UNLEASHED 2010: Copycat vs. "Triple X" Sean Stevens
- Thread starter DBrunkGXW
- Start date
KING
King of Kings
"[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]First they love you, then they hate you, then they love you again."[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]FADEIN: The scene opened up to a blurred then focused image of EPW superstar, SEAN "TRIPLE X" STEVENS' face on the side of an unmarked (due to a poor camera angle) building, in the middle of a busy, downtown city – presumably EPW headquarters, but we've been wrong about these things before. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]In the image, the champ – because, well ... his feet did touch the floor before he ever tapped out to the EPW title's current lease holder's desperate, not to mention accidentalrearNAKEDheavilyASSISTEDchokehold – looked smug ... confident, even ... arms folded in defiance, as the words: 'THE FRANCHISE' beneath him silently spoke volumes in ways that both Dumb and Dumber never could.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]This is all you'd see, for the remainder of the promo. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]TRIPLE X: Thing is, this industry is so fickle, and filled with politics that I have no interest in being loved or hated, just in being me. If you like it, you like it, if you don't, fuck you. If you think that driving fancy cars, and fucking expensive women makes me soft, or a pussy, feel free to speak your mind, but be fully prepared to back it up, or else you'll look about as stupid as Leroy Waters – who two months ago was the toughest son-of-a-bitch on on the planet(in his mind), only to lose two matches in the same tournament, and fall so far down the stripper pole, that he didn't even qualify for his normal curtain jerker slot on the pay-per-view. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"[/FONT][FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]And, I'm disgusted with my inability to be the bigger person, knowing full well that I'd win by simply ignoring idiots like him, and that by mentioning his name, I just sold him a couple hundred thousand t-shirts, preventing his lack of a wrestling paycheck to lead to starvation, and ultimately his death, but I'm a nice person.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"[/FONT][FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]....Until you try to make things personal, Copycat. And, I heard the message loud and clear, the threats to hurt the people that I care most about, but truthfully ... to be the 'Smartest Player in the Game', you're awfully predictable. And, if my loved ones are stupid enough to fall prey to your rudimentary game of cat and mouse, then they deserve to be hurt, and I feel no sympathy for them.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"[/FONT][FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]You see, you're forgetting something, Copycat ... wrestling is my LIFE. It's all I know, it's taken me out of poverty, and afforded me the opportunity to see the world, and do things that I never dreamed I'd be able to do. So, when assholes like you put on your mask, acting as if you're Holier Than Thou, and above this profession, I take it very personal, because in a lot of ways I am professional wrestling. Handcuff me to a cage, and I'd saw off my own arm, if it meant winning a match ... and, I'd superkick my Grandmother for the EPW World Heavyweight Championship. Even the watered down, secondary version it's become since I lost it.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"You think I've lost a step? That I lack whatever it is I had that made me one of the most feared intities in the history of professional wrestling? Well, about a year ago you were telling everyone in your stable that I was never that good to begin with, until I took over as your leader, and you proceeded to give me better oral than all of my women combined, so either you're great at lying, or you're confused. And, while both are equally true, you suffer more from the latter. Because as bad as the Empire has become – and I agree, it has gotten bad, starting at the main event – there's a federation across town, filled with diseased ridden, dust snorting, pill popping roaches, that refer to themselves as wrestlers that run rampant, and disrespect everything that this industry – that you and I both love – stands for, in ways that Empire Pro Wrestling never could, and instead of going into Sodom(or maybe it's Gomorrah, I always forget), playing God, and destroying that shithole ... you're over here prophesizing to us. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"And, in my eyes ... that makes you way more of a bitch than a Prophet. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"But, who am I? I'm just a washed up, bitter, former champion, right? Good. Keep thinking that. Keep thinking that I lost my edge, that I'll opt to do the admirable thing, opposed to snapping your neck in two, if ever presented with the opportunity. But, as a caveat ... in your preparation, you might want to cover all bases. You might want to prepare for the fight of your life, because if you're going to assume control of EPW, you were correcting in assuming that it went through me, and I'd rather die before handing my life over to you. There's no honor in bitchassness, Copycat ... so you need to know that no matter how this turns out, you'll get every ounce of sweat, blood and tears from me, and if you do happen to defeat me, and take this company in your direction, one thing will be for certain – you'll have earned it. But, many people have approached me with similar foolish ideology, and after awhile, it stops being impressive.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"Pardon me for not believing your logic, lies, and threats to end me. It's just hard to fathom, considering it's never been done."[/FONT]
FTB
Last edited:
GARTHIsTheLaw
League Member
<i>(We fade in on a black-and-white shot of a poorly lit room. Though there appear to be no lights on in the room, it is illuminated by the glow of a computer screen. From behind and to the right of the computer monitor, we see Aaron Jones at the keyboard, eyes focused on the screen and typing intently. A voice-over from Jones is heard over the faint sound of typing)</i>
<b>Aaron Jones (V/O):</b> Dear Sean.
I hope you understand how short your time is. I hope you understand the importance of the deadline before you. For His sake. For your sake. For everyone’s sakes.
You have been given ample opportunity to rethink the position you have taken, to reconsider your decision to play the role of EPW’s white knight. He has given you verbal warnings. He delivered a physical warning to you at Aggression 55. And He will continue to deliver warnings of multiple types as Unleashed continues to draw closer.
But Unleashed is the point of no return.
He understands how the idea of being the savior of EPW appeals to you. He knows how important it was for you to find a purpose after the loss of the EPW World Heavyweight Title had robbed you of your previous purpose. Dan Ryan was shrewd to appeal to your ego by telling you that you were the only person who could save EPW from the threat He posed. And believe me when i tell you, Sean, He does not fault you entirely for accepting Ryan’s offer. He knows the power a man’s ego can have over him. Until recently, it was a driving force for Him as well.
