Wrestlemania Main Event Reviews - Wrestlemania XX
Chris Benoit def. Shawn Michaels and Triple H (c) for the World Heavyweight Championship in 24:03
Not really looking forward to this one because Chris Benoit is a monster and I don’t want to really talk about him, but I will focus on the wrestling side of things for review purposes. Sorry if this entry is a tad dry without any fun notes or lyrical flair.
HBK is out first and the red gear is reminiscent of his gear against Stone Cold at Wrestlemania. Benoit out next, and then HHH to a chorus of boos. Hebner checks each wrestler as the tension builds. Benoit and HBK fight over who attacks HHH first as both have a gripe with him. Brutal chops back and forth between the two and HHH gets sent outside as they fight. Technical exchange between the two and various pinning combinations, with bridging out, rollups and a bridging suplex. HHH comes back in, throwing HBK out but he skins the cat and as he throws Benoit that way, HBK throws him out as the two former DX men square off. Big backdrop from HBK and more knife edge chops. HBK is running but HHH hits a big knee. Benoit comes back in with shoulder barges through the ropes but goes straight into a knee from HHH. He slams him into the apron, but on the second one, HBK hits a baseball slide immediately after, sending both to the floor in a creative spot. HBK hits a nice moonsault to them on the outside. HBK and HHH back inside, going back and forth until HHH sets up for a Pedigree but Benoit comes in and takes out both. He throws HBK into the ring post and targets HHH with a suplex and some chops. Triple H counters with an Irish whip and places him on the top rope and Benoit ends up in the tree of woe position. HHH Irish whips HBK into Benoit and gets a 2-count. He attempts it again but HBK reverses and Benoit sticks out a boot. HHH and HBK go back and forth, and Benoit clotheslines HBK out the ring out of nowhere. Benoit hits triple German suplexes on HHH and signals the diving headbutt. HBK crotches him in on the top, attempts Sweet Chin Music on HHH who ducks and hits a DDT. He rolls outside and Benoit and HHH fight with Benoit in the top rope. HHH hits a superplex for a 2-count.
They fight back and forth, HHH attempts a Pedigree and Benoit fights to lock in the Crossface. HBK quickly breaks it up and hits a German suplex of his own on HBK, but Benoit counters another into another triple German suplex. He hits the diving headbutt on HBK but only gets a two-count. HBK hits a forearm that sends Benoit to the outside and kips up. He hits an atomic drop, bodyslam, and elbow drop on HHH, and sets up for Sweet Chin Music. He connects but Benoit pulls out HHH. HBK and Benoit fight outside and inside, more big chops from HBK. HBK gets sent into the corner and does his wild sell, Benoit attempts a Sharpshooter but settles for a catapult into the ring post. Michaels is bleeding as Benoit eventually locks in the Crossface. HHH grabs the hand of HBK as he is about to tap, and he and Benoit brawl outside. HHH sends Benoit into the steps then clears the announce table. Benoit fights back and attempts a German suplex on top of the table, but Triple H regains control and attempts a Pedigree. HBK gets involved and he and HBK suplex Benoit through an announce table. HBK is extremely bloody. HBK beckons HHH inside the ring and they fight back and forth, with HBK launching HHH out the ring and into a cameraman with an Irish whip. HHH gets thrown into a ring post and he’s bleeding too. HHH is able to hit a Pedigree out of nowhere but he is slow to cover and Benoit is able to break it up. HHH targets Benoit but he fights back. HHH attempts a Pedigree but Benoit reverses into a Sharpshooter. The crowd is loud. Benoit drags him back from the ropes but HBK breaks it up with Sweet Chin Music. He slowly covers Benoit but gets a 2-count. HBK sets up Sweet Chin Music on Benoit but he ducks it and swiftly ejects HBK. HHH attempts the Pedigree but Benoit locks in the Crossface. HHH stays conscious, tries to roll out, Benoit rolls through, HHH tries to fight it, but he has to tap. Benoit wins. Eddie Guerrero, the WWE Champion, meets his friend in the ring as confetti falls and they emotionally embrace.
