Warzone #382
Figured I'd post this up for us now before our week off ends in case people feel like posting feedback early.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1.
2.
3.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
HAVE YOUR SAY:
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- Unfinished Business - This segment was a real standout. I spoke about Nero just the other week, highlighting his tween-like role in this Civil War — stuck in the middle, seemingly unsure where his loyalties truly lie. Given his long, complicated history with the APD, you'd naturally expect him to side with the Seekers, especially now that his biggest rival has aligned with the Preservationists. I also mentioned how Nero always seems to have Zeek's number, but for once, that advantage looked to slip away — at least until the World Champion made his surprise appearance. Jackson Cade stepping in to save Nero raises some intriguing questions. Was this an attempt at recruitment, or simply a pointed statement aimed at his upcoming opponent before their showdown at Pandemonium? Definitely something worth pondering.
- Hard Choices - This felt like a direct continuation of the uncertainty left hanging in the above segment. Jasper Redgrave, being Cade’s most bitter enemy, seemed like the perfect candidate to try swaying Nero into the Preservationist camp. Logically, it’s hard to imagine Nero siding with Zeus, though, considering their history, and the Red Reboot's ongoing feud with Ezekiel Graves makes that alliance equally unlikely. But this is OSW, and stranger things have happened. At this point in the night, Nero’s direction still felt wide open, and guessing where his head was became anyone's game.
- Red Line - This was a fantastic way to close out the show, continuing the theme of questioning Nero’s true allegiance. As Attano, Cade, Graves, and Redgrave exchanged fists and barbs in the ring, the moment felt ripe for Nero to make a statement and finally choose a side. Instead, the camera panned to him, perched high above the chaos in the rafters, simply watching it all unfold. That visual said a lot. It feels like Nero is operating on his own terms, uninterested in pledging loyalty to either faction. The image of him calmly observing the fight sparked a theory in my mind... Could Nero be the mastermind behind the Watchers? He’s one of the last — if not the only — active roster member still walking the neutral line. Could the Watchers actually be the W4TCH_DOG5? After this segment, I’m fully invested in finding out.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
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After The Reaper’s revelation, how can Tombstone possibly persuade Igor Mortis to return the chains?
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Now The Preservationists have abducted The Night, what do they plan to do with him?
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Can Drewitt and Grimskull put aside their differences and find a way to work together?
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Why is Sunshine sowing discourse up with a fellow Preservationist - and what’s driving his agenda?
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Could Nero be the mastermind behind the Watchers?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Mirrors/Klaus Way - I liked how Matt used something as simple as a mirror to say something deeper about people and the lies we live by. The way he linked Klaus' mother’s mirror to how Arcadia sees its heroes was simple but really effective, whilst cracking the mirror wasn’t just about smashing glass - it was about shattering the illusion and exposing the real, flawed people hiding behind it. Nice job, sir.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
It’s rare for me to single out one of my segments to rave about, but three in one night? That’s unheard of 😀 I’ve already covered a lot in my Top 3, but to sum it up, this really felt like Nero’s breakout moment. He was at the heart of the show from start to finish, and the whole night seemed built around his choices, conflicts, and presence. His character’s been a slow burn up until now, but with Lambs just around the corner, the spark finally hit the fuel. Things are about to get very interesting - no doubt about it.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- RED LINE - There's a lot to unpack with this one. But as dastardly as Redgrave is, one can usually trust that when he breaks something, it's actually true. He digs up dirt, stirs shit and uses it for his own gain. So when he says there's a wolf in the henhouse, I can't wait to see what he's actually found. But above all of that, the subtlety of Nero watching from the rafters isn't lost. His decision could make all the difference here.
2. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - I like that even in having his ass saved by Cade, that there's tension. It's not as simple as I save you, you join us... The slapping away of Cade's hand and standing under his own strength speaks volumes.
