The recent exchange between The Rock and Cody Rhodes has gotten people talking, but maybe not for the best reasons. While WWE’s goal was clearly to set the stage for a major storyline heading into Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania, the segment itself felt forced and unnatural.
For those who missed it, The Rock approached Cody Rhodes with a proposal. In exchange for Cody’s loyalty as WWE Champion, The Rock would open doors for him beyond wrestling, offering bigger opportunities, more exposure, and a pathway into Hollywood. But there was one major catch: The Rock explicitly told Cody, “I want your soul.” Rhodes was visibly unsure of how to respond and now has until Elimination Chamber to give The Rock an answer. But should he even need time to think about it?
To understand why this doesn’t make sense, we need to look at both men’s motivations. The Rock is clearly bitter. His long-anticipated WrestleMania match with Roman Reigns was derailed because of Cody. That frustration has fueled his “Final Boss” persona, and now, rather than challenging Cody outright, he wants to control him. This isn’t just business. This is personal. The Rock sees Cody as the guy who took his spot. That part of the story works. But the execution? That’s where things fall apart.
The biggest issue is that we haven’t seen The Rock and Cody develop a meaningful relationship. Just a few weeks ago, The Rock had no involvement in Cody’s story. Suddenly, we’re supposed to believe they’ve buried the hatchet and that their families are close? The Rock hasn’t been around enough for this to feel earned. That makes his offer feel hollow. Even worse, Cody didn’t immediately shut it down. This is the same Rock who nearly stole his WrestleMania moment last year, and yet Cody is standing there actually considering his proposal?
Let’s be real. If someone looks you in the eye and says, “I want your soul,” that’s an instant red flag. This isn’t Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat. You don’t need weeks to decide whether or not to gift your soul to another man. The fact that Cody didn’t reject it on the spot makes him look naïve rather than heroic.
Even if we ignore the way the segment played out, The Rock’s offer doesn’t align with Cody’s character. He’s not a guy looking for Hollywood success. He’s not someone desperate for outside opportunities. Cody’s entire journey has been about one thing: becoming WWE Champion. He has that now. He has a thriving career, a loving family, and everything he ever fought for. So why would he even consider selling his soul for something he never wanted in the first place?
It would make perfect sense for The Rock to take this offer into consideration if he had made it to The Miz, for instance. Miz relies on exposure in Hollywood and showbiz chances. But Cody just thinks he’s stupid for not turning it down right away.
The thing that irritates me the most about this is how hurried everything seems. This seems like a last-ditch effort to bring The Rock into WrestleMania, even though Triple H has been commended for his long-term storytelling. Ideally, The Rock would have gradually manipulated Cody and sowed doubts over the course of several months. Rather, WWE rushed the narrative, which made it seem erratic and out of place. Though not quite enough to support what we witnessed, there is some history between these two.
Here are some fan responses I received after posting this article on our Facebook page before we wrap up:
- Some people think this gives WrestleMania 41 some much-needed stories.
- Others believe Cody Rhodes has been underbooked and needs something new, so they urge him to accept The Rock’s offer and turn heel.
- Many believe that WWE didn’t need The Rock this time and that he is just bringing himself into the tale at the last minute.
- Some claim that this was always going to happen, but the way it was carried out reminded me more of the dubious partnership between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon at WrestleMania X-Seven.
- Some have made theological analogies, claiming that The Rock is portraying the devil.
- As long as it sparks discussion and debate, which they view as a victory for WWE, some people don’t mind.
- Others try to define what else The Rock might mean, but they think he might not mean Cody’s actual soul.
- This segment supports a fan’s observation that Cody has changed since winning the WWE Championship, something Kevin Owens earlier brought up.
- Many have likened this to Vince McMahon’s unsuccessful Attitude Era attempt to establish Stone Cold as his “Corporate Champion.”
Although there is still time to change direction, Cody must acknowledge the situation as soon as possible. When everyone in the audience sees the trap being set before he does, it’s difficult to feel sorry for a babyface.
What do you think, then? Is Cody being set up to appear silly, or does this tale make sense to you? Tell us what you think!
