I just think the more earnest/believable approach is Cena coming from a place of desperation that leads him to being alone on an island he didn’t expect, not some deep-rooted resentment that emerged at a pretty odd time.

To me, they had a compelling, nuanced story at their feet and this felt like they skipped over that to get to a very basic “you people” approach. They can work backward now, and it’ll probably work out just fine, but I’ve got to critique it how it comes.

The crowd has been almost universally with him for years, so for him to suddenly have a problem with them felt like a leap in logic. They could’ve still gotten here and done this promo after he explained his motivation and the crowd rejected him.

I know this is addressed to Frank, but I think my hang up is that the motivation feels off. Cena turning heel in the way he did (joining corporate Rock) felt like a means of elevating his chances of one more ride on top, not like a rejection of the audience…

I do think it’s probably going to feel foreign all the way through (largely because I don’t foresee this turn lasting all that long) but I do think there’s time to get me back on board. Levesque still gets my benefit of the doubt, booking wise.

It certainly got him booed, but I felt like it was too much of a generic, one note heel turn promo for what was the follow up to such a massive angle. There’s a lot of nuance to this and I hope Cody calling him out allows him to explore some of that in his other appearances.

Ties in to the crisis in confidence, and also, he could’ve approached it like he expected the crowd to understand once he explained himself. When they inevitably reacted poorly, then he could’ve done this. Jumping right to this felt phony and hollow.

I think you could’ve taken the approach that Cena was consumed by his recent record and, despite winning the Chamber on his own (even though he really didn’t), he wants to fully cement his legacy by breaking the record and to guarantee it, he sold out to the board.

!

Interesting! They’re not typically in my wheelhouse but I came around to them with their last EP. Haven’t heard them, but I’ll take a look!

But, with that said - I’m working through this year’s Oscar noms and enjoying the hell out of them AND so many of my favorite bands are releasing music this year and that’s brought some sunshine to this hellscape!

Surely not racist. Surely.