Burning Man | AEWeekly #134

Welcome to the #AEWeekly review discussion where PWM contributors reflect on the highlights of the last week in AEW. The eligibility week always includes the most recent episode of Dynamite, and in the case of this week the special Friday night edition of Collision and Rampage, as well as Saturday night's All Out event 

This week’s contributors are Sergei [@SergeiAlderman] covering best match and interview, Saul [@SaulKiloh] exploring a key story beat, Peter [@PeterEdge7] with the moment of the week, and Joe [@GoodVsBadGuys] giving us the MVP of the week.

A page of links to prior installments may be found here: #AEWeekly

SPECIAL NOTE: This is the first time a single competitor has had a clean sweep where he is an awardee in EVERY category. This edition of AEWeekly is a tribute to the incomparable storytelling of Adam Page. This was decidedly NOT a case of winning any of the categories by default. There was STRONG competition for these, especially the plastic bag attack on the World Champion as Moment or Story Beat. But there was just no honest way to give any of these to any other performer (other than also honoring his dance partner Strickland in the Match category.) Enjoy this celebration of a watershed week for the Hangman!

Page X Strickland

"The Point of No Return...?"

by Sergei.

The unsanctioned cage match between Swerve Strickland and Hangman Adam Page had one of the best builds we have ever seen. In his MVP section below, our Joe talks about the impact it had on selling out the arena. But it was also a perfect example of the kind of build that does an amazing job of growing and maintaining interest, but is very tough to live up to. "Based on this build, these two guys would have to murder each other!" …referring back to the whole "stakes escalation" thing I've been talking about the last couple weeks. Spoiler: this match does NOT end up having a problem living up to the build.

And it's not just the lengths that the two competitors go to. For example: both men START the match attempting to murder each other, by holding the others' head over the edge of the mat to be crushed by the lowering cage. And the fact that they couldn't manage to get their own head out of the way without giving up on crushing the other wasn't enough reason to blink in this crazy game of chicken. For most pairs of enemies in wrestling, such a spot would come off as ridiculous and over the top. I was, in fact, just complaining that Darby Allin and Jack Perry evidently trying to burn each other alive comes across as ridiculous and incoherent. All credit to Swerve and Hangman that the great work they've put into their storytelling up to this point makes a moment like this (and many more to come that Saturday night) genuinely credible, and coherent with the story as a whole.

One of the things I said before this match was "if Hangman tries to use a stapler against Swerve, he is dumb as fuck." In Page's defense, he didn't bring that weapon in, and was likely just grabbing for whatever happened to be in Swerve's box of goodies. But it is now well-established wrestling fact that Swerve is IMMUNE TO STAPLES. But when Swerve takes the weapon away from him and does a callback to one of the signature moments of Texas Death by stapling his childhood family snapshots to Page's cheek, it just brings out the one area where Swerve's character growth has lagged behind: he still doesn't see how this isn't only revenge… but also just highlights how he brought all this on himself. Joe and I will never agree on this, but to me, Swerve is very clearly a flawed babyface to Swerve's sympathetic villain. But Strickland's biggest hero flaw, possibly a fatal one, is he has never even made a gesture towards reckoning with his own past mistakes and crimes.

After some business with steel chairs and barbed wire, they get to likely the riskiest and most impressive weapon spots of the match: the cinderblock. The simple fact that Swerve still thinks of this as an iconic weapon associated with him further shows his failure to reckon with his past, specifically valorizing his unjustified treatment of his former partner, Keith Lee. There's some jockeying around so we aren't sure just what move will be hit on the block and by whom. But in the end, Swerve uses the vertebreaker again, (second time in a month!) The red scrapes on Page's back from this spot drives home the genuine violence and risk of what they are doing this night.

Finally, Page adds to the mix his own idea of a new iconic weapon: A charred, sharpened piece of wood from the ruins of Strickland's childhood home. But this is symbolically a weapon bound to be turned against him, as an avatar of Swerve's rage and grief over what Hangman had taken from him Wednesday night.

But after being jabbed in the face with the spike from his arson (and it takes a lot of guts for a Vampire to bring a wooden stake into a fight!) he takes back over with a low blow that lets him hit a power bomb onto the cinder block, finally getting some revenge for all of the cinder block related abuse he's taken over the course of this feud.

