Paul Heyman has long been the “Wiseman” to Roman Reigns, the tactician, spokesperson, and emotional antithesis to the latter. He has contributed to the creation of The Bloodline into the most dominant faction in the WWE.
However, ever since he was betrayed at WrestleMania 41, he is no longer simply a manager. But a fulcrum of the story of Roman Reigns. This change in allegiance is redefining not just the character growth of Reigns, but the WWE power terrain.
A Foundation Built on Loyalty… Until It Wasn’t
Over the years, Heyman used to treat Reigns with respect and unconditional loyalty. He assisted in developing the character of Reigns as a Tribal Chief by providing advice and verbal power. However, at WrestleMania 41, in a triple-threat match, CM Punk and Seth Rollins fought. Heyman did make his decision, but on this occasion, Heyman sided with Rollins.
That was the breaking point of expectations and the conclusion of a period in the life of Reigns. No longer does Heyman act as the supportive voice that stands next to the champion, but it is he whom Roman must deal with night after night.
Without That Wise Man: A Solitary Chief?
WWE has pushed Reigns out of his comfort zone by separating him from Heyman. Now, the leader must guide on his own, revealing more of his leadership and his weaknesses. We are witnessing a Reigns who must defend himself, take more actions in front of the world, and consider the consequences of having your closest friend as your adversary. Reigns is grappling with betrayal, emotionally and psychologically, and it is something the fans are seeing, which gives a new dimension to his identity as a Tribal Chief.
The move of Heyman is not as impulsive. He has positioned his turnover as a strategic part; he feels that the old order of things with Reigns has been stretched to the fullest, and that it has fresh opportunities with new powers such as Seth Rollins and Bronson Reed. Heyman desires to be relevant in other spheres, and identifying himself with the emerging stars is one way of doing so. In the case of WWE storytelling, it leaves a large variety of feud options, not only Reigns vs Heyman, but Reigns vs Rollins, Reed, Breakker, and even power and legacy wars.
Stakes Reset: What Reigns Must Do now
Reigns is now altering his goals because of the betrayal by Heyman. Being the Tribal Chief is no longer sufficient. He needs to regain his position, or show at least that it is not irrelevant, without the support of Heyman. He will have to recover the advantage, meet these new challenges, and determine whether to change his image or to redouble the principles on which Heyman started. It is now a question of resilience on the side of Reigns: Can he fall with the loss of his Wiseman, or shall he become even more lethal?
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