. In fact, top heels such as Alberto Del Rio being featured in the front line feel more important as foot soldiers of the WWE's new corporate army. And while this type of uniformity is damaging to the individual brands of WWE superstars in general, the act of allowing Triple and co. to run roughshod through the WWE garners heat.
That's where WWE's babyface problem rears its ugly head.
Dolph Ziggler and Christian have been two of the few WWE babyfaces to speak out against WWE's new establishment. For Ziggler's troubles, he has been punished. Most recently, Ziggler was made to face Ryback after being attacked by Dean Ambrose.
Meanwhile, Christian was booked to lose to Randy Orton last week for backstage comments made against the Corporation.
The bravery of Ziggler and Christian should have shaped the character of two babyfaces going nowhere fast. Any such character has been diffused through their public inactivity during the final segments of Raw.
Vigilantes do not pick-and-choose rebellion. Daniel Bryan has martyred himself for the greater good of fair management.
This immediately puts superstars like Christian and Ziggler in a compromising position. Their falling in line after speaking out and getting punished presents them as cowards.
With Michael Cole noting each week that the "WWE locker room" has spilled out to watch Daniel Bryan's latest crucifixion, casual fans can easily assume top babyfaces like CM Punk were standing idly by. So what if he wasn't actually on stage, or if he was not seen on camera. CM Punk is part of the Raw locker room, therefore he too represents WWE's ongoing emasculation of its roster.
Wait-and-see fans have defended this angle, swearing that a revolt will commence. But the damage has already been done to any babyface with the potential to get over. Cody Rhodes is an exception, but there is a strong possibility he turns heel upon his return.
Say there is a revolt. If all superstars revolt against the McMahon faction, who gets over? That's almost as bad as having them stand by and do nothing.
Imagine John Cena, the model top babyface, standing and watching the ongoing power struggle. If healthy, he'd be fighting alongside Daniel Bryan, which is an even stronger indictment on current babyfaces.
The uniformity of the WWE locker room has rendered WWE into a nine-person show. Through the blur of faceless superstars, there's Daniel Bryan, fighting the good fight alone. As such, he will be the only superstar to get over when all is said and done.
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