Responses
From El Killjoy:
One of the downsides of the brand split, since days past is the tendency for one show to mirror the other. Survivor Series 2008 probably being it’s ultimate example with identical main events. This past week saw something similar with these two new female groups. The pale, goth lead. The blonde beauty and the brunette brawler. You’d think WWE saw the Powerpuff Girls or something. Now it may not be the best way to debut two groups, hell its actually pretty lousy when you get down to it. Constantly drawing parallels to one another. But it was an effective way to load up both female divisions in one quick go.
Raw has run roughshod over its list of women as possible stars and while discussing how they’ve squandered the star potential of pretty much all of them is something for another day, the bottom line is that despite having more women than Smackdown, it was a thin line up. While Smackdown was able to keep most its women looking like legit competitors, there’s only so many 5-Way Contender’s matches you can do before it gets old. And it was already getting old. Both brands needed new names quick. Bringing up two identical groups may not be ideal for said groups, but it was effective in restocking the rosters and adding new layers of intrigue.
Raw has “Absolution”. Like that ship from Toonami. Led by the returning Paige. This week they’ve set their goals. This group is firmly about Paige and establishing her with two associates who seemingly worship her at her side. On the other hand, you have “The Riott Squad”. Cringe inducing name aside, while Ruby Riott is clearly the leader because of her experience, they act more as a trio rather than a leader and two followers. There’s a collective ideal behind them. Where as Absolution is the ideal of one person.
This second week has also added a second layer to them. The Absolution wants to recruit followers. Acting more like a manipulative cult that wants people to follow Paige as seen when they offered a spot to Sasha Banks and implied when they stared down Asuka and let her go. While The Riott Squad is just about hurting women. Racking up two injuries. Becky Lynch and now Naomi.
Sure, in some respects, it feels very lazy for WWE to call up two trios (Paige aside) of women and put them into identical roles. As a matter of fact, it is lazy. But they needed these names up quick and to make an immediate impact. And judging by Smackdown taking two out it’s seven available female wrestlers off TV, it seems it was crunch time on pulling the trigger on these call-ups. The two groups are starting to show diverging paths already by the second week. The goal in mind should be how different can their respective break ups be and how long will they last. Absolution can easily last for months and maybe a year, with Deville and Rose acting as direct enforcers loyal to Paige, similar to the Miztourage. Minus the comedy of course. While The Riott Squad can easily break up in a few months when the dangling carrot of the SDL Women’s title is put over them. Similar to the group Natalya had with Carmella and Tamina earlier this year. In the end, it’s the overall impact of each group that will determine their effectiveness and their identical debuts can easily be forgotten if the groups end in different ways. In the end, these unities came by circumstance and while WWE was pretty lazy and formulaic in how they were introduced, the two trios have the lay of the land to make the most of the opportunity. And they both seem ready to take those opportunities in different ways.
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