Which Recent WWE Heel Turn Was Inspired By Star Wars?
"What if Luke Skywalker actually shook the Emperor’s hand and joined the dark side?"
Johnny Gargano's heel turn on Tommaso Ciampa (thus gaining revenge for Ciampa's prior transgressions) at NXT TakeOver: Portland this past February was one of the best in living memory.
It was also inspired by Star Wars. Yep.
What's more, Gargano revealed during an interview with TV Insider that it was actually Triple H who likened 'Johnny Wrestling's' upcoming betrayal as akin to Luke Skywalker joining "the dark side". Hearing Trips drop a Star Wars reference to explain WWE booking was not something Gargano was prepared for, but he found it kinda' cool.
He was all in on the heel turn anyway because his babyface run was starting to grow stale and he was losing his "creative luster". When Triple H laid things out for him, Gargano couldn't wait to shake "the Emperor's hand" and shock fans.
A month or so after going rogue, the health crisis stopped WWE from playing before live crowds, and that's something Gargano has had to roll with. He said it's been "different", 'cause he doesn't get that immediate satisfaction of an organic response if he does something heelish in-ring.
There you go then - Triple H is a film buff.