wrestling / Columns

The Art of Wrestling: The Heel (Part 1)

October 13, 2014 | Posted by Len Archibald

One of the things I want to accomplish as a writer on 411 is to dispel the ignorant notion that we wrestling fans are rednecks, Neanderthals, brain-dead jocks, and 40 year old geeks and virgins who live in their parents’ basement willfully unaware that the form of entertainment we love is “fake”. Every once in a while, I will divert from the weekly newsbits, click-baits and rumors to not only entertain those who are fans of this crazy world, but to educate those who are not as to why professional wrestling boasts millions (billions?) of fans worldwide and why professional wrestling is art. This is one of those weeks.

Instead of focusing on drama – in and out of the ring – I have instead decided to focus the attention on the various archetypes that we as fans recognize and connect to. Some of them are silly. Some are outright insulting. Others are tried and true concepts that have captured the imagination of fans for over sixty years since the advent of television.

I wasn’t prone to shed tears very often when I was a child. For years, I was not certain if this was a flaw of my humanity or a clue into some subconscious amoral nature within me. Strangely enough, a couple of weeks ago it was discovered by my optometrist that I suffer from severe dry eye. Apparently, the normal human eye has a tear evaporation rate of ten seconds. My tears evaporate in less than two. This eased my conscious over moments of extreme sadness where I felt I should have teared up but did not.

The above anecdote has nothing to do with anything, except to spotlight two particular moments of my youth where I bawled like an inconsolable newborn baby: the first being when I watched Transformers: The Movie for the first time as a child and witnessing Optimus Prime’s death – which never made me feel less of a man because as time wore on, I have discovered I was nowhere close to being alone in that regard. The second incident was watching the hated Honky Tonk Man cheat his way into defeating Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat for the WWE Intercontinental Title in 1987. That little tidbit was suppressed until recently solely because my mother was involved and she was the one who tried to rock me back to sanity. The joys of being the only male child in a household of women.

I hated the Honky Tonk Man. Let me reiterate that: I HATED the Honky Tonk Man. Not only did he defeat my favorite wrestler at the time and take away his title via nefarious means, but he held onto the IC Title for what seemed like forever and never, ever, EVER gained a single respectable win. When he lost his title in less than 30 seconds to the Ultimate Warrior at SummerSlam 1988, as much as I was overjoyed to see Warrior win it, I was even more stoked to see HTM lose. Someone needed to kick that Elvis impersonators’ ass something fierce.

In hindsight now, I realize that the Honky Tonk Man – while laying legitimate claims of being the greatest IC Champion in WWE history – may have also been one of the greatest heels in the history of the artform. There were certain things HTM did so well to draw the ire of fans (where are the “Little Things” column when you need it?) that to look back and see his work, it is watching a master craftsman mold clay. He was – for all extent and purposes – a terribly great heel. Win if you can, lose if you must…but always cheat.

The general definition of a “Heel” in professional wrestling is a villain, portrayed to behave in an immoral manner by breaking rules or otherwise taking advantage of their opponents outside of the bounds of the rules of the match. The Heel’s main role is to be the antagonist and provide a suitable foil to his or her “Babyface” opponent. Traditionally, Heel behavior includes cheating to win (using ropes or pulling on an opponent’s tights for leverage during a pinfall attempt), utilizing illegal holds or rule-breaking behind the turned back of a referee, attacking wrestlers backstage, interfering with another wrestler’s match, using foreign objects to maim their opponents and acting in a general vile or superior manner. Heels have resorted to tactics such as insulting the inhabitants of a city they visit, bullying “weaker” competitors and humiliating fans to boast their superiority.

In the modern age, there has been a trend of Heels that have made attempts to woo themselves to the fans based on their actions and/or based on the socio-logical and psychological trends of the time. Anti-heroes in popular culture are more prevalent than ever before. This has shifted several of the traditional tropes that make a professional wrestling heel. Many heel mannerisms have been adopted by Babyfaces and are applauded for their efforts. The truth of the matter is, even though on the surface being a Heel for a performer would be more “fun” because it allows that performer a certain license of creative freedom – it is in fact, harder than ever to create a truly compelling villainous character that is reviled by the audience.