But that moment at Aggression 54 was a great disappointment to Him, Sean. It was disappointing to see that Dan Ryan can only bring himself to be clever when he stands to lose everything he has. It was disappointing to see the audience to cheer this concerted effort to continue the gradual destruction of this business. And most of all, it was disappointing to see you give in to the desire to repair your wounded pride rather than truly act in the best interests of EPW and the business as a whole.
There is no question that Dan Ryan will continue on his unfortunate path. But you, Sean, have the chance to turn back. It’s not too late. Unleashed is still weeks away, and as long as it’s still only on the horizon, you can make the right decision and do the right thing.
But Unleashed is the point of no return.
There is no white knight in this situation, Sean. Dan Ryan wants you to believe you are EPW’s savior, but the only one who can truly save his business from the cancer that is infecting it is Him – and He realizes full well that this is not work that can be done by a white knight. He knew when He began His campaign to cleanse and purify this business that He would likely have to destroy Himself to do it. He knew that others would see what He had become and call Him a monster.
Perhaps when He has killed the disease and begun the healing process, perhaps if it is necessary for Him to rebuild this industry in His own incorruptible image, He may be seen as a benevolent savior. But for the time being, the things He has to do are things that would turn the stomach of any self-respecting white knight.
You’ve seen what He did to Dan Ryan. You’ve seen what He did to Frank Pierce. You’ve seen what He did to the First, and i have no doubt you realize what He would have done to the First had Omega not intervened. He did not want to have to do any of those things, but He did have to do them. Likewise, He does not want to take the measures He has planned for Unleashed, but He will take them without hesitation if you do not do the right thing.
You can repudiate Dan Ryan. You can acknowledge that it is the selfishness and disregard for the next generation that are threatening EPW’s future, not any one man. You can dedicate yourself to fixing the problem rather than allowing Dan Ryan to convince you to be the solution to a problem that does not exist.
But Unleashed is the point of no return.
Understand full well, Sean, the gravity of this fact. The moment Unleashed goes on the air, your last chance to do the right thing has passed. He will have to set an example. And no last-minute change of heart will save you. Whether you remain stubborn or try to convince Him to stop, it will be too late.
People will be hurt, Sean. And only if you are very, very fortunate will that group be limited to you.
Consider all the possible implications of that reality and make the right decision, Sean. It may further wound your ego, but someday, you will come to realize it was the right thing to do – someday when you see what He sees.
Think hard.
Sincerely, Aaron Jones.
<i>(Jones stops typing and sits staring at the screen. The camera, very slowly, pans around to the right. As it does, we can see Jones’ right side, which was previously obscured by the computer monitor. Standing by his side and leaning down next to his ear is Copycat)
(Copycat glances up at the camera for a split second before the image cuts to black)</i>
<b>Aaron Jones (V/O):</b> Dear Sean.
I hope you understand how short your time is. I hope you understand the importance of the deadline before you. For His sake. For your sake. For everyone’s sakes.
You have been given ample opportunity to rethink the position you have taken, to reconsider your decision to play the role of EPW’s white knight. He has given you verbal warnings. He delivered a physical warning to you at Aggression 55. And He will continue to deliver warnings of multiple types as Unleashed continues to draw closer.
But Unleashed is the point of no return.
He understands how the idea of being the savior of EPW appeals to you. He knows how important it was for you to find a purpose after the loss of the EPW World Heavyweight Title had robbed you of your previous purpose. Dan Ryan was shrewd to appeal to your ego by telling you that you were the only person who could save EPW from the threat He posed. And believe me when i tell you, Sean, He does not fault you entirely for accepting Ryan’s offer. He knows the power a man’s ego can have over him. Until recently, it was a driving force for Him as well.
But that moment at Aggression 54 was a great disappointment to Him, Sean. It was disappointing to see that Dan Ryan can only bring himself to be clever when he stands to lose everything he has. It was disappointing to see the audience to cheer this concerted effort to continue the gradual destruction of this business. And most of all, it was disappointing to see you give in to the desire to repair your wounded pride rather than truly act in the best interests of EPW and the business as a whole.
There is no question that Dan Ryan will continue on his unfortunate path. But you, Sean, have the chance to turn back. It’s not too late. Unleashed is still weeks away, and as long as it’s still only on the horizon, you can make the right decision and do the right thing.
But Unleashed is the point of no return.
There is no white knight in this situation, Sean. Dan Ryan wants you to believe you are EPW’s savior, but the only one who can truly save his business from the cancer that is infecting it is Him – and He realizes full well that this is not work that can be done by a white knight. He knew when He began His campaign to cleanse and purify this business that He would likely have to destroy Himself to do it. He knew that others would see what He had become and call Him a monster.
Perhaps when He has killed the disease and begun the healing process, perhaps if it is necessary for Him to rebuild this industry in His own incorruptible image, He may be seen as a benevolent savior. But for the time being, the things He has to do are things that would turn the stomach of any self-respecting white knight.
You’ve seen what He did to Dan Ryan. You’ve seen what He did to Frank Pierce. You’ve seen what He did to the First, and i have no doubt you realize what He would have done to the First had Omega not intervened. He did not want to have to do any of those things, but He did have to do them. Likewise, He does not want to take the measures He has planned for Unleashed, but He will take them without hesitation if you do not do the right thing.
You can repudiate Dan Ryan. You can acknowledge that it is the selfishness and disregard for the next generation that are threatening EPW’s future, not any one man. You can dedicate yourself to fixing the problem rather than allowing Dan Ryan to convince you to be the solution to a problem that does not exist.
