6 Recent Times WWE Taught Us That Friendship Means Nothing
Why even get close to someone? They're just going to knee you in the face.
If pro-wrestling in 2017 had a theme, it would be that friendship is futile. We spend our entire lives cultivating relationships with like-minded individuals, with whom we enjoy sharing our interests and entrusting them to be there for us the same way we would for them.
And yet, thanks to WWE, all we've learned is that the act of friendship is a fruitless endeavor destined down a path ending in pain, heartbreak, and likely some sort backstabbing cheap-shot sneak attack.
This company has devoted their creative department's efforts to establishing relationships between characters that we get invested in, rooting for them to succeed in tandem. Only for what?
For our hearts to be ripped out of our chests and stomped on, Finn Bálor coup de grâce style.
While this has always been a staple of pro wrestling, the past twelve months have arguably been the most gut-wrenching. WWE has made it their mission to intentionally crush the false hope that any bond between human beings is capable of surviving the temptations of money, fame, and championship glory.
Granted it shows the company is doing their job right if they're eliciting this type of emotion out of the fanbase. But there's a fine line between creativity and cruelty, and damnit WWE, you've crossed it.
The lesson from Vince McMahon and his current team of writers? Never get close to anyone. It'll just end in disappointment and a chairshot to the back.
6. Kevin Owens & Chris Jericho
Undoubtedly the best example of this is current United States champion Kevin Owens and his former best friend Chris Jericho. Jericho, constantly reinventing himself, has done some of the best work of his career in the past twelve months, and his run alongside KO as BFFs was a beauty to behold.
Their mutual smug arrogance was so obnoxious it became endearing, and an appreciation for their outstanding character work and seemingly unbreakable bond outweighed their despicable acts, making them favorites among the WWE universe.
But we're not fools, and we all knew it could never last. One man turning on the other was as obvious as anything in wrestling has ever been, yet when it actually happened, there was almost a sense of disbelief permeating throughout the audience. How could Owens do this to someone who was so devoted to him?
The "Festival of Friendship" - one of WWE's best segments in years - was a distressing affair; when Jericho unwrapped his list and gently uttered the question "Why is my name on this?" in a tone of pure innocence, reality struck in the most emotionally painful of ways.
Just like that, one of the best things on WWE TV was taken away from us, and the two men who put their friendship above silly little things like championships and professional glory went from being the closest of pals to bitter rivals.
How dare you, Kevin Owens? How damn dare you?