Seth Rollins – Raw
Although Rollins competes in this week’s Raw main event, it’s his appearance in three backstage vignettes that is most interesting to this character study. This represents a change in narrative form compared to previous weeks. So before going on to read Rollins’ vignettes, it’s worth thinking about how this form differs to in-ring bouts and in-ring promos.
A backstage vignette takes place without the presence of the crowd (though the TV audience still hears the crowd’s reactions). One on one, or small group, interactions occur in a confined space, such as a corridor, office or locker room. Here, relationships or rivalries can be formed quickly. There’s also a sports production element, in that these vignettes often comprise an interviewer attempting to extract a performer’s feelings. Without the crowd, the performer cannot improvise to their immediate feedback. This appears to strip away one level of performativity, in that the performance retreats to something akin to TV or film – actor, set and camera – away from the ‘fourth wall theatre’ of the ring. The audience, then, may expect something more confessional, more honest, more intimate, without the performative interactions with the crowd. However, at the same time, an experienced viewer of pro-wrestling knows these are not trained actors, and so away from the ring, as untrained actors reading lines, there’s every chance that something feeling less ‘authentic’ will emerge.
In this week’s case of Seth Rollins, the first vignette sees him interviewed backstage. The interviewer Cathy Kelley sets the narrative agenda, or hook, for the night: ‘Do you think it’s wise to continue pursuing battles with the Vision knowing that it’s creating even more friction between yourself and other superstars?’ The idea here is the tension within Rollins’ inner self, as regard to individualism versus collectivism is now manifesting outside himself, and affecting relationships between other superstars. For now, Rollins appears to stay on the side of individualism, promoting typical babyface values of bravery over strategy: “The easiest way out of a situation is to run right through it”. This is juxtaposed with another backstage vignette later, in which Rollins’ rivals, Paul Heyman and Bron Breakker (the Vision), strategise to set up another potential ambush for Rollins.
The second backstage vignette sees Rollins encounter LA Knight, who acknowledges the problem of the Vision, and the need for collectivism as a solution, but clarifies that he will not offer his own support. Rollins has few lines during this vignette, which suggests a willingness to take responsibility and accept the consequences of his past sins.
The final backstage vignette may be the most important. Rollins encounters Angelo Dawkins of the Street Profits, the tag team who suffered physical damage as a result of Rollins’ messy efforts at collectivism the week previous. Here Rollins performs honesty and contrition: “Thank you for understanding … I’m sorry for what happened”. This further use of the confessional mode gestures beyond individualism and distrust, towards collectivism, faith and dependability.
In the main event the Street Profits again suffer an ambush as a consequence of their attempts to aid Rollins. And on Saturday Night’s Main Event – an event somewhere between weekly TV and a premium live event, broadcast a few nights later – Rollins is absent as the Vision again ambush the Street Profits. As Kelley said, “it’s creating even more friction between yourself and other superstars”. But perhaps it’s this friction which will enable Rollins’ character to evolve.
Credit: WWE
Jade Cargill – Smackdown
Cargill also performs in a vignette this week. On Smackdown, after she and her friends enact another attack on rival Rhea Ripley, the group are interviewed backstage. Though the leader and most high-profile performer of the group, at first Cargill lets her friends speak, suggesting an understanding of collectivism that surpasses Rollins’. When she does speak, she reasserts the team dynamic: “We learned our lesson, right?” – as in, they, as a collective, have returned improved after Ripley’s WrestleMania defeat of Cargill. However, she then asserts her ego, speaking of “My title”, signalling that ultimately the group’s raison d’être is to serve her goals. To summarise, Cargill’s character is mainly competition-based – wrestling, after all, is a physical, athletic mode, in both reality and fiction. Within this competitive realm, she is arrogant and egocentric, perhaps as a result of her physical dominance.
At Saturday Night’s Main Event, Cargill’s group competes in a six-woman tag team match that features Ripley on the opposing team. Cargill doesn’t fear one-on-one confrontation with Ripley when it arrives. However, Ripley ‘wins’ this mini battle and Cargill needs her friends to avoid defeat. Cargill ultimately pins Ripley, by taking advantage of Ripley’s blossoming friendship with Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, promoting the values of ruthlessness, focus and single-mindedness. Cargill’s part in this bout signals an interesting tension between what Cargill values about herself (her strength, her physicality) and how an opponent tests, and may break, these values. In that sense, the bout with Ripley at Clash in Italy in less than a week should offer a key plot point in Cargill’s character development.
Credit: WWE
If you liked this, then go and read the previous articles in this series:
Week 4
Week 3
Week 2
Week 1
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