Last Wednesday the Elite attacked AEW owner Tony Khan.  In a move which was polarizing at best.  Your writer was curious how the story would play out.  But equally apprehensive about the company’s ability to tell it.

So here’s a few things they must, should and should not do to maximize it:

Must

• Have Jack Perry tell the story of his suspension, provide a reason for the attack, and explain his ‘Scapegoat’ character to people who don’t have New Japan World
• Have the Elite – particularly the Bucks – do the same
• Have AEW explain why none of the above have been fined/fired/suspended

Nigel McGuinness explaining that ‘Well, they’re EVP’s,’ doesn’t come close.  If that’s the level of thought they’ve put into this major storyline, they’re in trouble.

Three of the four hold titles, doesn’t take a genius to suggest this idea: Tony doesn’t want champions off tv and will instead punish them by lining up top challengers.  Perhaps even leading to tv title defences against opponents who have a chance to actually win!

Or have rivals say they don’t want them suspended; they want a piece.  FTR have a beef.  Copeland recently cut a rah rah pro-AEW speech.  Moxley’s spent most of the past half-decade doing the same.  The new AEW champ called their actions ‘a bitch move’ on Collision.  Plenty of candidates.

Must Not

• Have the Bucks say they attacked Tony because he took away their booking power in December 2019.  Just no

So those are the major plot points.  Which must be explained to the audience.  They’re crucial to the story.  Without them, this is just a bunch of angles half the audience isn’t in on.  If something’s not important enough to be explained, it’s damn sure not important enough for viewers to get invested in.

Let’s move on:

Should

• Have Tony Khan sell his injuries for at least a month.  He’s a non-wrestler who took a spike piledriver.  They’ve already explained that he’s only well enough to run things remotely.  Let’s have that last a while.  In the meantime, Schiavone can relay Khan’s commands
• Have Kenny Omega take a beating tonight to setup a grudge when he returns – yes, you have to be careful about beating down hometown babyfaces, but Kenny needs surgery, the Elite (at least 2/4 of them) could sure use the boos and it sets up a big match down the road

Should Not

• Have Tony Khan become a regular character.  The fact he didn’t even speak last week suggests this isn’t much of a concern
• Introduce an authority figure in the meantime.  To say this is overdone is like saying Billy Gunn enjoys the spotlight.  Or Chris Jericho enjoys forming factions
• Have Kenny Omega as said authority figure since he’s the other EVP.  Though he possesses many talents, talking’s not one of them.  Nor is projecting an air of authority
• Have the AEW owner – remotely – respond instantaneously to wrestlers issuing challenges: ‘I’ve just been informed by Tony Khan…’  But then stay silent re: Elite beatdowns and other shenanigans.  If he’s watching; he’s watching.  And should be keen to clamp down on his attackers

As noted, yours truly is at least interested in what comes next.  Largely because it seems part of a long-term plan/story:

Okada comes in as heel > Replaces Kenny in the Elite after Bucks boot him out > They show the All In footage > Jack Perry finally returns to help the Bucks > Jack Perry initiates the attack on Khan which the new group help him carry out > ???

The key is what comes next – just a grudge?  An attempted takeover?  If this has truly been in the works for months, they should have every detail ironed out, I’s crossed, T’s dotted and all that.  As is ever the case with this company, the true test is in the follow-up.  It has the potential to either hook or turn fans away in droves.