The shocking closing moments of last night’s The Rock’s offer of unlimited fame and wealth. Rhodes declared that his soul already belonged to the business and the fans and went on to tell the Final Boss to “Go f**k himself” with joy erupting from the crowd.
However, an intense low would follow shortly behind as, after John Cena embraced Cody, he locked eyes with The Rock. The ensuing moments would go on to see WWE’s biggest and most beloved star viciously destroy the top star of today. John Cena turned heel and attacked 'The American Nightmare' Cody Rhodes. The assault would be violent and bloody, but fans may be forgiven for overlooking a key detail that makes this moment even better.
WWE Storytelling Is Taking Fans on an Emotional Journey
The Triple H Era Is All About the Ride
The pro wrestling concept of ‘sending the crowd home happy’ doesn’t apply in the same way across all dramatic storytelling. The end of films (especially with sequels guaranteed) doesn’t always make the viewer feel happy about the ending - rather oftentimes the most heartbreaking moments are those that inspire fans to come back for more. John Cena attacking Cody Rhodes and standing over his battered body is in a way, the WWE version of the closing moments of Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War. Clearly, nothing in the WWE universe will ever be the same - but fans demonstrated they appreciate the ride.
If you watch back the ending scenes of Elimination Chamber, you can see and hear that fans erupt with emotion - but also, appreciation. While there are cheers and boos, there is also noticeable clapping. Even after the attack on Rhodes, with Rock and Cena (and rapper Travis Scott) in the ring standing over Rhodes’ broken body, getting the well-deserved boos that all heels should receive - fans are clapping. Not cheering, not yelling chants, but simply clapping.
The Secret to the Success of the Triple H Era
It Is All About Compelling Characters And Stories
Despite the fact that they weren’t really applauding the beatdown of Cody Rhodes, fans were still clapping. As one would do after a film or at a live performance of music, the clapping signifies that the subtle shifts in WWE creative content over the past year have captured hold. While the turn of events may not have delighted fans, even in their shock, the Toronto crowd showed appreciation for the moment they had just experienced.
The character-driven stories that have come from the Triple H era in WWE elicit a reaction of respect for the art of performance in a new way. As Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson noted in the post-Elimination Chamber press conference, the antiquated idea of ‘babyface’ and ‘heel’ doesn’t apply to The Final Boss and arguably, it doesn’t apply to most of the characters in WWE anymore. It isn’t simply about good guy vs. bad guy, there is a lot of emotional ground to cover in the grey.
John Cena Just Turned Heel: Here Is What It Means For His Farewell Tour
The John Cena retirement tour just took an unexpected but incredible new direction and set the table for multiple new avenues to tell this story.
While fan investment in individual characters is still a cornerstone of WWE, there are now compelling storylines to be invested in as well, with the early and still biggest example being the Bloodline story. Whether or not you love or hate the individual characters - there is a bigger story at play, in an entire fictional universe. As storytelling has evolved in WWE, so have fan reactions. They may boo or cheer for the characters according to their preference, but they are now starting to appreciate good storytelling, regardless of who is involved.
The clapping response to the most shocking heel turn in WWE history encapsulates the secret to the success of the Triple H era - boo, cheer or clap, fans are showing appreciation for the story. If there is a secret sauce to the company's current incredible success, it should be found in this new creative direction, and fans are showing that they understand and appreciate what's going on.
