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Post by sonofblaine on Nov 26, 2014 2:22:48 GMT -5
The segment with making them say the pledge was kind of uncomfortable. I was pretty happy when Rusev refused. It helps to continue to make him look like a strong, competent fighter who not only wins through his own ability rather than cheating alot, but also has the courage of his convictions.
The rough thing about most of their angles is that we, as fans and Americans (for those of us who are), are expected to side with and cheer actions that we'd be angered by if turned around on us (tearing down the flag, forcing the allegiance of a nation other than your own, etc).
I'm curious how this all plays to fans who aren't Americans, essentially watching from the sidelines.
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Post by häšhtå.gdālėÿ on Nov 26, 2014 2:30:52 GMT -5
I've sided with RUSEV ever since he faught back against Show and Henry that one time.
He looks at the big guys cornering him, looks back at Lana and gives up his colors with a nod knowing he's jumping into a losing battle. He's been a face to me ever since.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2014 2:32:41 GMT -5
Oh God, another one of these threads.
For the record, I'm British and the twat was getting what he deserves. He's trashed an entire country for months on end, one he lives in no less. Roughed up numerous wrestlers after the bell, jumped people etc. Why is this so hard for some people to understand?
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mrbananagrabber
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Post by mrbananagrabber on Nov 26, 2014 2:50:23 GMT -5
I've sided with RUSEV ever since he faught back against Show and Henry that one time. He looks at the big guys cornering him, looks back at Lana and gives up his colors with a nod knowing he's jumping into a losing battle. He's been a face to me ever since. If he was such a big tough super face surely he would just have taken part in the Battle Royale instead of trying to fight a 66 year old retired wrestler?
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RIHT
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Post by RIHT on Nov 26, 2014 2:55:57 GMT -5
"WHAT ARE YEW TALKIN' ABOUT, MAHGGLE? RUSEV IS A MENACE TO THIS COUNTRY! JACK SWAGGER LET AMERICA DOWN BEFORE, AND I BET HE'LL DO IT.... HEY! THE STUPID BUNNY'S TWERKING, MAHGGLE! HIP-HOP, I LOVE IT, MAHGGLE!"
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2014 7:14:04 GMT -5
Fairly often they seem to be putting Rusev in positions where you can easily justify what he's doing, without seemingly realizing they're doing it. Like when they were aghast at him kicking that soldier when hey, that guy tried to attack him first so he had it coming.
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Post by hossfan on Nov 26, 2014 7:26:05 GMT -5
I don't think of him as a face, but Rusev has been booked as a definite bad ass. The segment referenced above where he stands up to both Mark Henry and Big Show is the best demonstration of this. Also, WWE trying to force him to recite "The Pledge of Allegiance" as a means of punishment was pretty tacky.
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gr1990
Don Corleone
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Post by gr1990 on Nov 26, 2014 7:33:56 GMT -5
'He hates America! He hates freedom! Let's pay him back by forcing him to recite this weirdly indoctrinating oath of ours!' Ugh. Imagine what a heel move it would be construed as if Rusev and Lana made an American babyface swear loyalty to Vladimir Putin. Imagine the pop and the props they'd get on commentary for refusing.
There's a story to be told where Rusev is the hypocrite for running down America despite having no problem taking American money to perform for an American company etc, sometimes they tell it, but more often than not it boils down to 'he's not from here! He speaks a scary foreign language! He puts his disgusting foreign flag up in our arenas!' which is troubling to say the least.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2014 7:35:56 GMT -5
'He hates America! He hates freedom! Let's pay him back by forcing him to recite this weirdly indoctrinating oath of ours!' Ugh. There's a story to be told where Rusev is the hypocrite for running down America despite having no problem taking American money to perform for an American company etc, sometimes they tell it, but more often than not it boils down to 'he's not from here! He speaks a scary foreign language! He puts his disgusting foreign flag up in our arenas!' which is troubling to say the least. Even that first point's pretty easy to deconstruct - his entire goal in the WWE seems to be using it as a proving ground for how much better he is than Americans, which would kind of require being around them to do, and American money converts into rubles just as much as anything else does.
