Jump to content
DVDVR Message Board

Sympathetic Heels


Recommended Posts

Heels that garner sympathy for being treated like shit for months on end by more dominant heels usually wind up with them losing their heat once they finally break away from the torture or captivity. But while the storyline is going it generally makes for great television. 

One that comes to mind is Bobby Dempsey (geez, whatever happened to him!). Came out of the ROH wrestling school and was a fatass in life, and he was reminded about it by Tank Toland- made to do embarrassing workout regimens and basically be his lackey. Toland left ROH, but the torment continued from the rest of Sweet & Sour Incorporated. It went on and on and on and the fans were practically begging for him to stand up for himself, until finally after S&S Inc lost Steel Cage Warfare and Sweeney got in his face, Dempsey KO'd the asshole and declared his independence. The fans erupted!

Another one that comes to mind is Damien Sandow. He spent 2014 being made to look like a buffoon, until The Miz hired him as a stunt double. Sandow began mimicking Miz's every movement, and it got over huge, causing the Marine to verbally accost Sandow mercilessly until Wrestlemania 31, when during the Andre Battle Royal Sandow had finally had enough of his shit and eliminated him. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wrestling Superstar Virgil got a good pop in winning the Million Dollar Championship. But he was never that over again, and was less over afterwards than he had been as a lackey.

Exceptions: Brother Nero, because everyone wants him to stay loyal to Broken Matt. Stevie Richards was more over with the BWO than he was as Raven's flunky. And Eric Young's servitude to Bobby Roode angle kickstart a strong babyface run. So maybe it's just that some bookers are instinctively having it be that the message of the storyline is: Lesser mortals should know their place and be honoured to stand in the presence of greatness.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as modern sympathetic heels go, I'm definitely going with Allie from TNA.  She started out gleefully doing Maria's bidding and had the annoying chipmunk voice to go with it.  Then over time Maria got sick of her and started berating her left and right.  Add in Sienna and eventually Laurel adding to the mocking and it wasn't long before people saw Allie in a sympathetic light.  People she attacked in Gail and Jade started feeling bad for her, and around that time the chipmunk voice turned into a less annoying voice.  It's only a matter of time before she turns on Gail somehow but it's been pretty well-done.  Now that Maria lost control of the Knockouts I'm sure the berating will increase before Allie has enough.  It's just a shame that most people don't watch TNA.  While it is a shitshow behind the scenes this has been really well-done.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Andre and Savage in their feuds against Hogan.

Hogan is world champion and gets a huge trophy. Andre gets a much smaller trophy and never once got a title shot while being Hogan's friend.

Hogan was lusting after Elizabeth; trying to use her to weasel his way into a title match with Savage.

 

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Add Paul Orndorff to that list.  Hogan didn't come to the phone when Mr. Wonderful called him, giving some flimsy excuse about being in the middle of a workout at the time.  Orndorff literally said, "Hogan's my friend!  Watch, I'll call him on the phone right now!"  And the Hulkster left him high a dry.  Made Orndorff look like a chump. Then he wasn't into the subsequent bout against the Moondogs like he was too good for that shit.  What a dick.  

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, Michael Sweetser said:

There's a difference between sympathetic heels as described in the first post, and heels that were justified in their actions, like those that turned on Hogan.  Empathy != sympathy != Scott Steiner sympy.

 

And the thread for such topic is here.

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, AxB said:

So maybe it's just that some bookers are instinctively having it be that the message of the storyline is: Lesser mortals should know their place and be honoured to stand in the presence of greatness.

I think it's less about the fact that that's the message of the storyline, and more the fact that Dana Brooke as Charlotte's lackey is proving the booking problem here: 

A sympathetic, put-upon lackey only really gets to the point where they CAN stand up for themselves and become their own person in about three ways to have it matter:

1- The wrestler has to have been the evil heel's lackey for a long time and become a part of the heel's gimmick as much as anything else, like Virgil to Ted DiBiase, or Ricardo Rodriguez was to Alberto Del Rio.  

2- The heel in play has to be incredibly good at getting heat, to the point the fans want literally ANYONE to shut him up- like The Miz was for Alex Riley. 

3- The lackey in question has to do something to successfully come into their own as a performer- like Allie winning the Knockouts' Title, Mizdow getting over as the stunt double, Stevie Richards having the BWO to work with, etc. 

