Quote from Tombstone on 24 December 2024, 13:34

TOP THREE MOMENTS:

(Three moments of the show that stood out to you and why.)

Narrowing this down to three moments might border on impossible, but I'm going to try.

1. The reveal that Gravedigger had killed Calypso and Malakai Midnight before eventually joining forces with Igor Mortis to turn on Tombstone left me with my jaw on the floor. The Mortuary Assistant has now been handed the chains as the Ferryman and I have no idea what that means for Tombstone. We learned Tombstone's real name (Ezra) and the segment somehow made me feel for a character that has been pretty despicable of late.
2. CJ Thorpe 'accepting' his fate and surrendering his life to Jasper Redgrave is a moment I don't think I'll ever forget; not just because I wasn't expecting it but because it was a such a powerful moment.
3. The reveal to the whole of Arcadia that there is a 'great beyond' and how that has led to a Civil War was really special. George's link to Paragon for the explanation and then Jackson facing Narcissa to get us to the big reveal was supremely clever.

BURNING QUESTIONS:

(What questions has the show left you with?)

Is Michaela really choosing Klaus over Harold? I'm surprised by that. Who is the Zookeeper? Why did Sunshine want Roland Gray dead? What's next for Felix Foley? How can Destructo Boy go it alone without his pop by Nox and Doom? What was that explosion?

MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:

(Which promo was your favourite of the week?)

Felix Foley's Fairytale Lies was the first promo I read this week and I read them all, actually. I thought this was peak Mel and just perfectly summarized the character and the storyline so perfectly. It was beautifully written and well deserving of the top promo of the week in my view.

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 adored this show. Putting my storyline aside for a moment and thinking about the writing of Red Snow, I can't applaud it enough. Every single segment was pure white hot fire that drove angles into excellence with every single word. The twists and turns of this show have to be up there with some of the best Red Snow or Ring of Dreams moments in the history of OSW.

The production value of the shows, and all the videos therein were phenomenal. The videos before Foley/Tombstone and CJ Thorpe/Jasper Redgrave added extra layers to the story and the event as a whole.

For my storyline, I just want to thank everyone involved for the best ride I've ever had and the best character I've ever had. Thank you so much.

Quote from Felix Foley on 24 December 2024, 17:40

TOP THREE MOMENTS:

(Three moments of the show that stood out to you and why.)

1. Everything that built up to and including my match was a big moment for me personally. I don't want to sound bias but the segments that led to the match, followed by the video and then the huge match itself was mammoth in size. The match was everything I hoped it would be. Foley still retained his underdog status and the match looked as if it was going the way of the others for him to do something unthinkable and pull out all the stops. I'm really proud of my promo for Red Snow and the match was everything the incredible storyline deserved.
2. Tombstone being turned on by Gravedigger. I didn't see this coming. After months and months of feuding with Tombstone, I didn't ever think I'd feel sympathy for the character ever again... but I did. Igor Mortis turning on him was some real Paul Bearer shit with Kane and I didn't expect it. I wondered why Tombstone was clearing house throughout the night and was equally as surprised to learn he wasn't.
3. CJ Thorpe! O! M! G! The hits kept coming, didn't they? I thought CJ Thorpe would get the underdog treatment here. We've seen it time and time again in e-feds. A guy like Thorpe is beaten into submission under impossible circumstances and then shock of all horrors, the reason he has to be beaten is taken away and he gets his revenge. That didn't happen. I couldn't believe my eyes when he not only lost the title but allowed himself to be killed to save his mom. Beautiful and devastating stuff.

BURNING QUESTIONS:

(What questions has the show left you with?)

So many...

What happens to Tombstone now? Is that it?

Is Jackson walking into a setup on Warzone?

Are people picking sides in the Civil War?

Is Destructo Boy okay? Who blew up that room?

Why did Sunshine get Gray killed?

Who is the bloody Zookeeper!?

MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:

(Which promo was your favourite of the week?)

I didn't read as many as I'd have liked this week, but I did catch Dean's stream and CJ Thorpe's Grief was read so eloquently and made me really excited for the match, so I'm giving it to that. A great promo, I thought.

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?)

Where to start? Red Snow was once again a huge night. It's almost embarrassing that we come to expect greatness and yet when its delivered, it's something beyond greatness. How incredible is that? Next season is such a big one and I'm already super motivated to get writing for it.

