#tags is my predicted elimination order btw

[todayisafridaynight]

Firstly, thanks so much for your patience with my ramblings haha, it's always an absolute pleasure to read your responses even if I get more unhinged with each one of mine! Of course, I'll continue to do my best with the wiki! (Actually, I think it's because of you that I noticed Daigo's age(s) were a year off haha, so thank you for that as well.)

I think you hit the nail on the head, and I adore how his relationships were executed in Y7 as well! I was initially a little bit apprehensive when trailers for 7 were coming out since RGGJo (and Mine, of course) were my favorite antagonists, and Jo is by far the character who's changed the most between games, but I can safely say both… Joes… are right up there for me.

I think a strong early subversion/conversion/something is that RGGJo really does just go and shoot up a rival office for attacking Arakawa (even though Arakawa was fine?). With Y7Jo, even though he's covering for Masato, the fact that's still the story Ichi gets told and he doesn't question it sort of speaks to Y7Jo having a similarly "protective" streak even if it's not actually what happened in that instance. That's also demonstrated in The Eye Scene as you mention later.

Like, I think that story is fairly clearly something he and Arakawa discussed. Masato got in contact with Jo first, and the mess Ichi tries to clear up when he comes in the morning after is indicative of a very long, stressful conversation between two people. Given Masato absolutely should not be smoking, process of elimination would suggest it's Jo. And it's a story they would've aimed to make as believable as possible, so the fact it is believable (Ichi being a bit gullible notwithstanding) says something to me.

For two characters who hardly even speak to each other onscreen (criminal btw), there's a lot to dig into when it comes to Arakawa and Sawashiro's relationship. That aside, I'm super excited to see you analyse Jo's psyche, and I can't wait to read it! I've been reading Japanese psychology texts myself and noticing a number of concepts that apply to Mine, but may apply to the Arakawas as well. There's a great deal I want to share once I get my thoughts in order.

I totally agree Mine's influence on RGGJo was the strongest of the three! I mean, y'know, that's why I acquired brainworms for RGGJo/Mine specifically. (Still 1000% going to commission you by the way when I've got my refs together + am not in danger of being unable to afford Gaiden and 8 lol). Sort of like with Masato and Daigo, I think characters who are clearly based on each other work quite well together even if it's seen as crack. You can come up with pretty compelling ideas trying to rationalize those similarities from a Watsonian perspective.

The devotion is absolutely the strongest point (having the exact same relationship tag for Arakawa and Daigo respectively + similar wording for it in the 15th anniversary book is a nice touch), but for me it's also what's done with it in terms of presentation. For both Mine and RGGJo you're supposed to believe they're actively working against Daigo and Arakawa's interests for most of the story.

And they probably kind of are, but they're convinced the pros outweigh the cons (as with the resort gambit, which you're remembering correctly!) Though it may not have the same effect nowadays for various reasons (spoilers, plot points becoming predictable on account of other games, etc), the devotion was originally supposed to be a twist.

There are other things, of course; they're both the "treasurers" of their respective organizations, they're both third-in-command of the Tojo and Omi, they're both talented people who possess overwhelming strength and influence and are regarded as geniuses (despite scenes to the contrary). If I wanted to reach design-wise, they've got mirrored ahoges, and Mine's "Legend" costume is probably based on characters like RGGJo and Nishiki. Their first cards were even officially stated to have synergy on account of their very similar skillset.

You end up noticing a lot of things like that if you're clinically insane like I am, but the one thing that's really stuck with me is that the render used for RGGJo's office is specifically a new render the Hakuho Clan office. It's missing the stuff that's supposed to be missing, the stuff Kanda broke, but only that. Mine's art collection, which is very personal to him as is also revealed in RGGO, is preserved in full.

There are a number of newly-rendered locations in RGGO and they could've just done that, or they could've picked any location that's not (imo) one of the most iconic, but I don't know why they didn't. And I don't know whether it was just convenience, whether it's simply meant to be reflective of them having similar tastes without being the same office, or whether it's just honest to God the same office. I mean, it's not like there's any reason to acknowledge it in-game.

But I think, in a weird way, that this is one of the things that carried over to Y7Jo alongside the devotion and The Eye Scene. A lot of people don't notice because there's so much going on in Y7's finale, but the Arakawa Family office the finale takes place in is specifically Y7Jo's office. And if you examine the Hakuho Clan office and the Arakawa Family office as spaces Mine and Y7Jo have created for themselves, there are very few aesthetic similarities other than being pretty tasteful two-storey offices, but both are, in their own ways, designed for companionship.

There is the obvious fully-stocked bar and main seating area in both, but that's sort of whatever, that's entertainment and hospitality. What really catches my eye, at least on the first floor, is that every piece of gym equipment in Mine's office comes in pairs; similarly, there's the pair of armchairs that are just by themselves behind Y7Jo's desk.

The second floor of Mine's office basically consists of only a TV, a table, and a set of couches, but I think the second floor of of 7Jo's is the more telling of the two. You walk upstairs from this very snazzy, richly decorated first floor (btw, like Mine's gym equipment and art, I would like to think the fact it's decked from top to bottom with books isn't just for show) to a second floor that consists of… absolutely nothing.

Nothing except another pair of armchairs, echoing those on the first floor, facing out into this gorgeous (RGGJou would--and has--said "romantic") view of Kamurocho. Maybe it's just to have this dramatic, spacious arena for the very last fight, but I just think that visual is potentially such a strong bit of storytelling via set dressing.

I also think with RGGJo being split into Y7Jo and Masato, some of the Mine influence kind of ended up with Masato too, specifically as Aoki. At least insofar as all the catastrophizing about not truly being cared-for despite evidence to the contrary, and I kind of felt like the moment where he shoots at and narrowly misses Ichi's head, then throws his gun away for a good ol' fistfight was Something.

Completely agree on your assessment of the link to Nishiki as well! There's the surface level design similarities with young RGGJo back when he had long hair and accessorized less, but yeah, no notes. I definitely think Y7Arakawa's line applies perfectly to the dynamic they were going for, too.

I thought the implication was that Masato wouldn't have survived at all in RGGO on account of Arakawa being unable to open the locker, but it's super interesting to think about how things might've turned out otherwise! A Masato who's Just A Guy and treated sort of like RGGO Mitsu's offscreen wife and kid is such a concept.

