NXT Level #349
POP OF THE NIGHT: (What was the moment, in segment, that you enjoyed the most and why?)
BURNING QUESTIONS: (What questions does the show have you asking after reading?)
HAVE YOUR SAY: (How did you like your characters portrayal and what are your thoughts on your current storyline? What, if any, improvements could be made?)
POP OF THE NIGHT:
Twit-Twoo & Night Owls - Can I just start by saying wowzers, what an introduction for Malakai Midnight and Mark Hayes. They've rolled in hitting heavy this week with these two segments. Why did Midnight attack Raven and what're his plans? Questions questions. I loved these segments and all the characters involved. Lots of shine for everyone here.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- What does Malakai want with Raven?
- How will Raven, Mud Mouth and Bart respond to Malakai?
- How will Malakai respond to Hayes?
- Who's behind the eerie as hell welcome segment? Creepy!
- Who're the two people in do you share my madness?
- Will Zeus stick by his fathers side as he said?
- WTF was that with Gemini?
- What will Jackson Cade do now about his brother?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
With the amount of questions I took away from this weeks show, it's safe to say it's one of the best weekly shows we've had. That's saying something. Everything gelled and all the storylines are compelling and intriguing. The Elders story is getting more exciting by the week and there's some mystery sprinkled in the show with the welcome segment and new arrivals too.
For Doom and Foley, I love the duality of their team. The Kingdom need help and Foley is quick to offer it up, but Doom says no. I adore that. It sticks true to the characters and their differences.
Foley though has given the go ahead and the Kingdom now have an opportunity at the tag titles. They need it to keep Falcon alive, but Doom won't care about that, even if Foley does.
This is gonna be fun.
POP OF THE NIGHT: It's going to be really hard to beat Night Owls I think. With such a fantastic intro to Malakai Midnight, the capturing of Raven and the retaliation to the clear doomsday cult leader and his goons are certainly a new and big threat on the scene. But the bringing together of this range of new characters into it, the coalescence of the fighters into a cause is already a fantastic beat. Felt like a good dark segment from an IRL show, and for that it takes the thunder for me!
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- What's the meaning behind the radio and song selection of Welcome? Loving the details with the gold flaked boots too.
- Who are the people in "Do You Share My Madness?" I have a feeling I know the dude, but it's really interesting with the layers coming forward.
- With Zeus being confirmed for being on the Elders side, who is the leader of The Pantheon?
- What made Gemini come back to relive that old memory?
- With the behavior of Blaze, and how pointed he is, are these his actions? Or someone else pulling the strings?
- What kind of favor will Nox call from Destructo Boy?
HAVE YOUR SAY: Honestly I really enjoyed the segment this week! Having YP and BS actually just come out and ask straightforward was nice. I can't say I'm terribly surprised by the no from Doom, but having Foley vouch and have the match scheduled was a nice twist on it. There's that sense of good face comradery between them and I genuinely appreciate it. Nailed it on the head for me at the very least!
POP OF THE NIGHT: The Night Owls attacking Raven and the double powerbomb off the stage. Why? Cause why not?!
BURNING QUESTIONS: What is going to happen next with the Night Owls vs Raven, Bart and Mud Mouth?
Zeus isn't the leader of the Pantheon?
HAVE YOUR SAY: This whole show had darker vibes, I really, really enjoyed reading this one.
I am psyched to be part of such an awesome story this early.
POP OF THE NIGHT:
I'm gonna give this to WHOLE. I don't know anything about the characters so coming into this I was a little concerned about how much I could digest without reviewing tons of shows. I don't have time to do that, you see. What I learned from this segment is that this evil looking Gemini hasn't always been that way. She used to be good and it was taken from her, or she took it from her? I don't know. What I do know though is that this plagued woman might be remembering her past and there has to be a reason for that.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
I'm still figuring things out so I'll say...
- Who is the mystery music welcome person?
- Who is talking in the madness segment?
- Why did Gemini remember?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
I wasn't expecting any sort of introduction this week and to get two huge segments has blown me away. I'm really grateful to Dean for helping me come up with this character based on my desire to play a cult leader and I love the way he was written in both segments. Malakai really has placed himself in the thick of it now. That's a lot of souls who want his head.
POP OF THE NIGHT: The Malakai Midnight segment was probably the best segment of the night for me. Not even necessarily because I was in it, but because it encompassing multiple characters, giving Malakai some character depth, and helping really set the tone for Lambs to Slaughter.
BURNING QUESTIONS: With Destructo Boy going behind Blaze's back to Nox for help, what's gonna happen when Blaze finds out? What kind of repercussions will come from Destructo Boy seeking Nox's help? There's clearly dissention among the elders, what is Cronos planning? Is Lamplight alive after this week's show? Is Tombstone gonna save him? Will Mark Hayes align with anyone in OSW in the near future? Or will he maintain a neutral stance and conduct himself as a loner? The Besties seem on the same page in terms of wrestling, but it seems Felix Foley and Doom aren't on the same page with regards to Yellow Python and Blue Shark getting a title shot. Could the stage be set for Doom to turn on Foley? hmmm?
HAVE YOUR SAY: I felt like Mark had a really solid debut. Lambs to Slaughter is gonna be a very interesting show and regardless of how that plays out, I'm looking forward to really crossing paths with Malakai at some point and having a feud of sorts.
I'm getting really engrossed in two particular storylines right now. 1) this storyline within Arcadia itself and the Elders 2) the story of Tombstone, Jasper Redgrave, and Fernicus Lamplight.
