The Ladder Is A Metaphor

 

Bayley and Bianca Belair. What can be said about these two athletes that hasn't been said before? Not much, really, but whenever they square off inside a wrestling ring, they work tirelessly to ensure that we see is new. Undoubtedly in the top 3 of each others best rivals list, this talented duo is able to create a story that feels fresh and, making it seem oddly simple at times, they're able to smoothly inject depth into any match regardless of stipulation. Not many wrestlers are able to connect in such a way that they speak through the silence of their movements but, if there was a machine for it, there would be transcripts of multiple pages detailing the stories they tell. 

For example, ahead of their first ever ladder match, Bayley said that the chosen stipulation was a metaphor and it was. In more ways than one.

DOUBLE CROSSBODY

Right off the gate, it's clear that these two have met before. For those who have forgotten about it, their double crossbody serves as a reminder that they know each other well enough to be aware of how the other moves. Having shared an on going feud since Bianca arrived in the main roster, it's safe to say that this is the 3rd act of their story and all of them are linked together by the fact that Bianca Belair always chooses to wear blue when Bayley appears in red. Perhaps another metaphor for the fact that neither colour can be made from the other despite the fact that Bayley says Bianca is so much of what she used to be.

Having that double crossbody happen almost as soon as the bell rang set the tone for everything that happened afterwards. Every move had a counter move, every attempt to climb had a reason to fall and their mirroring became even more blatant when both reached the top of the ladder at the same time. It can be argued that it happened because their goal was mutually shared, represented in the RAW Women's Champion hanging above the ring, but it just goes to show that the only way to catch each other off guard is when information is withheld because when all cards are on the table? They will always meet in the middle of a crossbody.

WHO SUCKS? YOU DO.

Speaking of metaphors, this part was fairly straightforward. There was nothing more to it, there was no filter on top or fancy wording to convolute a hidden meaning. During their contract signing for Extreme Rules, Bayley referenced how children would dress up just like her, with their ponytails to the side in order to mimic their wrestling hero, with signs filled supportive messages but nowadays they've all turned their back to her. Instead, nowadays, the children have long braids they wave around, just like Bianca, and they bring signs to support the EST. In response, Bianca challenged Bayley's abandonment theory with the possibility that perhaps people have turned against her because she was being deceitful about her true colours whereas Bianca is exactly who she appears to be, thus why the crowds connect with her.

As if by magic, there stood a child near the barricade, right by the action, who vocally told Bayley that she sucked. This happened very early in the match, at a time when Bianca was down and Bayley was in control of the story. Had it happened any other times, chances of this interaction taking place would be very slim but not in that moment, not after both women argued about how/why crowd favourites change. Powered by the intense emotions of a gruelling match, Bayley decided to confront the child and ask, directly, who sucked and, at the top of their young lungs, the child responded with a firmness that not many adults can achieve when pushed to speak their mind: you do.

It is said that children are incapable of lying because they see people for who they truly are and it felt as a slap to Bayley's face. However, she turned the other cheek and responded that she was winning, as if that would disperse or diminish the opinion of a tiny voice. But, as soon as she turned to the other side of the crowd, Bayley slapped the sign out of another fans hand. It's unclear if it was favourable to her or not but in the spam of 5 minutes, she was able to prove both hers AND Bianca's points. People change how they feel about you when they see you changed how you feel about yourself. For better... Or for worse.

OFF THE HINGES

The further the match went along, the more unhinged it became and this time the metaphor was physical. Palpable. The moment Bayley decided to remove the hinge off of her knee brace, the protective measure to ensure the injury that took her out for more than a year doesn't happen again, the match shifted. It could be taken many ways, depending on how deeply you dive into the layers of her actions. It could represent the fact that Bayley threw all caution to the wind and it was time to get more aggressive, more unhinged. It could represent a signal to her fellow Damage CTRL members to stand by in case her attempts failed. Or it could represent the fact that her injury is behind her and moving forward, Bayley is back to fighting without fear.

But what if it means something else...

AND CLIMB... AND CLIMB... AND CLIMB...

Bayley said the match was set so that the ladder could be a metaphor to her career and all the steps she had to climb to be where she is. All the battles she had to fight to arrive at the top of the mountain. However, in the end, it was Bianca who reached the top of the ladder and retained her title. It was Bianca, who has been building her career on top of accolades that she never dreamt to achieve. In the end, Bianca's rise to the top was mimicked by every fan in the arena who rose from their seat to cheer her victory with a standing ovation while Bayley watched from beneath.

The last time Bayley went off the hinges was when she drastically tossed aside the huggable girl next door to become a viciously focused on her own path, regardless of whoever stood in her way. Something that Bianca said led to the revelation of Bayley's true colours, as a deceitful power hungry individual. So what does this match lead to? With Bayley removing the metal piece that helped protect her body, could we be on the verge of another breaking point for Bayley? Does Bianca's victory, that establishes her status as the true EST of WWE, represent the reason why Bayley will become unhinged to the point that Damage CTRL declares war against those who stand by Bianca?

Whatever games come out of this, it's truly only the beginning. 

On a personal note, I'd like to thank Bianca and Bayley for gifting us another fantastic match with the type of weapons that can lead to so many things going wrong. Their clearheaded vision in the chaos and deep care towards each made every move, despite the blood spilled, seem as safe as possible and it was as thrilling as it was special. Fight forever, please.