10 Disturbing WWE Storylines That Got Way Too Dark
8. Pillman's XXX Files
Brian Pillman indulged in more than his fair share of shady storylines during his WWE run. The Steve Austin/gun angle was harrowing enough, and left many fans questioning The Loose Cannon’s real-life sanity, but Pillman’s creative lowpoint didn’t arrive until the following year. Having concluded his feud with Austin, Pillman moved into a fresh story with Goldust. Things got really weird at In Your House: Ground Zero.
The match stipulated that if Pillman won, he’d “own” Goldust’s wife Marlena for 30 days. The Loose Cannon was inevitably victorious, and some of the most tasteless segments in WWF history followed. Pillman’s XXX Files saw Marlena become Pillman’s personal slave, and in the final installment, a terrified Marlena was shown in bed, clutching a comforter to her chin.
Marlena never looked comfortable throughout these segments, and neither were the audience. They did a tremendous job running Pillman down throughout this run, and he was never given the opportunity to redeem himself after the XXX Files. Pillman tragically passed away just a month after defeating Goldust at In Your House, and their rivalry went unresolved.