But despite the massive moves that would be obvious ends to any other match, both Page and Strickland are indomitable this night and it keeps going back and forth. Until Hangman hits his nemesis with the Awesome Bomb and from that point it's all Hangman.

Hangman cracks Swerve again with the steel chair and insists that he beg for mercy, but this brings out the impervious Swerve who laughs in his face and stands defiantly. But this was his last burst and only moments later, he collapses again. Adam Page's frustration reaches a point of no return now: over the fact that Swerve continues to show heart and defiance—traits that he can't believe the Swerve he holds in such contempt could possibly genuinely possess. This frustration leads to some of the squick-iest moments ever in AEW. Page reaches into Swerve's mouth for his gold grill, drops it to the mat, and stomps it underfoot. He then… ugh…. he jabs Swerve in the mouth with a hypodermic needle. Why? I can't even answer that. Maybe he just needed to go to one further extreme because of that frustration that Swerve was never going to beg for mercy like he had wanted and expected. Or maybe he wanted to give that blood back.

But then, in a move even more forbidden than the vertebreaker, Page waffles Swerve with a full-force chairshot to the head. This is a move that should be impossible to pull off safely and effectively: because if safe it would look too fake, and if effective it would be tantamount to intentionally shoot concussing your opponent, with all we now know about the long-term effects of MBTI. But they have a perfect solution: the camera zooms out as Hangman swings the chair, and at the moment of impact the men in the ring are tiny figures on the screen. This does SO MUCH at one time: it hides the fact that that chair is gimmicked as hell and they don't want us seeing that. BUT, we are allowed to assume the opposite: that the impact was just too gruesome to show clearly. PLUS, it leaves the impact to our imagination, AND it puts the focus on the audience's reaction. There were a lot of moves in this match that a case could be made that the fact that they didn't finish it was an issue in the long term. But the opposite is the case with this chairshot, the forbidden move leading immediately to a TKO decision.

The after-match moments keep on adding to the impeccable storytelling, too! At the top of the ramp, we see a flash of regret cross Page's face and then he starts back down toward the ring. In his section below, Saul claims that this is Hangman considering going back to do more damage, but then reconsidering, which is a completely valid interpretation, and clearly what the audience in the arena believes. But in my view, he is overcome by regret and starts to head back to check on his enemy. But then the audience reacts on their assumption that Hangman is back on the attack, and he realizes what a monster people now see him as. It's like the "Noooooo" moment when Anakin realizes what horrible mistakes have led to him becoming Darth Vader...

...except in Hangman's case the moment is actually earned in the narrative leading up, and it is actually capital T Tragic because it's built on a fatal flaw in Hangman, rather than a protagonist who is a passive victim of the villain's manipulation. In the last shot of the night, Hangman truly looks like a man descended into madness.

Hangman Adam Page

"A Tale of Two Arsons..."

by Sergei.

One of the things that pro wrestling is especially good at is creating dramatic, attention-grabbing moments, oftentimes via visually-striking set pieces. Wrestling was "going viral" before we called it that, and this is one of the biggest ways that the hobby draws in the curious who can sometimes then be made into new fans…

Of course, Moment is Peter's section, and I'm not looking to steal his thunder. Two things—that aren't wrestling —that pro-wrestling programming is noted for are: dramatic set pieces… and dramatic monologues. The combination of both that closed out Dynamite was amazingly effective, with each aspect enhancing the other. I thought that for context it would be enlightening to compare the segment to other similar great examples from pro-wrestling's rich history where the drama of a great monologue was boosted by some kind of dramatic location setting or set piece. Except… I couldn't really think of any! I asked the whole Pro Wrestling Musings crew for ideas and didn't get any replies, either. As far as I can figure (and I haven't watched everything so I may very well be wrong, I'd love to learn about other examples!) pro wrestling hasn't combined the two very often and I think that's a shame!

There is, however, one obvious precursor to Wednesday night's conflagration: Randy Orton burning down the Wyatt compound. The striking similarities between the two segments has caused a bit of a tempest in a teacup— but among two groups whose taste and views I don't have much in common with, anyhow: AEW-hating WWE stans… and WWE-haters who are angry that AEW isn't even MORE different from WWE. The first group accused the segment of being a big rip-off, while the second sees it as one more sign of WWE-ization—along with wrestlers being shown watching monitors backstage… and the (delightful) MXM Collection.

