Nearly every time Shawn Michaels danced his way into a WWE ring over the past few years the fans would cry out “One more match!” Dream matches with the likes of Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles were openly fantasized about, and whenever Michaels stuck to his guns about staying retired a large portion of fans would openly discuss their disappointment.
Well, it’s now 2018 and fans are finally getting that one more match out of the “Heartbreak Kid.” However, the atmosphere around it has largely changed online. There’s still some excitement to be found, and the online metrics certainly indicate that there is interest in the upcoming match of D-Generation X versus Kane and The Undertaker, but there’s plenty of disappointment and apathy as well.
Is it just fans being fickle? To some extent, yes, but my colleague Harry Kettle wonderfully explained why it’s okay to be annoyed by Shawn Michaels’ return. I won’t echo his points here, but it’s important to distinguish why fans have changed their tune. There are a few different reasons, but ultimately fans don’t want their illusion of the past broken.
Poetically, Nostalgia comes from the Greek words for “pain” and “homecoming.” As our friends at The Lapsed Fan would say, “It used to be better.” Thanks to his final run, fans have great memories of Shawn Michaels. His sometimes lackadaisical, drugged out performances of the late 90s have largely become a footnote in a fantastic career, and his backstage politicking is rarely mentioned anymore. He’s a flamboyant, long-haired icon of a bygone era that could put on a fantastic match with nearly anyone.
I'mma need a moment of silence for Shawn Michaels' hair. Gone, but never forgotten. *sings "Tell Me A Lie"* pic.twitter.com/EKcQ0h07ZZ
— Vicky (@PurpleMidneight) October 2, 2018
So, when fans see Shawn Michaels at age 53, they get scared. What if he doesn’t still have that magic? They look at a middle-aged man strutting down the aisle while the theme song sings about being a “sexy boy,” but all they see is a bald man that has to rely on wearing hats. The veneer of Shawn Michaels has already been broken to a certain extent. Despite being in incredible shape, he’s no longer the sex symbol he once was, and his signature style has gone the way of the dodo.
There are other issues as well, of course. Fans would rather see him face off against someone he hasn’t had a match with before, the whole Saudi Arabia payday angle gives the entire thing a disgusting smell that is hard to ignore, and they want it to be someone that could help put on another classic rather than a broken down version of The Undertaker. However, ultimately they’re afraid. They want their illusion of the past to be preserved, and it’s going to be shattered to some extent at WWE Crown Jewel regardless of the performance.
On the other end of the spectrum, the return of Trish Stratus has garnered nothing but cheers from the crowd. There’s no resentment at all to be found, which is impressive within such a volatile space such as wrestling fandom. While some are disappointed that her match with Alexa Bliss was changed to a tag team affair, they’re still excited to see her perform at WWE Evolution.
Why the drastic difference in reception? For starters, Trish Stratus still looks the part fabulously. She isn’t The Undertaker with a visible gut or Shawn Michaels missing the locks that added a specific quality to his selling over the years. No, while she’s a bit older she still perfectly fits the role of Trish Stratus, the athletic heartthrob that was a WWE mainstay for many years. No illusion is broken, and even if she can’t “go” in the ring at a level that she used to, she’ll be able to hit her signature spots (like she did at her Royal Rumble performance) with enough flair that nothing will be missed.
Nostalgia works when people are allowed to reminisce about the past without having to reflect upon the actual reality. Shawn Michaels won’t be the same “Heartbreak Kid” when he steps into the ring, and that will hurt for a lot of fans.
RELATED: It’s Okay To Be Annoyed About Shawn Michaels’ Return
