Stagnation- HOOK
The Cold-Hearted Handsome Devil has changed his theme song, but everything is the same. Ironically, it’s the lyrics to HOOK’s old theme that sum up the character’s limitations. We don’t really know him. In 2024, I discussed how HOOK’s character combines the Shounen anime hero archetype with a meme-like presence. Feeling both real and absurd, like a meme, worked for a time. Nothing significant has changed in the two years since.
Turning HOOK heel has felt half-hearted and superficial. The sporadic booking, limited in-ring appearances and mic time seem samey. Still stoic, eating chips, throwing suplexes in the same gear. It’s an extension of the flight-pattern booking of Hook teams with either an oddball or stylistically aligned partner. HOOK occupies the same card position he’s always held. Hook’s not the only one who makes Bryan Alvarez’s criticism meaningful. Think Private Party, Top Flight, and Daniel Garcia.
Fans need some element of personality or a characterisation to grapple with. It’s possible in AEW to be a badass with layers. The Death Riders have four distinct models, each with its own sharp edges, but they also share Kryptonite-like weaknesses. HOOK, and others in the same position, need to take a risk. Change something that takes the character somewhere new. Or start over. Ultimately, if the wrestlers are happy with their position, that’s their choice. As fans, we should learn to respect that.
