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**Chris** · 06-06-2007, 06:35 PM

Well, for the first topic of something I been wanting to do, deals with the higher power storyline between Austin and Vince. During this time frame, before the internet really nit picked/gave away spoilers and before fans came online and bit the bait of knowing whats going on behind the scenes and shit like that, WWE (WWF at time) had an intriguing angle that helped continue the Vince/Austin saga.

During the time the ministry and corporation teamed up and feuded with Austin/Union/Whoever. Anyways, to get to key point, during this particular instance in the feud/storyline, there was one question looming around and that was....

Who is the higher power?

Now I want everyone to be truthful and honest about this and this that I am referring to, is....

Did you figure out it was Vince all along or did you think it was someone else?

Well, I didn't know it was Vince all along, but I did figure out it was Vince before he revealed himself as the higher power. A few weeks before revealing himself, Vince was a face and he was sorta feuding with the corporate ministry. A few key things was him sending Ken Shamrock to save his daughter from the ministry and the ministry outside of his house like they were stalking his daughter. I didn't really piece them together right away, but when that night on Sunday Night Heat, Austin was pinned in the ropes and the higher power revealed himself to Austin and Austin gave that look, all the pieces fit together. That was when I fully knew it was Vince.

My brother and his friend kept saying it was going to be Shawn Michaels or Shane McMahon, but I deep down knew and was right that it was Vince, I just didn't fully go with it till that night.

So, Who did you truthfully think was the Higher Power? Explain your answer in full.

**Something Savage** · 06-06-2007, 06:49 PM

I like the idea of discussing nostalgia and stuff, and the topic you chose is a pretty good one to boot. So props to you for that. You always seem to have good ideas for discussion.

Quote:

During this time frame, before the internet really nit picked/gave away spoilers and before fans came online and bit the bait of knowing whats going on behind the scenes and shit like that

I remember the 'net going wild about this angle, actually. I don't really know what the significant differences were/are between how the company was ran backstage back then, as opposed to how it is right now, but you're absolutely right in talking about how the spoilers & storyline resolutions didn't really leak out like they do now. Occasionally, yes. And they were discussed just as much. But, whether WWE had a tighter policy about their information back then or WHATEVER, the info was surely harder to come by.

With this particular storyline about the "Higher Power", I remember a lot of guessing going on. Possible names for the Higher Power were dropped, including everyone from Shawn Michaels to Shane McMahon, from Vince himself to Jake "The Snake" Roberts. I specifically remember reading a column on NoDQ.com around that time, and a certain columnist wrote out a very detailed explanation, as to why they just "KNEW" that it was going to turn out to be Roberts, in some awesome revenge plot, dating all the way back to King of the Ring '96.

If only that were true.

Nope. Instead, the conclusion was (by a wide margin of opinion), a huge disappointment. The Vince/Austin angle was great, no doubt, but it had just FINALLY come to an end. Fans were ready for something new. Something fresh. Something different. And they got a brief taste of all that, for a whole two months.

To this day, I really don't know why they went that route with the angle. I'm sure it was pre-established the whole time that Vince was going to be the culprit, but really... why? I mean, what was the purpose? I know Russo was booking and from that time period, it's highly possible that it was just swerves for swerves sake. Still, it's a topic that I don't mind discussing with others who have their ideas about it. And it's a relatively fresh discussion, too.

**Chris** · 06-06-2007, 07:07 PM

Good reply, thanks for taking the time.

As far as the internet comment I made, I wasn't on the internet at the time, so I just based that on how it is now and I guessed that back then the internet wasn't as bad as it is now. However, that's not the issue I wanted to get at with this, so I'm leaving it at that.

As far as the issue, I just went with my gut feeling and I thought it was Vince when that Sunday Night Heat Episode was on. That was one of my favorite moments of the feud to be honest. Now as far as "should they have done it this way" is concerned. I'd say that there could've been other possibilities that would've made sense and probably some interesting television, but in my opinion the way they did it, was done well and I'll explain why.

At the time Austin didn't really trust Vince after what happened to him and all prior to this part of the saga and I think this part of the saga gave it a bait and switch type of thing. You actually thought Vince had changed and was behind Austin and it was catching on as well. That gave the saga some interesting depth and a new freshness to it at the time. Then when Vince revealed himself to be the higher power, it again added something more to the saga and the bait and switch type of thing worked out well in my opinion.

Plus, by doing it the way they did, it closed the chapter or story of the Austin/McMahon saga (during that time). If the higher power woulda been someone else, it would've basically made the whole Austin/McMahon feud be a bit messed up. The saga was Austin V McMahon, not anyone else. Sure if it woulda been someone else, it would've been fresh for TV and stuff like that, but it would've messed up the vibe of Austin/McMahon. That's just how I feel though.

**Something Savage** · 06-06-2007, 08:13 PM

I see what you mean about adding depth to the McMahon/Austin saga, even though I believe a lot of that eventually got tossed out the window after WrestleMania X7 anyway. But that's another subject altogether. I still get what you're saying here. And to an extent, I agree.

I think it made sense in the overall picture, because it lead up to the match between Undertaker & Austin at Fully Loaded, in which Vince agreed that he would "NEVER again" appear on WWF television if Austin won. In return, the stipulation also stated that if Austin lost, then the Rattlesnake would NEVER again be able to challenge for the WWF Championship. Now that was the logical conclusion. That was the culmination of the Austin/Vince war. It reached a point where one guy, either boss or employee, would have to go. And it just made sense for Austin to send Vince packing.

So, in that respect, I understand why it was done. There needed to be an ultimate conclusion to one of the most popular and successful rivalries in wrestling history. But I still get the sense that it didn't offer enough substance in between the revelation & the pay-off match. Austin's stint as CEO was entertaining, but short-lived. The same goes for Vince's allegiance with Austin.

Still, I don't want to take too much away from the angle. Any storyline that allows us to see Austin spend Shane's salary on a "beer budget" is quite all right with me.

**Stratusfactor** · 06-06-2007, 08:28 PM

I honestly thought it was gonna be someone debuting or someone new. I didn't think it would be Vince, I thought that was out of the question, and I didn't think it would be Shane either, that just didn't cross my mind. I thought someone else would be the one who was the "Higher Power".

Warbart · 06-06-2007, 08:54 PM

Vince really took me by surprise also, around the time I was kinda of thinking it was Vince or maybe I thought it would be Shawn Michaels kinda continuing the story that was going on from last year. To be honest close around the revealing I thought it actually might be Stephanie her self, that would add some real surprise, as did Vince.