NXT Level #351
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: Felix and Doom laying out The Kingdom. I knew their agreement to work together would be short lived. Yellow Python and Blue Shark have their work cut out for them.
BURNING QUESTIONS: What happened to Mud Mouth? Will Apokalypse get the door opened? Who is next to touch the door? CAN ANYONE STOP MALAKAI MIDNIGHT?? Who are these two individuals we haven't seen yet? Will Pandemonium be the place? Or will they wait until after the dominos have fallen to reveal themselves? What will be the outcome of Blaze taking in the concoction in the canister?
HAVE YOUR SAY: The feud between Master Ken and Blaze is ramping up and looks to maybe be more than the arena for Pandemonium can handle. I don't think the building can contain these two. Their respective vendettas continue to get worse as both men are escalating things to new levels. Someone has to be able to slow Malakai and stall his momentum. He's been on a tear since debuting. Perhaps the gathering opposition can make things difficult for him.
POP OF THE NIGHT: (What was the moment, in segment, that you enjoyed the most and why?)
I’m going to go with the segment of John Says this week. These intense visions on back to back weeks have been interesting. In all honesty, they’re a little eerie and leaves you wondering what’s going on. I am hopeful we will get some answers this weekend. Great intrigue!
BURNING QUESTIONS: (What questions does the show have you asking after reading?)
- What is up with the visions? (This week Muerte)
- Who are the Abominations?
- What happened to Mudmouth?
- Who touches the door next?
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?)
It was good to see Raven and the group planning an offensive this week. They’ve gotten taken to the woodshed the last couple weeks, so we’ll see if the tides can turn a little. However, the disappearance of Mudmouth is intriguing. It will be interesting to see if we get some light shed on this at Pandemonium.
POP OF THE NIGHT:
Nox beating Foley. Felix is no slouch in the ring, so to see him pass out after being put in the Oxygen Deprivation Chamber was a big moment for him. Not only that, it elevated the status of the NXT Level championship quite a bit. Great showing from Bryno this week and I'm worried that what I put out for him doesn't stand a lick of a chance.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Where did the Black Panther drag Red Falcon off to? Is the latter still alive after whatever the hell the rogue Panther put him through, like Felix and Doom are suggesting? Or did he kill the Falcon for the fuck of it after taking him out of the Sanctuary?
Who are these two (possibly three) people we're seeing in these hype segments? We're seeing one that's claiming to be an abomination and another that's wanting to show off some imperfection? I'm curious to find out who these guys are and what they're capable of. Hoping to find out at the big Lambs match!
How did CJ escape his captor alive? What happened to the man that supposedly taught Attano everything he knows? Is he dead? There's quite a lot of questions that sprung to my mind when reading this segment and I hope to get them answered once Pandemonium rolls around.
What happens to Albert Lamplight now that he's free? Will he bump into Tombstone at all, or will he remain out of the picture for good? I'm interested in seeing what happens to the Illuminator since him meeting the Ferryman again seemed to be the original plan and I'd hate to see that go to waste now that Attano's the face of OSW.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Well, Blaze breathed in Nox's concoction, which I'm sure can't lead to anything good for Ken or Destructo Boy. It doesn't help that the Chemist is getting the Sensei to focus his anger on Blaze, which will only result in further potential mayhem between them. I don't know if Faith will realize he made a mistake in going to Nox for help or not, but chaos will likely spiral out between the four when the match happens anyways. I can't wait to see just what occurs at Pandemonium and if Blaze crosses another line that he shouldn't.
POP OF THE NIGHT: (What was the moment, in segment, that you enjoyed the most and why?)
We're Abominations and Imperfections
I love the bread crumbs being laid out for what appear to be debuts. They're so good at building tension and making me tense about who's coming next because I know one new character can set this place on its ear. I hope we get to find out who these people are at Pandemonium.
John Says
I am loving these flashback memories from Apokalypsis. They're like little lore drops, almost like a puzzle that has to be put together, and I can't wait to see how the pieces fit.
BURNING QUESTIONS: (What questions does the show have you asking after reading?)
What're Raven and Hayes planning to do with Midnight?
Who're the people Abomination and Imperfection eluding to?
What're Nox's plans as he seems to be manipulating everyone?
How did CJ get free, did Harold request him to be released after he and Cade came to blows?
What the hell is going to happen with Blaze breathing in what Nox gave Faith?
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?)
Harold: I absolutely loved how Follow the Jasper set up to Showtime with Harold stalking Jasper like prey much how we used to see Jasper do in the early days. Then the line during showtime, “It wasn’t supposed to be you!?” was actually inspirational. It was something that I latched onto and I used it to help with my work for Pandemonium. This whole run for Attano has been moving from strength to strength.
Nox: Goddamn he's really proving how fucking devious he is isn't he? Sending Ken that burned banner, convincing Destructo Boy to make Blaze inhale whatever the hell was in that canister. Then beating Felix Foley, which I have to say was a fucking blindside to me as Foley's handed me my ass in almost every encounter we've had. I have to say Nox has been fun to write for and read about. I am really enjoying how he's developing.
POP OF THE NIGHT: (What was the moment, in segment, that you enjoyed the most and why?)
WE'RE ABOMINATIONS
The two segments viewed side by side were really interesting. Last week, I suspected we were seeing two angles of the same characters, but the more I view of them, the more I think that's not the case. There's a bit of a difference in the way they're presented. But there's definitely two characters portratyed in each segment. I don't know what to think. Are we seeing two new characters, or one new duo... or two new duos?