I really do hope there's a continuation to the story; as it stands, it literally ends with Jo in a coma lol. But I'm grateful RGGO is still accessible and actively updated, in comparison to the previous mobile titles, which also had original stories that are all gone now.

Jo was actually in a very recent event, even. The event spent its whole runtime talking about how cats are sensitive to smell, and evidently, according to the ending, Jo is incredibly sensitive to smell himself. I'm not sure which Jo it was even supposed to be since he was offscreen, but uh, catboy confirmed? Nyawashiro…? It's fun trivia.

Mentioning Arakawa's "sons" line in such close proximity to talking about Tsutsumi reminds me! There was this Y7 interview with all three actors (that has since been privated and that I kick myself every day for archiving) where Nakai and Tsutsumi were talking about how they usually play father and son.

So there's this very, very long history of them co-starring (as I'm sure you're aware lol), like from way back when Tsutsumi's voice was actually higher. And I think the casting choices absolutely are informed by the history and context there, both as individuals and as co-stars, both in terms of filmography as you say and not.

One particular anecdote that just Gets Me is that this was Tsutsumi's first time voice-acting, and he honestly wasn't even sure he'd take the role, but he accepted once he heard Nakai was on board. And he went on to actually enjoy it so much he read the rest of the (gargantuan) script, far beyond his own dialogue, and ended up forgetting the lines to the play he was doing at the time.

He also went on to voice-act a second time in The Deer King, where he plays… another iintimidating man with a violent reputation and a "soft"/deeper side (who is of course a reluctant father), actually. I actually have seen most of his other roles, and Jo really is almost one-of-a-kind. Though it's hard to find any one character he's "like," I can absolutely see what you mean with regard to Oda Nobunaga and Kanda.

I think that actually really works with regard to audiences having an idea of what to expect from his character and to an extent from Y7 if you look Jo as more of a culmination of Tsutsumi's career up to that point. In addition to what you've mentioned already, I also detect a lot of Koda (Good Luck!!) and Ogata (SP)'s themes with regret and making amends and vengeance in particular.

There's a little bit of Appare (Kagerou Touge) and Shibata (Keiho) too, I think, in terms of presenting yourself as worse than you actually are. And I think Tsutsumi's own struggles with mental health lend a lot of gravitas to characters like Ishigami (Suspect X) and Jo, who you can't really argue Isn't Depressed, especially at present.

And of course, y'know, he's played yakuza (to great effect), he's played dads (to great effect; btw, I would say the worst fathers/father figures he's played are probably in Fable II and My Blood & Bones in a Flowing Galaxy, Jo somehow doesn't even compare lol). Also, pretty much every Tsutsumi character either ends up dead or in jail, being a villain in an RGG game notwithstanding. There are often very strong critiques of police and politics present in his work as well, Y7 being no exception.

It's similar with Nakai, maybe to an even greater extent than with Tsutsumi, since Y7 borrows more heavily from his works and his personal life aligns surprisingly well with Arakawa's. They're both actors who are sons of actors, lost their fathers at a young age, were raised by abusive mothers, and ended up with a sort of unlikely father figure in adulthood. So I think it's sweet that Nakai ended up enjoying Arakawa as much as Tsutsumi did Jo. It's kind of funny being more or less typecast as a dad without actually having any children (unlike Tsutsumi), though.

I touched on it a tiny bit before but that's a really insightful take on RGGJo's splintering, as well! And you're most welcome. I've always found it fascinating just how closely their backgrounds tie in to who they end up being. I completely agree having his dad around did a lot for Arakawa in terms of having the confidence to stick to his guns.

But yeah, you know, it's just tragic. I think it's also one of the less talked-about ways abuse can perpetuate itself. Because Jo treating Ichi the way his father may have treated him is sort of the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the topic, but Jo's learned avoidance also goes on to make Arakawa a scapegoat for Aoki's abuse.

I'm always a fan of your takes and insights, so I don't mind the wait: thank you so much for writing as much as you have, it's really wonderful being able to discuss Jo and RGGO v. Y7 as a whole! (I have to be embarrassed about the Daigo's-Age bit though: I'm glad I was able to help point it out, but I remember being so sassy and rude in the post where I mentioned it 😭)

It's great that despite their differences, both Jo's are still incredibly enjoyable; the roles each Jo fulfills, although different, are still executed in ways that keep the character in a close beat with each other, but of course effectively fill out their new purposes in new interesting ways!

As a bit of an aside, I've always been curious and nosy about the full details about New Years Day, 2001 and what happened after that. Anything I can say about the night tiptoes more into theory territory than anything solid, but if we're to go off the notion Masato really did head straight home afterwards, then it is fair to assume Jo had to have met with Arakawa that same night not long after the call in order for Arakawa to be ready to talk to Ichi the same morning (it must have been the biggest shock afterwards for Masato to hear he's gotta run to America if the three of them didn't talk about it together- which I'm assuming is what happened since, as you said, Masato shouldn't be anywhere near cigarettes, and the ash tray is definitely indicative of a stressful discussion). BUT Jo's preexisting devotion to Arakawa (plus the nod to/rework of RGGJo actually attacking a rival gang) nonetheless definitely helped in making their story digestible to the people they had to tell.

The fact Jo and Arakawa interact so little on screen really is unfortunate, even if it's understandable as to why. At the very least, I'm grateful there's so many bits of context clues through the game/s that can at least offer a peak into their dynamic! Segwaying away from that though, I can't lie I was already thinking of some bullet points regarding Jo's brain as I was falling asleep, so it's definitely something I want to put to paper when I get to: I'm glad to hear I have your interest on it when I write it! In that same vein, I'd be more than happy as well to hear about these notes you've seen that can apply not only to Mine, but to the Arakawa family. As you note later on, Mine and Aoki share similar philosophies, so I'd love to see your full take on that if you get to it!

About Mine though, it was really hard for me not to joke about the two being similar whenever the chance arose: I mean, two men who lose their fathers (admittedly, Jo chose to leave his dad but Dad Lost is still a bullet point on the venn diagram... that now I actually feel like taking the time to make later...) turn out to become their respective clan's most trusted asset (and handler of assets) who are volatile when it comes to the ones they care about (I don't have to clarify Mine, but as for Jo, aside from The Eye Scene and even the book wording, he definitely overreacts to Ichi having Masato's money. Of course, part of his anger could be due to his belief in the honor of being a yakuza, but I wouldn't say it's a reach to also assume that the idea of Ichi pestering Masato- if not assuming the worst for whatever reason from Ichiban of all people- might have irked him) and ironically act out in ways that would go against what the ones they care about want (more so strictly about RGGJo, of course)- it's hard not to see the notes borrowed from Mine to make Jo. In that, I do really enjoy their devotions being twists; even if that twist might not work nowadays as efficiently, I'll still enjoy it for what it's able to provide and how it can deepen a character.

