Following The Rock’s perplexing Monday Night Raw appearance during the initial episode of the Netflix era in January 2025, I assumed that The Great One, The Final Boss, or The Most Electrifying Man In Entertainment would be absent from WWE TV for a while. However, Dwayne Johnson unexpectedly announced his return to SmackDown on social media in February. Yet, his comeback underscored some significant concerns I have about the former WWE Champion.
Instead of attributing it to his promos, matches, or that oversized, comical championship (I should mention the People’s Championship was noticeably absent), it seems to be more about the inconsistency in his overall presentation. One moment he’s acting as a heel, emphasizing goosebumps, and the next, he’s hyping up WrestleMania 42 and other WWE events. In an entertainment genre where maintaining the illusion of reality is crucial, The Rock’s recent appearances have left me disengaged. Allow me to elaborate.
I Love The Rock, But Him Showing Up Every Few Months To Point At His Goosebumps And Cut Confusing Promos Isn’t Working For Me
From my childhood days of proudly sporting “Smell What The Rock is Cooking” t-shirts on the playground, I’ve been a dedicated fan of The Rock. I firmly believe that his “The Final Boss” persona surpasses Hollywood Hogan and The NWO’s takeover of WCW in 1996 as the most impressive heel character. However, the current act – his grand entrance with the modified Jim Johnston theme, displaying goosebumps on his arm (seems he can produce them spontaneously), followed by lengthy, rambling promos – just doesn’t seem to be hitting the mark, if you catch my drift.
It’s a bit disappointing if The Final Boss delivers a 15-minute speech full of harsh criticisms, but what we’re getting instead are lengthy monologues that seem to switch between The Rock’s character and Dwayne Johnson’s PR work for TKO. His latest appearance on SmackDown, similar to his return on Raw in January and the Bad Blood performance where he pointed at Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, follows this pattern and is quite inconsistent.
The Rock And WWE Need To Commit To The Final Boss
As a die-hard cinephile of wrestling, let me tell you what made WrestleMania 40 unforgettable for me: The Rock’s transformation into The Final Boss was nothing short of brilliant. WWE and The Rock decided to take the villain role to new heights, making The Final Boss the most ruthless, malicious, and detestable heel in years. From the moment The Rock betrayed the fans with his Cody Crybaby jabs to the nail-biting climax of the WrestleMania main event match, it was clear that Dwayne Johnson had vanished, The Great One had faded away, all that remained was The Final Boss.
Since then, The Rock has fluctuated between his genuine character and his iconic wrestling identity, sometimes even within the same day or performance, but more often throughout a single speech. This inconsistency is disconcerting, confusing, and above all, creates chaos. And as a spectator, it adds to the confusion.
It Feels Like There’s No Plan And His Various Returns The Past Year Have Had A ‘Fly By The Seat Of Our Pants’ Feel
Like most wrestling fans, I was shocked when The Rock announced on Instagram that he was coming back to SmackDown less than 24 hours before the show went live on Friday, February 21st. Though I was excited, I was also a little hesitant because it felt like another impromptu moment where he was flying by the seat of his pants and just made a decision at that moment.
Ever since The Rock’s final run as Final Boss after WrestleMania 40, one thing has been bugging me – it feels like there’s no structure or plan, just him appearing spontaneously with a live mic for extended periods, often for around 15 minutes or until someone finally intervenes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of The Rock, but these returns have felt more like too much, too soon, rather than well-prepared and impactful moments.
Perhaps, it’s possible that The Rock might stay with us for a bit more this time around, rekindling the charm he displayed last year. We’ll have to wait and see…
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2025-02-25 13:07