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Sparkybob
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Post by Sparkybob on Nov 26, 2014 7:38:08 GMT -5
I think he is clearly a heel. It seems some people here want him to be a babyface so they justify him as a face in most segments he is in because that is what they want to see, not what they see.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2014 7:49:00 GMT -5
I think he is clearly a heel. It seems some people here want him to be a babyface so they justify him as a face in most segments he is in because that is what they want to see, not what they see. I think the thing with Rusev is that they're portraying it like he's supposed to be an absolutely heartless monster, but he comes off less like that and more just as a dick. He's not a good guy but he tends to come off as more noble than those he's fighting, though that's more just due to the company-wide, "Faces are assholes," problem.
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Post by Adam Black on Nov 26, 2014 7:52:25 GMT -5
between this and WWE 2K15 MyCareer mode I feel like faces can't get away with shit anymore like attacking someone with a chair after that said someone injured you and now I'm in the wrong ? JESUS f*** f*** YOU THE GUY TRIED TO END MY CAREER AND A CHAIR SHOT "brought a dark side of me"? f*** YOU IT f***ING ANNOYS ME
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Post by Tiger Millionaire on Nov 26, 2014 8:06:48 GMT -5
'He hates America! He hates freedom! Let's pay him back by forcing him to recite this weirdly indoctrinating oath of ours!' Ugh. Imagine what a heel move in would be construed as if Rusev or Lana made an American babyface swear loyalty to Vladimir Putin. Imagine the pop and the props they'd get on commentary for refusing. There's a story to be told where Rusev is the hypocrite for running down America despite having no problem taking American money to perform for an American company etc, sometimes they tell it, but more often than not it boils down to 'he's not from here! He speaks a scary foreign language! He puts his disgusting foreign flag up in our arenas!' which is troubling to say the least.
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nisidhe
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Post by nisidhe on Nov 26, 2014 11:26:38 GMT -5
I see the point, but I would also have half-expected Daniel Bryan to announce the battle royal as soon as it became clear that Rusev and Lana were refusing to say the Pledge. They had a choice and took the "easier" route tactically.
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Crappler El 0 M
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Post by Crappler El 0 M on Nov 26, 2014 11:29:22 GMT -5
I thought it put them in the sympathetic spot. I almost wanted Rusev to grab the mic and confidently say, "Bring on the battle royal!" Of course that would have been a babyface move and if he won the battle royal he would have come off as a bad-ass and a babyface.
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Post by MGH on Nov 26, 2014 11:29:46 GMT -5
He's certainly a heel, and 90% of what he has done warrants "hate", but yes I did feel for those two on Monday. That was a little uncomfortable.
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saintpat
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Post by saintpat on Nov 26, 2014 11:41:31 GMT -5
People seem to be blocking out a lot of heelish things Ruseve has done: keeping his finisher locked in long after the match is over to torture them, attacking people after releasing the hold and further bullying them, etc.
On the most recent segment, Rusev wasn't "forced" to do anything, he was given a choice: wrestle to defend the title (in an against-all-odds situation, much like babyfaces are put in every week) OR recite a few words that obviously don't fit with their geopolitical views.
That Rusev/Lana chose to recite the pledge and sell out their own Russian-ness is a really babyface thing to do, yep.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2014 11:53:36 GMT -5
That was a really bizarre segment. It doesn't make them faces of course, but it was somewhat of a sympathy garnering segment.
Was just a bad idea, should have done something else. It doesn't help that the problem continues with Lana being the heel and Rusev not really being particularly heelish. He's still heelish but it's a bit shaky and they really should have him do a bit more. That's the main thing that makes some of this stuff awkward.
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Square
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Post by Square on Nov 26, 2014 11:55:10 GMT -5
I just thought it was stupid in thinking that non Americans know the pledge of allegiance . All I know if it is "i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america" and that's from tv.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2014 11:59:46 GMT -5
I just thought it was stupid in thinking that non Americans know the pledge of allegiance . All I know if it is "i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america" and that's from tv. Well slaughter was reciting it for them a few words at a time and having them repeat it. Knowing it wasn't necessary.
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