The truth is though, I'd never seen the WWE arson segment. In 2017, main-roster WWE had rubbed me the wrong way enough that I was an NXT-only fan for the time being. So, for context, I checked it out:

The parallels between the two segments really are noteworthy, and I think it would be disingenuous to pretend that the Wyatt compound segment didn't inspire the Swerve's House arson. The structure is fundamentally the same: a wrestler is in the ring speaking, then a second wrestler appears on the 'Tron, ostensibly broadcasting from the first wrestler's home. The wrestler on location says a few calmly-delivered words made more ominous by the threat implied by their location. He then picks up a red gas can and splashes gasoline all around. The facial expressions used by both Bray and Swerve to sell the emotional impact were strikingly similar (and effective!) Then each arsonist walks out of the house, says a few more words, lights a fireplace match and uses it to start the conflagration.

There are some subtle but, I believe, important differences, too — and I don't mean that Randy stands and watches the fire, while Adam sits with his back to it. And these differences, to me, are the heart of the house style of AEW and its appeal for core fans like myself. First is the fact that the characters in the AEW iteration are far more grounded. But the most significant but subtle difference is that nothing in the AEW segment (and almost never in any AEW segment) is non-diegetic. Something is "diegetic" in a movie or show if it is a part of the narrative, rather than being behind a "fourth wall." For example, it's diegetic if you hear music, but you are shown that that music is coming from a radio or jukebox in the narrative. Or if the fact that you are seeing it at all is something explained in the narrative, as a home movie or a faux-documentary. So as Randy Orton talks about why he is there at Bray's home base, suspenseful music builds. You aren't intended to ask "who's playing that violin?" any more than you would when Lalo interrupts Saul and Howard's argument on Better Call Saul.

And when he walks outside and we suddenly are seeing him from a different angle, we aren't meant to ask "did they leave the other cameraman inside the house they're about to burn? Why are all these cameramen cool with arson?" any more than you would wonder"who filmed this if they're all dead?" about the Red Wedding in Game of Thrones.

But if WWE is structurally The Muppets (a show that happens to be about a troupe putting on a live show,) then AEW is structured more like This Is Spinal Tap—a sports broadcast rather than a rock doc, but with all elements intended to be taken as diegetic and no fourth wall to break or wink at. AEW isn't always perfect at this, but the burning of Swerve's House is a perfect example of hitting that mark exactly. There were no tense strings to tell us that the moment is meant to be tense, the audience is trusted to figure that out. And the little glimpse of Page's selfie stick is a great nod to the fact that there are no magic cameras in AEW, and Page is ostensibly alone, and not surrounded by a camera crew who maybe ought to have an objection to filming a serious crime.

This isn't meant to be a condemnation of one approach or blind praise of the other. There's nothing inherently wrong with the "Muppets" approach—MOST shows are nothing but non-diegetic magic cameras and we don't have a problem with that! But I know a lot of wrestling fans (myself included) greatly prefer the level of immersion  possible when a wrestling show is presented as a (somewhat strange) faux live sports broadcast, and I appreciate the effort they put into creating that suspension of disbelief. But I've gone way too deep on the dramatic structure here, because the content is far more interesting and impressive.

I would definitely assert that the Orton X Wyatt segment was an inspiration for Wednesday night's segment, but not only with the intent to match the spectacle, but also to top the narrative impact. Not to shit on the original, which was great for what it was, but it kinda came out of nowhere? And Randy Orton betraying an ally has to be the least surprising frog-and-scorpion kinda thing ever. Whereas Hangman has been saying for weeks that he intends to burn Swerve's world to the ground, so from the moment we see where Page is, we start to feel the building suspense and dread (no orchestra needed) even before we see the gas can.

The first few moments of Hanger on the 'Tron is clearly a callback to when Swerve invaded his home, with a very similar shot of the front door opening, and echoing Swerve's ironically applicable catchphrase. Peter makes the points that the scene Page conjures of some squalid childhood for Strickland could be projection, but I have a different theory. When he condescends to Swerve's childhood home, it may be retaliation for Swerve's own "tacky" comments when wandering uninvited in Adam's home—the "low ceilings" observation, especially. And "I bet your father didn't love you very much" may be projection… but it's certainly the lowest insult doting-dad Page can imagine. And when he speaks longingly of a "wonderful world" where Swerve had never been born, it really distills Hangman's "if I had a time machine, I'd go back so I could fuck your Mom AND make it so you were never born" hater energy.

