Warzone #384
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1.
2.
3.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
HAVE YOUR SAY:
TOP THREE MOMENTS
1. Why: After last week's shocking conclusion, you'd be forgiven for thinking Felix Foley would show up, mask on, ready to unleash chaos on Hatchet and Graves. But that twist never came. Instead, Foley arrived with a surprisingly composed demeanor and took an absolute beating - with no sign of Scissors making a return. What really got me, though, was Nero stepping in to save the day again. My guy’s been getting some fantastic spotlight lately, and I’m all in on it.
2. The Fifth Man: This felt like the kickoff of a compelling mini-arc. The Seeker's leader trying to bring Tombstone into the fold ahead of the looming clash at Hounds of Hades? That’s big. Jackson Cade’s team is one man short as he stares down the Preservationists, and adding someone like Tombstone could be a game-changer. The Ferryman’s vanishing act was a nice if frustrating touch. He clearly needs time to mull things over, but answers aren't far off I suspect.
3. No Answers: George Cade clearly knows how his son thinks and it makes total sense that he’d predict Jackson would try to court Tombstone. That mental chess between them is great storytelling. What really stuck with me, though, was the end of the segment. Gravedigger made it clear he doesn’t trust George - and he might have a point. But then came the kicker... Jasper Redgrave admitting he knows why George turned on the Seekers, but keeping the reason to himself. Perfectly played cliffhanger. Can’t wait to see how long this one is left to simmer.
BURNING QUESTIONS
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What’s going on with Foley? Why didn’t he unleash Scissors when he was under attack?
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Will Tombstone take Jackson Cade’s offer and stand with the Seekers at Hounds of Hades?
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What’s the real reason George Cade turned on the Seekers? Is it legit or part of a deeper game?
PROMO OF THE WEEK
Bon Appetit/Drewitt: I’ve given Matt his fair share of nods lately, but this one stood out as a clear winner. Savor’s been red-hot of late, and taking him down is no easy task. Credit where it’s due.
HAVE YOUR SAY
As I mentioned earlier, I’m loving Nero’s current run. He’s made the Seekers feel like home, and it’s great to see him becoming a key player in the faction. That win over Jasper Redgrave is a welcoming notch on the bedpost too.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- Ghosts in the Dark. Love seeing Attano, Night, and EMM all commiserate on their different ways of going about things. Muerte sees a friend, Attano sees a target, and the Night sees someone to learn.
- Smiles and Freaks. Oh boy, I hope we get Klaus Way bringing his freaks to bear against the Sunshine Club and Mister Sunshine. I think that'd be a real fun feud with a lot of potential for big moments.
- The ME. Great work on incorporating the Sunshine Club characters while also really putting over Captain Arcadia as someone who will fight to the end, even in losing.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Will Tombstone join the Seeker team?
Will Savor and Arcadia find the ability to stand on their common ground?
Is Eclipse ready for El Dragon Caido's fight?
MY FAVORITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
I really loved Ascension y Caida this week. El Dragon Caido is one of my fave characters, and this promo really encapsulated his lucha fighting spirit. It was a classic-styled promo, and he hit hard on his motivations.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Gemini - Uh oh, Narcy laid it all out for Gem here. I feel like this is going to be a hell of a roller coaster from here til Ring of Dreams.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1.Why?: A really intense start to the build for Ring of Dreams title program. Everyone has some kind of disgust aimed at eachother and the bigger point of the matter is the return to the character of Felix Foley. It's quiet and he doesn't get a word in edgewise so still questions are unanswered.
2. The Sunshine Club Problem: I really liked the intrigue of this. The introduction of the possibility that something could be so dangerous that it is larger than the Preservationist/Seeker alliances that have been established. The characters play off of eachother very well and I'm overall hooked by the return to this character dynamic.
3. The Fifth Man: With Tombstone being in the Hounds of Hades match there was a question of what to do with Tombstone for a little bit as he was considered unaffiliated to any of the groups. This was a good way to do it even if it's not confirmed at the moment dangle the carrot as cade said and throw out the possibility for Tombstone to be the fifth man. Especially as the seekers are on the backfoot. It's not entirely guaranteed as there is that Foley tie so there's good intruge as well.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Why didn't Foley come out as Scissors?
