Did Dalton Castle Set the Trap to Find the Perfect Partner?

Note: This was written before All-Star Extravaganza VII, but will be posted after the event.

At first glance, it would appear as though there could be no way that Dalton Castle and Silas Young could co-exist peacefully. There was no way they could go about their business, and not get mixed up in that of the other. Not when Silas Young is on a never ending crusade to prove that he is, in fact, the last real man in professional wrestling. Not when Silas Young doesn’t mind running his mouth regarding anything that he doesn’t like. And, most certainly, not when Dalton Castle seems to take the most joy in antagonizing those who don’t like him.

So, when they first met at Best in the World 2015, it was probably a little silly of us to think that that would be the end of their interaction. Especially when Silas came out on the losing end of things, which we all should have realized he’d never just accept that result.

And of course, they would cross paths again the next month, and Dalton would pick up another win over Young during a taping for Ring of Honor TV. During the match, Dalton’s Boys would get involved on numerous occasions, attempting to not only fan Dalton down during a rough stretch, but also trying the same thing with Silas to make him angry. Furious at the conclusion (and his second loss to Castle), Young snapped, and laid down the gauntlet: he wanted a rematch, and if he were to win this match, then Silas would acquire the services of Dalton’s boys. The reason?

He claimed to be disgusted with how Dalton treats them, and that he would teach the Boys how to be real men.

Dalton is no dummy, though, and realized that there was really nothing in it for him. And so, the stipulation that if Dalton were to win, then Silas would have to become one of Dalton’s Boys was added to the mix, and the match was set for All Star Extravaganza VII.

The question is, why would Dalton put so much on the line? He’s already defeated Silas twice, and has nothing left to prove. Why not just let Silas stew in his own anger? Why not accept another match, but refuse the proposed stipulation? Why risk losing The Boys when they clearly mean so much to Dalton? Has Dalton Castle tricked us all, and set the trap for what he considers to be the perfect accomplice?

Dalton Castle is, of course, many things. Flamboyant. Charismatic. An excellent wrestler. What he has, to this point at least, not shown himself to be, is dumb. He doesn’t make silly mistakes, and he doesn’t get sucked into dumb games.

However, on the surface that appears to be exactly what he’s done as it pertains to Silas Young. With absolutely nothing to gain by beating Young for a third time, Dalton has still accepted the challenge. Is the risk of losing The Boys really worth the reward of having Silas Young as part of the troupe?

From where I sit, yes, it is absolutely worth it. To this point, Dalton has been a loner (save for The Boys), without anyone else to really count on to watch his back. He marched into a ring flanked only by The Boys while confronting the entire House of Truth. He lost to Jay Lethal because of outside interference, and was unable to keep the odds even. And to break up into the next level of Ring of Honor superstars, Castle is going to have to beat guys that run in a group. Whether it’s someone from The Kingdom, The Addiction, The House of Truth, or even The Decade, it’s clear that Dalton will eventually run into someone that has more (and better) backup than he does.

Lucky for him, he found Silas Young. And when Young laid down the challenge, something must have clicked in Dalton’s mind. He didn’t even hesitate to accept, as if a lightning bolt had struck his brain, and he really was seeing the world in vivid colors. When his side of the bargain was added, he had set the perfect trap.

In Silas Young, Dalton Castle will have a tough guy that can actually watch his back. Someone that, should they actually form a Tag Team That Hates Each Other, can more than hold his own in battle. His polar opposite, they will never argue for the same spotlight. Dalton loves the show – Silas loves the fight. They are completely perfect for each other in a completely Odd Couple way. And most importantly, Silas runs on emotion, and can be easily manipulated, as we saw happen in the lead up to this match being made.

Where Dalton calculates and then makes decisions based on his findings, Young is a powder keg of anger ready to puff his chest and get in someone’s face. Should he lose to Dalton and have to serve as one of The Boys, it’s safe to say that, while he may not be happy about his current lot in life, Silas would most certainly do what he could to make things even more miserable for anyone he’s against.

Of course, the question is whether or not Silas Young would even go along with it. Would he honor the wager? Would he try to make the best of a bad situation, or would he drag his feet like Rey Misterio did all those years ago while in the Latino World Order? I’d argue that the best thing for Silas to do would be to embrace his new role. Maybe Dalton can teach him that being a “real man” is being comfortable with who you are. Maybe, as the wins start piling in, Silas would realize that he wasn’t doing everything the right way, and will instead begin to enjoy his new group.

Or maybe Dalton will let Silas sit on The Boys Recliner, and realize just how nice it feels to have a piece of furniture made out of two people. At some point, it would have to click. Silas and Dalton can work so well together. A great mix of power and technique, of showman and no-nonsense, a tag team comprised of the two would have to be considered nearly immediate favorites to eventually win the Ring of Honor Tag Team Championships.

Sure, this is definitely a case of counting chickens before they hatch. Silas Young may very well walk out of All Star Extravaganza VII the victor. He may spend the next few months teaching The Boys how to be “real men.” He could very well leave Dalton a broken man.

But, like I said, of all the things that comprise Dalton Castle, stupidity wouldn’t be one of them. He wouldn’t risk it all unless he felt pretty safe about it. Without The Boys, Castle will literally have nothing. He’s fighting for far more than Silas is, and with much more to gain. A win for Silas does nothing for him besides allowing him to take something from a guy he hates. A win for Dalton, however, gives him a rough and ready ally, and a necessary piece to the puzzle of Ring of Honor domination.

No matter what happens, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Silas Young and Dalton Castle will not be finished with each other after All Star Extravaganza. It could be the start of some dark times for Dalton. Or it could be- and for my money, will be- the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Either way, it appears that for now, Dalton has set the trap. It’s just a matter of Silas Young falling for it.

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