Post by Michael Callahan on Mar 9, 2013 13:56:15 GMT -4
Backstage promo where GI is lying in a therapy chair and Gray is stroking his beard and writing notes.
Dr. Alexander Gray: Young... Mannie. Young... Mannie. The Main Attraction. A man who, out of sheer spite and determination, has gone from the biggest joke of this entire industry to our current North American champion, to a man with a victory over our current World Heavyweight Champion Phil Atken. How fascinating is that? That sheer resentment of a reputation has lead to an ordinary man becoming a stand-out athlete and one of the ones to watch here in Action Packed Wrestling? It's incredible. Some say that money or fear is life's greatest motivator, but for him it's defiance, daring to challenge the status quo and a path of redemption that has seen him overcome competition that once upon a time, the powers that be wouldn't have even thought to let him share a ring with.
Gray takes a sip of a glass of water and carries on singing the praises of Mannie.
Dr. Alexander Gray: It makes me kind of sad to see, as well. Because I know that my liege, my own “project” GI isn't quite like that. He's not fighting to vanquish dishonour, or looking to assert himself as the best of the day. When he goes out fighting, it's not to fight his opponent, it's to fight his past and who he once was. He can't cope with the fact that he's killed people, he can't return to normalcy after disembowelling gaujo's on the battlefield. No. When he hears the bell rings, he hears the mess hall bell calling him in for a 5AM breakfast. There's no determination, no motivation, no soldier spirit. He drags himself to the ring, gets beaten up and occasionally does a fancy hold. Where as Young Mannie? He's the all singing, all dancing lucha libre sensation that is rising up the ranks of APW faster than you can say “Terry Marvin”.
That maybe some slight exaggeration on the part of Gray, but it's not too far off the mark to draw comparison.
Dr. Alexander Gray: The only thing I can say in favour of GI is that his physical toughness, not necessarily his mental, but his physical toughness you can't hold a candle to. That man can take beatings like nobody I have ever seen. I dare say he's tougher than myself and Michael. He's like a zombie. He can not feel. He can not hurt. He just exists. Ain't that right, knucklehead?
Gray punches GI in the back of the head. At first, there's no response, only for GI to jump to life a couple of seconds later.
The GI: SIR, YES SIR!
Dr. Alexander Gray: Without question, it's his finest mental asset. Yet he doesn't want to be here and I can understand why. He doesn't want to fight any more. He's lost the battle in his head. When we first began his therapy, we had him engaging in fencing and bare knuckle street fights in and around Iowa State, making a name for himself on the circuit and making a lot of money. It inspired a lot of changes, but I feel like GI is giving up on it all. He's hopped the last chopper to Saigon in his mind, and that's why he'll never beat Young Mannie. Mannie isn't the brightest spark, Hell, I wouldn't even describe him as having any kind of intelligence whatsoever, but that man is as athletic as any newcomer I've seen in the wrestling industry.
Gray's eyes light up with wonder as he discusses the skillset of Mannie.
Dr. Alexander Gray: He's fast, he's agile, he's athletic, and he's starting to realise that it's the sum of the parts that matter and not the individual elements. He's piecing it all together in such an astonishing way that really, I can't help but wonder why Knucklehead here is even being put into the same ring as him. All I can hope is that the classic rope-a-dope strategy works and that Mannie's exuberance and flash wears him out long enough for GI to knock him for six.
GI's win-loss record hasn't been so great lately, it has to be said. So maybe a win over Young Mannie might spurn him towards greatness once again.
Dr. Alexander Gray: Because you my friend are a useless... dried up... old... waste of crap. You're genetic junk. That's evident from the fact you had to be a soldier in the first place. No knack about you. Just the ability to shut off and slip into that kill or be killed mentality. You're absolutely nothing without me, and when Young Mannie rips your head off in a great display of Anti-War propaganda, I'm not going to be the one that mops your brains off the mat. Nuh-uh, no sir. You'll do it yourself. Because you're a worthless piece of shit off my heel, you rat-
The GI's expression slowly changes from a vacant stare... to a very focused, yet relaxed stare straight at the camera. Without a word or even a suggestion of movement, his hand lunges out and wraps around Gray's throat, choking his words before he can say them. He lifts Gray slightly off the ground, not even looking at him.
The GI: The time for talk is over. I have my objective. Neutralise the enemy Young Mannie, and destroy Outer Heaven.
GI callously drops Gray to the floor, the good doctor landing with a thud as The GI sprints off into the distance. The world around him starts morphing into a dense jungle battlefield, where danger and peril lies around every corner. Gray can only watch as The GI loses himself in the mentality, and the battle well and truly begins for the heart and mind of his patient.