Pros: Well-executed action, quick-paced, intense, hot crowd, exciting, surprise result that the fan’s wanted
Cons: Not something that should affect the rating but future events make it hard to invest as expected and make the ending celebration pretty upsetting.
This match was extremely well-done and I’m struggling to find fault in it within the time capsule of March 2004. Three wrestlers who were talented in their profession had a high stakes match with captivating action and the crowd were invested throughout, with the most popular person at that time winning.
4.5 STARS OUT OF 5
2 notes
·
View notes
His Sacrifice
Summary: Aemond makes the decision to save the one he loves over his brother.
Reader is Rhaenyra's daughter and is in a secret relationship with Aemond
WC: 1.5 K
Tumblr is a piece of shit that deleted the request but to whoever sent this, hope you enjoy xx
Part 2
~~
The screams of men below were almost inaudible over the roar of her dragon. She felt powerful, she felt vindictive, a smug satisfaction washing over her as she decimated the Green army below, the traitors who dared to usurp her mother.
Yet her heart was aching.
Her eyes scanned the skyline, nervously awaiting Vhagar’s presence, awaiting his presence.
Her throat tightened and she blinked rapidly to stave off the tears that threatened to fall. She’d cried enough tears over him, over the divide that wedged between them, threatening to break them apart completely. She had to be done.
A trill made her perk up, looking over her shoulder, her eyes wide, her chest aching, but as she caught sight of the smaller, gold dragon headed her way, her devastation soon turned to anger.
Aegon.
Her face shifted, her agony now hatred. Her teeth grit with effort as she pulled at the reins, swooping dangerously close to the soldiers below her, a smirk painting her lips at their cries of terror.
“Vermithor… attack.”
The dragon below her roared, a mighty sound that shook the bones of those who watched from below.
She distantly heard Aegon’s call and held onto the handles of the saddle in a white-knuckled grip as she swerved out of the way of the stream of fire Sunfyre spat at her. She winced, flinching away from the barrage of flames that met her too closely.
The dragons fought a vicious and bloody fight, Vermithor’s talons tearing Sunfyre across her belly, her cries echoing, shaking the ground below.
Over her dragon’s head that now had the other poor dragon’s neck in his jaws, she met Aegon’s eyes, her gaze alight with hateful glee as she noticed the fear in his eyes.
But suddenly, his expression shifted, a smile growing as he breathed out in relief.
Turning, she saw the enormous figure of Vhagar looming forward, like a killer stalking its prey, ready to devour her with ease.
Her heart dropped, the grip on the reins slipping from her hands, as if she already accepted her fate.
Swallowing against the lump in her throat that grew, she closed her eyes, refusing to see the look on her lover’s face as he ended her.
~~
They met in the dead of night, as they always had, meeting on a nondescript island halfway between Dragonstone and King’s Landing.
He was already waiting for her as she descended from the skies, landing Vermithor beside the hulking figure of Vhagar.
He was approaching her before she could unsaddle herself.
His hands were on her before her feet met the ground.
She was brought into his arms before she could say a word. She embraced him as she always did, desperately, as if it would be their last. With the state of their families, it might just be.
“Are you alright?” She asked worriedly as she pulled out of his arms, her eyes frantically searching for his face, finding only despair.
“You cannot go tomorrow.” He told her swiftly.
“What-”
“They commanded me to take Vhagar to Rook’s Rest.”
Her face remained impassive as she took in his words, though the storm that raged within her was devastating, shattering every ounce of hopeful excitement she’d felt when she received his raven to meet her that night.
“Aemond, I-”
“You cannot go. Please.” He begged her.
Her gaze met his and the frantic desperation she saw in his lone eye stirred sadness within her, the divide between their families that had slowly been tearing them apart delivering another fatal blow.
“I have to. You know I have to.” She answered quietly, mournfully, as if she was already accepting her fate. She couldn’t fight Vhagar, she couldn’t win against him.
He cursed and took a step away from her, placing his hand over his mouth as he tried hard to rein in his anger, his fear of what would happen to her, to them, as they met on the battlefield.
They always knew it would happen eventually, but it didn’t mean they were ready for it. They had been content to live in a fantasy together, as if they could pretend they weren’t living their reality, that they could’ve lived a happy life together.