But Unleashed is the point of no return.
Understand full well, Sean, the gravity of this fact. The moment Unleashed goes on the air, your last chance to do the right thing has passed. He will have to set an example. And no last-minute change of heart will save you. Whether you remain stubborn or try to convince Him to stop, it will be too late.
People will be hurt, Sean. And only if you are very, very fortunate will that group be limited to you.
Consider all the possible implications of that reality and make the right decision, Sean. It may further wound your ego, but someday, you will come to realize it was the right thing to do – someday when you see what He sees.
Think hard.
Sincerely, Aaron Jones.
<i>(Jones stops typing and sits staring at the screen. The camera, very slowly, pans around to the right. As it does, we can see Jones’ right side, which was previously obscured by the computer monitor. Standing by his side and leaning down next to his ear is Copycat)
(Copycat glances up at the camera for a split second before the image cuts to black)</i>
KING
King of Kings
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"Dear Aaron," he scribbled on a blank notepad.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]CUEUP: TI's "Castle Walls", as Christina Aguilera's brilliant vocals bounced off of the walls of the empty room, and the aggressive pounding of the 808 drum created an even eerier experience than the heavy rain drops and light hail pounding against the window, in the middle of the cold winter night.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]FADEIN: SEAN STEVENS, in a V-neck tee, prescription reading glasses (he wears contacts when wrestling), with his hair tied back and braided into a ponytail. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]CUEUP: TI's "Castle Walls", as Christina Aguilera's brilliant vocals bounced off of the walls of the empty room, and the aggressive pounding of the 808 drum created an even eerier experience than the heavy rain drops and light hail pounding against the window, in the middle of the cold winter night.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]FADEIN: SEAN STEVENS, in a V-neck tee, prescription reading glasses (he wears contacts when wrestling), with his hair tied back and braided into a ponytail. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"When I was a child, I used to witness my dad boxing my mom like she was a prizefighter, while my kid sister and I looked on – mortified – because that bastard didn't even have the decency to commit his heinous crime behind closed doors. They would argue for hours, about his infidelity, his battle with alcholism, and his struggle with drugs. One day, when I was a little older, I came home, and as usual, he was drunk – or so I thought, at the time. I later found out that he was high on heroine. My mom was out shopping for groceries, and somewhere in the middle of his stupor, he convinced himself that she was out with another man, and that I – his own flesh and blood – was a co-conspirer. He attacked me that day, Aaron. He beat me to a bloody pulp, he attempted to strangle me, while screaming obscenities, calling me everything from a "stupid motherfucker" to a "mistake", and vowed to "kill me" if I didn't tell him where my Mom went. You know what happened next? I went into his room, I found his compartment atop his closet, where he kept the family "protection", and I shot him.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"Yes, Aaron ... I shot the man that gave me life.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"From there, I became emotionally disturbed and began to act out in school, picking fights with whoever batted their eyes at me wrong, 'til one day, a group of guys – who I had beaten up, at one point or another – conspired to gang up on me after school, to teach me a lesson – and, they did. Eight individuals attacked me, stomping my head to the concrete with steel toed Timberland boots, and miniature wooden baseball bats, leaving me busted open, semi-concious, when I heard one of them yell: "Jimmy! Put down the knife!" as he approached my lifeless carcass. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"Another outcast came to my rescue that day. A six-five, new to the town, boy by the name of Shannon saw these guys beating me, and risked his very own life to save mine, and in doing so, not only did he allow me to see another day, he helped me see the error of my thinking, and coached me into channeling my rage into something positive – wrestling. He became my best friend, my confidant, my rock, and in a lot of ways, my mentor. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"He died in two thousand and four , in a New York alley, after being attacked by gang members, with intentions of robbing him. The only difference between he and I? He was there for me ... in his time of need ... I was somewhere fucking some model, or closing a deal thinking that with fortune and fame came happiness. He left this world, the same way he entered mine, fighting for what he felt was right, because he was too much of a man to allow anybody to make him believe any different, and that was the last lesson he taught me.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"Where am I going with this? What am I getting at? The fancy cars, the trophies, the title belts ... they're just things. Things that mean something ... things that ultimately mean nothing. Sure, they satisfy the ego, but that gratification is only temporary, until you die, and you realize that you can't take them with you, nor do they have a loud enough voice to talk you off of the edge of that cliff, as you're about to jump. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"The world that the man, in which you've chosen to follow, remembers it, no longer exists and truthfully(?) ... it probably never did. The day and age of man being able to force others into living life according to one man's definition or vision of what good or great is died when Hitler did, and your Savior doesn't have a tenth of the power that he possessed, so I refuse to sit idly by and watch as he attempts to manipulate, control, and mold the industry – that kept me sane, when I was on the verge of hanging myself – in his image and in his likeness.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"I, too, hoped that it wouldn't have to come to this, but since He's hell bent on destruction – either by doing or being – I've been left with no other alternative. You see, it's not as black and white as me wanting to be the hero, because truthfully, I haven't been one of those in a very long time, and that role makes me very uncomfortable. When your Master implied that my defense of Empire Pro Wrestling was a result of some puppet, shrewd puppetier relationship, I assure you ... Pinnochio never superkicked Geppetto ... and, I've fought Dan Ryan tooth and nail, to bloody stalemates, and victories because of our different set of beliefs. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"There's a bigger picture to this entire thing, for me atleast. This isn't about something as small as babyfaces and heels, t-shirt sales, and cheers. This is about life and death, and I fully understand that at Unleashed, it's highly possible that one of us won't survive, to see either of our plans come to fruition. But, I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that after shooting my Father, losing my best friend, and having every major news outlet report that the love of my life was shot and dead, I like my chances of survival far better than His. I am not the pretty boy that I've allowed mainstream America to believe that I was. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"If Copycat's willing to destroy himself for the cause? Let Him know that he won't even have to go that far, because I'll do it for Him. I am not afraid of Him, He does not intimidate me, and in order to seize control of this company, he'd have to kill me, and ultimately, by doing so, he'd be doing me a huge favor, because those millionaire lenses that I always get criticized for wearing, serve the purpose of hiding pain that'll only go away when I'm resting eternally. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"Pass the message along to your Savior that His offer is declined. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"Let the war begin." [/FONT]
-Triple X
GARTHIsTheLaw
League Member
<i>(We fade in on a very poorly-lit, black-and-white shot of what appears to be a garage. Though vague reflections give evidence of other vehicles in the background, one vehicle sits in the foreground, smack in the center of the camera shot. It is seen diagonally from the front, with any identifying logos just barely obscured. After a second or two of silence, Aaron Jones walks in from stage left)</i>
<b>Aaron Jones:</b> You've got it all wrong, Sean. You've conveyed a clear image of who you are and where you come from, but in so doing, you've narrowed your gaze – focused the camera lens on yourself and let the background come out blurry.