POP OF THE NIGHT: (What was the moment, in segment, that you enjoyed the most and why?)
I hate to be a homer and bandwagoner, but the Malakai Midnight entrance was great. I obviously found it entertaining as Raven was involved with the segment, but I think the new character really announced himself with authority. We now have a nice dichotomy with the “heaven” and “hell” groups on the scene. It also leads to some questions which I’ll list below.
BURNING QUESTIONS: (What questions does the show have you asking after reading?)
- What is the mission of Midnight and his cult?
- Why target Raven?
- What is the details behind Gemini’s vision?
- Who was behind the creepy segment?
HAVE YOUR SAY: (How did you like your characters portrayal and what are your thoughts on your current storyline? What, if any, improvements could be made?)
Business picked up this week for sure. It was great to be a part of one of the best new character reveals I can remember. The image made of the attack is awesome. Before I read the show I was jacked based on the picture on the front page. I am just curious what triggered the attack. I am also intrigued by the teaming of Mud Mouth, Bartholomew, and Raven. Strange bedfellows to say the least. Again, I think the match was well written as well. Great job by all involved.
POP OF THE NIGHT:
Going to deviate from the rest of the pack and throw a little light on the closing segment this week. Whilst this might not have been your traditional pop of the night moment, the masked man's anonymity has really got me thinking on the potential of this one. We are all fully aware that the brotherly relationship between Jackson Cade and CJ Thorpe is a strained one. It struck me during those dinner table segments recently how CJ was usually the aggressor - often trying to goad his sibling into throwing the first punch. Perseus remained calm for the most part in such situation, but what if it was a front for his parents? What if, actually, Jackson Cade is the tormenter, torturing Thorpe and using Harold Attano as a decoy? It’s a long shot, I know, but it is not beyond the realms of possibility that we might just be witnessing our own ‘IT WAS ME AUSTIN’ moment? The latency of this one has me popped, for sure, and - whatever (or indeed whoever) the outcome - I’m buzzing for the impending, big reveal!
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Who turned over Illuminations Antiques? Why was the diary strategically placed for Tombstone to find? Has Igor been conspiring with Jasper Redgrave to lead the Ferryman to he and Lamplight?
- What does Blaze seen in the photograph to make him go after Master Ken?
- Is Raven about to become a Night Owls acolyte? Getting big Corporate Ministry vibes here.
- Who's the mysterious figure behind the cane and the radio? The muffled song sounded somewhat bazaar-like. Zeus' Flying Circus, anyone?
- Who were the two individuals in the damp room? What is the nature of the madness, and why does the woman seem so eager to embrace it?
- What is Zeus's true allegiance and motivation after the encounter with Cronus? Will he remain loyal to his father and the Elders, or will he have conflicting loyalties or ambitions?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Interesting developments this week for Troy and his congregation. I was fully expecting him to visit the door at the request of Apokalpysis this week, but the Reverend’s actions have certainly got me thinking. Is he simply trying to protect the secret of Zion by shunning their advances, or is there something more at play with him not wishing to place his hand on the door to the Underworld?
POP OF THE NIGHT: (What was the moment, in segment, that you enjoyed the most and why?)
WHOLE
It's an interesting choice, but I really loved the writing involved in this segment. The description of our pestilence ridden Groves, decaying and Gemini skipping through the scene much akin to the Good Gemini of old.
The flashback that followed, then coming back around to the current reality was nice. Really loved the imagery here.
BURNING QUESTIONS: (What questions does the show have you asking after reading?)
How cool is the culmination of the newer characters?! I'm loving Malachi Midnight and what he had brought to the dynamics of OSW particularly, but it makes one think whether he's going to get his claws into Raven to the point where he can manipulate or control him as one of his owls?
What is with that super creepy segment? The radio, the cane, the faraway music? Somebody very cool is about to make themselves known. Is this the same person that we see talking to the woman in the 'Do you Share my Madness' segment?
It's not so much a question as it is a comment that it's great seeing more and more detail about how what we know of Arcadia is came about. How do we get from here to Zeus running Arcadia?
Did Attano really kill CJ Thorpe? It implies as such, but this is OSW so unless I see the Rob-esque death segment, nothing is for sure round here. Hoo boy, that's adding a whole bunch of emotion and tension to Cade vs Attano - that's going to be insane!
HAVE YOUR SAY: (How did you like your characters portrayal and what are your thoughts on your current storyline? What, if any, improvements could be made?)
I really love the dynamics here, particularly between Vision and Troy. Vision goes right after the congregation, using Troy's ego against him, and attempting to use his own religious philosophy against him too. But Troy always manages to keep that silver tongue in check, and ends up coated in teflon here.
Great writing that really adds drama to the feud!
POP OF THE NIGHT:
If there's anything I've learned about Jackson Cade, it's that when he's angry, he can be a real handful. Harold Attano and his mystery friend and put the cat amongst the pigeons and I think Cade is on a collision course with both Attano and whoever has his brother captive. Will Thorpe survive this is my fear and what about Redgrave, where is he?
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Will Redgrave give any single shit about Thorpe?
Who's attacking the Elders if Zeus is on their side?
What will Malakai do next?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
I think what I'm continually impressed about is how well the writer captures the voice of Jash. Everything seems to sound about right for him which is nice. The story has started real slow, but hopefully it picks up and kicks into a higher gear soon. I do wanna see more from Jash and what he's capable of as an underworld boss with cronies. He's not easily fucked with.