John Bradshaw Layfield, writing in his “Layfield Report”, simplified the basis of what should make an effective heel – and outlined what several modern performers have not been able to grasp since the retirement of many of the “old school” performers who honed their craft during the Territorial Era of the 1950’s-1980’s; an effective heel needs to accomplish one thing and one thing only: incite the hatred of the audience by not giving them what they want to see. Too many Heels nowadays play to the crowd or act within a comedic manner, undoing several of the traditional expectations of what makes one hated and subconsciously undercutting the shelf life of their own characterization. Before we get into that debate, though, let’s examine some of the various categories of the Heel character.

***Note: Some common tropes such as the Cool Heel, the Authority Figure, the Fool, Female Heels and Heel Stables will be examined in Part 2, where I will also investigate the shift in perceptions from the fans and how – yes, even us as fans, have become heels ourselves.***

THE COWARD

In his “Layfield Report”, JBL – who clearly showed an understanding of how to play a great Heel – told an interesting story breaking down the feud between himself and Eddie Guererro:

“I remember in Japan one time I went out with Eddie Guerrero-we had great chemistry, and were great friends. However, this night didn’t work and neither of us could figure out why. Later Eddie called me and said, “You never begged off,” meaning I had not shown cowardice at all in the match. The next night I picked my spot and was on my rear and started begging Eddie with my hands in the air pleading-it got me tons of heat, we had found the missing piece.”

The Cowardly Heel is a character who, in addition to breaking the rules and displaying typical heel characteristics, often runs from his face opponents when threatened or otherwise placed at a disadvantage. A Cowardly Heel champion often intentionally gets themselves disqualified or counted out when he is clearly losing the match against a face opponent. Sometimes the Cowardly Heel, on the receiving end of a fiery comeback from a Babyface will drop to his knees and beg off the onslaught (watch nearly any Ric Flair match), or use the ropes to break up momentum.

As mentioned before, The Honky Tonk Man never gained a clean pinfall or submission victory against any of his opponents during his near year and a half long stint as WWE Intercontinental Champion, often using nefarious means like having his manager, Jimmy Hart interfere on his behalf, using his guitar when his championship was threatened, exiting the ring to get intentionally counted out, or my favorite – get beaten up so badly that he doesn’t make the ten-count and still gets counted out (the logic being that a champion should not be such a weakling.)

One of the new traits that Hulk Hogan displayed when he transformed to Hollywood Hogan during the heyday of the nWo was extreme cowardice – I always remember the image of Hogan backing away in the aisles as he proclaimed with utter terror regarding Sting, “He’s pointing at me! He’s pointing the bat at me, brother!” Little moments like that riled fans up, because Hogan at his Babyface peak would *never* run away from a fight. As JBL surmises: “Heels that last have to be cowards-people hate a coward, that’s why heels have to be what people hate the most.”

THE NARCISSIST

One of the first stars at the dawn of the Golden Age of Television was a Heel – and by way of the new technology, may have influenced more tropes of modern professional wrestling than anyone else. The Human Orchid. The Toast of the Coast. The Sensation of the Nation. “Gorgeous” George found himself at the launch of television, and became not only the hottest property in professional wrestling but one of the first true television celebrities. During this time, it was very easy to rile up audiences and George used one of the most basic tricks in the book: act like an effeminate pretty-boy who, if he’s not an outright cross-dresser, at least dresses, looks, and acts very androgynous. With sequined robes and feather boas, hair perfectly coiffed and nails perfectly manicured, George incited hatred whenever he was on television.

One of the most common Heel traits in wrestling is that of The Narcissist. Yes, we will place Lex Luger’s introduction to WWE in this as well. The Narcissist is a self-important, obnoxious character who is cocky and arrogant, based on either their fame or good looks. The current incarnation of The Miz and his “moneymaker”, or “The Prince of Pretty” Tyler Breeze in NXT are current examples of this trope.

It is supremely easy to make fans hate someone who flaunts their good looks and fame in their faces. Rick Rude swiveled his hips and showed off his perfect abs while mocking the “sweathogs” and demanded they “keep the noise down, while [he] took [his] robe off and show the world what Simply Ravishing is all about.” Purporting that one is God’s gift to women, the industry – anything to display a level of ego is a surefire way to turn the crowd against you.