It explains why WWE's current use of it for Dana Brooke isn't really taking: She's been part of Charlotte's gimmick for just a few months now and hasn't become a part of Charlotte's gimmick. Charlotte isn't particularly good at getting non- "If you're holding the title, then that means mai waifu isn't! BOO!" heel heat, so it doesn't translate to Dana Brooke...and as long as Charlotte was champion, Dana Brooke can't come into her own by winning the title- so the only hope to make it work is if WWE was willing to burn Nia Jax's first loss to make Dana able to capitalize against Charlotte.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Charlie M. said:

I think the issue here is that a lot of people find themselves in the lackey role because they're really not that great on their own. When they're back on their own again, they eventually get exposed and lose their heat.

 

Saw this firsthand.  I was at Wrestlemania 7.  Virgil comes out, everyone's excited.  Then he started to work and people started turning to each other and saying "Man, Virgil kind of sucks."

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, NickMD said:

As far as modern sympathetic heels go, I'm definitely going with Allie from TNA.  She started out gleefully doing Maria's bidding and had the annoying chipmunk voice to go with it.  Then over time Maria got sick of her and started berating her left and right.  Add in Sienna and eventually Laurel adding to the mocking and it wasn't long before people saw Allie in a sympathetic light.  People she attacked in Gail and Jade started feeling bad for her, and around that time the chipmunk voice turned into a less annoying voice.  It's only a matter of time before she turns on Gail somehow but it's been pretty well-done.  Now that Maria lost control of the Knockouts I'm sure the berating will increase before Allie has enough.  It's just a shame that most people don't watch TNA.  While it is a shitshow behind the scenes this has been really well-done.

I actually thought of that one as well. Even when she had the Rae Dawn Chong thing going on, I always thought Allie was adorable. Even more so now that she's getting bullied. I can't wait for Allie to give Maria what's coming to her.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually Jimmy Jacobs was kind of a great example when he was the whiny guy pinning away for Lacey and she kept dicking him over. Of course the end result was he got his wish, tossed her aside and then she became obsessed with him

James

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, J.H. said:

Actually Jimmy Jacobs was kind of a great example when he was the whiny guy pinning away for Lacey and she kept dicking him over. Of course the end result was he got his wish, tossed her aside and then she became obsessed with him

James

Which led to Delirious joining the Age Of The Fall, himself being a sympathetic heel after getting put in the dreaded friend zone in front of 2,500 people in New York City.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Thomas Bugg said:

Which led to Delirious joining the Age Of The Fall, himself being a sympathetic heel after getting put in the dreaded friend zone in front of 2,500 people in New York City.

I was there in the Hammerstein for Delirious getting cock-blocked by Rhett Titus.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, J.H. said:

Actually Jimmy Jacobs was kind of a great example when he was the whiny guy pinning away for Lacey and she kept dicking him over. Of course the end result was he got his wish, tossed her aside and then she became obsessed with him

James

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since we're on ROH another one that came to mind during the Gabe Sapolsky era was when The Embassy was treating Jade Chung like shit. Ring Of Honor handed down the edict that Prince Nana couldn't physically accost her anymore, so he came up with a leash. Then Jimmy Rave and Spanky had her pull them down to the ring like a husky in the Northwest. Dickheaded as hell! Nana made her wear a bedsheet in public to really be an asshole. Finally at Joe vs. Kobashi she had enough and smacked the piss out of Nana while Roderick whooped up on Rave. The NYC crowd erupted!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Andre and Savage in their feuds against Hogan.

Hogan is world champion and gets a huge trophy. Andre gets a much smaller trophy and never once got a title shot while being Hogan's friend.

Hogan was lusting after Elizabeth; trying to use her to weasel his way into a title match with Savage.

 

Well 80's Hogan was essentially a heel who was cheered. Was there ever a moment when he wasn't a massive dick?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Kuetsar said:

Well 80's Hogan was essentially a heel who was cheered. Was there ever a moment when he wasn't a massive dick?

Defending America against Iraqi sympathizer Sgt. Slaughter is about the only instance I can think of. 

Not selling the title to DiBiase, I suppose?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The most obvious one that comes to mind is Varsity Club era Rick Steiner playing second fiddle to Mike Rotundo and doing his best to impress Kevin Sullivan.  Then they rolled with Rick as the goofy borderline face in a stable full of heels when Spivey and Williams joined up.

I think that Dean Ambrose's feud with Steve Regal in WWE - FCW was more of a Justifying Heel Actions deal than an example of a sympathetic heel, because Dean was transitioning to baby face at that time and he was a full on ring hero by the time he cut the epic You Broke My Heart promo.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...