Ring King X
POP OF THE NIGHT:
There's no singular segment that I can pinpoint as the most pop worthy show moment. Everything was executed in such a superb manner and every segment came across as a labor of love from the creative team.
The big story beats that will be unforgettable are of course Gravedigger being announced as Aurora's stalker, Doom turning on Foley and Doom/Nox being responsible for the murder of Sarah Rijen.
All were amazing, honestly.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Why Doom, why?
- Will Aurora be okay?
- What's next for Gemini now she knows the truth?
- What's next for Muerte now that he knows what Zeus did?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
What can I say? Foremost, congratulations to Jasper Redgrave/Brian for a well deserved Ring King win. I didn't feel like I quite did enough to pick up the win when I posted my promo and felt like my better idea was used mistakenly in the earlier rounds. Either way, Felix losing fit the story that was eventually told throughout the night and across the last few months.
I think myself and Frank always knew that The Besties would split eventually. I'm not going to say that either of us were expecting or ready for this, because we weren't. It has come as a complete and utter surprise. It was honestly devastating to watch Doom turn on Felix from a perspective of two friends who've enjoyed being a tag team and all that entails promo-wise.
From the story perspective, it's unbelievable. Not only does it add important much-needed layers to Doom, it lifts Nox into the limelight which is wonderful for Bryno and also continues the downtrodden can't catch a break nature of Felix Foley. Between getting beaten by Tombstone repeatedly, his family being killed and his best friend turning on him, poor Felix has just about hit rock bottom.
The show itself was incredible from start to finish and I'm so grateful I was able to make the entire thing. I can't wait to see how this Foley story turns out and with so many layers, there's so much involved that it could go in any direction.
POP OF THE NIGHT:
Going to give this to A Chemical Reaction. Kind of hard not to after the big reveal, which I'll go into at the Have Your Say section down the road. But I still feel bad for Felix and I wonder just what the plan for him is heading into both Forces of Darkness and Red Snow.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Mighty Mighty appears to be more than he seems. What exactly is his deal? Is he really just trying to make a name for himself and looking for a party? Or is there something he's hiding behind that fun loving exterior?
Michaela Attano is not only alive, but in the hands of Klaus Way as a contortionist? What exactly can Harold do now that he knows this? He's not exactly in fighting shape at the moment, so he'll get himself killed if he goes after him and his Circus. Does he care though?
What exactly will Gravedigger do next with Aurora? If his definition of love is stalking them relentlessly and hitting them upside the head with a shovel, I fear for her life with whatever she'll do next.
What was in the box that Jasper showed CJ? Was it a part of someone he knows? He acted pretty disgusted at the sight of what was in there. Will we ever get to know, or will it forever remain unknown?
WHY TURN ON YOUR BEST FRIEND, DOOM?!? WHY!?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
TBM - Not a lot to say in terms of portrayal, Maxwell fought hard and attempted to attack the competition before the match, which backfired for just about everyone but the Besties. It's more of the fallout from the last segment that I need to mention here.
Doom and Nox are the heads of the Corporation, eh? They got Sarah Rijen killed via arson, used sleeping gas on Hatchet and kidnapped him, and now they attacked Felix Foley while introducing themselves as the new Hephaestus and Asclepius. They're lucky they're intelligent, crafty, and have friends in high places. Otherwise all the people they've wronged might actually come out for their blood. I have to wonder what that means for both members of Burning Justice that not only are they dealing with the Corporation, but members of the Pantheon and (by extension) House of Judgement? Things have just escalated and I don't know if either member of Burning Justice can handle what's to come alone.
Calypso - Nothing to say on this front.
POP OF THE NIGHT: (What was the moment, in segment, that you enjoyed the most and why?)
Chemical Reaction
Damn this was a fucking blindside, seeing Doom turn on Foley was heartbreaking. I’ve loved seeing him and Doom’s interactions and how they’re stuff always seemed to bring light to a show that can be dark their team ups will be missed. But let’s talk about those reveals damn, Doom and Nox have been in league together with Zeus and are running The Corporation. Are responsible for the Arson of Destructo Boy and Burned Man’s home which my god the levels there from earlier this year with Master Ken involved. They were all so closely interwoven during that time. On top of that, Doom and Nox have had Hatch kidnapped and held for the corporation, and they’re also part of the Pantheon! What the hell!
BURNING QUESTIONS: (What questions does the show have you asking after reading?)
How’s Harold going to go about dealing with Way to get to Michaela?
How will Cade get out of that Boiler Room and what will we see from him, just how dark will he get?
What will EMM and Gemini do knowing that Zeus sent Grizzly after the two of them?
How is Aurora going to deal with Gravedigger and his unusual form of “Love”?
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?)
Nox: Just damn, Nox has been on the backburner for a while now my god this was one way to dust off the character and put him on a pedestal. I have already said a lot in my, “Pop of the night” but I feel honored to have a character in a position like this.
