Obviously, I'm frequently reading different threads in different sections on this forum. I come across many topics of discussion in my travels. Questionable pushes, complaint threads, PPV discussion... I think it's safe to say that I've seen it all. But the most redundant topic that I come across has got to be discussion about specific wrestlers turning heel/face. When it comes to this topic, opinions are like ass holes: everyone's got one. While many WZ posters make great points when suggesting superstars' face/heel turns, I don't think that you all put enough thought into what you're actually suggesting. Allow me to explain.
Ever since the PG Era began, the WWE has made a habit of drawing a fine line between the persona of a heel and a babyface. Behind-the-scenes rules have been put in place to ensure that the audience cheer a babyface and boo a heel.
For example, heels are no longer allowed to have a catchy ring entrance, hand-gestures, or anything else that identifies or catches on with the audience. They are strictly supposed to be bad guys with a lack of appeal for the purpose of keeping the audience from "liking" them. Also, they take on a bit of a "mean streak" to keep them acting like bad guys.
Babyfaces are just the opposite. They have nothing that even resembles a "mean streak." They are encouraged to do whatever it takes to gain "appeal" from the audience. The more the audience catches on, the better the babyface is doing to get over with the audience.
Now, there are many occasions where the wrestler is doing such a great job as a babyface or heel that it only makes sense to turn them to the latter. For example, Randy Orton and his RKO gained so much appeal as a heel that the WWE felt it was necessary to turn him into a babyface character. Another example would be when MVP was at his hottest as a heel (after his feud with Matt Hardy) the WWE felt it necessary to change him into a babyface.
This brings me to the point of this thread...
The crowd cries out for a wrestler to change his/her persona but never takes into consideration the magnitude of the changes they are asking for. If they want a heel to change into a babyface, they are asking a character to lose their sinister and dry nature, put a smile on their face, create a hand gesture and a few catch phrases, and leave the appeal they attracted in the dust. In the same sense, when we ask for a babyface to turn heel, we're going to lose the redundant use of the same factors I just mentioned.
Over the past few years, because of the factors and rules that the WWE has put in place in order to properly distinguish babyfaces from heels, babyface and heel turns have been killing the WWE's characters. Examples of this are as follows:
MVP
As I previous mentioned, he was white hot after his feud with Matt Hardy. The WWE knew the crowd was taking a liking to him so they decided to turn him babyface in the angle where he lost his pyro and support of Teddy Long on Smackdown. He began a long losing streak and was supposed to gain the crowd's support during his comeback. Since this babyface turn made drastic changes in his character's personality, the crowd lost interest in him. Now he's in babyface limbo.
Mark Henry
I don't care how many people think he's "shit." The guy was a monster on the reincarnation of ECW. When his music hit and he walked towards the ring with his mean-streak in tow, the crowd know that (just like his music says) "someone's gonna get their ass kicked." Due to the pops he received during that time period, the WWE decided that turning him babyface was a good idea. Man, were they wrong. Once Henry began donning the Kool-Aid tights and smiling on his way to the ring, he lost every bit of appeal that he worked so hard to gain. Now he can join the MVP club for dying babyfaces.
And everyone's favorite...
John Cena
This one could go both ways. Some feel that his babyface turn killed his appeal. But judging by the buyrates of PPV's and merchandise sales, it seemed to give him a whole new life. Now he's the top superstar and the face of the WWE. However, this has split his crowd appeal dramatically. When he was "Wordlife" Cena, even though he was the WWE's top heel, everyone enjoyed his work. But he had so many catchphrases, hang gestures, and likability as a heel that the WWE was forced to turn him babyface. But in doing so, the WWE stripped away every bit of appeal he had as a heel except for his "You can't see me" catchphrase. It was both a blessing and a curse.
Here's my question for discussion: Do you feel that babyface or heel turns are mostly beneficial towards characters or hurtful?
NOTE: This is not a thread for discussion of John Cena turning heel. If you do not wish to discuss the topic stated in the boldfaced question, then do not post in here. Spam will not be tolerated, which includes posts that attempt to derail the original topic.
Ever since the PG Era began, the WWE has made a habit of drawing a fine line between the persona of a heel and a babyface. Behind-the-scenes rules have been put in place to ensure that the audience cheer a babyface and boo a heel.
For example, heels are no longer allowed to have a catchy ring entrance, hand-gestures, or anything else that identifies or catches on with the audience. They are strictly supposed to be bad guys with a lack of appeal for the purpose of keeping the audience from "liking" them. Also, they take on a bit of a "mean streak" to keep them acting like bad guys.
Babyfaces are just the opposite. They have nothing that even resembles a "mean streak." They are encouraged to do whatever it takes to gain "appeal" from the audience. The more the audience catches on, the better the babyface is doing to get over with the audience.
Now, there are many occasions where the wrestler is doing such a great job as a babyface or heel that it only makes sense to turn them to the latter. For example, Randy Orton and his RKO gained so much appeal as a heel that the WWE felt it was necessary to turn him into a babyface character. Another example would be when MVP was at his hottest as a heel (after his feud with Matt Hardy) the WWE felt it necessary to change him into a babyface.
This brings me to the point of this thread...
The crowd cries out for a wrestler to change his/her persona but never takes into consideration the magnitude of the changes they are asking for. If they want a heel to change into a babyface, they are asking a character to lose their sinister and dry nature, put a smile on their face, create a hand gesture and a few catch phrases, and leave the appeal they attracted in the dust. In the same sense, when we ask for a babyface to turn heel, we're going to lose the redundant use of the same factors I just mentioned.
Over the past few years, because of the factors and rules that the WWE has put in place in order to properly distinguish babyfaces from heels, babyface and heel turns have been killing the WWE's characters. Examples of this are as follows:
MVP
As I previous mentioned, he was white hot after his feud with Matt Hardy. The WWE knew the crowd was taking a liking to him so they decided to turn him babyface in the angle where he lost his pyro and support of Teddy Long on Smackdown. He began a long losing streak and was supposed to gain the crowd's support during his comeback. Since this babyface turn made drastic changes in his character's personality, the crowd lost interest in him. Now he's in babyface limbo.
Mark Henry
I don't care how many people think he's "shit." The guy was a monster on the reincarnation of ECW. When his music hit and he walked towards the ring with his mean-streak in tow, the crowd know that (just like his music says) "someone's gonna get their ass kicked." Due to the pops he received during that time period, the WWE decided that turning him babyface was a good idea. Man, were they wrong. Once Henry began donning the Kool-Aid tights and smiling on his way to the ring, he lost every bit of appeal that he worked so hard to gain. Now he can join the MVP club for dying babyfaces.
And everyone's favorite...
John Cena
This one could go both ways. Some feel that his babyface turn killed his appeal. But judging by the buyrates of PPV's and merchandise sales, it seemed to give him a whole new life. Now he's the top superstar and the face of the WWE. However, this has split his crowd appeal dramatically. When he was "Wordlife" Cena, even though he was the WWE's top heel, everyone enjoyed his work. But he had so many catchphrases, hang gestures, and likability as a heel that the WWE was forced to turn him babyface. But in doing so, the WWE stripped away every bit of appeal he had as a heel except for his "You can't see me" catchphrase. It was both a blessing and a curse.
Here's my question for discussion: Do you feel that babyface or heel turns are mostly beneficial towards characters or hurtful?
NOTE: This is not a thread for discussion of John Cena turning heel. If you do not wish to discuss the topic stated in the boldfaced question, then do not post in here. Spam will not be tolerated, which includes posts that attempt to derail the original topic.