Character Development

[ABMorales787]

It's the tool used in storytelling to evolve characters and thus define a backstory onscreen which viewers can relate to. This is often used in movies, soap operas, animation and comics to make the viewer invest more on the characters.

This tool is also used in pro wrestling. Often via real life, but also via the stories told onscreen. Today, it would seem the tool is tad underused. We've seen CM Punk go from angry rebel to an entertaining anti-hero and finally to quite the antagonist courtesy of John Cena being higher on the card. Bobby Roode is another fine modern example. A poised, young star full of momentum and ready to take TNA by storm was crippled by a mere cheap trick by Kurt Angle and when he saw his best friend James Storm do what he couldn't do Bobby Roode decided to do whatever he could to finally become World Champion.

We have an established background for guys like them, James Storm, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy and such. We know why they act the way they do. Why they believe in what they believe. But as newer talent comes in, we see very little of the character development that helps us invest in them. Why is Dolph Ziggler so cocky? Why does Brodus Clay love dancing all of the sudden? We know why Cody Rhodes has such an obsession with masks. But we don't know why Zema Ion is so obsessed with his hair.

When you develop guys, it helps guarantee that they will find success. Because we see their story unfold. How they started in Point A and how they reached Point B. It also helps us invest in matches as these stories unfold.

Do you think pro wrestling has been underusing character development lately? I do. There's very little reason to care for Dolph Ziggler outside of his in-ring skills. Despite his popularity, there isn't much on Austin Aries. Why does Sheamus love to fight? He just picked a fight with Mark Henry once and well, we got to today. Why is Alberto Del Rio such a rich prick? If we knew the answer to that, people might actually give a damn about him.

 

[Beastmode 24]

I agree completely. Without storytelling, there's no reason to care about the person. Steve Austin became so pissed off because he got fired by WCW over the phone without so much as a second thought. Rocky Maivia became The Rock because he was pissed off that the fans turned their back on him. Why did Kane turn back to face recently? (not really sure that he is, but he damn seems more like one than he did when he first came back). Simple stuff like this is what makes things great in wrestling. Without development of character, fans don't really have a reason to care.

 

[DirtyD79]

I agree, a large part of the problem is a lot of wrestlers today don't really have characters. They might have a nickname but a lot of them they don't really do much that makes them stand out. I mean look at Dolph Ziggler, they call him the showoff yet he never really does much showing off. Have him do push ups in the middle of the match or saying something like he's going to challenge Kane or some other big brawler to a street fight while blindfolded.

As for why they do what they do, This is why promos and interview segments were invented, not to spout off catchphrases or exchange insults that only impress the ******ed 14 year old hillbillies who shout "You're a f*g!" at each other on XboxLive. And commentators were also supposed to explain the stakes of the match and tell us about the wrestlers in it, not prattle on about wrestlers not even involved in the match or tweets and touts.

 

[SethKaelin]

This is a brilliant view at the state of wrestling currently. If we all remember back in the 90's and prior to that alot of the main stars of the day had a backstory.

The Hart's thanks to their wrestling family ties, the Undertaker and Kane having their personal lives (kayfabe I know) told to the world by Paul Bearer, just to name a couple.

At the minute, practically all of the rosters characters have no depth and as said above make you care less for them during matches. -I mean, I like Zigglers cockyness.. but why is he cocky?

WWE don't seem to care about backstories as much as they use to. It's more gimmicks and rivalries.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Hogwash. Either guys get over with their ability to entertain or they don't. Character development is just window dressing to the character. It can help but also hurt. I have no actual idea what motivated Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, Bobby Hennan, Roddy Piper or Macho Man to be who they were but that doesn't mean I couldn't follow, get emotionally invested and enjoy them. Sure it helps guys like Kane, UT and Mankind since they are so over the top it is hard to draw your own conclusion but most guys just are who they are and I don't need more to accept them for being that way.

Even the SCSA/WCW wasn't about developing his character, it was about making you be sympathetic to him. Having a crowd chant "Die Rocky Die" isn't going to make you start wearing $500 shirt and sunglasses.

WWE rarely does a good job developing characters and that's a good thing because it is too hard to do. We want over the top characters that entertain and sometimes (see all the time) we have to suspend disbelief and just accept them for who they are. If we get too caught up and how they got there it is going to get boring and too hard to suspend disbelief.

 

[LascoX]

A story needs to start somewhere and build from there. With young tallent they need to prove they can work the ring and then develope. Granted that yes a good back story helps the charictor development but there is a point you reinvent yourself and go to the next level. Dolph Zigler for example started as a jabroni in the spirit squad , morphed into Dolph Zigler and is now "the show off" (which he will probibly work as for years to come) because he made it into the midcard and has reinvented himself. Zigler has a good attitude and demenor for the show off tag. He reminds me a bit of Austin Idol back in the late 70's early 80's who had that same sort of attitude. Look at the success of a star like Madona (I know she is a pop star but the same dynamics apply) , she has reinvented herself several times to keep it fresh and grab the publics attention. It basically comes down to this, some stars work well on a steady course and little change (ex John Cena) and some work better changing things up (ex Edge - look at the various phases he went threw) I do agree that stars benefit from a strong backstory but exspecially with new stars they should be given a little latitude at the start of thier runs to establish themselves and find the grove that works for them.