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Post by The anti-ratings Luddite on Feb 7, 2024 22:46:53 GMT -5
I think it's a huge bummer tbh. Hangman's that heart and soul of AEW babyface and seeing him turning heel because effectively the cool villain is mega over just...doesn't feel right. A "Joker is so evil that he turns Batman insane" type storyline feels odd in a territory where good and evil are pretty well defined most of the time and the bad guys usually get what's coming to them. They do have a fair amount of shades of gray stuff which I guess this plays into but...eh. Obviously they shouldn't always just tell the same kinds of stories and Swerve is mega deluxe over rn so you might as well turn him face, but it feels like they're doing it at the expense of Hangman when they don't have to. Now watch me in a few months geeking out when Big Money Corporate Hangman is the most entertaining heel on the roster. But for right now it just makes me sad in a way AEW usually doesn't. I think it was Jake Roberts who said something like "A good booker doesn't give the audience what they want, a good booker gives the audience what he wants and makes the audience think it was their idea all along" I get Swerve was getting cheered regardless and the face turn needed to happen eventually anyway, but it felt a bit rushed and a bit like Tony didn't want to challenge the audience too hard.
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Post by Cyno on Feb 7, 2024 22:50:15 GMT -5
I think the way it worked out is great. Swerve is just undeniable now, though. It's hard to keep the guy heel when crowds love him.
Where Hangman goes from here is interesting to me. I'm not sure if they make him go all the way heel besides with Swerve. But he's made himself Swerve's own personal nemesis and in turn, bitter and resentful since he can't actually win against him. Though if he decides to go to the EVP Bucks for backup, that would solidify it, wouldn't it?
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Post by kingoftheindies on Feb 7, 2024 22:58:59 GMT -5
I think the way it worked out is great. Swerve is just undeniable now, though. It's hard to keep the guy heel when crowds love him. Where Hangman goes from here is interesting to me. I'm not sure if they make him go all the way heel besides with Swerve. But he's made himself Swerve's own personal nemesis and in turn, bitter and resentful since he can't actually win against him. Though if he decides to go to the EVP Bucks for backup, that would solidify it, wouldn't it? I feel like you can do that but you have to have the Bucks go full carny and feed off of Hangman's insecurities. Build him up as their chosen one. Hopefully at that point Kenny can come to help Hangman see the light... or ya dust off the Dark Order.
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Post by Tiger Millionaire on Feb 8, 2024 2:54:34 GMT -5
Only in AEW can the super babyface be somebody that commits a home invasion, but hey. Better not to fight it. Hogan attempted vehicular homicide on The Rock and was a Babyface a month later.
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Post by El Cokehead del Knife Fight on Feb 8, 2024 3:02:35 GMT -5
It's not quote a turn, Hangman is just losing his goddamn mind and now he knows that Swerve had him beat if not for the timer. He's mentally shattered because he just can't beat Swerve
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Post by Oh Cry Me a Screwball on Feb 8, 2024 3:23:57 GMT -5
I feel like the reactions were the opposite of what you expect from what was in the rankings. You had #1 ranked Swerve asking for five more minutes when an inconclusive finish should favor him as the top contender who has never been beat by his rival. Meanwhile, Hangman was ranked as #2 and thus should need the extra five minutes in order to take Swerve’s position as the #1 contender, but instead was content to leave it up to the championship committee not wanting to fight Swerve any longer.
Maybe that’s intentional to drive him the reversal of alignments, with normally underhanded Swerve pushing to end the rivalry decisively and cleanly. While the normally courageous fighter in Hangman does the unthinkable and walks away from a fight against somehow who invaded his house.
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Post by "American Cream" Dusty Loads on Feb 8, 2024 4:13:27 GMT -5
I like it, it all depends on how they’re presented afterwards. I’m not a fan of “this guy turned heel/face so now he’s completely evil/a total Boy Scout.” Hangman’s turn seems more just an obsession with making sure Swerve doesn’t get near the title. You saw midmatch when Swerve was on the outside, hangman was hoping for a count out which historically is not a babyface move. Just great storytelling overall. I think Swerve’s the trickier one to turn because he’s been so evil (and great at it) and you don’t wanna nerf that because that’s kind of what people like about him, but it’d be weird for a face to be smashing cinderblocks over people’s heads. I’m excited to see where this goes. Loved the match.
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Post by yokohamacpfc on Feb 8, 2024 5:32:00 GMT -5
It feels very Bret/Austin in 1997. That's how I thought this feud would go with Hangman snapping at the lack of consequences and growing crowd support for the amoral Swerve but this match gave me Bret/HBK vibes: the heel/face distinctions are blurred from the opening bell no matter what the alignment was going into the match, both characters act like dicks when interacting with one another totally out of character with how they interact with the rest of the roster, both wrestlers have each other's number to an extent that they can outfight/outwrestle the other at times but never be able to put them away cleanly. If Swerve is face then we are counting down the days until Nana kicks him in the nuts just as he's about to win a big match/feud/title. I hope Nana hams it up as much as Paul Bearer did when he brained Undertaker with the urn.
