How One Bad Storyline Turned Elias Into The Dumbest Wrestler On WWE's Roster
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Elias is perhaps WWE's biggest missed opportunity as he has a unique character that stood out from the rest. He is known for his musical abilities and for taunting his opponents by walking to the ring with his guitar and singing a song. However, his storyline with Jeff Hardy in WWE was a missed opportunity to showcase his talents and instead made him look foolish. The feud lacked coherence and did not do justice to his character, hindering his growth as a wrestler.
An Uncomfortable Story Between Elias & Jeff Hardy
The storyline between Elias and Jeff Hardy began in 2020 on Friday Night SmackDown when Elias was found lying unconscious backstage after allegedly being hit by a car. Elias accused Jeff Hardy of being the culprit, which led to a feud between the two wrestlers. This was all a plot to get Elias off TV as he was suffering from a real injury. But the plot thickened as Sheamus was eventually revealed to be the one who had hit Elias with a car and had framed Jeff Hardy, which made the feud even more confusing.
The plot line became convoluted and lacked any coherent plot, which left fans confused and disappointed. The whole feud also ran strong themes of Jeff Hardy's real struggle with alcohol addiction which was used by Sheamus to frame Hardy. If this was not uncomfortable enough, Elias made his return after being out of action for several weeks due to an injury and resumed his feud with Jeff Hardy, who he had accused of running him over with a car earlier in the year, and couldn't find the truth of what happened.
RELATED: Why Elias' Musician Gimmick Failed In WWE
Elias' Credibility In WWE Was Destroyed
The storyline between Elias and Jeff Hardy continued to be poorly executed, and the matches between the two wrestlers were lackluster and disappointing. They first faced each other at the Hell in a Cell premium live event, where the short match ended with Elias winning by DQ as Jeff Hardy smashed Elias' guitar onto him. This made Elias look like a fool. After this match, it was all downhill for Elias. They faced each other in a Guitar on a Pole match on RAW in which Jeff was again victorious.
A match that was promoted as being in favor of Elias made him look dumb as he easily lost to Hardy. Their rivalry concluded in a "Symphony of Destruction" match, which involved various musical instruments and weapons being used as legal implements. However, the match was short and uneventful, with Jeff Hardy once again emerging as the winner. Elias' inability to figure out the real culprit and his continuous losses to Hardy made him look foolish and did not do justice to his character. Despite his potential to be a breakout star in the WWE, Elias was portrayed as a one-dimensional character who relied on accusations and rumors to get ahead.
RELATED: Former Company Writer Claims Elias Is Being Punished By WWE
What Elias Could Have Been in WWE
A big issue with Elias' booking was his lack of success in matches. Despite his impressive in-ring skills and popularity with fans, he never won a major championship in WWE. This lack of recognition further contributed to his lack of momentum and ultimately limited his potential. He had all the tools to be successful in WWE, but they never gave him the push. Speaking on the E & C Pod of Awesomeness, Elias disclosed how even WWE's poster boy John Cena loved his character. "I remember I said it backstage to John Cena. He was going off about the WWE Universe and the WWE this and that, and I said ‘Hey John, do you know what WWE stands for? It stands for walk with Elias.’ He said, ‘My head just exploded in 10 different ways, man. That is great!’ He said, ‘You got to make a thing out of that.’ So, sure enough, the next week or whatever I said it against John,".
As we know, he did try to make a thing out of that, and it was very successful with the fans, but it still never led him to the grand success that he seemed ready for. One of the biggest issues with Elias' booking was the lack of consistency in his character development. At times, he was presented as a comedic character, delivering lighthearted promos and engaging in silly storylines. Other times, he was portrayed as a serious competitor, with a more aggressive in-ring style and a more menacing demeanor. Confusion in his booking led to fans losing interest in him and a talented wrestler was made to look stupid.
