There’s a lot to like and admire about WWE’s handling of The Judgement Day saga since WrestleMania. Capitalizing on the freak accident of Liv Morgan legitimately injuring Rhea Ripley, I would argue WWE’s interweaving of multiple layers of character development, motivation, and intrigue in a faction storyline has outshined the latest chapter of The Bloodline.
The Bloodline’s cinema focuses on the trope of (at times toxic) masculinity, power, and fragility (which you can read about here). The Judgement Day also orbits around the paradox of when/how they will eventually split/fragment.
Yet each member has their own story and elements of character progression.
Although, as I discussed in part one, weaved into these layers are issues with misogyny. Ripley and Morgan are sexualized and the biggest woman’s championship match revolves around who Dominik Mysterio wants to have relations with. Plus, the wider issues of the women’s division across the rest of the card.
It’s complicated and, honestly, I know many will take the stance that my points in the first article are irrelevant. This counterargument is about discussing why, for some, these flaws can be ignored.
It’s not about bashing anyone’s enjoyment of the storyline. Equally, it’s not about excusing or justifying the points about misogyny I highlight in part one.
This storyline pleases viewers in other ways beyond sexual titillation. Although some things seem to be steps back, especially for the women, the other foot has taken a big stride forward.
WWE is doing the splits between its past and future and it’s predominantly making fans happy because generally, they are getting more of what they wanted. This makes it easier to ignore the not-so-good things.
Cognitive Dissonance
A key concept I’m revisiting from a previous series about the start of “The Paul Levesque Era” is important to discuss. In my first article in the series, I argued that Triple H’s new era buries Vince McMahon with the help of fans and cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon that impacts us in real life, beyond our enjoyment of wrestling. It’s about how a person can remove a discomforting feeling or idea that conflicts with or contradicts our beliefs and values.
We might have a thought or do something that goes against our beliefs and morals. So, we might a way to excuse/justify or ignore that action.
Like a self-imposed layer of kayfabe. For example, you know you shouldn’t get that takeaway because you are on a diet. But just one more can’t hurt.
It’s a way we deal with complexities. How this links to McMahon, you can read about here.
This is not about criticizing or suggesting anyone’s enjoyment is wrong, immoral or stupid. We as human beings are already installed with this defense mechanism.
It benefits us in multiple ways also. It’s not in our wrestling fandom either.
Many fans have applied cognitive dissonance after the Chris Benoit murder/suicide to either continue watching wrestling in the aftermath or separate the wrestler from the man.
Consistency and Progression
For years, fans like me have wanted stability in WWE. This male soap opera just happens to have outcomes impacted by the result of wrestling matches.
Fans have wanted reasons to have long-term investments in wrestlers, their characters, and storylines. For years under McMahon, it felt like a rotating cast of characters who, at worst, would fight in 50/50 matches to DQ or count out finishes. If they were pushed, you waited for some point where the red carpet would be pulled from underneath them.
They’d be sent tumbling, humiliatingly into some bizarre joke to please the audience of one McMahon. Under Levesque, fans have this kind of fan service (which I’ve analyzed in more depth here) and more.
Complications and layers of clever storytelling have been present throughout Morgan’s attempts to steal Mysterio from Mami. Background shots show Mysterio leaving a room where Morgan had entered.
On social media, both continue to live the gimmick. Morgan relentlessly pursues Mysterio.
In return, Mysterio dismissed Morgan, while then liking her posts on Instagram and other social media sites. Actively giving fans more to think about.
More show rather than tell has hooked fans on a deeper level. Amongst the memes of the women are very serious screenshots analyzing the male members’ motivations.
Trying to work out what they might be plotting. The picture of Finn Balor taking Morgan’s room key left some feeling like viewers of a murder mystery picking out the murderer before the big reveal
Such foreshadowing in WWE, for so long, was rare. Such attention to detail is a pipedream.
Multiple Stories and Motivations
Each member has their own unique personality and differences. Separately they have very different aesthetics and yet as a unit, in black and purple, they work like a WWE’s version of Guns N Roses.
Varied personalities and egos that make magic together. As I said in part one, characters and wrestlers have progressed.
Damian Priest has become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. For a while, Priest has been hinting that he can go solo without The Judgement Day, despite taking leadership of the group with Ripley gone.
At SummerSlam, Priest defends against Gunther. Some fans are expecting Balor to double-cross Priest.
Balor has been used prominently and has had a career resurgence. Yet Balor, even before Priest won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, has had issues with Priest.
Priest taking control of the group and thinking he does not need them gives an ample reason for a turn. A possible alliance with Morgan has been teased.