<i>(Jones stops in front of the car's driver-side door, turns to face the camera and leans against the car)</i>
<b>Jones:</b> But unless you can see the whole picture, you cannot understand what it depicts.
You came from terrible circumstances, the likes of which most people can't even fathom. You underwent hardships few can understand, much less visualize themselves undergoing. And you found a way to escape from it. Now, you claim He is a threat to that means of escape. You claim He, if He carries out his plans to fundamentally transform this industry, will destroy this thing that you have built up as nothing less than the savior of your life.
This is a lie. Dan Ryan's lie.
You may claim your steadfast opposition to Him was not precipitated by Dan Ryan's pleas for assistance, but until Dan Ryan begged you for help, asked you to protect him from the man who threatened the destructive machine Dan Ryan has built, you were perfectly content to continue pursuing the EPW World Heavyweight Title. That you and Ryan have not seen eye to eye in the past is of no consequence. Don't forget, Sean, it was not so long ago that you saw eye to eye with Him, as well. And fittingly enough, that alignment of vision was also helped along by deception – the deception that you and the rest of Anthology truly shared His values.
The industry may well have saved you. But if you believe you are fighting for the same business that saved you, you are mistaken. You have bought into the lie.
It has changed radically since you used it as an escape. You had the good fortune to come into it at a time when that era's generation of stars had foresight. They had their agendas, but they wanted the business to live on once they had left it. And for all the punishment they may have inflicted upon you, for all the discouragement you might have gotten from some of that generation's less charitable titans, they wanted to see you succeed – if not you specifically, then what you represented. The next generation. The ones who would carry the business forward once the current generation no longer could.
That spirit no longer exists. Today's generation cannot see beyond its own glory. And for all the desperate denials He has heard since He first began warning of the folly of that approach, no one has yet been able to prove Him wrong.
The simple fact is this, Sean: If you head into Unleashed prepared to defend the status quo in EPW today with your body and soul, you will not be defending your savior. The business of yesterday saved your life. The business of today would let you die.
If you were trying to break into the business today to save yourself from the horror your life had become, it would have rejected you. The stars of today would have broken your spirit, crushed your hopes and sent you back to the street, to your death – all just to save themselves one more second of sweet, sweet relevance.
You can look back on your introduction to this industry and tell yourself your strength of heart would have allowed you to succeed no matter what, and He is sure you will. You can bluster that you didn't need anyone's help to get where you are today, and He is sure you will. But the harsh truth is this: If the Sean Stevens of the mid-1990s joined EPW today, he would never become anything, thanks to the self-obsessions of you and everyone else on the roster.
Except for Him.
He is the lone member of the EPW roster concerned about the future of the business, and for this, He is condemned as its gravest threat. But it is He, and only He, who represents the spirit that allowed you to become the success you have become.
If you do Dan Ryan's bidding, you will not be defending your savior – you will be trying to destroy it.
If you truly want to defend your savior, there is still time, Sean.
See what He sees.
Do not make the mistake of heading to Unleashed with your illusions still clutched tightly. Do not actively fight against your own values just because of the deception that has been presented to you.
And do not force Him to make you an example. If He is left with no other recourse, He will hurt people. He will hurt you. And you will feel it.
He will find a way.
<i>(Jones opens the door to the car and gets into the driver's seat. He turns on the engine, then reaches up and turns on the interior lights. When the lights flick on, they illuminate Copycat sitting in the back seat – for a split second, before the entire shot cuts to black)</i>
<b>Aaron Jones:</b> You've got it all wrong, Sean. You've conveyed a clear image of who you are and where you come from, but in so doing, you've narrowed your gaze – focused the camera lens on yourself and let the background come out blurry.
<i>(Jones stops in front of the car's driver-side door, turns to face the camera and leans against the car)</i>
<b>Jones:</b> But unless you can see the whole picture, you cannot understand what it depicts.
You came from terrible circumstances, the likes of which most people can't even fathom. You underwent hardships few can understand, much less visualize themselves undergoing. And you found a way to escape from it. Now, you claim He is a threat to that means of escape. You claim He, if He carries out his plans to fundamentally transform this industry, will destroy this thing that you have built up as nothing less than the savior of your life.
This is a lie. Dan Ryan's lie.
You may claim your steadfast opposition to Him was not precipitated by Dan Ryan's pleas for assistance, but until Dan Ryan begged you for help, asked you to protect him from the man who threatened the destructive machine Dan Ryan has built, you were perfectly content to continue pursuing the EPW World Heavyweight Title. That you and Ryan have not seen eye to eye in the past is of no consequence. Don't forget, Sean, it was not so long ago that you saw eye to eye with Him, as well. And fittingly enough, that alignment of vision was also helped along by deception – the deception that you and the rest of Anthology truly shared His values.