Adrian Street had a gimmick unlike anything the industry had ever seen at that level. Taking a page from Gorgeous George and turning the volume up to 11, with his painted face, ponytails, strange facial hair and outlandish gear, Adrian Street was one of a kind to behold. Prancing around the ring, skipping after the opening bell, kissing his opponent, everything he did was controversial. Even his ring entrance, set to the song that he himself sang, was a spectacle, and inspired the likes of Shawn Michaels, The Fabulous Freebirds and Tyler Breeze. His valet, Miss Linda, would hold up a mirror for him to primp, sprayed his upper body with perfume and handled the many pieces of his ensemble as he stripped them off. Meanwhile, the entire crowd sat in shock. Although Street was very convincing in his presentation, most fans probably knew that he was not homosexual. However, fans still cringed every time he was around due to his creepy nature. For Street, it was not about exploiting any sort of alternative lifestyle; it was about playing mind games with his opponent.

Shawn Michaels, “The Model” Rick Martel, Adrian Adonis and Lex Luger were never far from mirrors accompanying them to the ring. Randy Orton found his heelish footing after an ill-timed shoulder injury early into his career turned into “RNN Reports” that highlighted an insincere douche persona. Tully Blanchard may be considered as one of the most under-appreciated heels of his time. The man founded an enterprise – Tully Blanchard Enterprises – and the only true asset was himself as he set out to prove he was better in every way against foes like Magnum TA and Dusty Rhodes. Mr. Perfect used his one of a kind athleticism as a vessel to inspire boos across the country. Jimmy Garvin once made a ridiculous demand to have no one film any of his matches during an interview taken from a hot tub and receiving a massage from Sunshine, his first valet. These were men who lived in their own world.

THE LUNATIC

When rumblings of The Shield’s breakup began to surge, some fans began to make predictions that Dean Ambrose would be the breakout star based on his unpredictable persona and the potential to be an unhinged bad guy the likes of Brian Pillman – instead, Ambrose is enjoying success as the #2 face in WWE right now. Make no mistake, though; when Ambrose eventually turns to the darkside, it may be a sight to behold as he has just scratched the surface of crazy. The Lunatic heel is nothing more than a raging madman, unpredictable by his actions and dangerous. I always remember the build-up to Sid Vicious vs. Hulk Hogan for WrestleMania VIII, where Sid was a guest on Brutus Beefcake’s “The Barber Shop” and annihilated the set. The notion of a wrestler screaming with baby-powder all over his face could be comical, but there was something in Sid’s eyes that made him the scariest man walking the planet. There’s a reason he was eventually pegged as “Psycho” (running with scissors incident starring Arn Anderson, notwithstanding.)

“Macho Man” Randy Savage may have started his career as more of a Narcissist, with his sequined robes and ego stroking as he verbally mowed down his opponents, but there was a reason he is more known as “The Madness” than anything else. When enraged, Savage – to put it mildly – was gloriously nuts. Bobby Heenan frequently referred to Savage as the most dangerous man in any sport, and Savage’s unique speech patterns and off-the-wall promos were the perfect combination with his masterful ringwork. His valet, Elizabeth became the one constant when it came to Savage’s inferiority complex. Obsessed with Miss Elizabeth, Savage despised the thought of any man even breathing in her general direction. He took his jealousy out on many WWE Superstars, fueling his insatiable need to be the best and be worshipped by the woman he himself made famous. Randy’s unpredictability in the ring made him even more vicious than his actions, as no one quite knew what he would do next. Yes, he was a great face, but fans knew that at any moment, a short fuse burned just beneath the surface, and would always threaten to spark at just the right time. Randy Savage lived, to borrow Dusty Rhodes’ words, at the end of the lightning bolt.

Terry Funk went from being a great technical wrestler to hardcore legend, and lost a lot of blood along the way. He was dangerous, mean-spirited and did anything to punish his opponent. My first memories of Terry Funk needing treatment at Arkham Asylum came at the opening moments of his feud with new World Champion, Ric Flair who just defeated Ricky Steamboat in 1989. Funk made mention that he would love to get a shot at Flair’s titled. Flair (rightfully) pointed out there was a Top 10 system and place and once Funk got to the top he would be more than willing to give Funk a shot. To say Funk lost it would be an understatement. A Piledriver on a table later, and Terry Funk’s second career as a hardcore legend was born.