Thank you to creative for a beautiful underdog storyline that helped flesh out Foley's backstory and present him as a real underdog hero in OSW lore.

Quote from Mighty Mighty on 24 December 2024, 20:33

TOP THREE MOMENTS:

1. The betrayal of Gravedigger towards Tombstone and I have to put this too on No. 1 on how Aurora... I mean Eclipse is absolutely willing to be with Gravedigger
2. CIVIL WAR (nuff said)
3. The deaths of many wrestlers!

BURNING QUESTIONS:

Is Tombstone done?

What will happen to Mighty Mighty?

What's next for Ayame after Ecplise took her out while defending her?

Gravedigger + Ecplise = Power Couple?

Whose going to side with who?

MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:

Felix Foley + Tombstone RP really  caps off a wonderfully done rivalry

HAVE YOUR SAY:

RED SNOW is the HYPE! I love how old rivalry ends and new ones forges. I love how Dean and the creative team know how to tell a good story with each character and not all efed does this. Keep up the good work guys

Quote from Wolf Fang Ayame on 25 December 2024, 07:32

TOP THREE MOMENTS:

(Three moments of the show that stood out to you and why.)

1. Gotta be the betrayal of Tombstone by Gravedigger. It was set up so well early on as it seemed like Tombstone was fed up with failures, however it wasn't really explicitly said by him. He had a peak moment with the wedding and it was written away as "Well he won his match so don't worry about him" and then the final betrayal occurred it was done perfectly. And it's one of those twists that was done in a way that if you read back the show it changes your perception makes a wonderful twist.
2. The revelation of the door/Declaration of a civil war. These two kinda go hand in hand. The door and what was beyond it was always going to be a major point. NOW we have a twist of what this show is with the arena being a neutral ground to fight this war. Good stuff and a good hook for the season going forward.
3. The death of CJ Thorpe. Acceptance was going to be a weird one always and it was done in the most heartwrenching way. The champion fell protecting those he cared for. which was sick and sadistic.

BURNING QUESTIONS:

Who is the Zookeeper?

What did sunshine have to hide that he needed to take a hit on roland Grey?

What tone will the first Warzone set? additionally what sides will people take?

Has the circus shaken their Attano problem?

What is in store for the new powercouple of Gravedigger and Eclipse?

MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:

Yeah I'm preaching to the choir here. But I'd going with Fairytale Lies by Felix Foley.

I really do admire Foley's promo style and make it mandatory reading when going through the promos. This one was a step above which was a bow on top to a heated feud. A ton of story and emotion making him go into his own character and question the core of who he was crammed into a little space with vivid imagry. It's discomforting but I think it wouldn't have hit as hard if it didn't go into the dark past of Foley.

HAVE YOUR SAY:

Ayame took her first life and it was wonderful. Credit to the writer for bringing up the more supernatural wolf like stuff that can occur with her. I really did like that. And there wasn't long to linger on that as she's right into something with Eclipse FKA as Aurora and Gravedigger. Good stuff overall and I'm excited to explore that. 

For the show as a whole I remember when I was first getting the rundown of OSW this show was brought up as the big end of everything. And really I can't say I was disappointed. Lore drops, characters killed, it felt like really no one was safe, even champions and winners of matches. In service to the story. I loved it immensely, and none of the segments really faltered. Credit to the team. Great show. Enjoy your break cause you earned it.

Quote from Reverend Ezekiel Graves on 28 December 2024, 06:07

TOP THREE MOMENTS:

1. Jasper Redgrave Snapping CJ Thorpe’s Neck:

I came into OSW when CJ Thorpe was the World Champion something all of our characters strive to be and I never thought I’d see his death. The way it happened so quickly left me speechless, a legit jaw-dropping moment. I’ve been a big fan of Jasper Redgrave since he became “The Killer King.” When he was called that for the first time, he gained a fan for life. I’d rep his t-shirt if it ever became available. I’m excited to see where this reign leads and what kind of chaos comes with it.

2. The Burned Man Collapsing Before Reaching His Son:

The connection between The Burned Man and Destructo Boy has always hit on an emotional level for me probably because I’m a parent but damn, this moment was powerful. With all the betrayals and storylines concluding, this one stood out because it hit the heartstrings. Seeing TBM reach out for his son one last time before collapsing was gut-wrenching and unforgettable.

