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When SCW brings Tactical Warfare to a pay per view, the world begins to get excited, knowing what it means for the organization. Usually it is the match that highlights the event, and completely overshadows everything else that happen on the card, but this year, at Total War, that seems to not be the case. This year, SCW has made the two co-main events both equally relevant to the notion of war. One is, obviously, Tactical Warfare, but the other is the battle between Silas Mason's brood and the collective group of Shaun Cruze, Chris Cannon, and Jake Starr.
The latter war is one that has been budding for some time, and it has come to the point where one side or the other will be giving the other the glory of being the "victor" in the ultimate battle. The battle lines were drawn on Breakdown, and the stipulations that were made show the importance of the battle, and the willingness of both sides to lay it all on the line, all for the chance to secure the victory. On the side of the "good guys," the three all had to put pen to paper, agreeing that if they were to be the losing party in the match, whomever suffered the actual fall would be forced to sign on as an associate of Silas Mason. It's a contract that everyone knows would be a tough pill for any of the three to swallow. Chris Cannon has tasted what that world is like, and he got away. Shaun Cruze aligned himself with Mason long enough to ensure his safe passage to Rise to Greatness. But Jake Starr has never been there, and he doesn't want to find out what he's missing, either. On the flip side, Silas Mason knew that it wouldn't be all "take, take, take," for him, as far as stipulations went. He knew that, as much as he may want to simply agree to the match ONLY on his conditions, the odds of that being the case were slim to none, but he never expected what would be thrown his way. Instead of making it about each one of his members being pinned, like the opposition was, they all represented one result for him. Should any of his representatives cause the defeat of his empire at Total War, he would be FORCED to step inside a steel cage against whomever the man was, who scored the victory. While the idea of this whole possibility did NOT sit well with Silas Mason, there was a silver lining to it all. There was a way where he could feel a sense of comfort in knowing there may be a way for him to still "hold the edge" in the odds. Unlike with his team, the team against him all had the same desire. He knew that Shaun, Chris, and Jake ALL wanted the right to take Silas out inside a cage, while his trio would collectively be focused on simply claiming another contract under their banner. It's a hope that Silas has, that maybe, just maybe, each man who is opposing him will try and upstage the other two, and ultimately begin to screw things up for themselves as a team. It is a definite possibility, especially in professional wrestling. Very rarely can "one prize" be earned, and three people who want it stand together on who is truly going to be the one who gets it. It's this idea, that Shaun, Jake, and Chris will ultimately fight one another to try and score the win, which makes Silas believe his group has the edge. He knows they are on the same page. He knows that his "World" is walking in, all looking to protect their fearless leader. They know that if they don't, their time at the top of the pecking order could become limited, or even non-existent. With these stipulations being unleashed, Jake knew that he wanted that opportunity. He knew he wanted to get his hands on Silas, but he's also been doing a lot of thinking about the "bigger picture." The idea of beating Silas up as a reward is enticing, but he also realizes that even if Silas gets beaten up by he or either one of his partners, the likelihood that it would be the "end" of him is slim, and ultimately he will have his moment, whether it's then or otherwise. Jake's focus at Total War is simple... Winning! As the camera slowly begins to come into focus, the room is shown to be completely dark. One beam of light appears, and from the looks of the room, it looks to resemble a warehouse. The beam of light illuminates what looks to be the bottom of an American flag hanging from the rafters as well. Footsteps can be heard approaching the boom microphone that is running audio for this video. A shadowy figure approaches, dressed in full United States, military-issued, camouflage, BDUs (battle dress uniform). As the figure gets to the spotlight, it is revealed to be none other than Jake Starr, dressed as if he's ready to be deployed. As he steps fully into the light, Jake begins to immediately stand fully at attention, and then proceeds to go "at ease." Standing with his hands behind his back, he begins to speak in a very serious, and soft voice. Jake Starr: War... It's something that has driven the world for the bulk of humanity, and been the force that has lead to the rise and fall of many empires. It's almost become one of the unavoidable certainties of life, along with death and taxes, and it is something that many feel, a lot of the time, is unnecessary. But even with many of the unnecessary battles and conflicts that have been waged, and the copious amounts of scrutiny that they have all endured, there are those wars, those fights, those struggles, those battles, those unfortunately necessary instances where war truly is needed to resolve a conflict. Jake begins to slowly walk to the side. As he walks, the spotlight begins to illuminate pieces of, what look like, artifacts from wars past. Take walks up beside one of those artifacts, which turns out to be one of the aquatic landers from the D-Day Invasion. Seeing this, and recognizing the other pieces that have been partially lit from the spotlight, it is easy to tell that Jake is standing inside the World War II Museum, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