The industry may well have saved you. But if you believe you are fighting for the same business that saved you, you are mistaken. You have bought into the lie.
It has changed radically since you used it as an escape. You had the good fortune to come into it at a time when that era's generation of stars had foresight. They had their agendas, but they wanted the business to live on once they had left it. And for all the punishment they may have inflicted upon you, for all the discouragement you might have gotten from some of that generation's less charitable titans, they wanted to see you succeed – if not you specifically, then what you represented. The next generation. The ones who would carry the business forward once the current generation no longer could.
That spirit no longer exists. Today's generation cannot see beyond its own glory. And for all the desperate denials He has heard since He first began warning of the folly of that approach, no one has yet been able to prove Him wrong.
The simple fact is this, Sean: If you head into Unleashed prepared to defend the status quo in EPW today with your body and soul, you will not be defending your savior. The business of yesterday saved your life. The business of today would let you die.
If you were trying to break into the business today to save yourself from the horror your life had become, it would have rejected you. The stars of today would have broken your spirit, crushed your hopes and sent you back to the street, to your death – all just to save themselves one more second of sweet, sweet relevance.
You can look back on your introduction to this industry and tell yourself your strength of heart would have allowed you to succeed no matter what, and He is sure you will. You can bluster that you didn't need anyone's help to get where you are today, and He is sure you will. But the harsh truth is this: If the Sean Stevens of the mid-1990s joined EPW today, he would never become anything, thanks to the self-obsessions of you and everyone else on the roster.
Except for Him.
He is the lone member of the EPW roster concerned about the future of the business, and for this, He is condemned as its gravest threat. But it is He, and only He, who represents the spirit that allowed you to become the success you have become.
If you do Dan Ryan's bidding, you will not be defending your savior – you will be trying to destroy it.
If you truly want to defend your savior, there is still time, Sean.
See what He sees.
Do not make the mistake of heading to Unleashed with your illusions still clutched tightly. Do not actively fight against your own values just because of the deception that has been presented to you.
And do not force Him to make you an example. If He is left with no other recourse, He will hurt people. He will hurt you. And you will feel it.
He will find a way.
<i>(Jones opens the door to the car and gets into the driver's seat. He turns on the engine, then reaches up and turns on the interior lights. When the lights flick on, they illuminate Copycat sitting in the back seat – for a split second, before the entire shot cuts to black)</i>
KING
King of Kings
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]The scene opened up mid-conversation.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"...But when it's all said and done, all the smoke has cleared, all the dust has settled, it's really about who's better at utilizing these," he said, thrusting his fists into the camera shot, bumping the lense causing it to shake briefly.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"...But when it's all said and done, all the smoke has cleared, all the dust has settled, it's really about who's better at utilizing these," he said, thrusting his fists into the camera shot, bumping the lense causing it to shake briefly.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]FADEIN: On a rooftop. EPW superstar SEAN "TRIPLE X" STEVENS stood leaning, foot propped atop the ledge, occasionally glancing down at the city below.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]TRIPLE X: Yes I sold my soul to be successful. Yes I made my return to this industry by surveying the scenario, finding a void and a lane, filling it, and running with it. But, truthfully ... after everything that I've experienced and survived, if I didn't have the tools, intelligence, physical ability and most importantly, heart, I'd just be a emotionally disturbed bum on the street, Copycat.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"So, while we both have our missions, and can preach on and on about whose is more important, and why we're the chosen ones for our roles, the successful completion of said missions will only occur if the person with the purpose is good enough to carry it out. And, I know you're the "Smartest Player in the Game", I don't doubt that for one single solitary second, but the truth of the matter is, if you're in a game filled with idiots, being the smartest doesn't make you smart, it makes you the smartest of the stupid ... but, in the end, one could make the argument that it still doesn't mean you're not stupid, just that you're not as stupid as everyone else in this industry.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"And, if clarification is needed, I don't think you're a stupid man by any stretch of the imagination, but to go into this match convinced that I've lost a bit of my edge because I opted not to roll around in the mud with a nerd that aped my style, followed me around like a lap dog for an entire year, obsessively dropped my name, and ultimately stole my title, is stupid. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"To convince yourself that I joined Anthology because we had the same agenda, when I made it as clear as crystal, that the only reason I aligned myself with you, Wells, and the other two(or was it one?) idiot(s) – who, for the life of me, I can't remember – was to offset what Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb were conjuring up, in an effort to screw me out my championship belt, is stupid. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"To believe that at Unleashed, you're destined to conquer, because the person that you'll be standing across the ring from is anything less than the man that captivated the wrestling world for the last three years is stupid. And, for that, it's a must that I spank you. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"Need I remind you who in the fuck I am? Fuck the expensive cars, clothes, and sunglasses. To hell with the extensive backstory filled with pain, and eternal anguish. I'm talking about the machine. The wrestler – correction, the best wrestler in the entire world, past or present. Don't let the meaningless tag matches, where protecting my body so that I'd be in good enough condition to defend the richest prize in our industry was my goal, instead of bragging rights, fool you. There's a big difference between that Sean Stevens and this one. As smart as you are, as great as you've been ... I've been better."[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]Trip cleared his throat.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]TRIPLE X: The reason I won those awards, and that championship, and held it for as long as I did," he paused, collected his thoughts, and continued. "The reason I've been better, is because I am better, Copycat. And, while hindsight is 20/20 ... and the future is alot harder to predict ... I can say with full confidence, that had I gotten my start in this industry ... today's wrestling industry ... I'd have overcome all of the same obstacles I overcame, minus the hurdles I had to clear due to the 90s fascination with steroid abusing giants, and it's turned up noses about a blonde haired, blue-eyed, pretty boy being it's World Heavyweight Champion. