Who will the masked devil be?

[asuka007]

The irony of this story is that in a way it validates MJF’s previous selfish beliefs.

The first time he really tried to be a better guy and have a genuine friend. That friend screwed him over.

[Final Countdown Jones]

Dec 31, 2023 0:25:24 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

Dec 31, 2023 0:21:57 GMT -5 Final Countdown Jones said:

This muddies up so many motivations and renders a whole lot of segments just completely nonsensical. Like, all of those weeks we saw Cole at Roddy's place, trying to get away and call Max. Were those just staged fake segments to fool Max? Because they kind of have to be but like that makes no sense in just the general visual language of wrestling, where the segments were shot like real things happening and not just Cole with a camera f***ing around or doing a promo where he lied. I'm glad the intrigue is finally over though, and I look forward to the payoff of [checks notes] two guys both currently injured for the long term.

I assume yes they were staged to fool Max, and obviously pretaped, which is why when Max tried to call Cole they kept dropping and he couldn't reach him

It didn't make sense to begin with that Cole was there for three weeks when he needed surgery but we bought it lmfao

Yeah they had to be staged, but that just doesn't really mesh with how those segments tend to come across; it's way further from mystery twist where the clues can lead you there, and closer to just lying to your audience and then going 'Ha ha fooled you'. And it's not that lying to your audience is inherently bad for mysteries, but you do have to be careful with how you do it, and I think they did it really poorly, in ways that don't actually do service to the twist but were just there to be filler keeping some people on TV for a few weeks, disconnected from the actual plan and not thought out for what they actually said.

[Jindrak Mark]

A month or two ago I didn't want it to be Cole but the longer it went on I couldn't think of anyone who would be a satisfying outcome. Like Jack Perry would have been terrible so I'll take Cole.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Dec 31, 2023 0:29:23 GMT -5 Final Countdown Jones said:

Dec 31, 2023 0:25:24 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

I assume yes they were staged to fool Max, and obviously pretaped, which is why when Max tried to call Cole they kept dropping and he couldn't reach him

It didn't make sense to begin with that Cole was there for three weeks when he needed surgery but we bought it lmfao

Yeah they had to be staged, but that just doesn't really mesh with how those segments tend to come across; it's way further from mystery twist where the clues can lead you there, and closer to just lying to your audience and then going 'Ha ha fooled you'. And it's not that lying to your audience is inherently bad for mysteries, but you do have to be careful with how you do it, and I think they did it really poorly, in ways that don't actually do service to the twist but were just there to be filler keeping some people on TV for a few weeks, disconnected from the actual plan and not thought out for what they actually said.

On the plus side it gave us Matt Tavens love for Giraffes so I call it even

[Urethra Franklin]

It really seems like they decided on Cole being the Devil, getting cold feet and changing their mind because it was too obvious (and, of course, because Cole is hurt) and then going back to it because nothing else made sense.

[xxshoyuweeniexx]

Midcard Mafia in full effect

[kingoftheindies]

Honestly thought the whole idea would be for Adam to break Max and use the "free agent" status to let Max take time off and come back for a big match. Max being injured works into this well. Let him go through the underlings for a few months then get Cole next year at Wembley

[yokohamacpfc]

Cole's motivation could be to put on the big screen a montage of MJF's actions from AEW's first show up until his face turn last summer and just say, "Did you really think you could just say 'My bad!' and we would forget about all that shit!"

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

My brain can't comprehend the idea that Roderick Strong and Wardlow might team together.

[Lizuka #BLM]

Feel like Cole fits this perfect intersection of being a boring reveal and yet also really not making any sense at all. Though I also can't really claim to have particularly cared much in the first place so I'm not like broken up over it being an underwhelming reveal.

[Banjo Is Broken]

[yokohamacpfc]

With MJF taking a multi-month break I wonder what the short-term plan for the devil stable is? Maybe BCC will turn face and feud with them.

[A Little Doo Doo]

Dec 31, 2023 0:30:17 GMT -5 Jindrak Mark said:

A month or two ago I didn't want it to be Cole but the longer it went on I couldn't think of anyone who would be a satisfying outcome. Like Jack Perry would have been terrible so I'll take Cole.

Yeah, that's pretty much where I'm at with it, even though baybayface Cole was a breath of fresh air to me.

[Nosnorb]

It's not Beelzebruv. What a missed opportunity.

[Ben Wyatt]

On the one hand, I'm glad it wasn't someone super nonsenical like Tony. On the other hand, it was the super obvious outcome that still doesn't completely make sense.

[Citizen Snips]

Dec 31, 2023 0:02:29 GMT -5 Gawk Rivers said:

Years ago, we had a meme picture where it looked like the Devil’s Favorite Demon was taking a dump.

Now, we get the Devil himself.

[Dub H]

Bah,awful chocie and lazy booking.

And amazing that Adam Cole can build a worse stable each time.

RedDragon was boring but The Kingdom and Roddy is dire.

[chrom]

Dec 31, 2023 0:09:06 GMT -5 FinalGwen said:

So Adam Cole's grand scheme was... Make sure the guy who 100% would give you a championship rematch as soon as you return doesn't have the world title.

No one said it was a smart plan

[4real]

Going to need a decent explanation from Cole for this because right now his character looks like a complete idiot.

I’m kinda disappointed Strong, Taven & Bennett are in this group because they are goofs basically. Far more fun as goofs than bland vanilla serious heels. Please don’t change Strong’s character.

Wardlow I’m fine with. It’s predictable but he has a genuine gripe with MJF.

As for the pay off it’s hard to see where we go if Max is hurt enough that he needs time off. If Cole is still hurt as well that leaves the other 4 to pick up the slack and feud with the other guys they attacked I guess (White, Page, Acclaimed & Daddy Ass). White already feels more big time without The Gunns & Juice but not sure if I want him as a face.

[Legion]

Sometimes the obvious answer is the best answer.

It was the only one that really made sense, and Cole works best as leader of a group.

Anyone else really would have been a swerve for the sake of it. Cole was always the storyline answer.