Hello reader! This is week 13 of my year-long WWE Characterisation project. This week, as I have been away all weekend, the format will be slightly different, comprising rough notes/bullet points. Let’s get to it.
Seth Rollins
Raw
• The fan sing-a-along of Rollins’ theme song is playing an ever more important role in his character. I need to reflect on this further – more to come soon.
• Mentions of Rollins’ injury record are a way to build vulnerability/sympathy into the character.
• Reigns’ reminders of Rollins’ past underhand deeds continue a theme of many past weeks, in which Rollins’ character is often under threat, and he’s framed as flawed and morally dubious.
• Rollins insists he’s proud of who he is, and a little later claims, “I know who I am”, implying self-knowledge. Yet using his call-and-response catchphrase in between these two proclamations undermines the authenticity of his message.
• Rollins taking the first shot at Reigns in addition to claiming “I know who I am” undercuts last week’s traditional babyface values. Also, note both Reigns this week and LA Knight last week have now come out and called Rollins’ promo last week “boring”, perhaps signalling to the audience we should not pay attention to the idea of Rollins as a traditional babyface.
SME
• Rollins’ alignment with New York Knicks’ antagonist Tyrese Haliburton in Madison Square Garden, along with the slightly underhand way Rollins attacks Reigns, suggest Rollins’ values are slippery, changeable. The ‘dark’ side of his character appears close to the surface.
• Karmic nature of Reigns’ comeback positions Rollins as dishonourable.
Jade Cargill – SmackDown
• Compared to last week, there’s a lack of escalation. For Cargill, we’re taken away from ideas of jealously and back towards competitive dominance – Cargill advances in a tournament.
• Contrasting with Rollins/Reigns, Cargill denies Flair’s karmic action.
• However, Cargill is shown as briefly vulnerable before she’s aided by her henchwomen.
Work Shoot Confessional 
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