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"You see, every generation experiences change, and there's always somebody from the generation before who refuses to let the past go. You're that person, Copycat. And, my ability to adapt ... to be from your generation, while excelling in theirs is the reason why I'm going to stop you from doing whatever it is you're planning to do. That's also the reason why Dan Ryan knew in his heart that there was nobody better than me for the job. I can go down the list of disgruntled wrestlers from the 80s that hated everything that our new generation style of wrestling represented, yet we were allowed to flourish, grow, and become our own indiviuals, instead of the boring, monotonous robots they wanted us to be. I will NOT allow you to play puppet master, and re-create an era that really wasn't all that you remember it to be, at the expense of the current crop superstars. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"This was never about being the White Knight, it was never about ego, or me needing something after losing my title. I've done alot of wrong in my career, and I'm sure I'll do more, but in all of my wrong doing, there was one thing that I never sacrificed, and that's this business, this industry, this sport. And, I won't let you do it, either. And, in turn, if that makes me the White Knight? Then, I've truly come full circle. They loved me, they hated me, now they'll love me again."[/FONT]
FTB
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GARTHIsTheLaw
League Member
<i>(We fade in on a through-the-windshield shot of a car driving on a freeway. The headlights and streetlights are illuminated, but few cars are on the road, suggesting that it is late at night or early in the morning. The camera shot zooms out to show Aaron Jones at the wheel of the car. He briefly turns around to look at the camera, then refocuses his eyes on the road)</i>
<b>Aaron Jones:</b> Hubris is a funny thing.
Before He underwent the fundamental transformation in thinking that led Him to His current mission, He was never the type to reject pride out of hand. He had no shortage of ego Himself, and while others condemned Him for it even as they exhibited levels of egotism that rivaled or exceeded His, He knew the preposterousness of fighting against it.
Even now, as He has cast off the shackles of self-absorption and dedicated Himself entirely to ensuring the all-important survival of this business before it consumes itself entirely, He has no intention of condemning you for your hubris, Sean.
He knows you have climbed higher than almost any other competitor of the modern era. And although He may choose to question the methods you took to get there, He understands why you have the opinion of yourself you have. He knows why you believe yourself the best. And were He one of the unfortunate observers who have yet to understand the crucial importance of His current task – one of those blinded to the continued decay of this industry, as yet unwilling or unable to see what He sees – He might be inclined to agree that you are, indeed, the best in this business at the moment.
But there is a stark difference between superiority and invincibility, Sean. And it is your unwillingness to accept this reality that leaves you blind – blind to the harm you have done to this business, blind to the lies with which Dan Ryan has supplied you, blind to the singular vision He holds that can yet rescue this industry from the gaping maw of selfishness that threatens to consume it.
<i>Invincible</i> may not be the word you would use to describe your opinion of yourself, but your aura of invincibility has carried you far. Like a drug, it has allowed you to push yourself harder than your opponents and critics have thought possible, simply because you believe it unfathomable that you might exhibit any sign of mortality. That advantage over your opponents – few, if any, of whom truly believe themselves invincible – has made you a virtually unstoppable force.
And like so many unique competitive edges, it will also be your downfall if left unchecked.
No doubt, Sean, you realize your aura of invincibility has brought harm upon others. And no doubt, you intended to hurt many of them. But it has caused damage far beyond what you comprehend, and it will cause far more damage if you allow it to.
Because you believe yourself invincible, you cannot fathom the wrestling business without you in it. And like so many other members of this current generation of stars, you have forsaken the future, betraying those who would become part of a next generation that you would just as soon see never exist. Forever clinging to whatever scraps of relevance might be available, fighting off any who might be able to carry on this business once you have left it – because as far as you are concerned, this business does not exist without you.
The previous generation may not have thought much of your brand of competitor. It may have been unwilling to adapt at times. And many of its members may have stayed around longer than they should have. But the vast majority of that generation knew the business would continue to exist after they were gone, and they wanted to see it succeed – they wanted to be able to watch it on TV in their retirement.
Say what you like about being able to succeed under any circumstances, Sean, but the circumstances of today are circumstances under which no newcomer can climb to the level you have reached, no matter how long he works at it.
He does not have any illusions that things could go back to being exactly as they were in those days. He understands the importance of adapting, the importance of change and evolution. But He also knows no amount of adaptation will save this business if that one crucial aspect, the respect for its future, is not brought back. That is why He is willing to go as far as He has gone. That is why He is willing to go as far as He may yet go – to the point of breaking this business down and rebuilding it in His incorruptible image, if necessary.
This business is suffering, and you are just as much to blame for it as anyone else, Sean. That is the damage your invincibility has done.
And it will do much more damage – significantly more – at Unleashed, if you continue on with things as they are.
Invincibility only lasts as long as you can ignore evidence that you are mortal after all. And He will present you with all the evidence you need if you force His hand.
It's not too late, Sean. You still have time before the fireworks go off to announce the opening of Unleashed. You still have a chance to do the right thing and stop your unwitting destruction of this business.
But if you do not, He will show you the reality of this business and the reality of yourself. He will disabuse you of the notion that you are invincible. And the shattering of that illusion will be all the more painful if it is performed by Him, rather than by you.
See what He sees, Sean – before He must force your eyes open wide and make you see.
<i>(Jones reaches up and adjusts the rear-view mirror. For a split-second, Copycat's eyes – from the back seat – appear in the mirror. Immediately after, we abruptly cut to black)</i>
<b>Aaron Jones:</b> Hubris is a funny thing.
