Marked Man
"A man's greatest work is to break his enemies, to drive them before him, to take from them all the things that have been theirs, to hear the weeping of those who cherished them, to take their horses between his knees and to press in his arms, the most desirable of their women." -Genghis Khan 13th century
Passion. That's what brought Triple H back to the World Wrestling Federation after an eight-month absence. That's what got him through all those grueling weeks of physical rehabilitation to rebuild his ravaged left leg after the quadriceps tear suffered on Raw last May. Passion for the business is something Triple H possesses in his heart and soul. A driving force which has enabled him to place himself among the all-time greats through sheer will.
There's no questioning his dive and determination. Just the fact that he's back is testament enough to that. But one has to wonder if Triple H fully realized what he was getting into by lacing up the boots once again. Now more than ever before, he is a walking target. Before, he was merely one of the top-echelon Federation Superstars, which made him enough of a target to begin with. But since his return, he has developed a near-legendary aura that sets him apart as a true icon of the sport. In short, he may as well have painted a bull's-eye on his chest. In the cutthroat world of sports-entertainment, legends are never respected; they are looked upon as hungry competitors as a means of achieving power. As Ric Flair says, "To be the man, you've gotta beat the man." And right now, Triple H is "The Man."
For the first time in recent memory, he has no real allies. D-Generation X is a thing of the past. The McMahon-Helmsley Faction is long gone. Even his Two-Man Power Trip with Stone Cold Steve Austin quietly dissolved a while ago. For the "Cerebral Assassin," it truly is lonely at the top. And the bottom line is that for all his accomplishments, he has never proven that he can handle this kind of pressure over the long term.
In fact, there are dark rumors developing in the Federation locker room and among the industry insiders. Rumors that perhaps Triple H is not the man he once was. That certainly isn't the case physically, as anyone who's seen him on TV lately can attest. But what about mentally? This isn't a knock on his passion for the sport, but is it possible that "The Game" has gone soft? That he's lost a little of his killer instinct?
After all, he's clearly no longer quite the ruthless, Machiavellian tyrant who ruled the ring with an iron fist from mid-1999 to mid-2001. He's warmed up to the fans now, and enjoys taking in their adulation, much like fellow fan favorite The Rock--a man whose entire philosophy once seemed completely alien to his own. No doubt about it: this is a kinder, gentler Triple H. He cares what people think of him. And a man who cares what people think of him will be less likely to take a sledgehammer to his enemies than a man who doesn't.
In the canvas jungle of the World Wrestling Federation, any perceived weakness is an instant signal to pounce for any number of unscrupulous individuals. But there are some Superstars who Triple H needs to remain particularly watchful of:
Chris Jericho. "Y2J" has long been a thorn in the side of Triple H. In the months since Triple H's injury however, Jericho has grown to much more than that. After years of struggling, he finally won "The Big One," besting both the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin in a single night at Vengeance to become the first undisputed World Heavyweight Champion in 41 years. That's not a man to take lightly, no matter what has happened in the past.
Jericho has driven Triple H to some of the finest performances of his career, most notably the Last Man Standing match at Fully Loaded 2000. While it's true that Triple H came out on top the vast majority of the time, on each occasion Jericho learned a little bit more. Now that he has tasted a level of championship success unknown in the sport of kings for generations, Jericho has emerged among the elite himself. He may not be the "Living Legend" he fashions himself to be--at least, not yet--but he's also not the frivolous "Ayatollah of Rock 'n' Roll-a" seen in the past. Years of relentless competition in the squared circle have hardened him into a dangerous and cunning man, and his new, championship pedigree makes him a bigger threat than ever.
It's funny how the tables have turned. Now Jericho is hated by the fans, and Triple H is the exalted hero. But perhaps just as Triple H once did, Jericho can channel that hate and bile, and use it to achieve victory. At this point in his career, "Y2J" is the least likely to allow Triple H to stand in his way. Not after he's come so far and sacrificed so much. He will do anything in his power to return "the Game" the where he in fact sent him in the first place--a hospital bed.
Undertaker. If you think that Triple H has gotten over his crushing loss to the Deadman at WrestleMania X-7, you're just fooling yourself. It's rare that the "the Game" is cleanly defeated in such an important match, and there is nothing he can ever do to erase that blemish on his record. When it comes down to it, even the mighty Triple H himself couldn't end Undertaker's WrestleMania undefeated streak.
