It feels like many moons ago when The Rock showed up on RAW in San Diego to hinder Jinder, doesn’t it?
WWE and pro wrestling is far from the pop culture heights that the genre reached in the late 1990s, but The Rock is certainly elevating the modern WWE into its own animal. His reinvention into “The Final Boss” just raised the difficulty level from “medium” to “hard” in the “No Mercy N64” of pro wrestling. If the talent is good enough to answer the call, it should cause everybody in pro wrestling to up their game.
Either way, the fans have greatly benefited from The Rock being back in the fashion that he is. It’s something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Ironically enough ,thats in credit to the “Cody Crybabies” who lamented for ‘The American Nightmare.’
‘The American Nightmare’ Perpetuated ‘The Final Boss’
Rhodes has revived the long-forgotten role of the “ultimate babyface” where he’s the all-American John Wayne type character that his daddy adored. The fans can easily live vicariously through Cody Rhodes because of his willingness to connect with fans in a matter that hasn’t ever been done before on this type of major platform. Hulk Hogan never was the best man at a fan’s wedding nor did Hulkamania run wild at some random five-year old’s birthday party. Cody is putting those “prayers and vitamins” where his mouth is and he’s created a unique connection to people in a time where people are always connected.
As much as The Rock can cultivate an air of unattainability due to the Hollywood heights he’s reached, Cody can sit down with the father of three living paycheck to paycheck. It creates two ultimate adversaries, both with legacies in the industry and a genuine love for the one true sport.
And that “unattainability” that The Rock has harnessed is what makes this ‘Final Boss’ persona all the more engaging. We thought Dwayne was past the point of consistently showing up on WWE television, yet here he is – furthering a storyline that has him in a heel role where he’s calling fans inbreds and mocking Cody’s dog. ‘The Final Boss’ was nothing anyone expected, yet something the industry benefits from. WrestleMania 40 could have absolutely rolled right along with Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes, but The Rock going ‘Super Shredder’ on his 1998 identity feels every bit of Thanos ready to snap his fingers. That was all the more telling with that entrance Rocky made on Monday before bloodying up Dusty’s youngest boy.
The big complaint of Rock’s involvement is that it hurts Roman, but “The Tribal Chief” is just one manipulative monologue away from turning the table he claims to sit at the head of. Reigns, if he loses, will only be elevated by an extended exit. The same goes for his older cousin, whose involvement had made us all take the scenic route on the road to WrestleMania.
Hope you enjoyed the ride.
Follow Dominic DeAngelo on X @DominicDeAngelo.
