Redemption, collectivism and camera work: Week 7 – Characterisation project

Seth Rollins – Raw

As I have tracked since Breakker beat Rollins at Backlash, Rollins’ character arc has centred around redeeming his past reputation as untrustworthy and individualistic, through displays of contrition and honesty, and efforts – as yet unsuccessful – towards collectivism, or teamwork. With Rollins fighting Breakker in the main event this week, we have the same sense as a film viewer approaching the climatic scene. A new collectivist Rollins may not just redeem his former self, but seal his reputation as an experienced, highly skilled performer.

To summarise the match narrative prior to its conclusion, it appears Rollins has learned from the Backlash bout, and employs his experience, yet still cannot beat the young, raw, explosive Breakker. However, when Breakker’s pal Theory comes to his nefarious aid, this time Rollins relies on Montez Ford to neutralise this threat. The commentator sells this: Ford and Rollins appeared to reach some kind of agreement, some kind of understanding. After Rollins wins via what the commentators instruct us is a wise, strategic belt shot to the head of Breakker, the camera work to cement Rollins’ redemption is interesting.

First comes the low shot of Breakker in the foreground, slumped outside the ring, defeated, with Rollins still in the centre of the ring, pointing at someone off-screen. As Rollins is not centre-shot, the commentators draw our attention to this. We’re then offered something close to a traditional ABA scheme: a shot of the person looking (Rollins) followed by what a close-up shot of who he’s looking at (Montez Ford), before returning to the person looking (Rollins). This anchors the viewer to Rollins’ appreciation (though, the choice of camera with Rollins in the background seems a little strange), while the lingering close-up on Ford appears to reciprocate Rollins’ respect.

Finally, there’s a brief wide shot of Rollins with the crowd on their feet, which continues to pan out until Ford is in the edge of the shot. Ford is confirmed here as part of the story, and has allowed Rollins to experience this moment with the crowd.

As the show’s credits roll, Rollins gestures to the hard camera that his next goal is the WWE Championship. And we may read that ascending to this next step is only possible because of Rollins’ newfound collectivist tendencies – a result of his ability to question his inner self and confess his past sins.

Credit: WWE

Jade Cargill – Smackdown

The dualism of collectivism versus individualism is very much present in the sphere of Cargill’s character this week – Ripley and Flair’s uneasy alliance, Flair and Stratton’s uneasy alliance, Stratton and Green’s uneasy alliance. But this, and Cargill’s defeat at Clash in Italy, has seemingly not provoked a death of the old self, or inner crisis. During the promo segment between the women, there’s a striking similarity between how Cargill addresses both the crowd and her opponents this week, and the Smackdown prior to her second defeat to Ripley. Should we read this as unshakable confidence? Upholding the lie she tells herself to the point of delusion? After all, when Cargill has lost during the time of this project, we have not gained access to her inner self, and we have not seen the performance of guilt, shame, even, I’d argue, excess anger.      

After Cargill pins Stratton in the tag team match, the commentators again assert her ‘dominance’. Cargill and friends seem happy, cocky, as usual. But the viewer – after all, an experienced consumer of various narrative forms – senses an impermanence.