Luchador Corner
THE TEMPLE
Most Compelling Luchador (and why?): Santiago Siniestro. Sharing the love with another member of War Machine for a change, I'm just curious what his intentions with Ziggy Robbins could be. Of course, this is the man he had a hand in trying to drown not too long ago, but perhaps personal agendas are coming to play. After all, out of the trio, Santiago is the only one without a title at the moment...
Most Enjoyable Segment (and why?): The Name On The Bottle. I know there were extraneous factors that led to it, but I think this segment was perfect to establish the stakes going forward. Dr. Eric E. Vinell is the perfect character to plot out the first major death in the season, and I loved his sinister dialogue.
I'm also going to shout out Invasion. Loved seeing Dolly try and play things her way only for her kindness to be brutally shut down by Aranza. Also led nicely into the show's closing segment, Swingers Anonymous.
Most Enjoyed Match (and why?): Hardcore Championship Battle Royal. I mean what a chaotic rush of a match. Loved the action and interplay from everyone involved, congrats to Vinell, Toro, and Standard who were able to grab hold of the title if only for a moment, but at the end of the day Warlord Mars still stands supreme as the most destructive force in OSW.
Luchador of the Night (and why?): Academius. Lowkey has been one of the top performers in OSW for a minute now and really showed it tonight not only with a victory over Santiago Siniestro in the classroom, but managing the pressure coming from both Reverend Blackheart and Darkwish who both seem to take issue with his mission to educate the masses.
Your Overall Feedback Remarks: The intrigue is building nicely as we get closer to Invasion. I thought this episode was paced very well and as usual can't wait to see more.
Most Compelling Luchador (and why?): This one is going to Jack Standard, I loved what was going on the entire night with him. It's pretty fun to see someone who is a pretty straight laced character be put into such absurd situations. One of the more interesting matches to see was the 3 on 1 and to see how he would get out of that. Very much follow this basic through line.
Most Enjoyable Segment (and why?): Swingers Anonymous is such a great endpoint to hang on. It sets up the characters super well with every line being super in line with them. and the hanging line of "Which one's mine" with the reveal of Aranza listening in is a great cap off.
Other shout out is Tranquil. That one really for some reason made me laugh mostly because it reminded me of the smackdown in japan where JBL got tranqued and fought Godzilla. But the general "oh shit moment" Standard had was amazing. so I really do gotta shout that one out
Most Enjoyed Match (and why?): I'll give the shout out to The Ultraviolent championship match. I kinda like the people who have been in the picture of it all. And this match specifically is brutal but also really fun, Mr. Grimm is dominant in the no rules environment. and keeps his hands on the prize that he never lost.
I also really did like the Hardcore battle Royal it was the chaotic fun that the scramble needed to be. That being said I figured that would be a lot of other people's favorite so I'd aim to give a different match a shout.
Luchador of the Night (and why?): Darkwish hands down. Got a win over the Champion and then confronted Warlord Mars. He was pretty much all over this show. And it's very easy to say that this show did raise his stock quite a bit considering everything that occurred tonight.
Your Overall Feedback Remarks: So vinell killed a guy I think lol. He's kinda been this guy who's been hiding in the background but the movements he makes are measured and make impact. All in all a really good show.
Most Compelling Luchador
There wasn’t a clear standout for me this week like there has been in previous shows. I did consider giving it to Academius for his back-and-forth with Blackheart and Darkwish, but after re-reading the show I’ve actually gone with Santiago Del Toro.
I’ve been enjoying this character’s voice since Volume IV kicked off even though I didn’t know much about him beforehand/his motivations weren’t totally clear yet. This week though, his exchange with Benny and Ace really landed for me. Whether the meeting was coincidence or not, Del Toro has clearly positioned himself as a major heel going after one of the biggest faces on the roster in Starshield. It feels like the start of a strong storyline and Santiago was the one who really set it in motion this week.
