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GUEST EDITORIAL
By Edward Dryden, PWTorch.com reader

After reading March 17th's article about whether it is really important to have a clear cut heel or a true blue face as opposed to the shades of gray Jadran argued about, I agree with most of what Jadran had to say. That said, there are some guidelines to character development that need to occur to make a character believable and effective in the role he or she is supposed to play.

The most important ingredient in a characters development is their set of core values. What is it that makes this person tick and what would they be willing to do to achieve their goals? How are those core values affected when obstacles are placed before them and they are forced to put those values to the test? What are their reactions to those who have differing or conflicting core values?

Using this past week's Raw as an example; Triple H, the obsessed man in search retaining the WWE Title which he covets so much and currently a face, was true to his character's core values when he put Randy Orton and Jophn Cena together in a tag match against the entire Raw roster. It was an obvious heel tactic, a tactic he would have used in an instant before he turned face. His ultimate goal was soften up his opponents to a point where his goal could be easily obtained.

John Cena, the man of honor and virtue, was also spot on when he simply accepted the challenge put in front of him and took the bull by the horns. Regardless of the outcome, he would not back down from this potentially dangerous situation.

However, regarding Randy Orton, the man claims to be the best, but will weasel out of a situation at all costs to protect what he has. He tries to make a deal with John Cena, but fails as he should have, and then shows up to the match understanding that his not appearing in The Game's trap will have serious repercussions later. Randy was being Randy until the match actually started. What was the point for putting his body on the line and actually fighting the good fight? Why wasn't he avoiding a tag from Cena? Why wasn't he forced to wrestle by Cena? Why didn't Randy drop Cena at the first opportunity and hand him over as a sacrificial lamb to the rest of the roster? Why didn't Orton simply take the fall and later claim that he saw no other option but to risk his reputation as the greatest champion in order to protect himself for 'Mania?

In Orton's case he was not true to his core values. There has to be a level of consistency that will allow us to accept his reasons. There was nothing in the vignettes that suggested that Orton saw the error of his ways and was now willing to show the world that he was a straight up guy and go toe-to-toe with 17 mid-card and undercard wrestlers.

Perhaps there will be an explanation for Orton's relatively virtuous actions in next week's Raw. That's fine, unless he goes right back to his old ways; then we would need an explanation for why he was willing to setaside differences when it would have fitted his plans to have Cena hurt at 'Mania and only have to deal with Triple HY.

The biggest flaw in character development was the seventeen wrestlers who came out to take on Cena and Orton. Why did it seem that Cody Rhodes and Carlito were fine working as tag-team partners? Weren't they rivals only a few scant weeks ago? Why did Hardcore Holly tolerate him as well? He barely tolerates Cody his partner?

Oh, and as a side bar: If there was some sort of prestige in pinning either the current or former champion in that match, wouldn't they have all wanted that honor causing friction between the jobbers? I mean, it couldn't be that fulfilling to share the glory of a victory with sixteen other men, right? Not to mention why a face like Hacksaw was willing to lay a beat down on his opponents with some people he would supposedly not associate with.

Of course the last part had more to do with plotline rather than character development, but I think you get the point.

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