Roman Reigns is the new face of WWE. He's never turning heel. He's never dropping to the midcard. And rather than fantasy booking impossible scenarios where Reigns turns evil, it's more productive and intriguing to consider the opposite: Is there any possible way, at this late date, that Reigns can be a universally beloved babyface? The best chance at that is to reunite The Shield.
Out of all the full-time WWE Superstars, Reigns is the top merchandise earner. And if profits are up and business is good, WWE will not fix what isn't broken. No amount of booing or chanting will change this.
That sort of thing might have worked a decade or two ago. Remember in 1996, when a debuting Rocky Maivia was booed and widely rejected for his earnest, babyface persona? The fans chanted, "Die Rocky Die" at every opportunity, and instead of shoving the character down the viewers' throats, WWE Creative went with the hate. In August 1997, Rocky Maivia repackaged himself as The Rock. He kept his villain schtick going for two years. And when he finally turned face in 1999, the fans loved him, because they had gotten to know him from both sides.
But that sort fan/booker interplay would never happen today, because WWE's priorities have shifted. In a 2016 interview with Complex, John Cena responded to the assertion that Roman Reigns did not connect with WWE audiences:
"I think he connects with every crowd. I study a lot of what we do. I study it very differently from most of my competitors. To say Roman Reigns isn't connecting with an audience means you're not listening. I've watched a lot of Roman Reigns and every single time I see him, I hear noise. He connects very well with our audience."
If Cena is speaking as a representative of WWE, then the most determining factor of a wrestler's effectiveness, according to today's WWE, is "noise," whether it's boos, cheers or a mixed response. Cena himself is a perfect example of this.
Triple H, who's now an Executive Vice President for WWE, put it even more plainly when asked by Sports Illustrated if Reigns would ever turn heel:
"People can look at Roman Reigns and say, 'The failed attempt that is Roman Reigns,' but Roman Reigns sells tickets. Roman Reigns gets one of the loudest reactions every night, whether that reaction is a boo or whether that reaction is a cheer. The fans who say, 'I don't understand why they don't turn Roman Reigns heel!' Isn't he already?"
It's a cute response that both answers and dodges the question. It also ignores the underlying, bigger problem--that most fans, even those who follow the backstage gossip and know it's all pre-determined, would rather play along with the narrative than metagame it. When fans say they want Roman Reigns to turn heel, it's not out of some contrarian, "I know best" attitude--it's because they want his storyline actions to match his crowd response. Boos for bad actions. Cheers for good ones. The current arrangement--of booing the honorable hero for doing the right thing--creates an unpleasant cognitive dissonance.
But although WWE has no intention of acquiescing to the audience's hatred, what about the opposite? Is it possible to make everyone, even the most virulent Roman haters, cheer for him again? WWE would presumably prefer a more unified positive from fans; there's a reason the production crew edits out the "Roman Sucks" chants on Raw reruns.
There's a way they might: by reuniting The Shield.
It's been over three years since Seth Rollins stabbed his brothers in the back. And after the big breakup, Rollins and Dean Ambrose spent time redefining themselves. Rollins has found great success as the anarchist Kingslayer, first doing The Authority's bidding and then burning it all down. Ambrose has found his niche as the resident lunatic on the roster, willing to take on any challenge, no matter how insurmountable.
Reigns, on the other hand, still has the old Shield music. He wears a Shield-style vest and walks with the same Shield swagger. The iconography is a nagging reminder to Reigns haters of how cool the guy used to be, and what they once cheered for when he was new, dark and dangerous. If WWE refuses to rebuild his character--which they should--then reuniting The Shield is the next best option. A reunion would give Reigns haters a reason to cheer for him now. And even the most jaded fan will respond to the sort of high-powered nostalgia a reunion provides. If it worked for Hulk Hogan and his numerous, diminishing returns, it can work for Reigns.
Half the groundwork is already laid; Ambrose and Rollins, the current Raw tag team champions, are friends again. And it seems the WWE is testing the waters for a full reunion. During this week's Raw, Miz claimed that his Miztourage could beat The Shield in a match. And later in the show, the Miztourage mauled Reigns in a 3-on-1 beatdown. They even mocked The Shield's signature three-fist pose. None of this would have happened if Roman's brothers were there to protect him.
The big rumor that's been circulating since WrestleMania 33 is that Reigns will face Brock Lesnar in the main event at WrestleMania 34, where he will capture the universal title and reassert himself as WWE's top guy. It's been in the works for a year. And for Reigns haters, this prospect conjures dread--that once again, Reigns will be forced down viewers' throats. And once again, it's going to be a disaster--just like the 2015 Royal Rumble, when the fans booed Reigns (and The Rock) out of the building.
But what if Rollins and Ambrose conspired to help Reigns win the title? What if they posed on the ramp post-match, fists bumped, just like old times? In the last decade, the company has been big on capturing photographic 'WrestleMania moments.' And there would be nothing more iconic and more photo ready than seeing all three men sharing Reigns' victory, with confetti and fireworks falling out of the sky. It would be too good--too perfect--to boo, and Reigns' journey will have come full circle. This is why The Shield needs to be more than a one-off novelty at Survivor Series. This is why it needs the legs to carry it all the way to WrestleMania.
It's not too late to turn this stagnant character into something more resonant. Reigns can still fill the boots that Cena, The Rock and Hogan left behind. But unlike those three giants, he won't be able to do it on his own.