Will Tombstone Accept?
Will Savor and Arcadia be able to reach a common ground to face the Sunshine club?
Can Drewitt convince the others that he is to be trusted? Should Drewitt be trusted?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
I really liked Ascention y Caida. It Felt really gritty and worked well with the aesthetic that he went for. I Loved the fallen god Imagery as well.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
I like the interaction between Destructo and Ayame. Both are hotheads very adherent to their compasses so it's gonna be very interesting to see where that leads them. Since I don't think they are going to butt heads more often than not. It also seems like Ayame is embracing the Seeker role than she would've before her match with Caido.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- The Fifth Man? - a lot of fun, and who doesn't love a segment that doesn't actually answer the question that gets posed? They do this all the time in real promos where the wrestler walks off screen, but it just hits that bit nicer when its flutter off screen doesn't it?
- 'No Answers' then takes that next step in the storyline, bringing us back to George Cade. The fact that Redgrave 'knows' why he turned on his own son is just the cherry on the cake, right? I can't wait for that keg to blow.
- 'I Know What You Did Last Explosion' is a lot of fun too - Narcissa is a lot more fun when she's toying with other people, and she is playing the mind games with Gemini now. Two powerful women, but which one will come out on top?
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Why DID Foley blow up the Pantheon, and when will we hear it from his own mouth?
- Will Destructo ever learn to trust anyone again?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
I might be biased since it had a Circus reference in it, but I really enjoyed Gemini's 'To Have Loved' this week. It was a nice theme choice for Attano, given his daughter continues to be a sore spot for him.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
KLAUS
In 'Smiles and Freaks' we see a fight gearing up between the Sunshine Club and the Circus, even though their leaders are supposedly on the same team. I think this spills out into the main Preservationist group before too long, who are having major issues what with this and Drewitt's recent defection. I think this is a fun little feud though, with both men having a painted on smile in very different ways.
DREWITT
'Ghosts in the Dark' was fun, though Drewitt didn't actively participate in it. It was interesting to see Night, Attano and Muerte all discussing him as they watch him from afar, and all having different opinions on his apparent defection. Rightfully there is some wariness - there is nothing to say this isn't all a setup after all, though I do hope he has defected proper.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1. the fifth man? was an intriguing segment particularly for how it ended, with tombstone neither accepting or denying cade’s proposal. his proposal was a good one tho, i thought. so im interested to see if tombstone will actually take him up on that.
2. not to pick segments involving my own guy, but i do think how the lines get blurred ever so as it pertains to preservationists and seekers. the two sides are clearly at odds, but we see time and time again where there may be flips to the opposite allegiance. or just in the case, the two sides having to work together for a now common enemy.
3. i also enjoyed no answers pretty good. theres alot of things that can be discussed here, with how tombstone was said to know about the door before the rest of arcadia did. or how the segment ended, with jasper seeming to know why george turned his back on his son, but opting not to reveal it. not yet at least. anxious to see how that’ll all play out in the future.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
why did george cade turn on jackson?
will tombstone join up with the seekers?
does felix foley even really know whats going on?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
didn’t get the chance to read any with the week ive had. i apologize.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
like i mentioned earlier, i think its pretty cool that even with this war they’re in, a seeker and a preservationist have to come together to address a common enemy here. as far as how anton was portrayed, i loved it. i loved how he recognized the severity of the situation with how they couldn't be seen conversing with each other, and how he was still his snarky self. very interested to see if these two will actually link up together, or if it’ll be something else that goes down.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- This was a Hatchet segment but I really loved Why? for the simple fact that Hatchet literally came out and was so prideful that he denied EVERYONE the answers they wanted. Really, I think it's a brilliant use of the character as a device to keep information away from the audience. I also loved the brawl at the top of the ramp as well.
