The One Problem EVERYONE Gets Wrong About WWE's Bloodline Saga

Kenny Omega Hangman Page
AEW

Watch the aftermath to Kenny Omega and Hangman Page Vs. the Young Bucks at Revolution 2020; an integral chapter of the Elite saga which, while dormant for now, is the other contender for the best saga of modern times.

The match itself was seminal; pulsating evidence that storytelling doesn't require a microphone, much less an invisible camera, to connect emotionally. Wrestling itself is the story, and when Hangman Page used the One-Winged Angel, where Kenny Omega never used anything from Page's arsenal, the moves - that can actually be used as story beats in wrestling, because they are a vital component of a wrestling match - doubled as subtext. The exhilarating, outrageously athletic and physical 30-minute epic told a seminal story itself, but the post-match is what makes the argument.

In the end, Hangman Page struck Matt Jackson with the Buckshot lariat for the win. The Buckshot was more powerful than the One-Winged Angel, foreshadowing the events of Full Gear 2021, but that wasn't the genius moment. In the post-match, Omega commiserated his friends on their loss. The core Elite trio embraced as friends. The fight they had to have was over, but not for Page. Physically distanced from his partner, outside of the ring, he lingered by the ropes. He then held onto the top rope in the exact same position from which he launches into the Buckshot.

When Omega noticed, Page removed his hands and beckoned him over to celebrate. In that brief, small moment, the thought of betrayal ran through his mind. Crucially, it was as subtle as wrestling acting gets. It was an almost imperceptible moment.

Excalibur did a fantastic job of just approaching questioning what Page was doing before trailing off. Were Omega to have watched the footage back, he would not have noticed - or at least, he'd be forgiven for not noticing. Hangman's motives were ambiguous, and could only be inferred.

Because Hangman Page did not wear a hammy, sinister expression zoomed in on by a lingering camera he had to pretend was not there to make the story happen.

CONT'D...(3 of 5)

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!