The Art Of Turning Face

[Low_Ki]

Now I may get ridiculed senseless for this, as, to my absolute shame, I have not fully done my research.

I watch WWE TV now and again, but I always keep up with what is happening via the web.

From the last two months, I have seen the Miz and Alberto Del Rio turning face for what appears to be absolutely no reason at all. Del Rio helped with a run in by 3MB on the Miz and Ricardo, and I can't even remember how the Miz turned.

I guess my point is, face turns need to be memorable in order to take that wrestler onto the next platform of their careers.

It also needs meaning. Not just something that was thrown together at the last minute, and if that is not true for the above two guys, it certainly feels like it. When John Cena turned face, people were psyched for it. Coming into the Survivor Series he was set to join the heel team (A-Train and others I don't remember) and because he gained a small issue with A-Train, he joined the face team at the last minute and the place went crazy for it. I was happy too because he has REASON. He had been jerked around by A-Train and in the story he felt like his input didn't matter.

I'm not saying that every face turn needs a solid story, it just needs to have logic.

What are your thoughts on this subject? Could the WWE do more in promoting a face turn through a story that spans longer than two weeks?

[Dyscord]

I beleive the Survivor Series match kinda helped Miz turn face. But yeah, they weren't really given a reason. The last time I saw a good face turn was Batista back in 2005. It was a nice, slow burn.

[brighamosity]

I was talking about this the other day with someone while watching Raw. We couldn't figure out why we were supposed to be cheering Miz. I mean, he wanted to join the heel Survivor Series team, and they declined, so he join Mick Foley's team, and now he's good. That's it. The fans are just supposed to accept that.

Quite frankly, it wouldn't have surprised me one bit if Alberto Del Rio had showed up on Raw and been high fiving John Cena or something. If you're waiting for an explanation for a face turn, I wouldn't hold your breath, because I doubt they're going to give us one. As far as WWE is concerned, the run-in save for Ricardo Rodriguez is enough for WWE logic.

[DANIELBRYANrealwrestler]

Originally Posted by brighamosity

I mean, he wanted to join the heel Survivor Series team, and they declined, so he join Mick Foley's team, and now he's good. the run-in save for Ricardo Rodriguez is enough for WWE logic.

Actually the Miz quit team Punk and critized his leadership.Also why cheer Miz? Because hes awesome. And as for Del Rio, alot of fans enjoy Ricardo, and hate 3MB even more.

[xavyer]

The Miz turned face because of CM Punk, when a fight broke down, CM Punk and Paul Heyman walked away from their teammates, and the Miz called them up on it, and that is what got the Miz to turn on CM Punk's team and join team Foley, as for a good face turn, i haven't seen a good one in years, now people switch sides for basicly no reason at all......

[ITrippedTheShockmaster]

I agree that the face turns for Miz and ADR have been pretty quick and without reasoning within the storyline world, but there's reasons for both behind the scenes.

Miz has been poised for a face turn for some time now. He's been the media darling of WWE in recent months, appearing on everything he can possibly stick his face on in terms of TV and such. He's very personable and has a edgy, cool kind of attitude, which makes him likeable. They've softened his character in recent months, which hinted that a turn was evident. Plus, it's been said that VKM is very happy with Miz's efforts to be that public face for WWE (let's face it. Cena and Punk won't be here forever). Miz has been a heel since he started, and he's been a great heel. But, honestly, his shtick as a heel was getting kind of stale. The way they turned him was kind of lame, I admit. I wish they would have made it a bit more progressive of a turn.

As far as ADR's turn, that one strikes me as more unrealistic. Behind the scenes, it's been reported that he was turned because WWE wanted a reliable Mexican superstar to serve as a face for that large demographic of viewers, mainly because both Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara are constantly injured, and Primo and Epico just aren't that good. They were apparently on short notice to turn ADR somehow, so they wrote in the 3MB attack on Ricardo and ADR making the save (even though ADR has berated and assaulted Ricardo in the past), teaming him with Miz to apparently solidify Miz's face turn and begin ADR's. I admit that ADR's aristocrat character isn't one to be a traditional "good guy," per say, but I don't mind him turning face. I don't see this turn lasting long, however. I just hope they don't bury him in mid- to lower-card feuds just to have an active token Mexican good guy.