Most Enjoyable Segment
I really enjoyed Dogma this week, mostly because anything involving Blackheart is a great read right now. I love the voice of the character and the way he’s being written.
The Reverend also seems to have found a really natural foil in Academius, crashing in at the end of one of his religious study sessions. Like the Del Toro angle, this feels like something with real legs and the start of a natural feud. Definitely one I’ll be keeping an eye on.
Most Enjoyed Match
I’d be surprised if many people go a different direction here, but the Battle Royale closing the show was easily the most fun match to read. Lots of entrants, quick title changes, and plenty going on throughout.
In the end though, Warlord Mars showed his grit again and retained the belt in the closing moments - snatching it back from Jack Standard right at the last knockings.
Luchador of the Night
There wasn’t a single standout as such for me this week, but Academius and Darkwish both deserve honourable mentions. They were involved in solid segments and both picked up wins.
Darkwish beating the World Champion in particular was no small feat.
Overall Feedback
Not much to critique this week in terms of the build toward Invasion. The main development was learning about Glitter’s little plan to team up with fellow Invasionees to eliminate certain competitors and potentially improve their odds.
If that does play out, it’ll be interesting to see if Jam and the others end up banding together in the match to return the favour.
Most Compelling Luchador (and why?): JACK STANDARD
If we're looking at in ring performances that make one force others to stand up and take notice, Jack really set the Standard this week (bazinga!). A great in ring performance to back up the attitude.
If you're going to come across like he does, you're going to have to back it up, and he did. Keep the roll going matey!
Most Enjoyable Segment (and why?): WALKTHROUGH GUIDE
I really liked the showcase of all three characters in this one. The way Mars just seemed hell bent on his warpath. Pixelshift appealing to his ego. Darkwish getting himself involved, then getting flattened for his troubles.
I loved this segment, it showcased the competitors really well and gave plenty to then still pick up next week.
Most Enjoyed Match (and why?): THE THREE ON ONE
You've gotta love a Handicap match as a way to really get a competitor over. This ties into the Most Compelling Luchador section naturally. That's a feat even with a two on one handicap match, but a three on one, even better.
I loved him getting the dirty win though, as it still casts a bit of a 'yeah but he pulled the tights' element to it, which only serves to give Standard more heel points. Great character work here.
And, of course, one has to also give some love to the Battle Royale. That was just some epic chaos, which Mars seems to thrive on.
Luchador of the Night (and why?): WARLORD MARS
If it wasn't winning back the title in a Battle Royale, it was the punch that flattened Darkwish. It's just the whole Warlord Mars package. He's a freaking nutcase, but are you going to stand in front of him and tell him that?
What an awesome character!
Your Overall Feedback Remarks:
An aside before I begin properly. The more I see the chemistry between Dr Cube and Edward Newton, the more I get the sense that this could be a MASSIVE ongoing feud. We're always on the search for what is going to be the next Kersh v Scarecrow... The potential here for some absolutely legendary mindgames upon mindgames will be EPIC!
ACADEMIUS
This was some amazing Character work for me. It's the verbal jousting, the academic fencing that Academius revels in. I hadn't even thought about the possibility of him actually still physically teaching and the location of his school and classroom being a state secret. I really like the rub for creating tension in this feud coming from the education standpoint of christianity education vs religious education. It's topical without being too political, and creates a believable feud here.
[A half-eaten apple sits beside the educator. It’s dark outside. He puts in countless hours to nurture the minds of the future.]This little section here really took me. I was always considering Academius to be a hardnosed teacher who didn't actually give a damn about the kids he teaches, but to see that firstly the kids in his classroom seemed actually HAPPY to be there in the first segment, and the hours he puts in at the end of the day out of a place of nurturing, that paints him in a great light.
I think if anything, there's potentially a bit more loathing in Academius - after all, there is a reason that he's been reduced to teaching in Molvania of all places.
LUX
Honoured to be involved in Invasion. It should be a hell of a match with an exciting build!
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