And this is when we first see the gas can as he begins to splash gasoline around. I mentioned it already, but Swerve's selling of his distress is perfect. The mix of rage and grief and helplessness is so real and relatable. The tension and dread building are palpable.

Hangman's next words are possibly the heart of this monologue, and arguably of this entire feud:

You told me that now, I must make a decision… a choice between hate and success… a choice between vengeance and peace. But for me it's not much of a choice is it? For me, they are one and the same.

And these words are supported by his demeanor. As the tension ratchets for Swerve and for the audience, we can see the tension that's been palpably buzzing through the Hangman for weeks flow out of him, as he seems calm and centered and almost like the old Hanger.

Hangman sitting in an old armchair, calmly informing his hated nemesis of all the things he has to say goodbye to while lighting a match to burn his dreams to the ground is among the most chilling and effective examples I've ever seen of a dramatic confluence of words, setting, and spectacle… and I believe that everyone involved in bringing that moment to life should take great pride in hitting a storytelling bullseye.

Hangman Adam Page

"Hangman Victorious...?"

by Saul.

What’s there to say that’s already been said? Honestly, I’m not sure but I’ll try my best. 

So sometimes I beat around the bush and wait till the end of my section to give my final opinion. However, this time around that approach seems stupid. To put it simply, this f***************************ing rocked. One of the best closing segments in AEW Dynamite history. Another barbaric masterpiece of blood and hatred to close All Out. This is only the most recent chapter in this magnum opus rivalry that is perhaps the best in the history of space and time… (I will not be accepting any dissenting opinions on this).

This reaction shouldn’t surprise many fervent readers. I’ve been consistently effusive in my praise of every major beat of this feud and their match at Full Gear 2023 was my favourite wrestling match in recent history. It is a prime example of the quintessential rivalry. Rivalries ate the base foundation of every wrestling storyline, however most are quickly forgotten… with only a select few standing above the pack and etching themselves into the collective consciousness of the audience. 

Peter has made some film references in his upcoming section, so let me join in on the fun. The first two that come to mind are The Prestige and Rush. Both are based on professional rivalries and examine what depths people will plummet to defeat their opponents. They’re two films I massively enjoy, and I’ve only now realised their connections to the storytelling present in wrestling. I guess add Swerve/Hangman to this makeshift Mount Rushmore of rivalries. (Oh crap, you need 4 for that. I’ll make Homer Simpson/Frank Grimes from “Homer’s Enemy” in the final slot.)

Hangman finally came out of the ‘heel’ tunnel, finally accepting the dark places his obsession has taken him. He also had the excellent shot of him calmly sitting in front of Swerve’s burning house as his Titantron. However, the match itself would be the true showcase of the depths of his descent.

The match was approximately brutal, as the storyline and the lights-out stipulation demanded. Staples. Cinder Blocks. Massive bumps onto the blood-soaked canvas. From a quick look online, the level of violence seems to have started a mini-discourse—which probably means it was a… success? Either way, the match reached its thematic and savage climax when Hangman stood over a prone Swerve, demanding that he beg for mercy. Unsurprisingly, Strickland was defiant. This seems to peeve the cowboy, who was able to win by hitting his nemesis with a chair shot to the head, knocking him out instantly.

Putting aside the discourse about unprotected chair shots in modern wrestling, this context made this final blow all the more heinous. It’s a move that many of us flinch at instinctively and was effectively used as a final confirmation of Hangman’s corruption. A bit of this match I found interesting was the crowd chanting ‘Cowboy Shit’ after Page had done a brutal combination of attacks. The crowd cheered Swerve despite him having committed wicked acts, and voiced vocal support for Page after this betrayal caused him to fall into the dark. Highlighting an interesting aspect of the wrestling fanbase.

