I agree with many that mic skills and chemistry are really important. What would help, I think is more manipulative and ruthless heels, possible building bigger groupings or factions for strength in numbers which can lead to ALL sorts of interesting storylines with ganging up on babyfaces to gain fan support to trying to recruit new members and eventual betrayals and new alliances.
Just a quick reference to Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
***SPOILER AHEAD***
But what I'm talking about does remind me of in the scene where Kylo Ren and Rey are in the room with Snoke and his guards. Kylo Ren does a pretty shocking turn and kills Snoke instead of Rey, which Snoke wanted, and betrays Snoke, and joins Rey to fight the guards. Then, maybe people were thinking Kylo would join the light side, but seems he just did that to Snoke because HE didn't want to be bossed around and waned to be the Supreme Leader, but he also offers Rey to join him, Rey refuses and now Act 3 of this Star Wars will be very interesting.
If WWE Creative could at least set up the ELEMENTS of that type of a storyline and keep those elements going they could keep more genuine interest on the product and have fans on the edge of their seats about what might happen next!
Just for example, let me throw this out there using the Last Jedi elements towards a, let's say SmackDown Live storyline...
Let's fast forward a bit to say the storyline with Daniel Bryan, Shane, Owens and Zayn has basically finished and whatever way it happens we are left with a big change of power and now VERY HEELISH Viper Randy Orton now CONTROLS SmackDown and he enjoys the power and making it difficult for others, say guys like AJ Styles and Nakamura and he has Owens as his main underling who he bosses around but in the process gives Owens advantages over his opponents and helps him in Championship situations (Zayn is around as another helper, mostly right-hand man of Owens) so... let's call what Viper Orton has going with his followers/underlings "The Apex Class", whatever, something like that.
From just that set up with those involved (and of course more can be involved)... you have many interesting storyline possibilities:
- While beneficial to Owens to do bidding for Orton, Owens can grow tired of being bossed around and seek to - when the time is right - betray Orton and gain the power himself or take control of the "Apex Class" and be Champion.
- The deck gets stacked against AJ Styles and Nakamura and the guys gain fan support as they keep fighting back and, in small or large scales, they get dramatic victories.
- Maybe Zayn will step over Owens and cause tension there by becoming more powerful and Owens has to decide to keep working with/for him or break free.
- And, at any point through this, temporarily (like Kylo with Rey), a heel may join forces with the babyfaces in order to get what they want ... and they may offer the opportunity to the babyface to join them who could then decide to join or refuse.
- All sorts of interesting matches could come of this such as: Owens vs Nakamura, Zayn vs Nakamura (on the main roster), more Zayn vs Styles, Orton vs Styles, Orton vs Nakamura, Orton vs Owens.
I think if WWE look at certain key elements for good storytelling and pick charismatic talent to be in those situations, they will build more long term and genuine interest in the product rather than just maybe some good matches and lightly interesting storylines here and there each week.
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