If a man has no fear, then that is the man to fear. Mick Foley had no fear, and with that created a heel persona for himself as Cactus Jack and Mankind that shook the foundation of professional wrestling to its core. Mankind was a troubled soul who was mentally disturbed and unfit to even be in a wrestling ring. ripping his own hair out, playing with rats in boiler rooms and needing secondary music to calm him down after a win. Cactus Jack was just plain crazy, putting himself through hell and loving every minute of it. Fans tend to be a little disturbed with disturbia, and Foley had plenty of it in spades.

THE MONSTER

The Monster Heel, characterized as an unstoppable juggernaut that is known to squash his opponents, and use violent intimidation tactics is honestly one of the harder tropes to properly book. The main contention about this Heel trope is that once the Monster is defeated, their aura disappears. The current WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar has been placed on a pedestal above all other WWE talent based on his dominant performances in 2014. Defeating The Undertaker and ending “The Streak”, taking out The Big Show with ease and obliterating John Cena in the most lopsided World Title victory in the company’s history has given Lesnar the impression that there may be no one on the planet that can stop The Conqueror. Will this air of indestructibility disappear when he eventually loses? Only time will tell.

Some monster heels have been able to keep that impression of invincibility. For a long time, Big Van Vader destroyed everything in sight. After a violent feud with Cactus Jack, Vader was well on his way to the WCW Title. Sting, the champion at the time threw everything but the kitchen sink at the behemoth and still lost. When Ron Simmons finally toppled Vader, he was a made man, simply because no one else could step up to the plate – this is one of the prime methods to why a Monster Heel is so effective. Bret Hart defeating Yokozuna turned Hart into a worldbeater; the same with Shawn Michaels taking down Vader at the 1996 SummerSlam. The goal is that whoever defeats Brock Lesnar will be pushed into the stratosphere.

Other Monster Heels thrive on the audience’s fear. Reading my old Apter mags and seeing visuals of a bloody (and enjoying it) Abdullah the Butcher sent me into a nightmarish frenzy. Abdullah’s aura was not so much that he was a dominant athlete or force of nature, but a sadist. If he expressed so much glee at the sight of his own crimson mask, what possible evil can he concoct against a bitter rival? After my first experience of witnessing an Abdullah match, I never looked at forks the same way again.

The Undertaker – perhaps the greatest Monster – face or heel – kept his invincibility for over twenty years. When Ted DiBiase introduced The Deadman at the 1990 Survivor Series, one could hear a pin drop over the funeral dirge in the background. Not because people were confused – watch that entrance, and look at the faces of those poor children. The boogeyman (not that one) had festered itself out of our nightmares and became an imposing seven-foot reality. You couldn’t hurt him. He would bury you alive. And for 21 WrestleManias, you could not defeat him. It makes perfect sense that it took a monster to take another one down.

THE FOREIGNER

In United States wrestling, the Foreigner is a heel who stirs up the crowd by expressing strong anti-American sentiments. Some refuse or are unable to speak English, preferring instead to render their tirades through an interpreter. Often these characters would be topical, playing off global events and crises current at the time. Can you say “Rusev CRUSH”?

Always a heat magnet, but tricky to get over, The Foreigner must show passion for their cause and unrelenting dominance in the ring to incite hatred. The Iron Sheik was the right guy in the right place at the right time for his character. Fans immediately hated Sheik for taking the WWE title from Backlund. They hated him more as Sheik spat at the fans and declaring “IRAN, NUMBER ONE!” Even though Hulkamania was well on its way to become a phenomenon, defeating The Iron Sheik was pitch perfect booking to launch Hulk Hogan’s career.

Imagine a 6’2”, 285 pound man doing such a good job at playing a Russian missile of destruction that he receives death threats. Nikita Koloff entered the NWA scene and immediately joined with “uncle” Ivan Koloff and Don Kernoodle. Nikita eventually became a top heel and received an NWA Title shot against Ric Flair for The Great American Bash in 1985 – and was attacked for his troubles! Yokozuna and The Great Kabuki arrived from far-away lands and displayed sheer dominance, making a case that North America’s foothold on competition is waning. Playing on these xenophobic fears – even today, has a tendency to whip crowds up into a frenzy.