To continue on to visual similarities, I actually did notice RGGJo's office being the same as Mine's (I stopped reading for a bit just to make a mini thread about it on my private Twitter)! Whether it was intentional or a simple reuse of assets, it's a great nod to Mine's influence on his character.

As for Y7Jo's office in comparison to Mine's- if I may accidentally go on a bit of an analytical rant- it's a little funny how different they are despite being tangential in wanting a space for companionship (like you mentioned for Jo's case, it might have been for dramatic purposes, but it wouldn't hurt to try and examine the room at face value for a second).

Mine's office is comparatively brighter and more apparently inviting, and it's not just due to the nighttime setting of Jo's office as his office's walls are painted black- but at the same time, the contrast almost feels intentional. Mine's apartment, even if spacious, has the social pieces close to each other, especially in relation to his personal desk. On the flip side, Jo's desk is considerably isolated away from the grand table in the side of the room. In these differences, I think it does lead to a great representation of their relationships with people and what they wanted out of life: with Mine, despite wanting people to be close to him and in his proximity, he's ultimately alone and by himself. On the contrary, Jo appears satisfied with- at least- only having Masato in his life, the second chair undoubtedly being honorary to Arakawa in a similar vein. He isn't too concerned with getting close to anyone else, thus no need for his table set to be so nearby. I could just be talking about nothing though- yet I think these differences is a great way to show how despite inspiration from Mine, they divide off into different characters still (honestly I might steal from this ask and make a separate post about this because now I've gotten myself invested in set design- it can go in the same post as my venn diagram I guess lmao).

Nevertheless, RGGJo and Mine borrowing from each other design wise is also another fun bit- it's as if Yokoyama's grabbing people by the shoulders and practically begging us to realize Jo's influenced by him (don't worry Mr. Yokoyama, I see you). Ergo, Y7Jo and Masato being split from RGGJo is such an interesting take of the two characters: it not only helps highlight Jo's traits it really also heightens Mine's extended influence on Masato (their inability to shoot people standing still is probably going to be a new favorite comparison I hadn't noticed before LMAO).

Moving on though, that lost interview with Nakai and Tsutsumi's going to haunt me now: I'd love to be able to see it, I love actor interviews, especially when the actors featured are already so familiar with each other! It's so sweet how connected the two are- it's what makes it a little more unfortunate that we didn't get to see Jo and Arakawa on screen together more. On that note though, I actually had a similar conclusion that Jo was a solid representation of Tsutsumi's career thus far: his ability to play deep and sentimental characters that have a rough exterior while also possessing some action to the role that he initially sought after in his career really encapsulates his ability as an actor! All in all, I'm glad that Nakai and Tsutsumi were able to have strong connections to their characters in Y7- and I can't really argue against Nakai's dad-typecast: there's just something about him that screams 'father' to me even if, ironically as you said, he isn't a father to any kids.

[asherlockstudy]

I get that interview was HBO forced but it sounds insane when last season, he was saying Jaime needed to get away from her for good. I mean no nice post about Gwen after the last ep. I dont believe it was about not wanting to stir the hornet's nest if him and B didnt get together as he posted a huge loving one about Lena and that was a very controversial part of the plot. If hed know posted a gwen one saying"sorry JB didnt get a happy ending but here's me and Gwen in happier times" i dont get it

I think it’s very weird too…Imma analyze it. Not that I’m gonna reach any solid conclusion but I will just lay out all my thoughts.

Whatever the reason Nik doesn’t post or reply publicly to Gwen is, it has nothing to do with his personal preference for Braime or Jaime x Cersei. Even if we make the insane assumption that Nik appreciated that Jaime dumped Brienne to return to murderous Cersei and die with her without serving any purpose in the main plot (what lead actor of 8+ years would ever like being unimportant in the ending plot) and saw “pOeTRy” in it, it still doesn’t explain why he should prefer posting about Lena over Gwen. We would be naive to think he made a post about Lena and not Gwen because he prefers Cersei to Brienne. So, we still have no clear evidence of what Nik’s private thoughts and feelings are for his character after the ending. 

Here’s what we have: 

We have two interviews: one with HBO rofl and one with that journalist who collaborates with HBO and was an insider (I’m not gonna search his name) in which he stans Jaime’s choices, his love for Cersei and the tragic poetry in it all. Then we have him promoting the episodes and the documentary in his instagram and twitter, however he is entirely emotionally detached from his character and his fate. I would say he lowkey looks entertained in his weird af episode promo videos and secretly amused while filming the “thank you” video after the last episode where he says “Come on, it was great” and suggests a petition for an Arya (huh?) sequel.

We have two videos uploaded on yt with him: one is a video of a stalker in which Nik looks uncomfortable and passes the question to the random guy next to him who apparently happens to be a GOT fan, have an elaborate opinion on the last season, hate D&D and think they threw away Jaime’s beautiful character arc. What are the odds…The second is a skit in Jimmy Kimmel in which Nik drags his own character by making him stupid and clumsy, a sad little being because of his maiming and, most importantly, an unrepentant sister fucker. All of Jaime’s worst qualities displayed for laughs, plus that he’s actually a likeable but very stupid person. The skit ends with a dragon randomly burning him and his family alive and those credits

So, we have straightforward criticism towards D&D by Kimmel and NCW actually participates in it. This is what this skit means - that this level of writing, this kind of lame character and that ludicrous death is something that only Benioff and Weiss would like to produce. And, well, the Olsen sisters (although I think they’re cleverer than that). 

So, we have two videos where NCW’s intentions are dubious AT BEST. 

Then we have all the promos. When left to speak on his own, Nikolaj would say how the ending was beautiful and made sense and he once mentioned he sent a letter to thank them for this genius plot…Right. But then when asked or caught off guard (1:04): 

Nobody tries to sugarcoat it, look at the title of the video: … NCW is ‘happy’.  Then of course we have our Lady and Saviour Gwen who tries not to laugh as Nik struggles to find what to say and not just stand up and flee.