- The Sunshine Club Problem is another fun segment for me. I really enjoy how the storylines intertwine a lot at the moment and it's interesting to see both halves of the fallout from Pandemonium. I want to know what Savor's real connection is with Sunshine and the Kingdom. And I appreciate Captain Arcadia being perhaps the most confident man in OSW when he's on screen. I just enjoy the character.
- I Know What You Did Last Explosion almost gets this spot solely for the reference in its title. But on a more legitimate note I love the continuation of the Red Light District storyline. No plot points are left to the wayside here. And I'm always happy to see Narcy and Gemini feuding as well.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Why did George turn on Jackson?
- Why did Foley blow up the Pantheon?
- Will Tombstone join the Seekers?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
I'm actually giving this to The Arrogant Human. While it wasn't in the top 3 I wanted to give Wasabi a shout for writing a solid piece and for claiming his first title! Excellent work, bud.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Jackson Cade: While I'm still left wondering why George turned, I'm now curious to see if Cade can lead his team going into the PPV. More importantly, can he sway Tombstone or is he going to be left high and dry?
Hatchet: God I love how much of a dickhead he is. I went on about his segment above, but fantastic job on how he's portrayed.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- Smiles and Freaks – Damn this was a great use of character work. I loved how Mr. Sunshine came across as a Joker-esque psycho while Klaus Way was the pissed psycho he normally is. I love the idea of these two groups going head-to-head. The Freaks and The Sunshine club are very equally balanced, and it would be a helluva a fight.
- The Fifth Man – Fuck this is just for one damn line, “not friends, never allies, just two men who’ve survived the same battlefield and buried a few of the same ghosts.” Just volumes are spoken in those words, and it does the best job of telling the tale of Cade and Tombstone succinctly. But then it goes on to deliver on it more showing Cade is fallible and just trying to put shit together when remembers the history between Foley and Tombstone and stops mid-sentence. Just beautiful writing.
- No answers – Damn these three were character gold. George comes across like a turncoat feeding Gravedigger and Redgrave information, Gravedigger playing to his strength of being headstrong while wanting to act first, and Redgrave wanting to sit back, stalking his prey. I loved the way these three all came across, and Gravedigger questioning Cade was a fantastic way to show he’s not just blindly following. Redgrave’s response to the skepticism was also a fantastic way to keep the mystique of George’s defection.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Why did George turn?
Will Tombstone be the fifth man?
Will Hatchet and Foley go toe-to-toe before ROD?
When will Destructo wise up and stop being a moody little shit?
Will we get a match of Way & Co. Vs. The Sunshine Club? Can we call it the battle of the Cults?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Bon Appétit – Such a well laid out piece of work here from Matt. Loved the lines, “He feeds on fear. I starve it.” Great stuff, man, terrific piece.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Harold: I have to say that I loved Harold being skeptical of Drewitt. You’ve taken as many knives in the back as him, you’d be slow to trust too. I also have to say that I enjoy Harold as a mentor. I always have. He’s a man who has essentially lost his daughter and is trying to find a way to nurture someone, and I like the fact that he’s chosen The Night, someone who’s lost just as much as (if not more than) Harold.
Nox: This week was silent.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- No Answers: This one came in strong, with George Cade calling out exactly what Jackson Cade had done earlier in the show. There's a heck of a lot of scheming going on here in all the best of ways, and you can see it all coming together. The favourite moment in here though is Redgrave, not giving anything away at all, but he knows... and that's never a good thing.
2. I Know What you Did Last Explosion: Oh man I love Narcissa here. The voice dripping with sweet venom, the calling Gemini a cockroach... But I loved this little interaction especially.
“How… how did you know I was here?” she asks, her voice sharp, controlled—but laced with unease.
Narcissa chuckles, tilting her head.
“That’s not the question you should be asking.”
She leans in slightly, her smile widening just enough to chill the blood.
“You should be asking—how do I know what you did to the Red Light District?”
3. The Fifth Man: Flutter, and Tombstone is gone. That alone, with not even an answer, so Tombstone. That's a heck of a mysterious moment filling there.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- So what exactly does Redgrave know about George Cade and why he turned on Jackson?