As Jake, once again, poses in proper "form," he does break protocol by reaching up, and placing one hand on the side of the vessel, before continuing. June 6, 1944... Operation Neptune... Operation Overlord... The Invasion of Normandy... Omaha Beach... All of these names reflect a battle that the world looks at as a true turning point, and a necessary one at that. During World War II, the Allies were in desperate need to turn the tide, and to begin the reclamation of Europe from the Axis powers. The Germans, fighting wars on two fronts, were the victims of deception, as the Allies used this day to change the course of history. Whether you look at it in hindsight, or in real time, people looked at this battle as a necessity. World War II was a necessity. It wasn't something people liked, or really wanted, but the fight was for a greater good. This battle, though, was one that was with a lot of uncertainty. The Allies didn't know if the Germans took the bait or not. They didn't know if they would be met with an ambush that could completely eliminate morale. At the same time, as they road in on vessels just like this, they had a lot of other concerns on their mind as well... Can I trust this man next to me to have my back? Will this guy run scared, if things go bad? Am I ready for what is ahead? What happens if everyone bails on me? What happens if my buddy in the back is killed? What do I do if I'm shot? All of these questions were running through the minds, along with each and every man on that boat trying to play out the scenario and plan in their mind, as they understood it. The uncertainty of what was to come plagued each and every soldier, but nevertheless, they realized what they had to do. They realized what it meant for them to be there, facing down the Axis Powers, and doing everything they could to end their reign of terror. They realized that, ultimately, the mission wasn't to worry about all of the "what ifs" or the possible negative outcomes. They knew that they were one of the last hopes of the free world, and if they failed, the world in which we live in now would be VASTLY different than what it is now. They knew that should they fail, humanity would suffer, and their descendants would live in a world fueled by hatred and evil, rather than freedom and peace... Jake slowly lowers his hand, from contacting the aquatic vessel, and goes back to "at ease."
... And while the battle for the free world has, honestly, been won, and many of the current skirmishes and "wars" represent ideological battles that divide people in regards to whether or not people agree or disagree with, there is a war that has been brewing for some time. It isn't on the same caliber, but I will say that it does have ramifications that could bring destruction to everything that I do hold near and dear to my heart. For some time now, SCW has been stuck listening to the likes of Silas Mason, and has been forced to allow his hateful rhetoric to plague its airwaves. SCW has also been forced to watch Silas Mason go around and force people into, basically, indentured servitude, all to try and help him try and take over the organization, and rebuild it in his own image. It's something that, for a while, I did like many did early on before World War II truly began, and I simply sat back and watched. I didn't think it was something that would ever grow to a level that would be "concerning," but like the Nazi party in Germany, it began to get louder and louder, and take over the lives and careers of people who, truthfully, never wanted to be part of such a vile agenda. It wasn't until Rise to Greatness that I really began to take notice. I didn't really pay Silas much attention until he legitimately tried to get me out of the main event match, all because he KNEW that should the number of competitors increase, the chances of "his horse" crossing the finish line first would severely dwindle. That was when things got a little more personal for me. When Silas decided he knew how the world should run, and how I should simply "fall in line" with his point of view, without even ASKING or CONSIDERING what I thought, I knew the road would be bumpy, and when he continued that trend even AFTER Rise to Greatness, he officially showed me that he was out for his own good, and to take over EVERYTHING. After all of the "standing still" Jake has done, he decides it is time to "take a walk." The first floor of the World War II museum only has a few pieces of history, along with the ticketing line, and Jake slowly begins to walk past those artifacts.
Much like before Operation Overlord began to take shape, I tried to fight battles that would begin to chip away at the foundation of Silas's World. I won some of them. I was able to show him that he wouldn't be able to send his little minions one by one to take me down, and he quickly realized he would have to outnumber me to do any damage... And that's where he has always had the advantage. No matter how many times I swung for the fences, he would pull another minder out of the woodworks to come and attack me. Silas did all of this to try and beat me into submission. He wanted me to ultimately stand back, and bow to his desires and his "supremacy." He expected me to be just like those whom he has bought, which told me one thing... He didn't respect Jake Starr! Instead of being smart, and trying to simply make me forget about him, and move on, he was stupid enough to keep poking at me, and hoping that I would ultimately succumb to his wishes. He hoped that I would give up, rather than fight back. He hoped that the numbers advantage would keep me at a distance, but what happened was something that I don't think he expected, or anticipated... As Jake looks up at one of the salvaged aircrafts suspended from the ceiling, he immediately walks into an object completely out of place, except for the context of Jake's promo, and falls back. The camera slowly looks over to see the object is none other than a blue police box, quite shockingly resembling that of a TARDIS. After the stunned moment of walking into such a sturdy object, Jake turns to the camera and smirks, before delivering a line that helps describe the reasoning for the TARDIS having landed there.
