I think the thing that doesn't get brought up about the nwo enough is the iconography and the messaging. Specifically the Nwo nitro and Nwo Souled out. In Nitro's case the Nwo, after a few attempts, fully conquored it. But they were heels, so it wasn't framed as a glorious liberation, it was totalitarian. Banners were hung and old symbols were torn down. Flyers fell from the sky and vital staff were kicked out and replaced with unqualified lackeys. Some of the old guard betrayed their friends and joined the badguys and teams broke up. But again, heels, so it was bad, but they were popular so it was framed as cool. So you end up with fans supposed to cheer the cheating bad guys. Something they're not often primed for even if it was more common in WCW. Souled out was somehow worse. A massive, grey stage with tremendous screens filled with propaganda. A booming voice from loud speakers disparaging the non nwo wrestlers and spreading fake hero stories about the villains. Like a dystopia. A dictatorial, orwellian nightmare run by a delusional leader and his lackeys where your skills counted for nothing and only your loyalty was rewarded. A world where even the heroes' minor victories were overturned the very organization they were trying to save. Now hopelessly corrupted at the top by the rich and well connected. Even the officials and the crew were switching sides to preserve themselves and the regular people were trapped in a bleak hellscape from which there is no escape. Now buy our merch.