- Why Foley, why? And what does the future look like for him?
- Which side will Tombstone fight for... if any at all?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
THE ARROGANT HUMAN: I think Ayame has really started to develop as a character, and the writing of the promos have really developed too. This was a nicely paced piece with a well thought out theme. Enough focus was shown on developing the story, and then the links were drawn out, the threads pulled on as it were. By the time we get to Narcissa, it is linking beautifully. Right to this climax here...
“And yet you are still hungry for more.”
Then we get to the ending section and it drives home the folly of Narcissa's arrogance, how she's mistaken the ring for hers when it's Ayame's hunting ground. Keep writing from this place, well done!
HAVE YOUR SAY:
EMM
Loved the fire in EMM during Ghosts in the Dark. Love the little subtlety of him shadowing Attano and Night and the reasoning why was brilliant. He's seen enough to trust in Drewitt. He's backing the guy who he once rode with. Is this all enough for bygones to be bygones? Will Night and Attano see what EMM sees? This is good stuff!
SUNSHINE
Oh that ending to Smiles and Freaks was golden. That smile, perfectly placed. Sunshine is ready to play. This is going to be a full Circus vs Sunshine Club war and I'm ready for it. This is chaos, and Sunshine is loving it. Bring it! Characterisation was perfectly en pointe for ol Charlie too.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1. I Know What You Did Last Explosion (God that's a long title) takes it here. Well this surely makes your hairs stand on end, doesn't it? You've got Narcissa sneaking into Gemini's safe spot and telling her exactly what she plans on doing with her. The Queen has her right where she wants her, and she chooses this moment to make her squirm. Absolutely villainous move by Narcy. I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up causing the whole Seekers movement to dissolve because of her possibly revealing the truth. How will Gemini try to protect her secret? Hell, can she? Here's to seeing how that plays out in the future.
2. No Answers goes here. This segment was rather tense, especially with Redgrave making a good point as to why they shouldn't attack Tombstone before he decides who to team with. Gravedigger clearly doesn't like the idea of teaming with the man who killed Igor Mortis, and he definitely doesn't like how quickly George Cade snuggled up to that idea either. I also like how Redgrave teases us with why he betrayed his son, but says nothing. Fun seg overall, and I'm excited to see how they approach the Ferryman next week.
3. The Fifth Man? will take this place. Speaking of Tombstone, we got to have another rather tense segment between him and Jackson earlier on in the night. His attempt to recruit the Ferryman didn't exactly give us any indication as to which side the Already Dead will choose, but it did leave us guessing if the former Sheriff fucked up somehow. Was it when he mentioned Felix? Was it mentioning being controlled by Zeus when Jackson's technically trying to do the same thing? I don't know, but I'm eager to see the fallout of this when Hounds of Hades comes around.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Can Arcadia and Anton get along to take down a common enemy? Their history and segment this week says that they can't, but if they want to take on Sunshine and his crew, they're gonna need to put aside their differences. Can they do that?
How badly is this fight between Klaus and Sunshine going to escalate? We saw a glimpse of Way's freaks and Sunshine's club get ready to brawl it out in the segment, but will things escalate to a five on three? Or will the leaders duke it out by themselves in order to settle their differences?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
I'm a simple man who likes a simple theme. Dog Eat Dog by Hatchet is my choice for this spot due to it's simple theme that was executed very well. Loved the dog metaphor and how Destructo is compared to what is basically a chihuahua that isn't ready to kill on command. This piece was a fun read and, although not a top three placer, was definitely something I could see myself going back to read.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Night: I can't say I blame him and Harold for not trusting Drewitt, what with him sending his dog on them and biting off a chunk of Night's flesh. I do have to wonder how they'll meet in person next week, and how that meeting will go. When the Pilgrim finds out that they were attempting to tail him this week, I can imagine he won't be so trusting towards either of them. Doesn't help that the only people on his side at the moment are EMM and Gemini, who are harboring secrets from Night about who blew up the Red Light District. Hopefully they can work things out before it all comes to a head, otherwise we might have another person swapping sides.