It's Official: AEW Is Actually BACK
He motioned to help Eddie before turning on him and, in a masterstroke of a twist, joined the Elite - a stable thought passé if not outright dead. Overnight, the Elite became the hottest entity in AEW. As Okada stood over Eddie’s prone body, Matthew Jackson picked up Eddie’s cash and used it to mirror Okada’s iconic New Japan entrance.
This foreshadowed event was wonderful synergy between characters, traits, story beats, iconography: a sublime, deft exercise in world-building. This incredible segment evoked memories of AEW’s obvious and low-key brilliance.
In one TV quarter, AEW built Kazuchika Okada Vs. Eddie Kingston. Okada Vs. Kenny Omega V (!). The first big, meaningful match between Okada and Hangman Page. Matthew and Hangman - who were always driving the animosity within the Elite - never had their singles match, either. The angle created scope for that, and, also, a sequel to what many consider the best tag team match of all-time: the Bucks Vs. Omega and Page.
The sheer amount of prospective matches listed and built above was redolent of the first-ever Dynamite. The chaotic closing angle of October 2, 2019, in which the Inner Circle formed, was another narrative big bang that set up several matches under one umbrella programme.
AEW is at its absolute best when, with an unprecedented attention to detail, the promotion is several steps in front of an audience giddy in anticipation of several breathtaking matches. That really cool bit of foreshadowing, in which the business cards fell from the rafters, was not unlike the late 2020 development in which Kenny Omega, unbeknownst to a single soul until after the fact, cut a promo in the house of Don Callis. Omega, in a great easter egg, also hid his future direction in plain sight.
The effect of this is reassuring. AEW at its best knows where it is going when you have zero clue, summoning complete faith in the process.
Being not so much worked as utterly wrongfooted by master narrative manipulators: that is the f*cking feeling.
The Young Bucks are finally over the events of Brawl Out. The shadow has finally been lifted from the promotion. They are dialled-in and on excellent form. Okada is entirely rejuvenated as the cocky d*ckhead heel capable of destroying three puny wimps at the same time. The new Elite’s post-match social media content is a piss funny riot too. For shoot. They have nailed the awful cadence and tics of middle management figures and don’t want to stop shooting footage. They’re back in the game.
It’s not just the Elite.
Tony Khan wasn’t kidding or simply throwing his money around when he said 2024 is the new 2021. CM Punk and Bryan Danielson were on career-best form in 2021, and Okada and Ospreay are on their trail. The effect is near-identical. History has in fact repeated itself.
CONT'D...