3. The Violent Betrayal of Tombstone by Gravedigger:

I did not see that coming at all. In an odd way, it made Tombstone feel human. This unbeatable monster who terrorized Felix Foley suddenly became someone you had to feel bad for. It was shocking and added a new layer to both characters.

BURNING QUESTIONS:

• What did Jasper Redgrave whisper into CJ’s ear before he accepted? I could be reading into it too much (and I might just be a high idiot), but I feel like there’s more to it than just a threat.

• What’s next for Ezekiel Graves?

• How will Destructo Boy cope with TBM’s death?  Will he become a dominant tag team champion to honour his father?

• How pissed is Ayame?

MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:

The Great Unknown: Honestly, I thought this was a great promo on its own, but after hearing Dean read it live, it felt like something more. The passion behind the words brought them to life and made the moment and match big. Well done! I’ve gone back and re-read it a few times since, and it still hits hard.

HAVE YOUR SAY:

I know my “Have Your Say” is always a rant, so I’m sorry for that, but here goes:

First, I want to say how weird it feels to have such an amazing storyline going into Red Snow while also being nervous about the match between Ajax and Mighty Mighty. To even have Dean reach out and ask if I could write the Pen to Paper segment was huge for me.

I’m not gonna lie I was nervous when Laner started to read my words. Having our main voice read my work gave me butterflies. Then, to have everyone give me props after it was read was a feeling I’ve never had in an e-fed before.

Dawson and Taufik, I really hope you enjoyed the build-up to your match. I was honoured to write the segments leading up to it, and I hope I did your characters justice.

For Graves, I had an epic match at Red Snow dream opponent, dream result. For my first Red Snow, it’s something I’ll never forget. No matter what happens to Graves going forward, I’ll always have this win at my first Red Snow, and as a writer here, that means a lot to me with how big the show is.

Lastly, the production level of Red Snow Live was absolutely insane. The videos, the music it pulled me in deeper and made the show feel larger than life. It makes you fall in love with not just your own character but every single one on the roster.

I cant even tell you how many times I’ve listened to Everybody Knows

I haven’t been here since the beginning, but I’m honoured to be part of OSW’s history now and to start Season 5 with all of you.

Quote from El Mariachi Muerte on 30 December 2024, 23:23

TOP THREE MOMENTS:

(Three moments of the show that stood out to you and why.)

1. The Song: It's not exactly a segment, but the beauty of the live show is the ability to do things like this. The song, capturing the lyrics that Dean so beautifully penned, was something that was really special - firstly when I was listening audio only, then again when I could see the visuals later that went with it. To think what it led to afterwards, with Redgrave snapping Thorpe's neck, that was a really special OSW moment. That song made that moment so much more poignant and powerful - it became more than just a death scene.
2. Gravedigger and Igor Mortis turning on Tombstone: You don't kill off the undefeated guy who has been a behemoth of the face of the company. You just don't kill off the guy who everyone fears, right at the peak of his push. Well, most places wouldn't - but then again, OSW is not most places. It reinforces that on an OSW show, especially a Red Snow show - literally anything can happen. That's what makes this place so special. The handing over of creative freedom to a creative team means that there is a changing of guards as people want to move in different directions, or step back for a while. That's a special feature of OSW. But enough of the behind the scenes, that moment and the push it gives Gravedigger, now with his li'l lady by his side - that's a-one hell of a moment!
3. The death of The Burned Man: That moment, reaching for his son, was so poetic. The story was told. The answers gathered. But the final picture of what we see from him was so special. A hell of a character, with a hell of a story arc. Take a bow Damo for all the work you've done with him, and for the creative team that made everything leading up to that moment so special. The fact that, after everything TBM and DB have been through, that this is where it ends for them is as heart-filling as it is heart-wrenching.

BURNING QUESTIONS:

(What questions has the show left you with?)

• Does Mighty Mighty slot into the Circus willingly now, or will we see this as an opportunity to develop some more character depth for him as he comes to terms with his new contract?
• What happens with Ayame now that she's taken a life? Does this change her?
• The biggest question of all... What does the Civil War mean for OSW? How will it impact what we see week to week, and will this have an impact on wins and losses - as in some kind of overarching story that our results sways in some way?

MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:

(Which promo was your favourite of the week?)

• For me, it was really split between Felix Foley and Tombstone.