Previously Morgan and Balor teamed against The Judgement Day. The question has become who would get who in the divorce?
Mysterio has the chance, as a character, to either show loyalty towards Ripley. Or remain in the arrested development of being an arrogant manchild siding with Morgan.
As my colleague, Laci Schlatz writes, fans love to hate Dom. Some think Mysterio could be stolen to side with Morgan and Balor.
But what about JD McDonagh and Carlito? McDonagh has loyalty to Balor, who brought him into the group and was trained by Balor.
Carlito could be a wild card. This kind of ability to speculate on what could be next is still new for WWE fans.
New, Nostalgia Done Right
It would be too easy to diminish WWE’s built intrigue in factions always being on the verge of falling apart. First, while repetitive and mirroring The Bloodline, it’s different enough for The Judgement Day to be its own story.
Also, fans are invested. They want to see Ripley get her hands on Morgan.
Fans want to see how The Judgement Day splinters. How the interconnected stories will blossom.
Yet, at the same time, there is a comforting familiarity in the presentation of one of the main storyline threads. Dirty Dom’s romance with Ripley.
The booking and aesthetic of Ripley since joining The Judgement Day evokes fond memories of Chyna. Elsewhere, Mysterio has embraced his kayfabe father, Eddie Guerrero.
In dress, actions, and a sweet mustache. It’s an obvious reminder of the much-loved romance between their predecessors – one fans are happy with.
During the last episode of Raw, the allusions and copying of story beats with the original story didn’t feel much like copying homework. Enough time has passed for the old idea to feel freshly baked again.
It’s a nostalgia trip but not like the ones used by the WWE before. Legends aren’t being rolled out to show up the stars of today.
It’s a homage. WWE fans are getting the same with Chad Gable morphing into Kurt Angle comedy.
It’s being warmly received and welcomed by fans. To a degree, one could argue that the comparisons hurt and trap Ripley and Mysterio more than help long-term.
However, there is more to each of their character’s personalities than just cosplay.
Everyone On Screen is Having Fun
A common sentiment echoed by WWE legends and former stars who worked under McMahon is how different the atmosphere backstage is. How relaxed and laid back everyone is.
This has translated to many wrestlers’ performances on TV. With The Judgement Day especially, you can clearly see everyone involved is having fun.
Balor has talked openly about The Judgement Day being one of the highlights of his career. It’s revived his passion for wrestling.
TikTok videos, such as “I’m in the Judgement Day, of course,” show each member happy, smiling, and willing to deliver tongue-in-cheek jokes about what they do each week. As characters also, Ripley and Morgan seem to be having fun in their roles.
Morgan, as a heel, has fully embraced this opportunity. Living the gimmick has likely helped shift some fans’ opinions of her as a character and person.
Behind the scenes, the bond between members might be the biggest reason for their collective success.
“We talk all the time on the phone now, we get together, we go out to dinner, we joke around like, it’s definitely a very close unit. We are starting to understand what the other person is going to do and say before they do it. We were already pretty cool with each other before Judgment Day but now we’re together all the time. And it’s awesome because each one of those people are such great people and it makes it very easy for me to want to be around them.”
Damien Priest, USANetwork.
If they are having fun and the fans are having fun, that is the most important aspect of wrestling.
For Now, It’s All Gravy
A hot wrestling product hides its flaws more easily. While there are significant issues in terms of female representation and the portrayal of women, it’s not creating a problem yet.
Although on the main roster, the time given to women’s wrestling has decreased and characterization limited, it’s not stopping the best women’s wrestlers from joining the promotion. Guilia and Stephanie Vaquer (whose WWE arrival causes some controversy as discussed here) will at some point join the main roster.
Post-SummerSlam, problems could change. In the short term, however, the issue will be what happens once The Judgement Day is split?
How are they going to maintain momentum? Who will be a credible next contender for both Ripley and Morgan, as one will be champion and the other returns to the chase?
A more important thing WWE fans might want to consider related to change, is what happens once this level of storyline detail becomes normalized. Right now, it’s all luxurious.
It’s all gravy. It’s new and shining.
It sounds hipster but a lot of what WWE fans have found so intriguing were hallmarks of AEW booking during its peak. Things that have slowly been making their way back into the weekly product.
For AEW, the outstanding became expected. Then, reliance on certain tropes and crotches and ignoring these hallmarks leads to creative dissatisfaction.
If you want to read my critical take on these, you can check out my series of articles on AEW’s polarising present starting here with part one). Levesque’s WWE has appeared to be more fan-pleasing.
Over time, we will see if hopefully WWE can adapt to the changing needs and wants of its audience better than under the old regime.
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