Before He underwent the fundamental transformation in thinking that led Him to His current mission, He was never the type to reject pride out of hand. He had no shortage of ego Himself, and while others condemned Him for it even as they exhibited levels of egotism that rivaled or exceeded His, He knew the preposterousness of fighting against it.
Even now, as He has cast off the shackles of self-absorption and dedicated Himself entirely to ensuring the all-important survival of this business before it consumes itself entirely, He has no intention of condemning you for your hubris, Sean.
He knows you have climbed higher than almost any other competitor of the modern era. And although He may choose to question the methods you took to get there, He understands why you have the opinion of yourself you have. He knows why you believe yourself the best. And were He one of the unfortunate observers who have yet to understand the crucial importance of His current task – one of those blinded to the continued decay of this industry, as yet unwilling or unable to see what He sees – He might be inclined to agree that you are, indeed, the best in this business at the moment.
But there is a stark difference between superiority and invincibility, Sean. And it is your unwillingness to accept this reality that leaves you blind – blind to the harm you have done to this business, blind to the lies with which Dan Ryan has supplied you, blind to the singular vision He holds that can yet rescue this industry from the gaping maw of selfishness that threatens to consume it.
<i>Invincible</i> may not be the word you would use to describe your opinion of yourself, but your aura of invincibility has carried you far. Like a drug, it has allowed you to push yourself harder than your opponents and critics have thought possible, simply because you believe it unfathomable that you might exhibit any sign of mortality. That advantage over your opponents – few, if any, of whom truly believe themselves invincible – has made you a virtually unstoppable force.
And like so many unique competitive edges, it will also be your downfall if left unchecked.
No doubt, Sean, you realize your aura of invincibility has brought harm upon others. And no doubt, you intended to hurt many of them. But it has caused damage far beyond what you comprehend, and it will cause far more damage if you allow it to.
Because you believe yourself invincible, you cannot fathom the wrestling business without you in it. And like so many other members of this current generation of stars, you have forsaken the future, betraying those who would become part of a next generation that you would just as soon see never exist. Forever clinging to whatever scraps of relevance might be available, fighting off any who might be able to carry on this business once you have left it – because as far as you are concerned, this business does not exist without you.
The previous generation may not have thought much of your brand of competitor. It may have been unwilling to adapt at times. And many of its members may have stayed around longer than they should have. But the vast majority of that generation knew the business would continue to exist after they were gone, and they wanted to see it succeed – they wanted to be able to watch it on TV in their retirement.
Say what you like about being able to succeed under any circumstances, Sean, but the circumstances of today are circumstances under which no newcomer can climb to the level you have reached, no matter how long he works at it.
He does not have any illusions that things could go back to being exactly as they were in those days. He understands the importance of adapting, the importance of change and evolution. But He also knows no amount of adaptation will save this business if that one crucial aspect, the respect for its future, is not brought back. That is why He is willing to go as far as He has gone. That is why He is willing to go as far as He may yet go – to the point of breaking this business down and rebuilding it in His incorruptible image, if necessary.
This business is suffering, and you are just as much to blame for it as anyone else, Sean. That is the damage your invincibility has done.
And it will do much more damage – significantly more – at Unleashed, if you continue on with things as they are.
Invincibility only lasts as long as you can ignore evidence that you are mortal after all. And He will present you with all the evidence you need if you force His hand.
It's not too late, Sean. You still have time before the fireworks go off to announce the opening of Unleashed. You still have a chance to do the right thing and stop your unwitting destruction of this business.
But if you do not, He will show you the reality of this business and the reality of yourself. He will disabuse you of the notion that you are invincible. And the shattering of that illusion will be all the more painful if it is performed by Him, rather than by you.
See what He sees, Sean – before He must force your eyes open wide and make you see.
<i>(Jones reaches up and adjusts the rear-view mirror. For a split-second, Copycat's eyes – from the back seat – appear in the mirror. Immediately after, we abruptly cut to black)</i>
GARTHIsTheLaw
League Member
<i>(We fade in on a street corner in what seems, from the looks of the houses we can see, to be a well-to-do suburban neighborhood. In stark contrast to the last few promos, it is broad daylight, though the image is still black-and-white. On the corner and facing the camera stands Aaron Jones. In his right hand he holds an envelope)</i>
<b>Aaron Jones:</b> There's a saying, Sean, that in warfare, the best weapon is the one you never have to fire.
<i>(Jones starts slowly walking toward the camera. As he does, it moves backward, keeping pace with him as he moves)</i>
<b>Jones:</b> That may yet be true on the literal battlefield, but in the metaphorical battlefield of the wrestling business, it has not been the case for a long, long time. Competitors treat every match as though losing it would be a fate worse than death, and they are willing to go to whatever lengths are necessary to prevent that fate. It's no wonder the likes of the First, Stalker, Layne Winters and Sean Stevens became such big stars of this generation; they're the ones most willing to commit suicide or homicide en route to victory.
There was a time when He might have judged them harshly for this commitment to hurting others. But He has recently come to understand the feelings that drive a man to drastic action. Though He may not agree with their motivations, He does understand the reactions those motivations can bring.
The difference between Him and those others whose commitments to violence drive them forward is that He derives no enjoyment from it. He hates that pain is the only language so many in this business understand anymore. Given the choice, He would have preferred not to destroy Dan Ryan. Given the choice, He would have preferred not to inflict punishment on Frank Pierce, the First, Lindsay Troy, Layne Winters, Michael Bastard or Karl “The Dragon” Brown. But these were all necessary steps – a fact that fills Him more with regret than with justification.