I've always liked the layers that Connor writes with as Tombstone, and his promo was no exception this time around. The building up of the dominoes, so to speak, is always something he's done brilliantly week on week. Then you have Felix Foley who captured so much of the emotion in his writing to portray what he was going through, in such a well handled vehicle as that song.

Initially, I had Tombstone over Felix Foley myself. Then I re-read Felix's work while listening to Livingstone's song - knowing how hard it is to pull lyrics and tie them to a storyline myself, that just took it to a whole new level for me.

• CJ Thorpe: Grief

I really liked the way that Thorpe is shown here. He's wearing everything, wrestling and grappling with the hand he's been dealt, the whole while using grief itself as a driving force for his promo. The thing about a Laner promo is the way he hammers home his finality of the promo, this one leads to that single moment, a climax a few lines from the end - " But at Red Snow, the canvas is mine."

Just beautiful!

• Long time Coming by Jasper Redgrave

There's an x-factor in Brian's writing here that one almost cannot put their finger on. The coldness of Redgrave, the way he is casually preparing for the horrors he's going to do to Thorpe's mother, it's a real balance of writing that gave some real Hannibal Lecter vibes. It's something I didn't do as well of capturing as Harvey Escher. But this is the swansong of Jasper Redgrave.

"Oh Marrrrry, it's time!"

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?)

SUNSHINE: That's one hell of a swerve that I should have seen coming. When we had to side-step the Roland Gray story, I knew Dean would have a plan for it, and I like the potential this gives more than the original. The fact that the segment was titled 'Always Sunny in Arcadia' makes me filled with excitement. There's something really, really special ahead for Sunshine, I can feel it in my boner... I mean bones.

 

EMM: What can I say? Being part of such a masterpiece of a story that we've seen is nothing short of amazing. For those who are a little new, one rule you must surely be getting by now is that Dean ALWAYS has a master plan. There's always some kind of world building, overarching story at work that when it drops leaves everybody floored. I've been involved in my fair few of amazing ones - the bowls, the death of the Gods, now the Civil war of Arcadia. Where this leaves Arcadia is such an awesome place to write from. In the words of Daniel Bryan - Yes! Yes! Yes!

Quote from Eclipse on 2 January 2025, 12:36

TOP THREE MOMENTS:

(Three moments of the show that stood out to you and why.)

1. ... George Cade spilling the beans about the door. It didn't even need to be well-executed to be like 'oh shit, everything is about to change', but as is standard, everything was well-written with the appropriate gravity in tone. This has to be THE most important story shift I've seen in any fed when I've been active in it. Fittingly enough, so many doors have been opened by this, so many new possibilities for stories and character arcs.
2. ... The end of Tombstone. As if him finally losing wasn't a massive deal, as if it being to Foley didn't make it even more major... Along comes Gravedigger, cementing himself as a 'big bad' on par with Zeus and monster-Tombstone and revealing himself to be behind the deaths of his other 6 Feet Under cohorts too. The swerve was so big I don't know which way I'm facing now, this was a straight up Cesaro Swing. I'm also happy for the handler, he's been absolutely tearing it up since the character change, and this is one heck of a reward!
3. ... The video packages, particularly the opener and the Civil War ones. The first was extremely moody and atmospheric, setting the tone for the inevitable slaughter and misery to come, and the latter was all about that hype. Both absolutely knocked it out of the park, and it amazes me that such quality can exist in our little corner of the internet. Bravo to all involved!

BURNING QUESTIONS:

(What questions has the show left you with?)

Man... Who will pick a side in the civil war, who will have sides picked for them and who will stay out?

What lengths will Zeus go to prevent people leaving?

What is Gravedigger's goal now that he's inherited the gift/curse that is becoming the ferryman?

Why did Sunshine want Roland offed, and is any of his demeanour so far real or is it a total ruse?

What does Destructo Boy do now? He's lost everything and everyone. Does he try to reconnect with Foley?

How will Mighty take being forced into the circus? Will he resist or willingly fall in line? Also, what of Zephyr? Will that all be forgotten about, as Lucky Break suggests it may?

How the FUCK am I gonna portray someone in a relationship? XD

MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:

Foley's Fairytale Lies. It was so sad, and I can't help myself hoping that there's still a little bit of belief in the world there, even if it is misplaced. Hope is a horrible thing to lose, and I wanted to hug and comfort a goddamn fictional character. If it elicits that kind of emotion, you know the writer did something right... And given it is Mel, is that really a surprise?

