10 Things That Would Happen If Today’s WWE Wrote The Attitude Era
8. The Rock Doesn't Turn Heel
It is the year 2000.
For three and a half torturous years, WWF fans have endured the all-smiles Rocky Maivia character, whose gee-whiz disposition has remained unaffected despite the ugliest of fan reactions. Clearly handed unflattering direction in late '96, it is as if this performer now is something even more artificial than that descriptor suggests. He is a puppet. The only faint sentience within him is a haunted look behind his dazzling teeth, and it's uncanny, a bit sad, but not enough to stem the blood-thirst of a public that hates him, and hates him more with every major win and multi-seg TV appearance.
The fans hate this. They hate it.
The fans, and this is a bit much, really, hold up signs with a disturbing yet emphatic message: DIE ROCKY DIE.
A senior management figure approaches Vince McMahon, as the production meeting empties and only the inner sanctum remain.
"Vince, they're holding up signs with DIE ROCKY DIE written on 'em. Do we turn him?"
"They're German, pal. The signs say "THE ROCKY, THE."
"So they want us to turn him heel, as The Rock, kickstarting a phenomenally entertaining and lucrative chapter of WWF programming?"
"Have him say "OOO-AH" more."