Also, this one. The best one: 

I could make a thousand gifs for this but just watch again the entire video:

0:07 - Gwen’s face when Nik says he thought the script was fantastic

1:13 - “N-no..NO!!!” when asked if he would change something in the ending and Gwen’s reaction to that. Then, our leader Gwen proceeds to mock him: “So, it’s an immaculate- It’s immaculate?” to which Nik impulsively replies: “NO!” and goes on “do you ever read a book and think you want to rewrite this?” which implies, that yes he would want to rewrite it but knows he can’t. 

(3:03 - 3:06) - VERY IMPORTANT ONE. When Gwen wondered who was closer to predicting the actual ending, Nik says “I was, yeah” and OMG look at Gwen’s face. It’s very subtle but she’s trying to communicate with her eyes a “WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT” to him without being seen by the interviewer. It’s kind of a wife done with her husband’s shit look tbh, that level of subtlety. And Nik answers back with his eyes in equal subtlety and it’s like he says a “What? I truly was right lol….”. To me, this seems to mean that Nik always knew or feared that D&D would eventually destroy all his work and was eventually proven right. Unless this all is about Dany being killed by Jon but I doubt at this point Nik and Gwen cared enough to go all cryptic and eye communicating for this. No, it was about them. 

3:09 - Nik is surprised and then clearly amused at the information by the interviewer that Kit was the one who came closer with his prediction. He can’t hide his smile and says an ironic “good for him” while looking knowingly at Gwen who then says this must be a lie. This shows that it is known amongst the actors that most of them are disappointed and Kit was one of them. Both Nik and Gwen apparently knew Kit hated his ending too and would never expect this to be how the show would wrap up. BTW that writing and that backlash really got to Kit, I hope he recovers soon. But think about this, Kit went into rehab for stress and alcohol, Emilia was devastated and gave a somewhat concerning interview and Nik’s public behaviour regarding GOT is inconsistent and unpredictable. I am thus assuming the writing of the final season and the backlash fucked them up way more than they let on. 

This interview is a gem but here’s the most important part, perhaps the core of what baffles us: 

1:32 - After all the miserable no-nos poor Nik mumbles, Gwen tells Nik what we all think: “I think it’s just a question, you know? Maybe you want to answer it?”

Of course he’s in a total loss for words. Literally, he doesn’t make any sense. Some incoherent sounds come out of his mouth and that’s it. This can mean two things: either he truly thinks the ending is perfect or the ending made him such a mess that he can’t even process it verbally two years later. 

Either Gwen is much braver and Nik is extemely paranoid or Nik actually has many more restrictions in what he is allowed to say. I believe Gwen wanted Nikolaj to be as open as her about it and she still tries to make him open up but he doesn’t. In all the promos without exception, Gwen looks as if she knows Nik is full of shit and secretly agrees with her. If Gwen knows that for a fact, then we can’t argue and it’s actually what makes sense anyway. Nikolaj agrees with Gwen but is not eager to discuss it openly yet, or ever. This could be because he is very professional or because he doesn’t want to get a bad name as a ���backstabber” of his projects or it might be a situation of a more sensitive nature. 

If those rumours that the S8 script was changed are true, then Nik and Lena might have had a serious breakdown with D&D and a negotiation might have taken place. For instance, Nik and Lena were really unnecessary in E6, Nik’s scene in E1 could have been eliminated as well and Lena does not appear in E3. Yes, they are big actors but paying them 1,2 million for every episode seems a tad excessive when Emilia and Kit are now famous too and have like 300% times more screentime. All this is wild speculation but maybe they stretched their appearance in the episodes as much as possible and gave them a good amount of money to agree on the butchering of their characters and their importance as former lead actors. I mean, especially Lena was downgraded to a secondary character in this season. Lena had to really fight to see her salary rise in the previous seasons. And now it’s a million for every episode? Wow. How many minutes was she staring out of the window in S8? Maybe they were silenced and payed a shitload of money to stop complaining and promote the show and praise the writing as what it was supposed to be. Maybe they payed them in order to promote Peter, Kit and Emilia for the Emmys instead, who knows. When so much money is involved, things can get frustrating in ways we don’t even fathom. This is wild and rough speculation but all I’m saying is there may be reasons Nik avoids talking freely about his character that we can’t know. 

Besides, it’s not just a Gwen problem. It is not a Gwen problem. Gwen revealed she sent a “Jaime is a fuckboi” meme to Nik privately and he answered playfully as ever (but again as if he’s in denial). They posted a story together a couple of weeks ago. Nik did not just ignore Gwen’s instagram post. Daniel Portman posted the photo and tagged Nikolaj too. Nik ignored him as well. Bryan Cogman, who Nik and Gwen owe a lot to, commented under the photo in a very sweet and emotional way. Guess what, Nik ignored him too! It’s ridiculous to think Nikolaj has stopped communicating and caring about Gwen AND Daniel AND Bryan just because his character returned to Cersei. Furthermore, the fact that they all keep tagging him shows they don’t think their relationships with him have become tense. 

That’s not it. It’s not about Gwen. The only way that Gwen is involved in all this is that she wants Nikolaj to open up so that he would give a little acknowledgement to her character and the relationship with Jaime because she feels very much for Brienne. I’m sad to say, however, that it seems to me that Nik did not take that blow more lightly than Gwen. In fact, his behaviour is more inconsistent and troubling whereas Gwen’s openness about it made her confront that sore subject more healthily after all. I start believing Nik was actually way more devastated than Gwen. At least Brienne remained a decent character, ever faithful to her ideals, ever innerly strong. Jaime was entirely trashed, let alone that he was supposed to be a main character. If Nik can’t even handle a photo that reminds him of his destroyed character arc, I wouldn’t be surprised. Maybe Gwen wants Nik to open up so much for his benefit as well - he keeps it bottled up and she might know first hand how that affects him.

Long story short, the reasons Nik doesn’t post anything about his feelings for Jaime’s character arc, his relationship with Brienne and his collaboration with Gwen probably are both professional, after begrudging deals and agreements and restrictions from HBO, and very personal, inner and private, as he’s still trying to cope with a disappointment that crushed down on him from what used to be his dream job and a role he hoped would be a (or the) peak of his career. I bet all these years Nik was hopeful Jaime would be extremely important and fully redeemed in the end but also extremely scared and anxious that the writers won’t give him what he hoped for and what made sense. Would I exaggerate if I said this should be the biggest professional disappointment he ever experienced, provided that he didn’t like the character’s ending? 