3. ANSWERS - Bringing in the Reaper is freaking awesome. I love that even the underworld of Arcadia is complicated, filled with its politics. The fact that the Reaper cannot move to take the chains from Gravedigger perfectly sets up the tension needed to push this into the ring, and everything always seems to come back to Igor Mortis. The moment I love here is the stoic defiance by Gravedigger, holding out the chains and calling the Reaper's bluff.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Just how is an alliance now between Hatchet and Arcadia/Destructo actually going to work?
- The threat of the Zookeeper looms, and some of Arcadia still think him an urban legend. Is he going to show face at Pandemonium, and just how in danger are those on the list?
- What will Nero choose?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
It's a two-er for me.
The Bird and the Bee
I love what we do with tagteams around here. It gives people a chance to work together, and it's not lost on me that Connor worked with Gravedigger initially to help nai down the style. When these two work together, holy moly... Brothers of Destruction.
This pair of promos really takes the style and shows how it can be done. A perfect execution of taking a single thread and pulling it in two directions at once. Capturing both sides of the battle, both character viewpoints and bringing it together under one banner.
Bloody good writing.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
EMM - First off, how cool a line is this? "“The world left us to rot. They should have burned the bones.”
This is simply dripping with drama. There's so much at stake, and bringing the Dragon Princess in to the group makes sense. There's bad blood from each and every person there, and that'll really hit home at Pandemonium. I love what's building here!
SUNSHINE -
Sunshine's grin widened once more, but it didn't reach his eyes.
This... There's so much said in one line here. I love it. Not going into details as to why, but this is the characteristics of Sunshine that I love. There's a lot to unpack here, and Sunshine calls it like it is, there's warning in his words and a reason for that warning. Reality is, preserving Arcadia makes sense for Sunshine. And if there are people within the group that are threatening that, Sunshine's loyalty is going to lie with preserving what he needs to preserve, not the people. Great character work.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- Where The Fire Still Burns - I'm intrigued by a) how Muerte is still alive, and b) what this means for both him and Arcadia. The segment did a great job at furthering that curiosity.
- Cap Arcadia and Destructo both joining the seekers in one swoop is a big deal, though it appears to be more about self preservation than a belief in what they stand for. Maybe it's a bit of both.
- Red Line - so the footprint is from someone within the Seekers? Very interesting. Can't wait for that to be exposed.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- What do the events of "Answers" mean? What does the bureaucracy of death have in store for us? If the key to all of this is Igor Mortis, who chose Gravedigger and was (as I recall) potentially paralyzed by Tombstone, isn't this already over for Tombstone?
- What is Nero's deal? You'd think he'd be grateful for the help, it doesn't mean he has taken a side.
- Did The Night plant the bombs? I think it's an inside job personally.
- WHO IS THE ZOOKEEPER?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
I really liked how "Emotions" pulled in all of the storyline from Kaos effectively, yet still worked as a theme.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
DREWITT
Tensions Rising seems to solidify that Grimskull's issues are genuine rather than a double bluff as I theorised in previous feedback. I wonder where this goes next - perhaps Drewitt is the one who planted the bombs and is the man on the inside? He's already helped Gemini escape so it wouldn't be a stretch.
KLAUS
Seeing the theatrics fall out of Klaus' demeanour as he realised what it was that Sunshine was suggesting was a nice touch, and really shows how big all of this is. But will Klaus go with his gut or ignore it and take out Savor as suggested? He is the Wild Card after all!
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- The revelation that Igor Mortis controls the chains is a big one. Perhaps it could have been inferred, but up until this point it was easy to assume the Grim Reaper had control. Very interesting path here. Igor chose Digger, but the official Death stance is that Tombstone is the Ferryman still. Who knew Death had red tape?
- Mr. Sunshine is stirring up trouble in the Preservationists. I know he has a deal with Anton Savor, but trying to get a shrewd Way on his side may backfire. Not to mention the whole Zookeeper thing. Somehow it all plays in together. The way people speak of him makes me see a huge revelation coming up.
