The Past is Never Dead… | AEWeekly #154

... It's not even past.

— William Faulkner

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 Collision, plus any social-media exclusives up until publication.

Please warmly welcome new Pro Wrestling Musings contributor Sachin [@sachin111222333.bsky.social]. This week he's talking about the Best Interview, allowing me (Sergei [@sergeialderman.bsky.social]) to just focus on editing for this week. I'm looking forward to seeing Sachin grow and develop as a writer.

We also have Abel [@loza3.bsky.social] covering Match of the Week, Lauren [@sithwitch.bsky.social] exploring a key Story Beat, Emiliana [@emilianartb.bsky.social] with the Moment of the Week, and Peter [@peteredge7.bsky.social] giving us the MVP of the Week.

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

We'd love for this and any and all of our content to be the beginning of a conversation with our readers. Interact with any and all of our contributors at the Pro Wrestling Musings Discord!

Pro Wrestling Musings recently published an opinion piece claiming that AEW has become over-reliant on angles. But this week's nods are dominated almost entirely by two excellent angles with a lot in common: both focus on an emotional interaction between just two performers live in front of an arena full of fans. But I just wanted to point out: any other week, the brawl between Omega & Ospreay and the Callis faction would've gotten some kind of recognition, especially those amazing synchronized moonsaults...

For the first year of #AEWeekly, we used to have a section for Move of the Week. For this week only, consider Omega and Ospreay's double moonsault from the balcony this week's unofficial Best Move.

Toni Storm

"What Makes You Think I’ve Forgotten?"

by Emiliana.

In last week’s moment, I spoke about the cyclical nature of time in reference to Hangman Adam Page and his choice to not make the same mistake again. This week, we witnessed another character on a different Collision converge upon a similar, cyclical moment — except she knew all along this moment was coming. She had it planned from the very start, and it was a performance that sent a shiver down my spine in its perfection.

One of the aspects of AEW that thrilled me in its first couple years was that it was predictable. This did not make it boring - in fact, it was the nuanced foreshadowing of its most beloved characters that made every episode interesting. The characters we loved most were so alive and human that we knew, just from relating and understanding their very cores, how they would react in specific situations or what was likely to happen next. And when it happened, we felt vindicated in our ability to read the story being woven before our eyes every week.

This is what’s so fun about the character of Toni Storm. When she returned, everyone was confused as to why she’d gone back to the original “gimmick” that “nobody liked.” But in the span of a Rampage, a Collision, a Dynamite, fans began to pick up on her belief that she was new to AEW, and more importantly, that she was almost verbatim re-playing her original debut. She was performing a role, and this meant, gee, maybe she hadn’t changed gimmicks at all. There were others, like me, who thought perhaps she had some sort of amnesia as a result of her traumatic loss of the title, and the small coincidences in her matches where she would nearly put up her hands in the Timeless pose were her body’s instincts working against her memory. With either option, it was clear, narratively, that at some point — her memory would return, or the mask would come off.

To put it mildly — this rocked. Many quickly caught on that this “rookie” Toni Storm was word-for-word reciting the inciting moment between Mariah and Toni when they first met, with the roles reversed. But what struck me as well — on Collision right before my Moment this week — was another parallel: a world champion with no kindness in their heart, in the middle of the ring at Daily’s Place, tearing down the people’s favorite for the whole world to see.... Sound familiar?

It doesn’t happen very often, but the few times AEW pulls inspiration from its own history, they knock it out of the park. The Elite have been doing this forever — drawing from the past to connect it to the future. I think that’s why I’ve always enjoyed the Timeless gimmick — the first time they called her “Timeless Toni Storm,” I got a kick out of it being a play on “It’s Toni Time!” Rather than being a complete change in character, Toni remains the same at her core, drawing from her past to connect it to her future, evolving but still being that same person.

When Toni first uttered, “What makes you think I’ve forgotten?” a shudder ran through me at the change in inflection, the way she shed the high, innocent pitch of the Rookie for the sultry, knowing depth of the Actress.