I also agree that we haven't see a true character turn from heel to face in a longtime, because the line is so blurred nowadays between the two designations. You don't really have many characters that are truly a face or heel. Everyone seems to walk that line, tipping to one direction or the other every now and then. I've posted in other threads about this concept, so I won't go into it here.

[Kodo Sawaki]

I'm not saying that every face turn needs a solid story, it just needs to have logic.

Yeah, I feel the same way...

You could say that Danyel Bryan is a face now and i really liked storyline with that. Odd together tag team that overcomes personal differences and makes a good face tag team. Nothing that hasnt been done before but maked sense at the moment and really had some storyline behind it.

With Miz and Del Rio its just generic and has no explenation. Del Rio defended Ricardo and all of the sudden he makes face tag teams with Miz to beat 3MB. Completlly out of the character. I get it why they turned them(both of them was needed change in character because Miz becomed just bland and Del Rio hasnt got over with such ans easy heel gimmick(rich guy)) but I just dont see that all of sudden changes in character. Lacks at least some kind of logic for that big change...

[pharrison0scorpion]

I believe the Miz turned face because the WWE Universe voted him into Team Foley, so he started to appreciate them more.

But, to the point, I can think of a couple of good face turns. CM Punk last year for one, left as a heel once he won the WWE Championship at Money in the Bank (although he was kind of a face already), and returned as a face because everyone was itching for him to be back.

Daniel Bryan and Kane, with the Anger Management skits were quality face turns. It was a slow process with them gradually turning over weeks. Even though they are faces now, Daniel Bryan could switch back at any time if Team Hell No split and Kane becomes the face.

For me, the Del Rio face turn was actually OK. Yes, it was a little out of the blue, but he was standing up for his heritage of being Mexican which I think could work if done correctly. They also have kind of teased it for a while with the commentators referencing his links to Mil Mascaras and his wrestling heritage. If they play it right, it could work well. (On a side note, someone said WWE wanted a Mexican face but Primo and Epico weren't good enough, which is true but Primo and Epico are from Puerto Rico so they don't count.)

Face turns in general for me are not as effective as heel turns because fans are far more likely to hate someone than like someone. The instinct is to not like them until they make you like them, rather than the other way around. For this reason, faces who make a sudden attack on someone else get instantly booed, but someone who was a heel and shakes someone's hand after a match does not instantly get cheered. Instead, people are thinking whether the guy is being genuine, and whether or not it's just part of a plot. Face turns are never going to be as memorable as heel turns, but personally, I feel the WWE is OK at doing them for the time being.

[MasterHavik]

What can ADR do as a face is my question? Why turn him face? I don't see myself cheering for ADR. His face turn came out nowhere. I agree with the OP.

Now the Miz on the other hand face turn came at the right time because people were really getting into his heel chaarcter and gimmick. so when he finally flip the switch people went nuts.

but like every wrestler got mega over wit ha face everyone will trash on their face skills and beg them to turn heel again.

[Mustang Sally]

Originally Posted by ITrippedTheShockmaster

As far as ADR's turn, that one strikes me as more unrealistic. Behind the scenes, it's been reported that he was turned because WWE wanted a reliable Mexican superstar to serve as a face for that large demographic of viewers, mainly because both Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara are constantly injured, and Primo and Epico just aren't that good.

Okay, I'll buy that as a motive to turn Alberto good, but they should have had a program explaining why he's being brought to the side of justice, especially after his WWE career has been one of unbridled evil. He sees himself as aristocracy and flaunts his wealth and breeding. There's nothing "face" about that, is there?

Yet, in the world of pro wrestling, anything can be accomplished, given good writing and circumstances. I still say if they could successfully turn Sheamus into a hero, they could do it with anyone.

But with Del Rio, there was absolutely nothing. One day, he's fighting as a heel....the next day he's with the good guys. No reason, no motivation, no change-of-heart event.

When they do this kind of thing with a mid-carder, no one really cares. For example, Tyson Kidd has appeared as a heel and face, depending on who his opponent was that night. I didn't see anyone making a fuss about that....but when it's a guy who hovers near main event status, like Alberto Del Rio, one would think management would have made a bigger deal out of it, for storyline purposes, if nothing else.

The art of turning face? Sure, it's an art and it's one's own opinion whether the program that causes the performer to turn is a good one or not.

But when there's no program......ugh.