THE ARISTOCRAT

If there is one thing that bands most of humanity together, it’s rich snobs. We all hate them. How they flaunt their wealth in our faces and make a mockery of the working-class conditions most of us live in. It would do well for some professional wrestlers to examine some names in pop culture to understand why some famous people are hated as they are. Kanye West? Rich, entitled, arrogant-beyond-words aloof heel. Floyd Mayweather? Rich, talented, cocky as hell heel. The Aristocrat needs to only care about one thing in this life to be hated: money and power.

One of the single greatest segments I remember in my youth involved that of “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. Most of us know the story. DiBiase was “offering” money away to anyone who could accomplish certain feats to prove his point that “everyone has a price.” This particular segment had DiBiase offer money to a young boy if he could dribble a basketball fifteen times. Poor Shawn got to fourteen, before DiBiase kicked the ball away from him. The look on the child’s face was shock and disappointment. “If you don’t do the job, you don’t get paid.” Bastard. DiBiase wanted to get to the top because he could, not because he really cared about it. It was all about the money, and the level of greatness that it could attain for him. When he attempted to buy the WWE Championship, his place as one of the all-time greediest heels was set, and he flourished in the role.

William Regal gets it. As one of the great heels of the 1990’s and early 2000’s, he understood who his character was, totally convincing in his role as the conceited heel who can’t be bothered by anyone who he feels is beneath him. Regal is very comfortable in his own skin, and his entire act comes so naturally to him. The demeanor of an aristocrat forced into situations he wants nothing to do with and looking down his nose at fans and wrestlers alike made him a very effective heel, with an air of importance about him.

Perhaps the end all-be all of all Aristocratic Heels, though – was simply “The Man”. Ric Flair, to this day, does not hesitate to boast his extravagant lifestyle. Space Mountain has escaped the innocent visuals of the Walt Disney ride and has entered the pop-culture landscape with a meaning all its own. When Flair and Ricky Steamboat met for their perfect trilogy of matches in 1989, the story juxtaposed Steamboat’s values-laden family man against Flair’s…flair and it encapsulated the height of the “greed is good” sociopolitical climate of the 1980’s. Who else could claim to be a “Limousine ridin’ (woo) jet flyin’ (woo) kiss stealing (woo) wheel n’ dealin’ (woo) son of a gun (WOOO)”, live it, breathe it, mean it and be hated for it? That’s some good heelin’ right there.

THE EVIL GENIUS

The Evil Genius is one of the hardest heels to portray in professional wrestling, simply because it is not easy playing a brilliant sociopath in any medium. When someone is able to take that role and run with it, though – their intensity is terrifying as much as it is mesmerizing. Raven had his flock in ECW, WCW and WWE, where he convinced a band of weaker-minded wrestlers to do his dirty work for them. He convinced The Sandman’s son to turn against his own father in an angle that stirred up so much controversy that he had to appear on camera to apologize. Always followed by a Stevie Richards or a Billy Kidman, Raven would launch his initial assaults on his enemies often without appearing himself. An enigmatic cult leader whose mere presence at ringside did more than many failed characters could do in the ring. Early in his WCW run, he wasn’t even portrayed as a WCW competitor, just a poison seeping into the company from ringside, a potential storyline that never truly came to fruition in the company’s heyday.

“Spin the wheel, make a deal.” Jake Roberts wasn’t consistently a heel over his career, but that’s only because of how great he was at it. Roberts was one of the few performers who could speak with a cadence that showed genius behind malice and vice versa. Jake’s promos were captivating and unsettling. He seemed to enjoy inflicting pain on others, and made no apologies for the way he was. Examine the eyes as Roberts explains his actions during his heated feud with Randy Savage that culminated in “The Snake” slapping Miss Elizabeth. Ahead of his time, Roberts became a popular face in spite of himself, and became one of the first “cool heels” in the landscape of WWE.

Even if the AWA wound up being a bit of a mess in the final days of its run, the one constant was that of Nick Bockwinkel, who raged as the company’s antagonist for the better part of a decade. Bockwinkel was not only one of the most technically sound wrestlers to ever compete, but he was also a masterful speaker and manipulator. Using a natural and believable delivery in his promos, Bockwinkel always displayed not just confidence, but an intellect that surpassed his opponents. He was on top of the AWA mountain for a reason.

