All the while since his return, Barretts alignment is more or less up in the air: his personality hasnt changed appreciably, and neither has his attitude or his moveset, things that would ordinarily signal that a babyface turn had occurred or was in the process of occurring. His ongoing adherence to his little list doesnt play any favourites and if hes not exactly cheating to win, neither is he displaying honourable tendencies in calling people out. All that should finally change with his first proper feud since coming back from his career-defining injury, where hed come up against a proper villain: an unequivocal heel. Maybe its someone on his list that wont give him the singles match hes after, that keeps eluding him: maybe its someone thats scared that theyre next, and so enacts one of those pre-emptive backstage assaults, drawing Barretts ire. The weeks of consistent wins, the singleminded devotion to getting payback/closure, the return of the Bad News gimmick all of these things are designed to appeal to the imagination of casual WWE fans and passionate wrestling obsessives alike. By the time this feud rolls around, the crowd should be firmly behind the idea of Barrett as a babyface, and this is the feud that confirms it for them. It doesnt really matter who it is: Kevin Owens is a good crack, as is Sheamus, Seth Rollins (if hes not still on the shelf), Rusev, Del Rio the important thing is that now Barrett is able to define himself against them. Once hes officially babyface and officially over...
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