From everything Gwen has said about him, I have surmised that Nik is very emotional and anxious but with a very blasé and superficially amiable attitude. He avoids expessing emotion in real life which is why he might be dissociating a lot lately. He tries to distance himself from that part of Jaime’s character that involved Bryan and Gwen because this is the part that he loved and lost. Honestly, I can’t think of any other logical reason he ignored Gwen, Dan and Bryan one after the other and never made a post about his own character specifically or his good times with Gwen. It’s obviously not that he suddenly hates all of them to the point of not even replying. Even if HBO restricts him on what he can say in interviews for a while, there is no other explanation for this other than that D&D’s genius writing fucked him up emotionally as much as Emilia and Kit and he does not want to deal with it even though Gwen probably thinks it would be for the best if he did. 

Now after I wrote all this, imagine if Nikolaj actually doesn’t give a shit and is just happy going on with his life while I am here wasting time. But… I don’t think so. I will never not believe Nik didn’t love Jaime to pieces. He had big dreams for this role, I am sure of it. 

[like-i-need-a-hole-in-my-head]

Psychopolitics and Surveillance Capitalism

I queued this post quite a while ago and it posted last night while I was asleep. I’m reposting because I’ve been thinking about this a bit more since I first saw it. I’ve shortened the original quote here:

[H]ealing ... refers to self-optimization that is supposed to therapeutically eliminate any and all functional weakness or mental obstacle in the name of efficiency and performance. Yet perpetual self-optimization ... amounts to total self-exploitation. [...] The neoliberal subject is running aground on the imperative of self optimization, that is, on the compulsion always to achieve more and more. Healing, it turns out, means killing.

and had a look at this review. From the review: “[W]hat capitalism realised in the neoliberal era, Han argues, is that it didn’t need to be tough, but seductive. This is what he calls smartpolitics. Instead of saying no, it says yes: instead of denying us with commandments, discipline and shortages, it seems to allow us to buy what we want when we want, become what we want and realise our dream of freedom. “Instead of forbidding and depriving it works through pleasing and fulfilling. Instead of making people compliant, it seeks to make them dependent.” 

I’m adding a break because this got long.

(review, cont’d)

And, while not Orwellian, we net-worked moderns have our own Newspeak. Freedom, for instance, means coercion. Microsoft’s early ad slogan was “Where do you want to go today?”, evoking a world of boundless possibility. That boundlessness was a lie, Han argues: “Today, unbounded freedom and communication are switching over into total control and surveillance … We had just freed ourselves from the disciplinary panopticon – then threw ourselves into a new and even more efficient panopticon.” And one, it might be added, that needs no watchman, since even the diabolical geniuses of neoliberalism – Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos – don’t have to play Big Brother. They are diabolical precisely because they got us to play that role ourselves.

At least in Nineteen Eighty-Four, nobody felt free. In 2017, for Han, everybody feels free, which is the problem. “Of our own free will, we put any and all conceivable information about ourselves on the internet, without having the slightest idea who knows what, when or in what occasion. This lack of control represents a crisis of freedom to be taken seriously.”

“Did we really want to be free?” asks Han. Perhaps, he muses, true freedom is an intolerable burden and so we invented God in order to be guilty and in debt to something. That’s why, having killed God, we invented capitalism. Like God, only more efficiently, capitalism makes us feel guilty for our failings and, you may well have noticed, encourages us to be deep in immobilising debt.” 

I think I’m going to get this book. This would make a great pairing with Surveillance Capitalism by  Shoshana Zuboff. (I’ve linked to a review; the book is available on Amazon and elsewhere). I have the book but haven’t read it yet. Think about this:

“Surveillance capitalism unilaterally claims human experience as free raw material for translation into behavioural data. Although some of these data are applied to service improvement, the rest are declared as a proprietary behavioural surplus, fed into advanced manufacturing processes known as ‘machine intelligence’, and fabricated into prediction products that anticipate what you will do now, soon, and later. Finally, these prediction products are traded in a new kind of marketplace that I call behavioural futures markets. Surveillance capitalists have grown immensely wealthy from these trading operations, for many companies are willing to lay bets on our future behaviour.” 

From the review: “The combination of state surveillance and its capitalist counterpart means that digital technology is separating the citizens in all societies into two groups: the watchers (invisible, unknown and unaccountable) and the watched. This has profound consequences for democracy because asymmetry of knowledge translates into asymmetries of power. But whereas most democratic societies have at least some degree of oversight of state surveillance, we currently have almost no regulatory oversight of its privatised counterpart”. 

Part of my job is related to the regulatory oversight of the private sector, and I definitely think that it is an absolute mess. Countries have vastly different rules, but data doesn’t respect borders. Different countries have different goals. The EU’s data laws protect the individual. China’s data laws protect the state. The US’s data laws protect the economy. (With a few exceptions, the laws are really about what can be monetized and what can’t.)

So what is an individual supposed to do? I struggle with the best way to protect my own privacy and personal data, and to teach my teens to do the same, let alone put it into a socio-political context. 

I don’t think it’s possible to completely opt out of the surveillance and participate in modern life. It’s a bit easier for old people like me to opt out but I see younger people whose peer group socialises to such an extent through apps and phones (snapchat, instagram, etc). The problem is that if they are not on these platforms, they are to a very large extent excluded from social life, and humans are social animals. It’s not healthy for them to be isolated.

OTOH, we can make some choices. For example, I have a Facebook account (I have 3, actually), but the one with my real name is just for an online course that uses a FB group for discussion. One is for testing. One is my “real” account that does not use my real name where I keep in touch with family since I live half a world away. I log out every time I use it. I never gave FB my phone number or location or work place or hometown etc etc. I opted out of any advertising that I could, particularly adverts using my own Likes. I opted out of all third party platforms so I cannot accidentally log into a third party site with FB. I do not upload photos of my children. I cannot be tagged. I opted out of facial recognition. I check settings once a week in case they are “accidentally” reset. I check after upgrades and so forth. I don’t use FB messenger. I don’t use the FB app. I log out and clear my cache and cookies regularly.  I download all of my FB data from time to time (I think a lot of people did this after the Cambridge Analytica scandal) and check that it’s accurate and I’m ok with what’s out there. (btw, one of my professional highlights was writing about Cambridge Analytica in 2017, before the scandals broke in early 2018, w00t). 