If there is a current performer that embodies that of a supervillain in today’s wrestling world, it is Triple H. The man dubbed “The Cerebral Assassin” earned that moniker with a style that enrages fans and opponents. Even though ECW made great strides to acknowledge their potential power and influence, in my opinion, Triple H was the first character who understood how to get under the skin of “smart” fans. Just last year, the Triple HHHate was at a peak he had not seen since 2003, when it seemed as if he took digs at Daniel Bryan because he knew it was a dig at the fans who followed the American Dragon. It was brilliant, and even though we may never know if the main event plans for WrestleMania XXX was a last-ditch effort to appease disgruntled fans or an 8-month ploy, Triple H played his role perfectly as a man who manipulated pawns in place for his own ends. I dare anyone to find me another wrestler in the modern era who was more hated in the world than Triple H from 2002-2005.

THE JUSTIFIED DELUSIONAL

“Straight Edge means I’m better than you!” With those words, CM Punk grew a cult following in Ring of Honor that catapulted him to fame in WWE as the longest reigning WWE Champion of the past 25 years. What Punk did so well is what Mick Foley referred to in Have a Nice Day: a heel must always believe whatever they do is justified and that they are in the right. Punk preached a gospel of a drug and alcohol free lifestyle, and claimed the few “strong enough” to join him as his disciples. Punk’s arrogance burned bright after he cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase on Jeff Hardy, the perfect target for Punk’s criticism. Hardy, having struggled with drug problems for many years maintained the admiration of the crowd and when Punk went after the easy buttons, he became the biggest heel in the company.

Kurt Angle’s journey in mainstream professional wrestling may come full-circle if he returns to WWE. Upon his arrival in 1999, the Olympic Gold Medalist preached “The Three I’s”: Intensity, Integrity and Intelligence. He should be a hero, right? An All-American collegiate athlete who competed for his country’s honor and won…with a broken freakin’ neck! Unfortunately for him, Angle arrived when the tide had turned in the world of professional wrestling and he was booed out of the building for his “honor”. Angle then parlayed that into doing his best to inspire the fans – by talking down to them and continuing to boast about his Olympic accomplishments.

As bad as it was to be Kurt Angle in 1999, imagine what it must have felt like to be Bret Hart in late 1996. Hart was a traditional “good guy”, a man who came from a wrestling family, with morals, values and always did the right thing. Enter “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Austin drank beer, had no respect for anyone, no trust for anyone and was loved for it. Bret had made a triumphant return after losing the WWE Title to Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII and found the WWE he came back to was a completely different atmosphere than the one he left behind. When Bret and Austin completed the most brilliant double-turn in wrestling history, Hart took the ball and ran with it. Using Austin as the example, Hart turned his back on the wrestling fans in the United States who had lost all sense of morals and would instead continue to embrace being a hero worldwide – especially in his (and my) homeland of Canada. It was one of the most unique takes on being a heel I can remember, and strangely enough in hindsight, Hart’s words were right. It was his actions that were wrong and that attitude laid a foundation for WWE to eventually win the Monday Night War.

THE LOUDMOUTHED BULLY

“Just when you think you know the answers, I change the questions!” Roddy Piper does not get nearly enough credit for his part in the Rock n’ Wrestling Era that helped Vince McMahon dominate professional wrestling in the 1980’s. A hero is only as good as his villain and the Rowdy One may be the best villain in history. Even before his arrival to WWE, Piper was pissing off the Guerrero family, Ric Flair, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine. Once WWE gave Piper a live microphone and created “Piper’s Pit”, all bets were off. A coconut over “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka’s head, a kick to Cyndi Lauper’s face and a few racially-charged insults to Mr. T later, and Piper grew to be the most hated man on the planet. This is not hyperbole as Piper’s life was constantly threatened; it was not rare to see fans try to jump rails to take a shot at Hot Rod or to see garbage pelted his way. Piper was disrespectful and troublesome. He was a delinquent who verbally and visually displayed uncivilized conduct such as profanity, vandalism, violence and associated “criminal” behavior. Piper’s mouth got him in trouble more times than he could count.

