Sometimes heartbreak feels good in a place like this.
Not my words, but the words of Nicole Kidman, which can occasionally be heard when one steps into an AMC Theater under the cover of darkness, the smell of popcorn butter wafting through the air.
Fiction is no stranger to heartbreak. You can find it in the pages of a book, in an episode of a television program, or within the strokes of a painting. As art, it’s the perfect escape. You forget your place in the world, in the lives of others, and you’re taken to a place where you’re left with a new experience, a new perspective.
Such a story took place from August 2, 2023, soon to be capped off at All In when AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm takes on her former apprentice Mariah May in Wembley Stadium.
Descending into delusional madness, losing her place in The Outcasts after banishment via Saraya and Ruby Soho, Storm had nowhere else to go but to the movies.
Little by little, week by week, she began to resemble a movie star from Hollywood’s golden days. Toni even had a butler in Luther, lurking in the background yet shining brilliantly in his role. Behind a black-and-white filter among the greys with a theme reminiscent of the credits of a 1940s film, she spoke with a Mid-Atlantic accent despite being from New Zealand. Contrasted with the conservative style of “Timeless” her antics grew more unhinged and unpredictable.
In the ring, her style didn’t reflect what she was known for, and I think that’s by design. Putting on my tinfoil hat, I believe she sacrificed the five-star match style with this act wholly aligned with her gimmick in perhaps a meta-contextual narrative about a wrestler’s pursuit of gold, in-ring acclaim, and character work as they vie for stardom.
Cue Mariah May.
Introduced to AEW by RJ City, the former World Wonder Ring Stardom became an apprentice to Toni. Soon, May’s appearance reflected Storm’s past, that red-and-black rock and roll image, complete with the black paint beneath her eyes. Playing her mentor’s biggest hits, May shone, stealing the spotlight on many an occasion and yet Storm lovingly watched it happen, happily seeing her take the baton. A Mina Shirakawa intervention nearly tore them apart yet brought all three parties together, and everything seemed to go swimmingly. Toni herself even told Mariah that she would happily face her at All In and hand over the title should she win the Owen Hart Cup.
Mariah did just that, and when she should have been celebrating, she instead brutalized Toni and Luther. Puncturing red from the grey, the glamour of May sparkled a different, more sinister light. As baptized as Storm is, she’s going to have to bring her A-game and put on more than an Oscar-winning performance to survive evolution.
This angle follows the plot of the 1950 film All About Eve with Storm’s character taking cues from another film of the same year, Sunset Boulevard, a story about a silent-era film star who begins to think they’re still a big star that everyone wants to see, only for these delusions and the spotlight being a facade driving one into madness. That’s been Toni’s whole ride, made most apparent in her post-betrayal appearance.
The beauty of professional wrestling is that it can draw from many things – itself, personal lives, and past storylines. But art often borrows from art to make itself long-lasting, and wrestling benefits from this immensely.
Whether it’s the horror-inspired angles of Bray Wyatt and The Wyatt Sicks or independent wrestling star Robert Martyr invoking Taxi Driver’s main character Travis Bickle, the influence of outside stories adds layers. As a big storytelling fan myself, I appreciate these gestures.
With that in mind, after this long-winded introduction, here are some other stories that I myself would love to see adapted in the squared circle.
No Country for Old Men (Cormac McCarthy)
I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for McCarthy’s works. The Road and Blood Meridian are among the biggest inspirations for my storytelling style. And it lends itself to the story of a title chase. Taking place on the Texas-Mexico border in the 1980s, No Country follows a man who stumbles on the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong in the desert, taking the money found amongst the wreckage and carnage only to fear for his life with multiple gangs and one individual described as a “psychopathic killer” in the iconic Anton Chigurh. The latter has indescribable morals and principles operating on a level unknown to the rest of humanity and works so intelligently in his relentless pursuit.
In wrestling, this template exists in the likes of Bret Hart’s feud with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin or “Hangman” Adam Page’s ongoing war with Swerve Strickland. But to be more in line with No Country, there must be no real attachment while wearing the gold. A lone protagonist fighting legions of horribles in heel stables and one solitary heel that moves and operates on a cold, calculated level, and without discernable reason.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Konami, Hideo Kojima)
Hailed as one of the greatest video games of all time, MGS is a tale of betrayal behind enemy lines as the threat of nuclear and mechanical war is ever-looming. Set during the uneasy period of the early Cold War in the 1960s, players are in the boots of a young espionage agent named Snake as he traverses the forests, swamps, and bases in Soviet Russia. As Snake progresses through the landscape, he finds the Soviet government is developing a nuclear-equipped tank known as The Shagohod. It is there that Snake is double-crossed by his former mentor, code-named The Boss who didn’t actually subscribe to the Soviet’s ideals. Along the way, allies and enemies pave the way for the makings of a great spy story.