Also, I do not have any google accounts. At all. I don’t use gmail. I cannot sign into google maps. If someone sends me a google doc for editing, I ask for a copy, edit it and send it back. (This is rarely an issue though; I think it’s happened twice.) I used to have a Youtube account, and when they changed the settings to log in with a google account and not just an email, I created an account on a separate computer, logged in, deleted all of my videos and then deleted my youtube account, then deleted my google account and then cleared my cookies and cache. I think this was 2008. 

But truth be told, this is not much. I know that. Amazon knows which Audible books I listen to, which Kindle books I read, and which paperbacks I buy. It goes on and on. 

Is there a balance? Are our choices to opt in -submit- to this surveillance or live off the grid? This isn’t simply a matter of updating data privacy laws. The issues that need to be resolved underpin the entire economy and political order.

Food for thought, anyway. (So how’s your quarantine going?) 

[i-just-want-ur-mom-as-an-url]

Dragula s3 e1 and yes i know i’m late

Nice start to the season! Good challenge however my heart for comics wanted a liiiitle bit more classic camp (i guess?) than what they brought. I would’ve considered throwing Maddelyn in the bottom too actually (in stead of Louisianna (i’ll never learn to spell her name. accept it.)) But otherwise i’m happy with the judging. Also Phi PHi?!?!?!?!?! I loved it. Anyways my lazy predictions havn’t really changed so let’s get to my thoughts on the queens.

Dollya: She reminded me a lot of Abhorra and werk for that i guess. I do find her slightly annoying but i can’t put my finger on why yet so i’m just gonna shut up (also werk neon mullet).

She was kinda giving me monster look from this season of drag race (i guess horns are just ruined for me now :/), but i agree she should’ve won.

Evah: ...i did not know she was white and maybe this is the reason i shouldn’t review dragula... anyways! Loved her! Also cute!

Giving me Acid Betty and tree (acid BeTree)and i loved it. 

Hollow: I liked them (is that the pronouns? I’m sorry if not plz correct me). She was a bit preachy tho but hey let’s just keep on watching.

I wrote Ew but dissapointed and i don’t remember it today, a week later,  sooooo safe. Oh right it was the strings look! Yeah... Safe.

Landon: He was nice! Didn’t mind him however i still worry that he’ll be carried to the crown/finale.

I just wrote Spikes? And i truly don’t remember it today so safe.

Louisianna: I still like her however i don’t think she’ll make it much further. 

Conceptually i loved her look but agree on it’s bottom placement (but, as stated, if you switched her with Maddelynn i wouldn’t be mad :///)

Maddelynn: She’ll propably be a big presence this season and ok for that but she comes off as very jaded and “better than thou”- ly but i’m gonna keep watching before hating her comepletely.

I wasn’t impressed with her look.

Maxi: Liked her! Hope she will step it up next week (or last tuesday...)

Worthy bottom look...

Priscilla: I’m. In. Love. Hope she get’s to the finale.

She was giving me comedian and i wasn’t mad at it.

Lucia: Her edit makes it seem that she’ll be eliminated early which i reaaaally hope she won’t..

Of the “safe”-queens she was closest to the top for me. 

Violencia: Honey... She seemed super nice but yeah she deserved th bottom placement and eventual elimination. Love ya gurr.

Yovska: I already love her and know her artistry won’t be appreciated but maybe i’ve just watched too much drag race.

Look was giving me the batman who laughs mixed with drag...thing? Loved it but not mad she wasn’t in the top.

Who will win?: Evah

[thehotwingking]

Let's talk Dragon Ball Super episode 111!

Again, this is mostly for me. I think this would be cool to read back way in the future. I wish I had done this earlier in the series since this seems like it will be the second/third to last major Super arc.

Things I'm gonna talk about are Goku's Ultra Instinct, what's left of Universe 6, and can anyone really beat Jiren?

I'd like to note that I don't watch the episode previews because I feel like they always spoil something, and that's kind of lame. I want to see everything fresh.

FIRST OFF, would like to give a shout out to @ciner55 for correctly predicting Frieza was going to give some of his energy to Goku. I saw in the coming days that a load of people predicted this as well, and it is one of those things that is kind of obvious after someone tells you it. Not important, but it also seems like Goku didn't actually instant transmission to Frieza like I thought, but Frieza actually quickly transported Goku since Goku was all surprised.

About Ultra Instinct now, after thinking it some I think it's become more clear that Goku can actually do an even more powerful and complete version of the Ultra Instinct despite what I originally thought. Last week I thought that was it, but it seems like with Frieza hearing of the attack and explaining it to Goku that Goku will end up completing the form. My question is will he look like he did in episode 110 or will he look normal? Or will he have a completely different look? Whis knows how to do Ultra Instinct, but he doesn't look any different. Most people are assuming that Jiren can do, and other than his red aura he looks normal while fighting.

I think Goku will end up looking even more different than he did in episode 110 simply for branding reasons. As fans we like seeing the differences in some transformations in order to know what exactly is happening. As a business Toei loves new transformations so they can sell more merchandise. I can see Goku busting out a whole new look just for those two purposes even though it may not be needed. One question: Will either Frieza or Vegeta learn how to do Ultra Instinct in this tournament? Vegeta obviously hates to be left behind, and Frieza is very curious about this technique. I think with Frieza being the most OPEN evil person in this arc so far that he has a chance to pull it off. Who knows?

Secondly, Hit is a badass. If there is anything new that I love about Super it's the character Hit. I knew that he could at least get one good hit in, and when he trapped Jiren in time my suspension of disbelief kicked in and I thought Hit won lol. I thought that the saiyans should of done a full power blast on Jiren to get a ring out, but that didn't happen which does leave me confused. I also though that Hit was going to commit a double ring out and leave everything to the three saiyans, but that also didn't look like his plan.

I think it's cool how Jiren only wanted to fight Goku and Hit. I love how Hit kept on saying he only had one job and in the end said it was to save universe 6. NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR MY HERO. I also like how much Jiren talked in this episode. Very cool. “You really think you can beat me head-ass boy”

But now Hit is eliminated and only 5 universe 6 fighters remain. The 3 saiyans and the two namekians. And let's be honest, without Hit these guys are now severe underdogs because none of them can match the strongest of the other universes. I called last week that Gohan and Piccolo were going to fight the Namekians, and based off of how they look I think the Namekians are a bit weak. I thought one was going to eliminate Piccolo, but I'm not too sure anymore. I think Gohan and Piccolo are going to make slight work of those two. Tragic. And the saiyans?