Classy Freddie Blassie also had his share of troubles because of his conduct and his loudmouthed ramblings. Blassie had a car vandalized and was stabbed a few times. Blassie filed his teeth to look like fangs to scare Japanese fans. His cane was always around, and conveniently disappeared when one of his wrestlers whom he managed scored a suspicious victory. I made an instant new friend in elementary school when he called me a “Pencil Neck Geek” and I called him out on his plagiarizing ways. Blassie’s words drew the ire of the fans and those same fans paid top dollar to see his ass handed to him.

I have to make mention of The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin together – simply because they were 1A and 1B of the Attitude Era and each found superstardom under the same strategy: unyielding verbal abuse on the world after languishing in personas that did not reflect who they really were. After shedding the terrible Ringmaster character and winning the 1996 King of the Ring, Austin used outright blasphemy to toss salt on the wounds of Jake Roberts and would call out Bret Hart by suggesting an additional “S” at the front of The Hitman’s moniker would give fans an idea of what The Rattlesnake thought of his nemesis. Once The Rock let go of the phony Rocky Maivia persona, he began speaking in annoying (now endearing) third person, and when he couldn’t find any more English-language insults to assault his opponents with, he would go and make up his own words. They say sticks and stones may break bones, but when those two spoke, words hurt. At first, fans hated them – then organically – they became to entertaining to ignore. One is considered the savior of WWE, the other is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Just because they talked the talk and walked the walk.

Througout all of these sub-definitions and tropes, what is it, then, that makes a highly effective villain in the realms of professional wrestling. The French essayist Roland Barthes describes a heel in professional wrestling as a “perfect bastard” and eloquently explains this character as someone “who are themselves outside the rules of society”:

Essentially someone unstable, who accepts the rules only when they are useful to him and transgresses the formal continuity of attitudes. He is unpredictable, therefore asocial. He takes refuge behind the law when he considers that it is in his favor, and breaks it when he finds it useful to do so. Sometimes he rejects the formal boundaries of the ring and goes on hitting an adversary legally protected by the ropes, sometimes he reestablishes these boundaries and claims the protection of what he did not respect a few minutes earlier. This inconsistency, far more than treachery or cruelty, sends the audience beside itself with rage: offended not in its morality but in its logic, it considers the contradiction of arguments as the basest of crimes.

When one looks at this interpretation, it would not be surprising for a modern fan to feel some form of disconnect. Heels today are not the heels of even the 1980’s. Somewhere between the rise of The Fabulous Freebirds and Razor Ramon, something was lost in translation and our own interpretation of what is good and evil; who we should cheer for became blurred, mutated and inverted. The performers – since they’re main job is to exploit an emotional response from his/her audience – took what we have given them in our changing times and adapted.

The culmination in all this, along with a more politically-charged and politically-correct society is something of a phenomenon: there are barely any – if none – actual heels in professional wrestling anymore. This shift in the landscape has dramatically altered what we as fans, and what promoters consider heroes and villains. This has created a new dynamic in storytelling techniques; how is it possible for a hero to vanquish a nemesis if he/she is not hated by us – or specifically – if they are not given the freedom to be outright hated by us. The death of “kayfabe” has contributed to this shift, along with our changing tastes in what we consider a great wrestling performer and a great wrestling product.

Is it possible to have a “true heel” emerge in professional wrestling again? Anything is possible. First, we need to reconcile the notion that professional wrestling is an artform – and as an artform, professional wrestling serves as a mirror of our daily lives – from the mundane to the ugly. At that point, fans, promoters, performers and media outlets involved with wrestling may need to redefine what professional wrestling is. If the notion is good versus evil, the promotions need to learn how to truly infuse that mythology into its product and we as fans may need to brace ourselves for cable news scrutiny. If the new model to present wrestling becomes more sport oriented, everything changes. Characters and motivations and actions will no longer be based on “good” and “bad” but on bigger, stronger and faster.

The day will come when a choice will be presented to us: Boo and heckle the bad guy, or cheer for the best. There is a difference. When that decision is made, the wrestling Heel will either thrive like never before, or will fade away into extinction.

To be continued…

Len Archibald is the former Executive Director of the Northwest Ohio Independent Film Festival, and is a current movie reviewer for WLIO in Lima, Ohio.

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