He would prefer not to destroy you, Sean. And you still have time to prevent it from happening. But if you continue to prove that it is the only way to make you open your eyes to the destruction you and those like you continue to wreak upon this business, it too will be a necessary step.
He knows you cannot imagine that He – or, for that matter, anyone else – might find a way to destroy you. Especially considering what you have already endured, both inside and outside the ring. He knows you are expecting Him to bring every tool in His arsenal to bring you to your knees, and He knows you do not expect it to be enough. He doubts you can even fathom the things He is talking about.
But it is that inability to understand, that feeling of invincibility, that will be your downfall.
If He can break through your aura of invincibility, what will you have left?
You’ve gone a long way down the wrong road, Sean, forsaking the next generation in favor of your own self-interest. But it’s not too late. See what He sees. The outcome will be better for both of you.
But make no mistake, Sean. He knows you consider yourself unbreakable. But every man who considers himself unbreakable eventually breaks. You have a breaking point, Sean, just like everyone else.
And He will find it. He is very good at finding things you don’t want Him to find.
<i>(Jones stops walking at a mailbox. He turns to the mailbox, opens it, and pushes the envelope into it. As he does, the camera pans around to the right, showing the big house to which the mailbox belongs. A pixilated patch indicates the likely location of the address numbers, which have been blurred out)</i>
<b>Jones:</b> Look familiar, Sean?
<i>(The camera pans back around to the left. Jones resumes walking for a few more steps, then stops as he approaches the passenger side door of a car – the same one we have seen in the last few promos)</i>
<b>Jones:</b> The best weapon is one you never have to fire. And Sean, i can assure you He does not want to use this weapon against you.
But if you leave him no choice, He will be forced to find your breaking point, and He will be forced to hold you up as an example. Your fate will serve as a warning to all those who, like you, are rapidly causing the decay of this business.
See what He sees, Sean. It’s not too late.
But it will be soon.
<i>(Jones opens the front passenger-side door of the car and gets inside. The camera pans across the front of the car to show Jones sitting in the front passenger seat. As it continues panning, Copycat can be seen sitting in the driver’s seat, staring intently in Jones’ direction – or maybe in the direction of the house on the other side of the window. A split second later, we cut to black)</i>
<b>Aaron Jones:</b> There's a saying, Sean, that in warfare, the best weapon is the one you never have to fire.
<i>(Jones starts slowly walking toward the camera. As he does, it moves backward, keeping pace with him as he moves)</i>
<b>Jones:</b> That may yet be true on the literal battlefield, but in the metaphorical battlefield of the wrestling business, it has not been the case for a long, long time. Competitors treat every match as though losing it would be a fate worse than death, and they are willing to go to whatever lengths are necessary to prevent that fate. It's no wonder the likes of the First, Stalker, Layne Winters and Sean Stevens became such big stars of this generation; they're the ones most willing to commit suicide or homicide en route to victory.
There was a time when He might have judged them harshly for this commitment to hurting others. But He has recently come to understand the feelings that drive a man to drastic action. Though He may not agree with their motivations, He does understand the reactions those motivations can bring.
The difference between Him and those others whose commitments to violence drive them forward is that He derives no enjoyment from it. He hates that pain is the only language so many in this business understand anymore. Given the choice, He would have preferred not to destroy Dan Ryan. Given the choice, He would have preferred not to inflict punishment on Frank Pierce, the First, Lindsay Troy, Layne Winters, Michael Bastard or Karl “The Dragon” Brown. But these were all necessary steps – a fact that fills Him more with regret than with justification.
He would prefer not to destroy you, Sean. And you still have time to prevent it from happening. But if you continue to prove that it is the only way to make you open your eyes to the destruction you and those like you continue to wreak upon this business, it too will be a necessary step.
He knows you cannot imagine that He – or, for that matter, anyone else – might find a way to destroy you. Especially considering what you have already endured, both inside and outside the ring. He knows you are expecting Him to bring every tool in His arsenal to bring you to your knees, and He knows you do not expect it to be enough. He doubts you can even fathom the things He is talking about.
But it is that inability to understand, that feeling of invincibility, that will be your downfall.
If He can break through your aura of invincibility, what will you have left?
You’ve gone a long way down the wrong road, Sean, forsaking the next generation in favor of your own self-interest. But it’s not too late. See what He sees. The outcome will be better for both of you.
But make no mistake, Sean. He knows you consider yourself unbreakable. But every man who considers himself unbreakable eventually breaks. You have a breaking point, Sean, just like everyone else.
And He will find it. He is very good at finding things you don’t want Him to find.
<i>(Jones stops walking at a mailbox. He turns to the mailbox, opens it, and pushes the envelope into it. As he does, the camera pans around to the right, showing the big house to which the mailbox belongs. A pixilated patch indicates the likely location of the address numbers, which have been blurred out)</i>
<b>Jones:</b> Look familiar, Sean?
<i>(The camera pans back around to the left. Jones resumes walking for a few more steps, then stops as he approaches the passenger side door of a car – the same one we have seen in the last few promos)</i>
<b>Jones:</b> The best weapon is one you never have to fire. And Sean, i can assure you He does not want to use this weapon against you.
But if you leave him no choice, He will be forced to find your breaking point, and He will be forced to hold you up as an example. Your fate will serve as a warning to all those who, like you, are rapidly causing the decay of this business.
See what He sees, Sean. It’s not too late.
But it will be soon.
<i>(Jones opens the front passenger-side door of the car and gets inside. The camera pans across the front of the car to show Jones sitting in the front passenger seat. As it continues panning, Copycat can be seen sitting in the driver’s seat, staring intently in Jones’ direction – or maybe in the direction of the house on the other side of the window. A split second later, we cut to black)</i>