Hangman celebrated his victory on the ramp, and as attendants swarmed Strickland, the cowboy considered a follow up assault. But he hesitated and pulled back. Perhaps he felt justice was served, or maybe the sight finally showed him the man he has become. However, he celebrated after. Despite that flicker of mercy, the cowboy still felt mostly good about gaining his vengeance. Swerve created this monster. Even more than losing his championship, this is the main consequence for his past actions.

Rivals push you. Sometimes for the better, but often for the worse. However, a good wrestling rival can help make you immortal. It takes two to tango, and it helps when the dance partners have chemistry. Both Page and Swerve have been changed by this rivalry. Most importantly, it made for great TV and a chilling PPV ending. Rivalries are the base of pro wrestling and this has been a phenomenal one. 

Hangman Adam Page

"Hangman drinks Swerve's milkshake…"

by Peter.

When the official AEW Twitter account posted a video of Swerve Strickland telling the story of buying the house that he grew up in, it played like the ultimate feel good story. The man who came to All Elite Wrestling with something that he felt he needed to accomplish, someone who has been the poster child of coming to AEW with something to prove and two and a half years later being not just a world champion but also one of the highest paid men in the company using that bag he earned to accomplish a personal goal that had been in the back of his mind most of his life. Problem was, we all knew what was going to happen next.

Thanks to the help of a firefighter who was on call at a shoot that included fire, Hangman Page and a house posting on Reddit (next time you yell at Dave Meltzer for spoiling stuff, remember this), we knew that the JOY! tweet from Swerve Strickland was going to end up being a freezing cold take and wrestling Twitter for once was really fun. The amount of "oh no" quote tweets, the amount of fire puns, the amount of jokes (I personally am proud of the tweet where I joked that Hangman had actually tricked Swerve into getting a mortgage from Eric Bischoff) everyone knew what was going to happen, and those that earnestly talked about Swerve unlocking an achievement goal, you couldn't help but think: "just wait!"

Those expectations/fears were met and maybe exceeded by the final segment of Dynamite. Equipped with a selfie stick and a full gasoline can, Hangman was giddy with excitement as he asked "Whose House?" — it might have been the first time Hangman had smiled on AEW television since Swerve escalated their rivalry by invading Page's home. Page's monologue will be analyzed by Sergei in full elsewhere in this week's roundtable but in a period of time where many moments qualified as Moment of the Week, I want to point out that Hangman talked about Swerve's father shouting at him so he could watch the television. To me this was clearly one of the biggest projections you'll ever hear from a man. It was a microscope into the insecurities that this feud feud has been billt around. But as Hangman sat down in his recliner, the atmosphere was overtaken by an overwhelming dread—what would happen next? 

It was a Moment that no one could do anything to change. It may have been the first time in a long time Hangman had found something that resembled inner peace. As Hangman struck up the match, threw it behind him, we all saw Swerve's dreams explode… Except for Hangman, himself.

Such is the contempt for Swerve that Adam has, he didn't even watch his own creation, opting to down a glass of hard liquor—the vice he had been shunning. It says a lot that on a night that seemed to be his ultimate triumph, in the midst of the darkness of his worst year, he was back to drinking. It also created an unforgettable picture—something that emblazoned social media. I know people who have the above picture as their phone screensaver now. The word "cinema" has been used far too often (especially by fans of a certain other promotion) in the last year, but if we're going to compare Wednesday night to a movie, how about the oil derrick going up in flames in There Will Be Blood?

If I were to expand on the parallels further, I'd point out that the home invasion last year and the oil derrick being destroyed, and the similar sharp decline in Hangman's and Daniel Plainview's sanity are a clear parallel which raises the question whether or not Hangman has finished yet. That is something we'll have to look out for down the line. But Wednesday night was start of the a week that saw the Hangman become the "third revelation" in relation to Swerve Strickland and his career.

Hangman Adam Page

"He's a complicated man..."

by Joe.

When one man takes home all of the awards in such a critically acclaimed and commercially successful week, it’s no surprise that he would be the pick for MVP.