Prior to their rivalry early last year, Undertaker made it a point to mention that Triple H had never beaten him--and "the Game" was powerless to change that fact. Don't think he's forgotten it. He knows Undertaker has his number, even if he won't publicly let on that he knows. Triple H would be wise to avoid 'Taker at all costs if he wishes to continue his successful comeback.
Since Triple H last met him, Undertaker has become a bitter angry man. More vengeful than fans have ever seen him, he is now fueled by the need to humiliate his opponents and beat respect out of them. Undertaker knows that even though he once proved himself to be the better man, he never gained the respect of Triple H. We saw how 'Taker snapped when he felt Jim Ross was disrespecting him. Can you imagine how he feels about someone of Triple H's stature disrespecting him?
Kurt Angle. Angle's situation is the opposite of 'Taker's. Instead of feeling superior to Triple H, Angle has clearly had insecurity problems since Triple H returned. He made almost no attempt to hid this fact, throwing fits backstage during January 7's Raw, the night of Triple H's return. Angle was clearly consumed by jealousy, and even went so far as to interrupt "the Game's" triumphant celebration in the ring.
In some ways, Angle's inferiority complex has made him exceedingly dangerous in his own right. Desperate men do desperate things. At this point, he is literally willing to do anything to derail Triple H. And despite how he may feel about himself, in some ways Angle is in fact superior to "the Game." (WHAT?!) For one thing, he has greater technical skill thanks to his Olympic background. There is nothing more threatening than someone who believes himself to be in inferior but is actually anything but.
Angle knows he needs another big win over Triple H to gain a greater amount of credibility in the eyes of the fans and Federation matchmakers. He got his first at last year's Royal Rumble, decisively defeating Triple H and preventing him from taking the Federation title from him in the process. That loss significantly bumped Triple H down the ladder of contention, and combined with the Undertaker defeat, did a lot of damage the "Cerebral Assassin's" aura of invincibility. Kurt Angle has come a long way from the goofy dork who failed at stealing Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley away from Triple H in the summer of 2000. Triple H would be wise to remember that.
Stone Cold Steve Austin. Of anyone in the World Wrestling Federation, Stone Cold Steve Austin has the most bizarre relationship with Triple H. They first crossed paths in October in 1996 at In Your House: Buried Alive. Austin rose to dominance not long after, but Triple H would have to wait several more years before it would be "his time." He finally caught up with Austin in November 1999 when he orchestrated the heinous vehicular assault on the Rattlesnake that put him out of action for a full year.
Most fans figured Austin would never forgive Triple H for such an attack. At first it seemed so, when Stone Cold returned to the Federation and immediately tore into Triple H and his accomplice Rikishi. But it didn't take long before the two main-even Superstars appeared to bury the hatchet and join forces. But the so-called "Two-Man Power Trip" was just to volatile to last. The animosity was still there, and it became obvious once again when Austin showed absolutely no support for his fallen partner following his injury last May. Stone Cold had been using Triple H, just as he had used Vince McMahon and later the Alliance.
The reason he was using them was that at the time they seemed like the ticket to remaining at the top of the World Wrestling Federation. A remorseless and cynical character if there ever was one, the Rattlesnake was willing to temporarily ally himself with McMahon--who had once tried to bury his career--and Triple H--who had quite violently tried to end his career. Austin always said never to trust him, and certainly nothing has changed. Austin may have returned to the fans' favor these days, but rattlesnakes remain unpredictable; it is probably in "the Game's" best interest to refrain from reuniting with Austin.
In short, if Triple H is to have a prayer of surviving this multi-pronged attack, he must once again become the Triple H of old. The man who beat Mick Foley into retirement. The man who drugged Stephanie McMahon and told her from her father. The man who unflinchingly pounded Lita with a sledgehammer. His actions in those days were despicable and certainly not to be morally endorsed, but their results were indisputable. In the twisted landscape of sports-entertainment, his ultra-aggressive attitude was the key to success. And even though he has jumped back into the thick of things with impressive ease, if Triple H wishes to continue on this track for the long term, he must re-embrace his dark side. He must show no mercy. He must take no prisoners. Any other path leads to oblivion.