Harold: Just goddamn, I need to add the Terminator as a nickname to Harold’s bio sheet because yeah, he was essentially an unstoppable force throughout the night. I love how his purpose drove him and how Dean incorporated his Roleplay for George into the story. Then the revelation that Way is now in the way between Harry and his daughter. With how influential Klaus and his Circus has become just how this will all shake out intrigues me.
POP OF THE NIGHT:
For me, this actually goes to Love because I was absolutely hooked on wanting to know who Aurora's stalker for the month. Mind you, I was probably too attached since I handled the segments leading up to this, but I think it was an excellent reveal and one that I didn't see coming in the slightest. I also especially liked the small tidbits of info Dean gave out in chat after the show. Really has me excited to see what comes next for this story.
I do also want to shout out Chemical Reaction, but figured I'd put focus on another segment since this one is the clear cut favorite this week for most.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- How could Doom turn on Foley?
- How is Cade getting out of that boiler room?
- Where did Gravedigger take Aurora?
- What happens next with EMM, Gemini, and Zeus?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Jackson Cade: Man, poor Cade couldn't get the leg up this week on Tombstone and co. I'm really enjoying how brutal everything is, though. I think the brawl was well written and I'm curious as to what will happen once Cade gets freed from his impromptu prison?
Hatchet: There's where you were! Well, kinda. I'm very interested in knowing how the Corporation's reveal will be affected on Hatchet escapes wherever he's being held.
POP OF THE NIGHT: So with so many folks already beating the bush with A Chemical Reaction, I think it's worth putting my pop of the night into Buried With Your Secrets for me. This has been one of the biggest pushes for Harold, who's paid so much for finding out this information fighting through and through again and again, and gets an answer we weren't expecting: She's a contortionist out at the circus. And that puts her firmly in under Klaus Way's control at this point in time. It's felt like a long awaited pay off for info, and was the highlight of my night.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Was it Gray that put out the hit on Anton?
- What was Mighty Mighty doing in the woods with Wolf Fang and Locke?
- With the truth out, how will Gemini and El Mariachi Muerte go from here?
- With Nox and Doom heading the Corporation, what's going to come of this next?
- What was in the box?
- When is Matt Ruby going to get what he has coming?
HAVE YOUR SAY: What a way to end the Candy Kane feud as a whole. The segment was an absolute delight and a perfect wrap up to the end of the feud, and felt like a completely natural way to end this segment, with the case wrapping up in full against the capo. Couldn't have written a better end for this myself, and I'm entirely pleased with it.
POP OF THE NIGHT: I'm absolutely copping out here and saying the show as a whole. From the smaller reveals like Gray possibly putting out the hit on Locke and Midnight being involved with Nick and Graves, to the reveal that the newest titans are from the shadow board, to the big, big reveals like Gravedigger being Aurora's stalker the whole time, to Michaela Attano being a member of the Circus, to Paragon revealing the truth to EMM and Gemini, to Cade being a prison for Narcissa and of course, that finale that I'll talk on later. Amazing, amazing show and a perfect tenth anniversary for Ring King.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- What exactly is Aurora going to do with Gravedigger?
- What is the deal with Mighty Mighty and is there something darker underneath the surface?
- Now that both Gemini and EMM know the truth, what can Zeus do to mitigate the backlash?
- Can Jackson escape the boiler room and what does Narcissa have in plan for him?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
This...this is a huge revelation right here. Not only do we get a face or faces for the Corporation and the new members of the Pantheon but the person that both James and Maxwell have been searching for years, the bastards that killed Sarah Rijen. Not only is Nox involved which brings back a lot of fuckery given what he did all those months ago...but Doom also was involved. Doom who's been involved with Maxwell and James arguably from moment one, who purposely manipulated both of them and created this family only to be fucking with them all along. This just evolved to a mammoth blood feud with poor Burning Justice against the world here (although Hatchet and Felix may well join them given the backstabbing and betrayal) and I'm absolutely loving this shit and cannot wait to see what happens next.
POP OF THE NIGHT:
I'll throw out the overarching story of the corporation. We have a new branch of power that is interesting in multiple ways from the reveal of Doom and Nox to who used to run things. Should have known there was more than just the pantheon managing things for Zeus. This is a dangerous and intelligent group indeed and I'm wondering how far this is going to go.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
What else has the corporation done?
Where will Foley go from here?
What do the developments mean for this growing tag division we seem to have?
Who will win between Redgrave and Thorpe?
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Good job Laner, you deserved the win and if I'm losing, at least it's to a great competitor and lends itself to a great built in story already between Thorpe and Redgrave. As for Narcissa’s portrayal, great as always, it feels like the whole creative team knows her well and I love it. Now I'm real curious what's going to happen with her and Cade.