ICYMI:

“They say the hardest role you’ll ever play is yourself,” Toni declared, and I was sent back to a moment when another former world champion told a room full of wrestling media how he came to be the character we know and love:

Fuck it, I’ll just say what I feel. I’ll just be me. And if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. And if it does, I came by it honest.

There is a vulnerability in Toni Storm that echoes that of those words. In another place, in another time, she wasn’t allowed to be herself. She wasn’t allowed to display her vibrant and colorful personality in the same way. Here, in AEW, she has flourished. I like to think that Toni Storm came by this identity honestly, and even if it wasn’t her idea, that she saw a chance to be the lovable rebel and dramatic, passionate person she’s always been. It is enough to make me emotional writing these words.

Whether she is a Rookie or a Champion, a Rocker or an Actress, I have no doubt that Toni Storm will always be Timeless. And in a place like AEW, it is the kind of legacy that one can look back on with fondness and a hope that the future will bring more of these to come. This woman, this moment, will never be forgotten.

Christopher Daniels

"I hope you can be happy now..."

by Sachin.

Christopher Daniels in 2025 is not a wrestler who can get current AEW audiences to buy tickets or PPVs. He has been a backstage executive who occasionally wrestles for quite some time, and hasn't had any notable victories, promos or programmes. He is just one of the many guys on the AEW roster who are there to lose. Yet there was something about this particular loss that made his speech impactful. It wasn't that this was his final match or final loss. No, this entire thing was about Hangman Adam Page. From start to finish, Daniels gave and gave and gave until there was nothing left to give.

He gave him advice, it didn't work. He gave him a fight, which was bloody, brutal, wince-inducing and, again — about Hangman. An important point to note here is Christopher Daniel Covell's selflessness. He knew when his last match was, but Daniels did not announce this as his retirement match — (as that would take attention away from Hangman). He did not fight to appease his nostalgic fans or to give tribute to his own career — (as that would've taken attention away from Hangman). He didn't parade around and beat his own drum to make his last moments in the spotlight a feel-good joy ride. He simply fought to survive, and then couldn't. It didn't work.

Finally, this week we come to this moment. Christopher Daniels comes out in a neck brace, but Hangman doesn't care — he shows no concern. Daniels tells Page why he's here:

I don’t want to fight you, Adam, I never wanted to fight you, okay? I swear to you, all I ever wanted to do was be a friend to you, but I see now that I messed that up. All right? Every time I approached you it was like I was pouring gasoline on a fire. And then you attacked me, you said what you said, and… I let my ego and my insecurities escalate this to the point where I accepted the most violent match… against the most violent man. I regret that, Adam. I’m gonna regret that for the rest of my life. Because after that Texas Death Match… that last Buckshot Lariat… added to all the damage I've done to my neck over the years… my doctors have advised me to never wrestle again. So I’m here, face to face, to tell you: you win. You’ve won the last match that I’ll ever wrestle. So this is goodbye. I’m sorry. And I hope you can be happy now.

Christopher Daniels has retired. A 30-year career spanning every major promotion in America and Japan comes to an end by a friend who wouldn't change his ways. The Fallen Angel has given the Hangman the last thing he could: his Forgiveness — and we are left wondering if that would, at the last, have the effect Daniels has been looking for, as we finally see remorse on Page's face.

CINEMA.

Hurt Syndicate × Private Party

"Hurt people hurt people..."

by Abel.

If there was ever a time for Tony Khan to pivot from his original plans to something the fans were clamoring for, making the Hurt Syndicate tag-team champions was the right pivot. Since MVP's AEW debut on the September 25th edition of Dynamite, everyone and their mom knew that some iteration of the Hurt Business would be All Elite. Wrestling fans were excited to see how this new/old faction would pan out in AEW, and — long story short — it's working out splendidly. On Wednesday, the Hurt Syndicate forcefully and impressively took the AEW titles from Private Party in what will undoubtedly be a new era in AEW tag team titles. 