... A good man declared war! Supreme Championship Wrestling has stood idle, and let this man just go around ruining career after career, all because he's got some bullshit story he sells people on, stating he's going to make them into champions. He hasn't done SHIT yet. He's been an epic failure at doing what he thinks he is truly capable of pulling off. He has caused a lot of emotional heartache for the likes of Kelcey Wallace, but it's almost like he's trying to prove a point. It's like he's trying to practice a form of embarrassing "tough love," all with the hopes it pushes her over the edge, but instead it's brought a lot more people into the battle, and brought his "numbers game" mentality to an almost moot point. At Breakdown, I made the declaration of war, after being brought into this fight. I withstood the urge, and I tried to help where I could. I tried to be the "silent partner," with my own agenda. I wanted to ruin Silas Mason, because of what he did to my family, and his decision to disrespect me, but I wanted to be calculated. I wanted to whittle away at his confidence, by taking his mercenaries out one by one, but when I realized that wouldn't work, I decided declaring all-out war was the way to go, and I didn't look back. When Silas decided he was going to try and scare me off, and declared that if my team lost, the person who lost it for our team would be another one of his "servants," I did what I do best... I gave that motherfucker the finger! I didn't have anyone committed to fighting, when I accepted things, but I was going to lead the charge, dammit! When things finally calmed, and Shaun and Chris came to me to commit to joining the battle, there was a lot that went through my mind... Can I trust these two? Will these two have my back? Will they put their safety above mine? What will I do if they bail? How will I react if they let me get pinned? Jake raises his eyebrows, and shrugs.
Sound familiar? If it doesn't, you have the memory of a goldfish. I walk into battle with two men who I have to put my FAITH into, all hoping that they will do their job, and hope they trust me to do mine. It's not a guarantee. It's not a promise. They could honestly have their own agenda that involves me being sent to the wolves, for all I know. They could still be on Silas's payroll, and this is an elaborate deception to take Jake Starr out. I DON'T FUCKING KNOW! That is why I have to go out there, and I have to trust them. I have to look at Chris Cannon, I have to look at Shaun Cruze, I have to also even look at Kelcey Wallace, and I have to believe that they're all there to win. Sure, we all want the prize. We all want our chance to handle Silas Mason ourselves, but the fact is, we can't let it cloud our judgment about winning the match, first and foremost. While the actual prize of Silas's carcass is fantastic, the knowledge that you're part of the team who is sending that piece of shit to his demise is far greater, and far longer lasting. So I have to hope they see it that way, too. Yeah, I want to get my hands on Silas. Yeah, I know they want the same. But in the end we are going into war with a lot to lose. For Chris and Shaun, they lose, they lose their continued fight for the pride and respect of Kelcey Wallace. Knowing that a loss would also impact her, I hope motivates them even more. Chris... He loves Kelcey... Shaun... He respects her more than I think he respects another human being. Silas's destruction means she can be liberated, and they can all skip down their little yellow bricked road together, and sing the "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" song. If I allow us to lose because I fucking forget about the bigger picture, then my whole goal, my whole reputation, my whole world will continue to unravel on me. Everyone knows me as the guy who takes these over-the-top, power hungry, assholes, and brings them back to Earth, and if I let everything crumble because of stupidity, everyone will see it first hand, and my world, as I know it, will cease to exist. But let's be real here... Losing is a real possibility. There is a chance that one of us will have to commit to being part of Silas Mason's crew, and a lot of people wondered why I would agree to terms like that. People wondered why I would actually stand there and agree to put my contract on the line, all for the chance to get my hands on Silas, and personally end his reign of terror. I did it for the same reasons that any soldier would. I did it for the greater good. For years, in SCW, I have been the guy who has fought the good fight, and tried to make sure that I was there to fight the battles on behalf of the organization. I did it for the 2 for 1 Special. I did it against the Infection. I did it against Infamous. I did it every time I needed to, in order to ensure this place stayed afloat. This time, I realized the stakes were far higher, and the risks had to be as well. Just like the guys who stormed Omaha Beach, I had to understand that there was a significant risk, and chance that I would fail, but I did it anyway. I did it because someone finally had to step up to the plate and take the ultimate chance to end this atrocity, or go down trying. I was willing to commit to that fight, and I did so in front of the world. For once, the commitment wasn't personal. I'm not doing this solely for me. I'm doing this for the future of SCW, and if I fail, I'm willing to accept the consequences. The camera, having been at a decent distance during the promo thus far, stops moving, and Jake's direction shifts from walking in parallel with it, to approaching it. As he approaches, the intensity and determination in his voice also begin to go up.