Kale is pretty damn strong, and can likely do damage. She's a wild card and could end up being the one of the last fighters perhaps if Akira wants to go that route. MY BABY GIRL FOR LIFE CAULIFLA THE GIRL OF MY DREAMS I LOVE HER SO MUCH YES WE STAN OUR QUEEN can only go SSJ2 which is still pretty strong, but I don't think she's a top 10 fighter left in the tourny. STILL BAE THO. Then there is Cabba who at the moment is the weakest of the three. He looked pretty pissed at the end, but I'm not sure if there's anything left he could do. It'd be a super stretch to give him SSJ Rage like they gave Future Trunks. Dunno. Vados said it right. They're in trouble.

Third and last, who can be Jiren? I touched on this a bit in the first part about Goku perfecting Ultra Instinct. That has to be the conclusion, right? Last week I thought people might just have to gang up on Jiren, but the way things are set up right now it looks like it will be a good old fashion 1v1 winner take all make it take it do or die go hard or go home final d-d-d-d-d-dual.

Looks like Jiren will be tagged out for a few episodes while he chills since he feels like no one is a threat anymore (THE DISRESPECT GAHDAMM.) I can't see Vegeta trying to go in and fight unless his SAIYAN PRIDE (*cought* ego) kicks in. Otherwise, he's smarter than that. Frieza already said he don't want the paws put on him. Cabba may want to jump in for revenge, but idk he'll get daddy dicked with the quickness by Jiren, and maybe even Toppo and Dispo.

Btw.. can we talk about how much dickheads are on the Pride Troopers? I'm sorry, but most of those guys are assholes to me lol especially Dispo. The captain with the eyepatch who was out saving kittens seems like the only friendly guy that is truly good. But yeah, I don't see anyone right now capable of beating Jiren until Goku figures out Ultra Instinct, a new character we haven't seen appears, or one of Frieza/Vegeta learn Ultra Instinct themselves.

Overall this episode was pretty damn good.

[placetobenation]

It’s here. WrestleMania 36 Weekend! I hear it’s an event too big for one night!

So, no, not exactly the WrestleMania that we all envisioned a few months ago, but then again, our lives are very different now than they were a few months ago with the emergence of the on-going coronavirus pandemic.

Instead of a capacity crowd of nearly 70,000 fans in Tampa, we’ll now get a two-night WrestleMania based out of the Performance Center in Orlando in front of no fans and hosted by former Patriots and now WWE Superstar Rob Gronkowski.

With the card already reportedly taped, it’ll be interesting to see how the WWE lays it out over the two nights. With a pre-show staring at 6pm each night on the WWE Network, FS1 and various social platforms, the main card is expected to run anywhere from 7pm – 10:30pm according to the programming schedule on WWE Network. This year, fans will also be able to order the event on Fox Sports PPV and App due to this week’s deal with FOX.

We’ll get into our predictions for the event in a bit, but first, a quick look at how we got there this week with RAW, NXT and SmackDown.

RAW

RESULTS

Aleister Black defeated Jason Cade

Kevin Owens & The Street Profits defeated Seth Rollins, Angel Garza & Austin Theory

Asuka defeated Kayden Carter

Replay Matches:

WrestleMania 35 – Becky Lynch wins RAW/Smackdown Titles over Ronda Rousey & Charlotte Flair

Survivor Series 2019 – Brock Lesnar defeated Rey Mysterio, Jr.

You’ve done it now, @AJStylesOrg. You’ve gone and made a big mistake…#Undertaker awaits the #BoneyardMatch at #WrestleMania.#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/EswqJfcRqX

— WWE (@WWE) March 31, 2020

What stood out most of all on Monday night’s RAW was this – the promos, the storyline, the emotion. Finally, we got to really feel and hear WHY The Undertaker wanted to take out AJ Styles. It was more of the American Bad Ass than the Dead Man himself with some colorful language (i.e. “ass clowns”) when referring to The OC! Loved it!

.@HeymanHustle has a POWERFUL message for @DMcIntyreWWE when it comes to challenging @BrockLesnar for the #WWEChampionship at #WrestleMania!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/bIxGgieLjT

— WWE (@WWE) March 31, 2020

Also, Edge and Paul Heyman, as per usual, knocked it out of the park when setting up their respective matches with Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre. These are two matches in particular that really will get hurt by no fan interaction. The reaction to what we think will happen would’ve been HUGE!

Austin Theory replaces Andrade in the tag team title match due to Andrade’s “rib injury.” Nice spot for the kids in WrestleMania debuts for all involved in the RAW Tag Team Title match with The Street Profits.

Becky Lynch got attacked by Shayna Baszler to send one last message before WrestleMania and also to serve as a receipt for last week’s chair shot by The Man. It’s a good way to even things up headed into the PPV.

Finally, I wonder if, by replaying the Winner Take All match from Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey that they may be teasing a potential Rousey return by reminding us of that shaky 3-count pin by Lynch. Things that make you go hmmmmm…

RAW was the stand out show this week!

NXT

RESULTS

The Velveteen Dream defeated Bobby Fish

Dexter Lumis defeated Jake Atlas

2nd Chance Gauntlet Match for NXT Women’s Championship #1 Contender’s Ladder Match: Dakota Kai defeated Deonna Purrazzo, Xia Li, Kayden Carter, Aliyah and Shotzi Blackheart

Kushida defeated Joaquin Wilde

NXT North American Championship Match: Keith Lee defeated Dominik Dijakovic and Damian Priest to retain title

.@Shotziblack throws caution to the wind as she looks to outlast @DakotaKai_WWE in this HIGH-STAKES #GauntletMatch on #WWENXT! pic.twitter.com/vGNBcpZxdP

— WWE (@WWE) April 2, 2020

Overall, a solid show but nothing really standing out this week from NXT. It seems like they are just biding their time with NXT these days. The matches were fine with Shotzi Blackheart being the star of the night, almost going the full gauntlet before being taken out by Dakota Kai and shooting down her chance to win an NXT Women’s Championship Match against Rhea Ripley in the future.

We got follow-ups on Ciampa vs. Gargano and Malcolm Bivens new tag team plus the re-emergence of Dexter Lumis. Both were nice touches to keep the program moving.

But, to me, there wasn’t anything to really sink your teeth into. Again, we are in unprecedented times and now is the time to think out of the box and not stick to the norms. I would’ve thought NXT would be leading the way in WWE on this, but it just really hasn’t been there the past few weeks.