- Speaking of the Zookeeper, where does he and his new Kingdom fall into the whole Civil War. Based on the people planning to oppose him, you have to be looking at him being more willing to fight the Seekers, but Sunshine is also stirring stuff up with him on the other side. The Zookeeper may be one of the finest mysteries this season.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
What's Narcy going to do with the Night?
I wonder how good of a cook Harold Attano is?
MY FAVORITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
I can't say anything more than Hayden did about The Bird and The Bee pair from the Ferrymen. Beautiful work, and I hope those two never end up in the tag division because they'll lock the titles down for as long as they team. Obviously, I can't see it happening with storylines, luckily for everyone else.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Gemini - Is that a little bit of a leadership tone Gem is taking here? I'm real curious to see how this open invitational works out, especially with two Seeker teams both vying for those tag straps.
Grimskull - Tensions between Grimskull and Drewitt. Natural tension point. Drewitt isn't the killer that Walther is.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1. I really have to hand it to Red Line it was a really intense segment to close out the show underscored by an air of mystery of the purpsoe of Nero. Very good work.
2. Answers is also up there as the whole aspect of beauracy and red tape even in death. It gives a scale of something greater than even what tombstone and gravedigger are fighting over. Something big that has powers at play invested in their fight.
3. I'll give the last spot to seeking sanctuary while the preservationists are a "mostly" unified front. The Seekers having to assemble whatever forces that they can muster makes for very interesting dynamics even more self serving ones such as trying to avoid a threat such as the zookeeper. It's an inherent rise in tentions but overall really good and interesting to see what's the breaking point.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
1. Who is the zookeeper?
2. What is Nero's overall goal overseeing everything?
3. How long will the uneasy alliance between Destructo/Arcadia and Seekers last?
4. What does the revelations of answers mean for tombstone and Gravedigger?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
I liked the bird and the bee. The tag promo having such a connective thread and addressing both members of a team was really cool. Even better that it did it in a really good way.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Ayame's first pop up under a mask, and it's a pretty cool one being in the mix with the Seekers and answering an open invitation. I can't wait to see what goes on here.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- Answers. A continuation of a pretty damn epic feud, but what really tickled my pickle is the absolute wrecking balls Gravy has between his legs to just punk out Death like that. I can't help but wonder if it will come back to bite him at a later point, maybe if Igor decides to betray yet another person and untie the reaper's hands on the matter...
2. Tensions Rising. Well, this segment does exactly what it says on the tin, doesn't it? Drewitt and Grimskull are definitely the weakest of the links in the Preservationist's cohesion, but what, if anything, will be the catalyst to make them turn on one another, and how will it affect the dynamics of the group as a whole?
3. Seeking Sanctuary. The Zookeeper and his kingdom were just referred to as a bigger threat than the Preservationists, which is a fucking HUGE claim. I can't help but wonder what his ambitions are, or what past deeds I've missed for it to elicit a considered reaction out of Hatchet of all people! Clearly a very important third party are about to wade into the Civil War situation.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Can Attano leverage Savor's abused staff for his own gain?
- What is Sunshine's seasoned and supremely roasted beef with the aforementioned chef?
- How will the two different Seeker teams get along in Open Invitational? Will they turn on one another like the Preservationists did at Kaos? And what of Grim and Drewitt, who will they turn on first, Chemical X or each other?
- What is Nero's angle in all of this? Is he going to side with The Seekers as we'd expect or are we gonna get swerved?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Emotion by Redgrave, and perhaps for an odd reason - It is totally in character for Redgrave to fail to see him being the one who started the implosion of the Preservationists at Kaos, instead blaming Narcissa who merely did in kind to him what he did to her, projecting like a narcissist (ironic given the opponent's name). There was a pervading level of delusion present throughout, which just makes him all the more easy to hate. I don't think anyone expected Jasper to apologise, but I did NOT see him demanding an apology from the Queen!
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Well, anxious to get that first title defence going! I have never successfully defended a tag championship before, so I'm excited to have something special to aim for at Pandemonium. Best of luck to all involved!