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Post by daaave on Feb 8, 2024 5:33:58 GMT -5
I too aren't sure about heel Hangman but this has been done very well. They could kinda make Hangman just a heel vs Swerve. The ultimate shades of grey The match was phenomenal though. Those closing 10 mins were superb. I kinda knew it would be a draw but I doubted that quite a bit torward the end. Hangman post match descent into madness was just awesome. Really interested in how much of this story was planned out back at WrestleDream because its been really well done
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Post by Clash, Never a Meter Maid on Feb 8, 2024 6:42:25 GMT -5
Only in AEW can the super babyface be somebody that commits a home invasion, but hey. Better not to fight it. Hangman's infant son was an asshole tbh, he probably had it coming Nah, Hangman’s kid needs to cut a promo and tear the AEW fans apart. “You’re all Baby Haters! Jealous of my cuteness, jealous of my future legacy! I’m going to rule this business someday!”
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Post by HMARK Center on Feb 8, 2024 6:56:13 GMT -5
Hangman to the world right now:
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spagett
Hank Scorpio
Great Job!
Posts: 5,649
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Post by spagett on Feb 8, 2024 7:05:01 GMT -5
Ironically Hangman doing this logical slow burn double turn with Swerve is a better Bret Hart tribute than anything CM Punk has ever done.
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Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]
FANatic
Writer, Lover of all things Wrestling. Analytical, Critical, Lovable (hopefully). Lets all have fun!
Posts: 235,436
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Post by Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] on Feb 8, 2024 7:18:30 GMT -5
Hangman's infant son was an asshole tbh, he probably had it coming Nah, Hangman’s kid needs to cut a promo and tear the AEW fans apart. “You’re all Baby Haters! Jealous of my cuteness, jealous of my future legacy! I’m going to rule this business someday!” Hangman Baby- A gah ba goo ba gabby gibba goo gaa blebblebbppf!! Alex Abrahantes- *Appears offscreen* BABY HANGMAN SAYS...
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KME
Team Rocket
Posts: 776
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Post by KME on Feb 8, 2024 7:45:16 GMT -5
I loved the story they were telling anyway, Hangman unable to beat Swerve, Swerve unable to beat Hangman without help, and it leading to a draw, but the stuff after the bell took it up a notch. Swerve being the heel and yet still wanting to continue made sense, he wanted to prove he could win without Nana's help and was just about to do so before time ran out on him, he's so desperate to be World Champion and thinks he was about to win, he's absolutely going to want to carry on. Hangman thinking in the moment he may have done enough to stop Swerve by not losing made some sense too, he knows he was about to lose to him for a 3rd time, he also tried to win via countout at one point, in kayfabe would he really want 5 more minutes? Swerve's clearly broken his brain and made him doubt himself, something that's always been part of his character but that he's always been able to get past. Until he bumps into a mortal enemy and it just breaks him. As someone else said he's become intent on stopping Swerve more than winning the title himself.
Also think that while some don't want to see Hangman heel you kind of have to do it at this point, he's getting booed while Swerve is getting cheered. Heels get cheered in this day and age but this is a different kettle of fish, just go with it for now. Doesn't have to be a long heel run for Hangman (though I think a long one with a great redemption arc could be amazing) and certainly doesn't need to be a white meat babyface turn for Swerve, but I think they're going in opposite directions in the crowds eyes and they should lean into it as much as possible.
Amazing match too, hope these two interact for years to come, and I think they will because they both feel like AEW lifers, think it'll go down as an all time great feud.
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Kalmia
King Koopa
Happy to be here
Posts: 11,672
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Post by Kalmia on Feb 8, 2024 8:43:54 GMT -5
Hangman has always been a self destructive, anxiety filled guy. Before he destructed with booze now he's just going to self destruct by going heel and losing himself. It all works for me, even if I do think Hangman is one of the best faces AEW has had.
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Post by dreidemy on Feb 8, 2024 9:41:21 GMT -5
Hangman is the best character in all pro wrestling, since day 1 his story was always well written
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lucas_lee
Hank Scorpio
Heel turn is finished, now stripping away my personality
Posts: 6,699
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Post by lucas_lee on Feb 8, 2024 10:47:16 GMT -5
This is wild, Hangman had his home invaded and infant son threatened by Swerve and the fans still cheer for Swerve (although TBF any house is Swerves house.) But great way to execute a double turn without changing their characteristics and defanging them.
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lucas_lee
Hank Scorpio
Heel turn is finished, now stripping away my personality
Posts: 6,699
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Post by lucas_lee on Feb 8, 2024 10:49:16 GMT -5
Hangman has always been a self destructive, anxiety filled guy. Before he destructed with booze now he's just going to self destruct by going heel and losing himself. It all works for me, even if I do think Hangman is one of the best faces AEW has had. I've been noticing he's been going back to drinking before matches a few times the past few weeks as well.
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Allie Kitsune
Crow T. Robot
Always Feelin' Foxy.
Celestial Princess in Exile.
Posts: 46,104
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Post by Allie Kitsune on Feb 8, 2024 10:55:22 GMT -5
Only in AEW can the super babyface be somebody that commits a home invasion, but hey. Better not to fight it. Hogan attempted vehicular homicide on The Rock and was a Babyface a month later. Eh, I think I want full chaos at this point. The next time Hangman brings up Swerve assulating his infant, the crowd should chant "HE DESERVED IT!" and "SWERVE WAS RIGHT!" at him.
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Post by Mayonnaise on Feb 8, 2024 11:11:56 GMT -5
Only in AEW can the super babyface be somebody that commits a home invasion, but hey. Better not to fight it. Hangman's infant son was an asshole tbh, he probably had it coming Little brat got free t-shirt from the hottest act in entertainment and immediately puked on it! No honor!
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