He stepped towards her again, taking her face in his hands.
“Please, you cannot- I cannot-” He stammered and let out a shaking breath, his tortured gaze locked on hers. “Love, please, don’t go.”
“We always knew this would happen.”
His anger flared at the resolution he heard in her voice, at how quickly she was willing to accept this, that they were to meet on the battlefield, with only one of them returning victorious. He couldn’t accept it, he wouldn’t.
He shook his head wordlessly, his brows furrowed as if in pain. Her arms wrapped around him and he was quick to return the hug, holding her to him tightly. He let out a shaking breath, his eyes squeezing shut as he held her, silently praying it wouldn’t be for the last time.
“We should’ve left while we still had the chance.” She spoke with a small laugh that held nothing but sadness. Aemond nodded, his hands gripping her firmer, his thoughts a mirage of what their life would be if he had taken her up on her offer to escape to Essos all those years ago.
He desperately wished he had agreed.
“Whatever happens tomorrow-”
“Don’t.” He begged, his heart already aching at the thought of what they would face.
“Whatever happens,” She repeated more sternly as she looked at him intently. “It won’t change what we have. Nothing will change how I feel about you, even if I cannot feel anything at all.”
He practically shuddered at the thought, the mere notion of losing her too much to fathom and bowed his head until his forehead met hers, their shaking breaths shared.
“I’ll love you even after the end.”
He couldn’t hear any more. He kissed her firmly, pouring every bit of love he had for her and had felt for her for years into every caress of his lips, every tantalizing swipe of his tongue, every heated touch that he bestowed onto her beautiful body he had worshiped in secret.
~~
I’ll love you even after the end
The words echoed in his mind all night. As he left her side to return to King’s Landing before the sun rose, they wouldn’t leave his head, torturing him over and over again, until he felt as though he couldn’t take another breath.
Now, as he sat atop Vhagar, eyeing the battle in the skies above with bated breath, he knew he had only one choice to make.
A choice that came all too easily, a choice he would make again each and every time.
He commanded Vhagar to fly, her large frame taking to the skies slowly, his eye locked onto Vermithor, his heart in his throat as he saw her small frame duck out of the way just in time before Sunfyre’s jaws locked onto her.
He felt nothing but relief as Vermithor trapped Aegon’s dragon in his jaws, he felt nothing as his brother’s dragon cried out in pain.
But the blinding rage he felt as he watched Sunfyre swiped her claws against Vermithor’s face, dangerously close to her, made his blood boil.
His hands clenched, his jaw tight, his lone eye dark with resolve as he soon accepted the consequences he would face, the judgment the Gods would place on him.
But he didn’t care. He would slay his brother if it meant she lived. He would slay millions to save her, without thought.
“Dracarys!” He yelled, his eye remaining on Aegon who tried to shield himself from the flames that descended upon him. He grunted as Vhagar crashed against Vermithor, harshly nudging the dragon out of the way, Vermithor growling menacingly at Vhagar, before jerking to the side, her command of the reins forcing her dragon not to engage.
He watched, his heart racing, as she flew away from the scene, away from Aegon as he fell alongside Sunfyre’s broken and burning body.
He paid little mind to anything else and followed after her. They flew for a few minutes, away from the chaos of battle, away from any prying eyes that would reveal their secret.
He descended just a second after her, landing Vhagar next to Vermithor, his hands shaking as he undid his ties, jumping down his dragon’s frame unsteadily.
“What the fuck was that?!” She yelled as she stomped towards him, tears in her eyes, unsure of what to make of the emotions overwhelming her. “Do you know what you have just done?”
He ignored her yells and grabbed her hands, pulling her to him, his arms wrapping around her tightly. She squirmed in his grip for a moment, her adrenaline still thrumming through her veins, before finally giving in as she felt him shaking against her.
She let out a trembling breath, her arms coming up to wind around him. She let her eyes fall closed as his hand rested on the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair.
“What did you do?” She asked wearily, her voice hoarse and weak with exhaustion.
“What I had to.”
4K notes
·
View notes