To adapt this in wrestling, there should not be nationalism (at least not without nuance), and The Shagohod will need to be represented by something else – perhaps a person of influence or an incredibly powerful wrestler to ensure success for a heel stable. Much like Snake, the young babyface would need a veteran wrestler to switch allegiances from, leaving the less-experienced wrestler to find their way alone. Similar stories have been done in wrestling, such as when William Regal turned against The Blackpool Combat Club. Still, for this to work in an angle and be faithful, it would necessitate the legend positioning themselves within a heel whose goals aren’t exactly in tune with their character. The trust would have to be built for the young babyface. The threat must be stopped.
Watchmen (Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, DC Comics)
Set in the 1960s and 1980s (much like the last two entries, funny that), Watchmen hosts a cast of characters that are each in some way morally corrupt, despisable, or questionable. Each character is meant to have some flaw. Some more than others. The themes of violence, idolatry, war, and abuse abound in this classic that deconstructs the superhero genre, showing that even heroes are not above the insecurities and iniquity held by the common folk.
For this to work in wrestling, there are a few inspirations to draw from. There’s a litany of inspirations to draw from – Main Event Mafia, The Learning Tree, this new The Elite. Yet these stables were pretty straightforward in some fashion or another about their intentions. The Watchmen saw themselves as just. To have a group of veteran wrestlers reinforce the old guard, demanding that wrestling adhere to tradition as it dictates. All the while they spit on the memory of those who made it what it is. Whatever happened to the dream?
Breaking Bad (Vince Gilligan, AMC)
Let me cook.
The story of Walter White is one familiar internationally, and relatable to countries in late-stage capitalism like the United States. That’s perhaps why it’s still relevant today. With a broken healthcare system, citizens like White are forced into harsh predicaments to afford to live. Whereas most would spend the rest of their life in debt or die, White instead opts for a life of drug dealing and becomes a violent, vicious tycoon. This starts him on a ruthless and dark path to take care of his family. His methods and morals become more skewed as he continues peddling his wares, letting nothing stand in his way.
Much like the Watchmen section, the Breaking Bad approach could see a morally complicated approach in wrestling. This time, however, I foresee this type of angle featuring a wrestler set to retire. They’ve been a beloved babyface for most of their career, playing goody-two-shoes, but it also cost them a lot. Taking a turn before the end would add a nice twist, adding years of experience in real life and kayfabe to turn into something fans are not used to before the inevitable end that punctuates an incredible career.
Barbie (Greta Gerwig, Warner Bros.)
Barbie’s 2023 live-action foray was done to great quality with laughs abound and relatable themes throughout. Taking the iconic doll away from the comfort of her pastel paradise and placing her in the real world where there are real problems created an excellent fish-out-of-water story. Starring Margot Robbie, the titular character had to learn and unlearn much of her past behavior and discover what it means to be a woman while still retaining what made her, her.
We’re not too far removed from the Diva Era of wrestling. A time in wrestling when beautiful, high-fashion, girly-girl women were bemoaned by an audience that wanted more, the Diva Era has seen some fans become kinder than they once were. We’re even seeing women display the type of aesthetic of past WWE divas while maintaining the standard of modern wrestling expected of women. Talents like Mariah May, Tiffany Stratton, and Mina Shirakawa fit this mold, but it doesn’t have to stop with them. Just so long as it’s someone whose character can take the journey like Barbie, being who you want without the world telling you who to be, to live unapologetically.
Conclusion
I don’t think it would be hard to adapt some of these stories as wrestling angles. If The Young Bucks can use a Succession gimmick as they have been, and if Kevin Owens can take the “Texas” episode of SpongeBob SquarePants to rile up “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, then any of these could be the next compelling story.
There might not even be a need for some of these stories. Maybe others could be better adapted in the unique way only wrestling can do. What’s worked with the Toni Storm angle is that they took a movie not many knew about (I certainly didn’t) and transformed it into an experience that tested the inner machinations of how modern wrestling is perceived while still being entertaining.
It’s great that wrestling can call upon itself and its history to put exciting new spins on old stories, such as Jack Perry taking from Raven, NXT bringing back old Shawn Michaels angles, or the current saga of Dominik Mysterio taking cues from Eddie Guerrero and Chyna or Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio. To older wrestling fans like myself, it’s so rewarding.
But think outside the box. Create new stories. Use old stories. Use stories outside of professional wrestling. The possibilities are endless when you have a boundless amount of creativity.
Step beyond, and be amazed at the near-infinite possibilities in storytelling.