Either way, the writing of We're Abominations was really gripping, it really makes me want to get a sense of who this is. I think I'm really going to like these characters.
BURNING QUESTIONS: (What questions does the show have you asking after reading?)
Is Jackson Cade going to be able to get through to his brother and save him from Redgrave's influence? On that note, has Redgrave found the thing that is going to finally bring him to his knees in killing Attano's daughter?
What of Albert Lamplight now? What of Tombstone?
Who are these new folks?
What the hell is going to happen at Pandemonium... There's so many thoughts in my mind, it's Pandemonium!
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?)
EMM / VISION
Prove Thy Faith was a really cool segment that brought a bit more depth to the mindset of Apokalypsis, while allowing Lionel Troy to be the bastard that he is. Above all, I really think the writer nailed the chemistry between the different members of Apokalypsis. I love how Troy claims that he would 'as the key', not open the door. That's classic religious asshole, all the pomp and always having an answer for your shortcomings. As for EMM and Vision in the scene, I'm really happy with the direction he's written in.
As for John Says, how flipping cool was this segment?
The flashback, but with the added detail. Bloody awesome, that the idea can be cast all that time ago, set all these things in motion and the words he spoke be held off until now. The confusion, the unsureness of him at the end. What the hell is going on here?
POP OF THE NIGHT: Abominations
Though it's not really a pop of the night, I find these segments to be rather intriguing and think some light needs to be shined here. The writing here is amazing. I get a clear picture of a Sloth from Goonies vibe from the male while the female must be a pretty princess. An intriguing mystery duo here that maybe we get to see more of come Lambs?
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Who are the Abominations?
- What has happened with Red Falcon?
- CJ is alive, well, and free, but how?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Well, Jasper has shown up and suddenly CJ Thorpe is alive and well. I'm not sure what the hell happened there but I'm glad to see CJ make it out of there alive. It seems Jasper was definitely trying to lure someone in this week, assumingly Tombstone. However, he got Attano and now Lamplight is free. What happens from here? Does Tombstone still come after Redgrave? Does he go after Lamplight? What's Lamplight's plan now? And what the hell will happen between Redgrave and Attano come Pandemonium?
It's pande week, and fuck am I nervous.
POP OF THE NIGHT:
The two back-to-back segments in the middle of the show were standout moments for me. Both continued storylines from previous weeks and posed more questions than answers. In the first segment, the two mysterious figures again discussed their perceived statuses as outcasts, suggesting a deep connection and a potentially powerful alliance. The nature of their bond and their ultimate goals remain unclear, but there’s some great character development going on here.
The segment which followed provided more insight into the figure with the cane. While we got a clearer glimpse of their appearance, it was their critique of Arcadia's obsession with perfection that left a more lasting impression. They hinted at an impending revelation, inviting us to follow them to "show us the way." The exact nature and implications of this promise are still unclear, but it feels like we are building up to something significant here, likely to be unveiled at Pandemonium, or at worst, Ring of Dreams.
Great storytelling throughout these two!
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Who entered through the door in the segment Abominations?
- Who is the individual with the cane, and what is ‘the way’?
- What’s going on with the members of Apokalypsis and these flashbacks? First Drewitt, and now Muerte. What’s going on?
- Who freed CJ Thorpe?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
I enjoyed the standoff in No Man’s Land. Despite my doubts, Lionel stayed loyal to his friend and flock by showing up and placing his hand on the door. It was classic Troy to flip the script on Apokalypsis by claiming to be the key while also vowing to keep the gateway to the underworld firmly shut in the name of Zion too. A clever and satisfying twist indeed that brought a smile to my face!
POP OF THE NIGHT:
I would have to say I popped the most for Abominations and Imperfections purely because of the buzz and intrigue they generate. Now, we could assume these are vignettes for newcomers who should hopefully appear in Lambs. However, I wonder if these appearing around Pandemonium time are just a swerve and they're set ups for much bigger stories based around people currently on the roster.
Though, if I had to pick something not related to those, I'd go with the stand off between Attano and Redgrave in Showtime almost purely for Attano catching a knife with a clap.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- How did CJ get free? Did he fight out or was he helped?
- Who are our mystery folks in those two segments mentioned above?
- Who's the key to the door?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Jackson Cade: Man, Cade really can't seem to get a win, huh? Between losing to Redgrave again and his brother being freed without his help, I can only think Cade feels absolutely defeated going into Lambs.
Drewitt: Once again, I wrote this, but I'm very glad to see people enjoying the segments.
POP OF THE NIGHT:
This was a night full of very interesting story beats raising some big questions, but perhaps the biggest of these pertain to "We're Abominations" and "Imperfection," which both manage to really capture my curiosity on what is going to happen. With everything else going on, we may be seeing even bigger threats on the horizon, and if this is any sort of tease ahead of Lambs to the Slaughter, even better!
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Certainly, who are the "Abominations" and the person offering to show us the Way?
- What is causing Apokalypsis to deal with memories of their past, and will it come back to haunt them as they pursue the final key to The Door?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
I found this a curious but satisfying conclusion to the situation between the Church and Apokalypsis. Troy proving himself not to be the final key was an interesting twist, particularly for how he and Ramsey treat it as a miracle. I liked that it played so well into the concern of theirs that opening the door would bring about certain disaster for them haha. Raises the question of where the final key WILL be found, and how the Church comes into play down the line if at all.