As for the match itself, it was great to see Shelton Benjamin and Bobby Lashley dominate in the style only they can. The athleticism shown by Benjamin (49 years) and Lashley (48 years) is astounding. There is a reason why Lashley has had longevity in his career and why Benjamin is the "Standard of Excellence." Even at their age, they are still some of the best workers in the business. They made themselves a force to be reckoned with, and not only did they outclass Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen, but they also possibly reset the rest of the tag-team division. Kassidy and Quen were cannon fodder and played their part in being the sacrificial lambs for the Hurt Syndicate.

Shelton, Lashley, and MVP were joyful at the end of the match when their names were called as the new champions. This shows us how vindicated they feel for carrying a company during the pandemic era, Benjamin said as much. It's great to see all three get the roses they so rightfully deserve, even if it's in a different promotion. 

The division was turned upside down and has now become a bruiser division instead of a high-flying one, with the reintroduction of Lashley as a tag team wrestler. Lashley has been everywhere and won everything, and yet it was a stroke of genius to "reimagine" him as a tag team wrestler. The amount of toe-curling matchups now that the Hurt Syndicate are champions is infinite — Hurt Syndicate vs The Hounds of Hell. The Hurt Syndicate vs. The Young Bucks and the Hurt Syndicate vs. FTR have the potential to reinvigorate this division to what it was just a year ago. 

As for Private Party, their title reign left much to be desired, and they will, unfortunately, be remembered as the champions during — what most consider — the worst period of tag-team wrestling in AEW. Hopefully, Tony Khan and the rest of creative can learn from this underwhelming turn and optimize Private Party's presentation to better reflect how the crowd feels about them. If so, perhaps Private Party can bounce back from this setback, reascend the tag division, and have a more satisfying reign in their second go-around. It will be exciting to see how Kassidy and Quen can rebound and return to the top of the card.

Christopher Daniels × Hangman Adam Page

"... like gasoline on a fire..."

by Lauren.

The past year has been a dark one for Hangman Adam Page. His feud with Swerve Strickland effectively broke him, turning him from the protagonist of All Elite Wrestling into a vengeful monster. Hangman became single-minded and vengeful, willing to plow through longstanding friends in the name of never again putting himself or his family in a vulnerable position.

Like Anakin Skywalker, his protectiveness of his loved ones instigated his fall. And like Anakin, it can be said that his own ego took him the rest of the way. He began showing cruelty for cruelty’s sake, attacking wrestlers who had nothing to do with Swerve and humiliating them with brutal beatdowns after they lost.

The man whose greatest strength was once his love for his friends spent 2024 isolating himself. He made it abundantly clear to the Dark Order and the Young Bucks that revenge against Swerve was the only thing that mattered. And yet, one person tried time and again to reach out: Christopher Daniels.

On the surface, Daniels was an odd choice. There have only been three matches between them listed on Cagematch. But the first of those matches — a singles bout in 2010 — is notable for being only the eighth Adam Page match listed, and his second listed singles victory. Combined with the Fallen Angel's stellar reputation and long history of accomplishments, the picture grows clearer...

A few years ago, another accomplished veteran wrestler made a (non-kayfabe) accusation to the wrestling press that Hangman was unwilling to listen to advice. And, wrestling being what it is, that years-old slight found its way into a story. To extend the Star Wars metaphor, Christopher Daniels became an Obi-Wan Kenobi figure — offering well-meaning advice only to have it taken instead to be condescension. Their Texas Death Match acted as a Battle of the Heroes moment, but with an ending more reminiscent of the final Death Star confrontation between the mentor and his erstwhile friend.

Except — the Fallen Angel is still alive. When he came to the ring to confront Hangman interrupting yet another enraged post-match beatdown of an innocent fallen opponent, he did so calmly and compassionately. He recognized that he handled things in the wrong way, letting his ego take control and ending his in-ring career in the process. He patted Hangman on the shoulder and wished him happiness.