HAVE YOUR SAY:

Absolutely loved the segment, gave me real 'Edge & Lita' vibes, plus the explanation of Aurora's decision made a lot of sense given her character up to that point and gives me a whole lot to work with in the future. Also, the way the name change was incorporated into the segment was... *chef's kiss*. The character change is certainly scary for me, my heel work has never been too strong, but boy am I excited to give it a try and the segment being done so well is absolutely a factor in that.

Gravy Baby <3

Quote from Gravedigger on 5 January 2025, 23:26

TOP THREE MOMENTS:

(Three moments of the show that stood out to you and why.)

1. Gravedigger turning on Tombstone to become the new Ferryman whilst also taking out members of his own stable, including Malakai Midnight who he had such a strong relationship with for many months.
2. The Door! George Cade knowing about and telling Arcadia about the door and what that mean to the bigger picture now. A huge civil war...
3. The death of CJ Thorpe and a NEW OSW World Champion. I didn't see the neck snapping coming or how it came to fruition. I expected an underdog resurgence of sorts.

BURNING QUESTIONS:

What does Jackson Cade do now for revenge?

What next for Felix Foley?

Where does Destructo Boy go from here?

Have we seen the last of Tombstone?

And so many more...

MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:

Foley's Fairytale Lies. A beautifully written masterful promo which to me shows you why the handler has been at the forefront of OSW for such a long time and the forefront of such a great story.

HAVE YOUR SAY:

I was warned in advance how special my first Red Snow could be and I was told about how it "makes" characters. Gravedigger was made at Red Snow, forged in the betrayal of his mentor.

More than that though, I didn't expect anything. I didn't expect the turn and I didn't expect the marriage of  Eclipse. I thought she'd get revenge on Gravedigger or maybe he'd kill her. The last thing I expected was them to come together and I truly love it.

As for Red Snow itself, everything from the video packages to the writing was next level.

Quote from Klaus Way on 7 January 2025, 00:37

TOP THREE MOMENTS:

(Three moments of the show that stood out to you and why.)

1. I'm going to show some love for "Paint The Town Red" here, because I thought it was one of those under the radar things that really came back later in the show with a fresh look on it. When watching live I thought for sure this was something to do with Zeus, but we of course find out later on that it was the set up for Gravedigger taking over from Tombstone. So that it doesn't clog up the top three, I think that the following segments that saw Calypso and Malakai die as part of this toppling also deserve honourable mentions.
2. "Until Death Do Us Part" comes next. When you have a live show and you're in the VC, you kind of know which moments will make this list because of the pop. Aurora "pulling a Pyre" definitely popped the VC, and given the power now sitting with Gravedigger, making Auror- Eclipse his queen definitely sets them up as the new power couple of OSW - move over Zeus and Narcissa!
3. Listen. When I talk about pops in the chat. The pop for "We Ride Again" was something else. The return of Grimskull and Drewitt was HUGE and I'm so excited to see what them being alive and back in Arcadia means, both for a) what it means for Zeus and those who helped him lock them away, and b) did they see any of the outside world before they made it back into Arcadia!?

BURNING QUESTIONS:

• What comes next now we're in a civil war? Will it be just two sides or will we see some offshoots that stand against both the main sides. I think if done right the reveals and speculation on who sits on what side could make for some really fun reading.
• Does George Cade know anything more than he mentioned in "For Arcadia To See"?
• I think between these and the questions in my top three moments we covered the big ones in this show. A lot of interlinked stories as is Dean's speciality!

MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:

I prefered Tombstone's promo over Foley's, and thought it was the promo of the week because of that as it was clear they were the top two of the week.

HAVE YOUR SAY:

Klaus:
Having Mighty Mighty as part of Way & Co. is sure to be a lot of fun and as mentioned in twitch chat the sheer strength and power in this faction is now a joy to behold. I'm interested to see if Mighty learns to love the circus, or whether he remains an unwilling participant.

I'm also interested to see where this Zephyr plot goes. I'm not sure what to make of it yet, other than it clearly means a big deal to Klaus, and he wasn't happy when Harold mentioned the name.

Drewitt:
HE'S BACK BAYBAY! I think I covered most of it in the top three moments, but I'd just like to thank Dawson for being gracious enough to let me take on his prized creation x