6 weeks before All Out, on July 22, @WrestleTix reported that 5,247 tickets had been distributed. 1 week later, 5 weeks before All Out, that number inched to 5,380 (+133). At that point, they were set up for a max capacity of 7,211. 1 week later, 4 weeks before All Out, that crawled to 5,450 (+70). 1 week later, 3 weeks before All Out, that number scooted to 5,491 (+41). So, needless to say, the brand was not selling the show out. AEW was not going to sell the show out. Faith was shaky about how much of a can’t-miss show that would be. With 2 weeks of Hangman vs Swerve build, what impact did that end up having on the ticket sales? That number jumped to 8,513 tickets. Not only did all of the tickets from the initial setup SELL OUT for All Out, but they had to open new sections! The credit for that jump of over 3,000 fans committing down the stretch belongs to more than any one man, more than any two men to be honest, but largely, the credit should go to Swerve Strickland, and especially Hangman Adam Page.

That’s the business side of it. But now let’s get personal, because this personal issue is what drove business, and the way Hangman and Swerve made it personal, is what made this legendary. I feel like many people would describe contract signings as hit or miss, but the truth is they are usually neither. They’re usually right in the middle. They are usually… fine. Okay. 5 or 6 out of 10. They are functional and acceptable but not something to get excited about or something to warrant writing about. However, the Swerve / Hangman contract signing was different. First of all, Hangman deciding not to show, and saying that would be a waste of time for something everyone knows is going to happen anyway felt like Deadpool breaking the 4th wall. Then, Hangman got ready to do much more damage than a wall break. Sergei has the details covered in his promo section, but I will cover my reaction and the fan impact on me. As I realized what Hangman was doing, it made me happy. Admitting that makes me feel weird! Hangman revealed to me something I already know about myself, that I have a very strong passion for justice and loyalty and protection of loved ones. Those things sound fine and good. However, what Hangman showed me, was that I am willing to sympathize with someone who will follow those values to pretty dark ends! Once again, this shouldn’t surprise me, I like The Punisher and John Wick, but in the wrestling world it normally doesn’t go that far, it normally stops at Batman. Hangman was breaking 4th walls and crossing boundaries, which became fair game when Swerve started that boundary crossing game. When Hangman smiled, and then lit Swerve’s House on fire, and sat there happily drinking his whiskey, I felt happy for him. I felt some satisfaction, like seeing a dirty cop get a guilty verdict that was heavily in doubt. I was also excited, because I realized that I luckily live close enough to be able to buy some last minute tickets to All Out. That’s exactly what I did.

I went to the show with my brother and one of my best friends, and it was interesting to see our reactions to the violence in this main event. When Hangman Page and Jon Moxley had their Texas Death Match at AEW Revolution, both my brother and I were both grossed out and turned off. I rated that match low, and it had me feeling disgusted and disappointed in the AEW product. I was thinking “Why do these guys hate each other so much? How can they justify this? This is disgusting. Humans shouldn’t do this to each other for the entertainment of other humans." The match pulled me out of the immersion of wrestling fandom and into an existential crisis. “Should I even support this kind of entertainment?” Now let’s contrast that to All Out’s Lights Out Steel Cage Showdown. We were less grossed out and more engaged in this match. I’d say this match was probably just as gross, but we were engrossed—in the feud, and in the justification for the violence. There was a nice fan in front of us who had been largely silent throughout most of the night and said he had been waiting all night for this match, and he started to come alive with chants and cheers. The crowd was divided as far as who they supported, and the crowd was even conflicted about how to react and root during the match, even if they knew who they were rooting for. It was a very odd experience, but a very interesting and engaging one, too. At one point my brother said, “this match makes me feel like I don’t know what a babyface is anymore”. At one point I chanted “I’m con-flic-ted!” This match was a combination of a wrestling show, a TV drama, and… somehow, some form of therapy for the 9,000-ish in attendance. 

I am not going to downplay Swerve’s massive and deserved credit in creating this atmosphere and experience, but part of why the two storytellers were able to arrive at this point is because of the established strengths, flaws, traits, and values that had been established as part of the Hangman Adam Page character. I don’t think this story works quite as well, with quite so many layers, and quite so much nuance, with anyone other than Hangman. At the end of it all, Hangman got to serve justice to Swerve, he finally got his win against Swerve, and yet he didn’t look nearly as happy at the end of that match on that ramp, as he did on that chair in front of that flaming house. Hangman is a complicated man with a conscience. That creates some leftover intrigue for what comes next. The fact that he could go to such great lengths and extremes, and still have fans looking forward to what comes next, and what direction he goes in, is why Hangman Adam Page is AEW’s most valuable player this week.