Dr. Alexander Gray: Young... Mannie. Young... Mannie. The Main Attraction. A man who, out of sheer spite and determination, has gone from the biggest joke of this entire industry to our current North American champion, to a man with a victory over our current World Heavyweight Champion Phil Atken. How fascinating is that? That sheer resentment of a reputation has lead to an ordinary man becoming a stand-out athlete and one of the ones to watch here in Action Packed Wrestling? It's incredible. Some say that money or fear is life's greatest motivator, but for him it's defiance, daring to challenge the status quo and a path of redemption that has seen him overcome competition that once upon a time, the powers that be wouldn't have even thought to let him share a ring with.
Gray takes a sip of a glass of water and carries on singing the praises of Mannie.
Dr. Alexander Gray: It makes me kind of sad to see, as well. Because I know that my liege, my own “project” GI isn't quite like that. He's not fighting to vanquish dishonour, or looking to assert himself as the best of the day. When he goes out fighting, it's not to fight his opponent, it's to fight his past and who he once was. He can't cope with the fact that he's killed people, he can't return to normalcy after disembowelling gaujo's on the battlefield. No. When he hears the bell rings, he hears the mess hall bell calling him in for a 5AM breakfast. There's no determination, no motivation, no soldier spirit. He drags himself to the ring, gets beaten up and occasionally does a fancy hold. Where as Young Mannie? He's the all singing, all dancing lucha libre sensation that is rising up the ranks of APW faster than you can say “Terry Marvin”.
That maybe some slight exaggeration on the part of Gray, but it's not too far off the mark to draw comparison.
Dr. Alexander Gray: The only thing I can say in favour of GI is that his physical toughness, not necessarily his mental, but his physical toughness you can't hold a candle to. That man can take beatings like nobody I have ever seen. I dare say he's tougher than myself and Michael. He's like a zombie. He can not feel. He can not hurt. He just exists. Ain't that right, knucklehead?
Gray punches GI in the back of the head. At first, there's no response, only for GI to jump to life a couple of seconds later.
The GI: SIR, YES SIR!
Dr. Alexander Gray: Without question, it's his finest mental asset. Yet he doesn't want to be here and I can understand why. He doesn't want to fight any more. He's lost the battle in his head. When we first began his therapy, we had him engaging in fencing and bare knuckle street fights in and around Iowa State, making a name for himself on the circuit and making a lot of money. It inspired a lot of changes, but I feel like GI is giving up on it all. He's hopped the last chopper to Saigon in his mind, and that's why he'll never beat Young Mannie. Mannie isn't the brightest spark, Hell, I wouldn't even describe him as having any kind of intelligence whatsoever, but that man is as athletic as any newcomer I've seen in the wrestling industry.
Gray's eyes light up with wonder as he discusses the skillset of Mannie.
Dr. Alexander Gray: He's fast, he's agile, he's athletic, and he's starting to realise that it's the sum of the parts that matter and not the individual elements. He's piecing it all together in such an astonishing way that really, I can't help but wonder why Knucklehead here is even being put into the same ring as him. All I can hope is that the classic rope-a-dope strategy works and that Mannie's exuberance and flash wears him out long enough for GI to knock him for six.
GI's win-loss record hasn't been so great lately, it has to be said. So maybe a win over Young Mannie might spurn him towards greatness once again.
Dr. Alexander Gray: Because you my friend are a useless... dried up... old... waste of crap. You're genetic junk. That's evident from the fact you had to be a soldier in the first place. No knack about you. Just the ability to shut off and slip into that kill or be killed mentality. You're absolutely nothing without me, and when Young Mannie rips your head off in a great display of Anti-War propaganda, I'm not going to be the one that mops your brains off the mat. Nuh-uh, no sir. You'll do it yourself. Because you're a worthless piece of shit off my heel, you rat-
The GI's expression slowly changes from a vacant stare... to a very focused, yet relaxed stare straight at the camera. Without a word or even a suggestion of movement, his hand lunges out and wraps around Gray's throat, choking his words before he can say them. He lifts Gray slightly off the ground, not even looking at him.
The GI: The time for talk is over. I have my objective. Neutralise the enemy Young Mannie, and destroy Outer Heaven.
GI callously drops Gray to the floor, the good doctor landing with a thud as The GI sprints off into the distance. The world around him starts morphing into a dense jungle battlefield, where danger and peril lies around every corner. Gray can only watch as The GI loses himself in the mentality, and the battle well and truly begins for the heart and mind of his patient.