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- Answers – Just the whole atmosphere of this segment was off the charts. I could hear the moaning and smell the sulfur. The description of the reaper was on point. Then the explanation of the levels politics even in death was just, wow.
- Tensions Rising – I enjoyed seeing these characters reacting to the dissention that’s mounting in the Preservationist’s camp. With Grimskull suspecting Drewitt and being on edge about his motivations. It really is building the intrigue into this civil war.
- Kingdom Come - Speaking of building on intrigue regarding in fighting with the Preservationist’s Camp. This was a textbook example of great character work. Sunshine coming across almost skeevy throwing Savor under the bus to Way, while Way attempted to maintain order.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Will the Preservationists be able to survive the strain being put on their group?
Did The Night plant the explosives?
What is the Chemical X invitational?
What side will Nero stand on?
What danger is Igor Mortis in as Tombstone looks to get his Chains back.
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Ashes to Ahses – Just the set-up and delivery, I read this, and it gave me pause as to how I’ve been capitalizing on my own Roleplays especially with those punchy lines at the end.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Harold: Mr. Nobody? Mr. Slap-A-Bitch-With-A-Fish! Loved this segment here and the interaction between Attano and Savor was pique Harold, delivering a message and then slipping away. I am hopeful with a program with Savor and how this could playout and exactly how these interactions will play out.
Nox: I love how Nox was the man to ask the question that needed to be asked of Drewitt and Grimskull because they’re obviously not on the same page. It doesn’t take a genius to see it, but he has the balls to ask it. I wonder what it means for the level of dissention in the Preservationists if the man with a total lack of morality is pointing out interpersonal conflicts? Just gives me pause.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1. answers was one hell of start to a show. just the imagery of it all, with tombstone nearly getting his face burned off on the gates and then the grim reaper appearing from there. but im most interested in the fact that whats likely gonna happen moving forward will be at the discretion of igor mortis i guess. interested to see how thatll play out.
2. where the fire still burns was a cool segment for me as well. it isnt just the fact that emm is actually alive which is still crazy but its the small alliance, or coalition that seems to be forming between those four. i cant wait to see what their next course of actionll be moving forward.
3. seeking sanctuary was a top one for me because i feel like after all the shit thats been goin on and the huge hits the seekers have taken recently, they needed a positive swing in their favor. and i think destructo and captain arcadia are the people theyll eventually need to really get things going in their favor.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
who and where is the zookeeper?
which side will nero join?
what is sunshines long term plan here?
what decisions will igor mortis make here now?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
i thought that the bird and the bee promos by gravedigger and tombstone were very well connected and nicely written respectively.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
a savor and attano sounds very promising and exciting. i do anticipate that it may get a little messy at some point because at this stage in things, i dont think theres a limit on where anton is willing to take things and that seems to probably be the case for attano. we saw briefly how it might get at the end of the show, with anton coming out to join in on beating down attano. im very invested tho, cant wait to see what happens next.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1. Answers - What an interesting revelation here. It spoke volumes to me that not even The Reaper himself could take back the chains. Which then begs the question, just how powerful could Igor truly be?
2. Seeking Sanctuary - Just who the fuck is The Zookeeper? Why is he being referred to as a bigger threat than the Preservationists? Foley seemed more than willing to let Arcadia and Destructo into the Seeker's ranks, but Hatchet did not. Will there be tension there?
3. Red Line - I will be covering this in the have your say section.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Who is the Zookeeper?
Did The Night plant the bombs?
What will Nero's decision be?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
The Bird and The Bee - Very well written tag team promos this week.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
It would seem that there's a wolf in the hen house. What does Redgrave know? Which of the Seekers could that foot print have possibly belonged to? What does Jasper have planned for Pandemonium? How will Nero play into all this? How does he feel about the display of power by the Preservationist to close out the show?
How damn sexy is the mental image of Jasper Redgrave and Ezekiel Graves standing tall next to each other?