That is why I took on this challenge. It was risky, like I've said, and I want people to realize I'm not afraid of the risk, but I also know that the reward is something that cannot be ignored. It was something that needed to be done, and Silas knows that it's coming. Unlike those during Operation Overlord, there are no false messages being sent. It's blatantly clear on where we're landing, and what our mission is. We want you to know it's coming because when you do, and when you line up your counterstrike, you're going to realize that, in the end, good ALWAYS triumphs over evil. You're going to see FIRST HAND that this whole calamity that you have brought over SCW is GOING to come to an end, and it's going to be at the hands of three men whom you have REALLY fucking pissed off. So I want everyone to know that when I look to my left, and I look to my right, and I see Shaun Cruze and Chris Cannon, I don't know if they're all in, like I am. I don't know if they have the same passion and desire I do. I don't know if they have ulterior motives. But in the end, I have faith in them and their abilities. I have faith that they're going to step up to the table, and they're going to do everything in their power to help stop Silas. Because in the end, this isn't about the three of us. It's not about which of us scores the victory, and gets our hands on Silas. It's about doing something bigger than any of us, for those newcomers who will ultimately follow in our footsteps down the hallways of SCW. This match is about the future. Does that make sense, Silas? Have I gotten through to you, yet? Do you realize what is truly about to happen? Do you realize what, at least I am bringing to the table? You have been tormenting me for so long, and at Total War, we end this shit once and for all. I have watched you be one of the most cowardly sons of bitches in the world, running your mouth, talking trash, acting like you're the fucking KING OF THE WORLD, but then quickly running behind your minions. You show your cowardice every time you send them into battle for you, but after Sunday night, that all changes. After we go to war, and the smoke clears, and those who didn't make it to the end lie on the battlefield, you'll be there looking inside that ring, and seeing the victor hovering over you. It won't be Harmony or Brittany or Angelica, standing there victorious for your "World," and bringing you a new thoroughbred to break in, but it'll be me... It'll be Shaun Cruze... It'll be Chris Cannon... It'll be ALL of us. You'll see your fate signed, sealed, and delivered, and you'll understand the reality that WILL BE your demise, inside a steel cage! Like I said... I want it, but I'm not willing to be petty to obtain it... I stepped up as the catalyst, Silas, and I will see this battle through to the end, or I will die trying. This will define me, and my legacy. This will be my moment, and your downfall. This will show YOU that this whole time, you've been WRONG. I'll see you, and your dipshits Sunday, and I'll be bringing an army... And just to close this properly... Jake clicks his heels together, and snaps his right hand up to his forehead in a remarkably good salute.
As the United States Army motto states... THIS WE'LL DEFEND! OORAH! As Jake obviously throws an obviously incorrect exclamation after the Army motto, a voice assumed to be that of Thoren Holt chimes in from behind the camera, after chuckling.
Thören Holt: Jake, that's the Marines... Jake scowls, and drops his hand to his side. He sighs, and rolls his eyes before replying.
Jake Starr: Awe shit... Well... At least I tried... With those final words, Jake continues to approach the camera, ultimately passing it and disappearing from view. The cameraman slowly zooms in on the American flag, as a symbol of Jake's desire to go to war, and a symbol of Jake's belief that while the comparison of SCW and World War II in any way, truly, is a complete joke in itself, the two conflicts share many of the same characteristics, as far as the struggles go. Jake also sees similarities between the ramifications of losing such vital battles in the two wars, as well.
So while it may be farfetched, and a bit absurd, in Jake's mind, there is a reality to it. Jake also is ready to step up, and do whatever it takes to show the world that he can overcome the challenges that Silas Mason has continued to throw his way, but it will take a victory at Total War. It will take the world seeing Jake, Chris, and Shaun all working together to achieve a common goal to really display the downfall of Silas Mason in the right way. Will they do it? Can they overcome the odds? Will it truly just be three of Silas Mason's associates involving themselves? There are many questions that will ultimately have answers come Sunday, and prove to be one of the most historical days in the history of Supreme Championship Wrestling. Either Silas Mason will be facing the beating of his life, or one of the biggest names in SCW will be forced to answer to Silas, and follow his directives. Fin |
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