Hangman was, as usual, enraged to see Daniels… but as the confrontation went on his demeanor changed. His face fell when Daniels revealed his retirement — he looked stricken. And when Daniels wished him happiness, he looked confused. This is a man who has been forgiven by someone he has wronged and has no idea how to handle it. As he watched Daniels head backstage, he looked lost.

This is not to say that all has been healed. He still shoved the cameraman aside before storming off. But a crack is now visible in the armor Hangman had built around himself. Perhaps in time, that armor will find itself on a funeral pyre and finally allow the Hangman to be free from his dark side.

Toni Storm

"The performance of a lifetime”

by Peter.

This past Collision, AEW went back to Jacksonville and Daily's Place. The arena that is to All Elite Wrestling what Center Stage / Omni was to WCW, what MSG is to WWE. Daily's Place is the building that got AEW out of a bind when the COVID pandemic took hold of the world. Simply put, Daily's Place is the spiritual home of AEW. To adapt an old parlance: if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

The headline attraction of Collision for many this past weekend (including the people who compose the AEW+ banners on Triller) was the face-to-face confrontation between Mariah May and Toni Storm since the Casino Gauntlet Match that crowned Toni as the No.1 Contender.

While the end of the segment will be the Moment that everyone will talk about for years to come, I want to look back at the actual conversation leading up to that.

Of course Mariah is the dismissive arrogant Champion and Toni is playing the rookie who has overcome the odds to have a shot at glory in her hometown. But it's Toni's words that are striking. They are words that are familiar. Talk from Toni of being Mariah's biggest fan… talking about Mariah's international travels to get where she is now… That she wants to be just like Mariah.

I talked weeks ago about Toni Storm making the audience think about her presentation and how she gets people to invest in her character: and in this moment, she rewards that audience… with a callback to the first interaction that Toni and Mariah had at the beginning of the era of Timeless. Those that had fallen for Toni knew what's happening and those slower on the uptake would soon realize what's going on.

It reminds me of when Wes Craven in a director's commentary of the movie Scream pointed out in a particular scene that he had just revealed who the murderer was an hour into the movie — it's only on a rewatch that you figure that out. Or in Knives Out, they reveal the killer halfway through that movie. You only realize it at the end, in Benoit Blanc's to monologue on how he figured it out. Toni has rewarded the viewer, no matter how quick on the mark you are in figuring everything out.

But it's a particular moment after Mariah thinks she won a battle against her rival that shows that Toni is the best at bringing an audience with her…. The change of inflection and accent in Toni's voice caused a pop that might be, decibel-for-effort, the most efficient of 2025 so far… a pop sustained as they fully realised that Toni didn't have amnesia, and that she was more than ok — that the Timeless One had given the performance of a lifetime. When Emi earlier talks about Moments like Toni telling us she was Timeless all along: it's out-of-this-world performances like Storm's that make a moment like this so memorable.

Of course, in the world of wrestling opinion, we have heard people ask why Toni would take the beating first before revealing the ruse. Well, when you are at war with someone who broke your heart, sometimes you need to sucker them in: like Scipio did to Hannibal's army. Mariah won their first battle by playing a role during her original path to Toni. Mariah had played the "naive rookie learning the ropes", when she was a killer all along. So Toni took it upon herself to show the kid how it's really done. 

The other criticism was why Collision and not the "A show"? First, we need to have a conversation about Collision being the "A show" so far in 2025… and second, in a storyline that has rewarded the viewer, the fact that Toni's reveal happened on the program where the first sightings of Timelessness happened on Saturday nights — and that the audience on this night was in a "theatre" that is the soul of AEW — really is apt. 

In a company that hasn't always rewarded its audience as much as we wish it would lately, one of AEW's most engaging people in one of its most captivating stories giving its most hardcore fans in its most historic building a performance to remember?

That's the spirit of show business!