We did get another “kidnapping” though as the masked men captured Joaquin Wilde. Is this NXT’s version of The Dark Order?

When it's over, 𝑰𝑻'𝑺 𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑹. Blackheart vs. Rebel Heart: One Final Beat. NEXT WEEK. #WWENXT@JohnnyGargano @NXTCiampa pic.twitter.com/YcD4ZBanyi

— WWE (@WWE) April 2, 2020

Having said that, I can’t wait for Ciampa vs. Gargano. I hope it delivers next week! And yes, Killer Kross is still coming! Tick. Tock. Apocalypse.

BTW: Can this be the last time that Sam Roberts does commentary, please! Just not a big fan.

Speaking of not being a big fan, not overly thrilled at Keith Lee’s booking lately. He was such a big factor in the rise of NXT through the final few months of 2019 and then at the Royal Rumble. Not, it’s like he’s an afterthought in this feud with Damian Priest and Dominik Dijakovic. I just think they’ve missed an opportunity to capitalize on that momentum from the mainstream audience.

OK, my NXT rant is over.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

Triple Threat Match: Tamina defeated Lacey Evans and Naomi

Otis defeated Dolph Ziggler (DQ)

Daniel Bryan defeated Shinsuke Nakamura (DQ)

Replay matches:

WrestleMania 24 – Shawn Michaels defeated Ric Flair to end his WWE career (LOVE THIS MATCH!!! Amazing storytelling!)

Not quite the home run, go-home show to make me want to and yes, need-to watch WrestleMania this weekend.

BREAKING NEWS:@Goldberg will now defend the @WWE Universal Championship against @BraunStrowman at @WrestleMania. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/dYFgw40tek

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) April 4, 2020

Braun Strowman taking the place of Roman Reigns was just kind of thrown out there. No rhyme. No reason. Nothing. It was just thrown out there by Michael Cole after an Elias injury update and then hit social media. No mention as to why Roman Reigns is out. There wasn’t even an explanation on the WWE website during Friday Night SmackDown. Why can’t the WWE just be honest with us during this pandemic. Just face the reality with the audience. We can take it! Announce Reigns is out because he doesn’t want to compromise his body and the loved ones around him. It’s a story that people would relate to, yet the WWE just runs from it. I don’t get it at all! I just shake my head!

He's here. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/qmHYIbtlSt

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) April 4, 2020

Despite that, there were a few good things. John Cena’s promo that seemed more about the coronavirus pandemic – with its fear and panic – than about The Fiend was very good. Cool twist at the end too with the Firefly Firehouse friends surround the ring, The Fiend in the balcony and Bray Wyatt behind Cena.

Sonya Deville being the one behind Mandy Rose stiffing Otis on their Valentine’s Day date is a good plot twist. I wish they would use more of “The Truth Will Be Heard” than they do, especially in these crowdless days. They could really get creative as to the identity of the mysterious hacker. Let’s hope it doesn’t go down the road of the “anonymous RAW GM.”

"The truth will be heard." A mysterious stranger reveals WHO really texted @otiswwe during Valentine's Day… @SonyaDevilleWWE! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/JsPRoJMTAS

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) April 4, 2020

I could’ve done without the DQ finishes in the Tucker vs. Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan vs. Shinsuke Nakamura matches, but the story really was told more after the matches with the Deville unveiling and the beatdown of Bryan. So, it’s ok.

With reports that The Miz didn’t take part in the WrestleMania tapings, you have to wonder how that will play out in the tag team title match. Who knows, maybe the WWE won’t even acknowledge him much like the Reigns story. At least we got a small brawl with ladders Friday night between the six competitors (The New Day, The Usos and The Miz & John Morrison).

Sorry to be a downer, but I’m really disappointed in the showing on SmackDown. A huge missed opportunity to grab a huge audience this weekend is out the window. Don’t get me wrong, people will watch WrestleMania, but there was a chance to make it more interesting and thus, a bigger crowd watching from home.

And now, for those promised predictions you’ve been waiting for…

Updated WrestleMania Card (as of 4/4/20):

WWE Championship: Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre

Universal Championship: Goldberg vs. Braun Strowman

Boneyard Match: The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles

Firefly Funhouse Match: John Cena vs. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt

RAW Women’s Championship: Becky Lynch vs. Shayna Baszler

NXT Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair

SmackDown Women’s Championship – WrestleMania Fatal Five-Way Challenge Elimination Match: Bayley vs. Sasha Banks vs. Lacey Evans vs. Tamina vs. Naomi

Last Man Standing Match: Edge vs. Randy Orton

Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins

RAW Tag Team Championship: The Street Profits vs. Angel Garza & Austin Theory

Aleister Black vs. Bobby Lashley

Elias vs. King Corbin

Intercontinental Championship: Sami Zayn vs. Daniel Bryan

Otis vs. Dolph Ziggler

SmackDown Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Ladder Match: The Miz & John Morrison vs. The New Day vs. The Usos

Women’s Tag Team Championship Match – Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) vs. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross

Predictions:

Drew McIntyre wins WWE Championship beating Brock Lesnar

Goldberg retains Universal Championship over Braun Strowman

The Undertaker wins Boneyard Match as the American Badass over AJ Styles

The Fiend gets his revenge on John Cena in the Firefly Funhouse Match

Shayna Baszler beats Becky Lynch to win RAW Women’s Championship

Sasha Banks wins Smackdown Women’s Championship

Rhea Ripley retains NXT Women’s Championship over Charlotte Flair

Edge wins Last Man Standing Match over Randy Orton

Seth Rollins defeats Kevin Owens

The Street Profits retain RAW Tag Team Championship

Aleister Black beats Bobby Lashley

King Corbin defeats Elias

Sami Zayn gets disputed win to keep I-C Title over Daniel Bryan

Before SmackDown’s “The Truth Will Be Heard” segment, I thought Dolph Ziggler cheats to beat Otis keeping the feud alive. But now, I think they fast track Otis to the win.

The Miz & John Morrison retain SmackDown Tag Team Championship (will The Miz be there with his reported illness?)

Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross beat Kabuki Warriors to win Women’s Tag Team Championship

Parting shot:

Enjoy WrestleMania for what it is this year folks. It’s history for all the wrong reasons, but at least we can have a distraction for a few hours from the harsh reality that we are all going through as a Nation and as a World.

Stay safe and healthy my friends!

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at jcrowe567@gmail.com. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots (yes, even without Tom Brady!) and Red Sox fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND!