What's the end game for Aces & Eights?

[Caliber]

At first I dug the Aces & Eights deal, but I thought it'd pretty much be over by BFG. However, it's just getting started.

Are we gonna unmask a guy every month? How long until Hulk Hogan just turns heel and joins them anyway?

Also, we all know wrestling is scripted, but they're reaaaallly insulting our intelligence when someone is beaten half to death with a hammer. I can only suspend my disbelief for so long.

[robertd]

Luckily I don't think the angle is ever going to get hot enough enough that Hogan decides he should be the leader.

The way I see it, Brisco and Bischoff(Garrett at first, Eric eventually) will be unmasked, maybe a Gut Check guy becomes a Prospect, and maybe one TNA mainstay jumps over, but hopefully those will be it for the faces of the group.

My biggest interest in the group now is where the Joseph Parks scenario ends up. I like the idea of wrestling school, as he's been great in the inept non-wrestler who has shades of "his brother".

[shlocko]

I like that they are at least doing something. It might not be the greatest angle in history (because, let's face it, it's an nWo re-hash) but at least it's a long-term story.

My hope is that it isn't Hogan behind it, because that would just be The Higher Power all over again. I realize that Jim Cornette said that the moratorium on reusing angles is 7 years, but this is one they should just let die.

The smart thing to do would be to use it to elevate some of the middle-tier guys to the main event level. Maybe they were frustrated by the inability to crack into the upper level, break the glass ceiling, whatever. It needs some sort of payoff that isn't Vince McMahon taking off a hood or the Black Scorpion being Ric Flair.

[regalstretch]

I think they need a big heel (either turn someone or bring in a free-agent) to really pay off the angle. With the Linda campaign spending, they could be hoping for a bunch of roster cuts to come, I hope they don't stretch it out too much longer though.

[themightyblot]

I'm in the same boat as shlocko. Wrestling has gotten a huge case of ADD since the start of the century, and we just don't have those classic angles that lasted MONTHS, building up to Wrestler A finally getting his hands on Wrestler B and vanquishing the villain. I'm hoping that's where this is going; a couple more reveals, then a big blow-off at Lockdown.

My only worry is that, with it already getting repetitive, people are just going to get sick of the spinning of the wheels and want an end to it, and instead of taking this to mean "we really need to do a better job of time management with our longer angles", TNA will take it to mean "all people want is quick and simple! Bring back Russo!"

[scottyflamingo]

I think it has shifted from a company changing angle, to a midcard angle. The problem with mystery men is the fans' imagination is gonna build up something impossible to follow up. Right now I think it'll be a mechanism to bring in guys like Gallows who aren't a big deal on their own.

I think the Devon reveal was them punting this angle.

They'll use it to build to Lockdown and have a Wargames style match with 4 or 5 Aces Vs a TNA team. If I was booking I'd make it where Park realizes he's Abyss and finally hulks out and destroys Aces for good. Then scatter them through the midcard and see who sinks or swims.