Gold in Whose Veins? | AEWeekly #190

Welcome to the #AEWeekly review discussion where PWM contributors reflect on the highlights of the last week in AEW. The eligibility week always includes the most recent episode of Dynamite and Collision, plus any social-media exclusives up until publication.

This week’s contributors are Lauren [@sithwitch.bsky.social] exploring a key Story Beat, Emiliana [@emilianartb.bsky.social] giving us the MVP of the Week, and Sergei [@sergeialderman.bsky.social] talking Best Interview as well as editing and organizing it all.

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Toni Storm & Kris Statlander

"Gold in Her Veins..."

by Sergei.

Over the last couple weeks we've been a witness to the startling and sudden glow-up of Kris Statlander to main-character status. As part of her overall confidence boost since climbing the World title mountain, she seemed more assured on the mic than ever before answering Storm's challenge in a backstage interview before her main-event fight on Dynamite Wednesday night. But the question remained: how would she hold up in a direct verbal confrontation with the best in the business?

On Saturday night we explored that question when Statlander called Storm out to the ring. When she tells Storm that "for now" they just need to talk, the Timeless One makes the puzzling choice to lay flat on her back on the mat. While I doubt that Storm sprang this unusual acting choice on Statlander completely without warning, Kris shows remarkable aplomb in shrugging and going with the flow of the crazy, laying head-to-head.

What follows is a really excellent example of two babyfaces expressing mutual admiration. The, ah, "friendliness" of this exchange perfectly suits the situation and characters. It makes sense that Statlander and Storm would genuinely admire one another and simply want to settle "who would win."  But when Storm's cheeky "enough of this gay banter!" cues them to spring back to their feet, we segue into the real meat of this.

Statlander set Storm up for it perfectly when she started their conversation by pointing out that there's nothing personal about their conflict. Storm calls back to this, demurring that the World Championship will always be personal to her, because that Gold is in her veins. The passion in her voice when she speaks of the title is ironically exactly why Storm is above and beyond needing gold to lift her to another level.

It's unfortunate that from there, we fast-forward to a handshake and a brawl rather than a direct reply in words from Statlander regarding Storm's passionate declaration of what the title means to her. But even if not in fiery words, Stat has been proving that the gold is in her blood as well, by raising her game on every front to match her new position, showing her respect for Storm in the best way possible: by becoming a worthy successor.

Daniel Garcia

"But when I was hanging around with you, I was a loser. And that's because you're a loser, too."

by Lauren.

Daniel Garcia has thrown in his lot with the Death Riders, seeking to improve himself. While he faced his erstwhile mentor and father figure, “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard in the ring and defeated him, he has not yet done the equivalent of Wheeler Yuta's attempted murder on his own mentor, Bryan Danielson.

On AEW Collision, though, he attacked Daddy Magic verbally, calling him a loser and a disappointment. Even Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir looked impressed by the vitriol Danny spewed. Daddy Magic was predictably devastated, and even Nigel McGuinness caught some stray anger, with Danny calling him a parasite.

The speech was awkward in parts: “I'm going to be winners, too” had the effect of making Danny sound like a child attempting to seem tough. But that slip still added an element of realism, because the Danny we know at AEW has been a sweet, earnest kid for some time now. Betrayal has not come to him naturally – even during his time in the Jericho Appreciation Society, he stayed loyal until he had to walk away for his own good.

It makes me wonder about Danny's true motivation with the speech. Obviously, it was done to drive Daddy Magic away and cement himself as a Death Rider. But could there be an element of the old trope of someone driving a dog away for its own good? By spurring Daddy Magic so harshly, Danny makes him less of a target for the Death Riders.

Only Danny knows his true motivations. And only time will tell if Daddy Magic is truly able to let go, or if he will pull that target back to himself in order to bring Danny home.

Kris Statlander

"Space Cowgirl"

by Emiliana.

The past week has shown the wisdom in the phrase, “sink or swim.” While it may have felt a tad out of left field to crown Kris Statlander as a world champion a few weeks ago, it feels as if she is ultimately stepping up to the challenge and knocking it out of the park.

Since last week, we’ve seen a return to true form - after choosing the side of good (staying loyal to Harley) rather than evil (joining the Death Riders), Stat has come back as a cosmic power unlike any we have ever known. The gear has changed significantly, looking more extra-terrestrial in that sexy Star Trek way. Though there’s no dotted facepaint, there are some interesting metal eye accessories in her entrance gear and out-of-ring attire as well. I missed this, but at some point last week she even ‘booped’ someone on the nose, as she used to do in the height of the Daily’s Place era.

But aesthetics aside, Kris Statlander is also commanding both the ring and the live mic. On Dynamite, she and Darby Allin had a banger of a match against Marina and Yuta, with some awesome mixed tag action that toed the wonderful line of intergender. (Pst, I’m begging everyone to keep pushing this boundary on AEW TV. Thank you.) On Collision, world champion Kris Statlander called back to her own history on the indies by lying down on the mat with her opponent next to her and cutting a promo so homoerotic in form and substance that I’ve struggled to come back to Earth since. In an in-ring dialogue with the most homoerotic woman on the roster, she managed to one-up her, and she absolutely nailed the delivery. 

I’ve never been more proud, as I know that promos aren’t exactly her thing. Given that six years have passed since the beginning of Dynamite, it’s so wonderful to think back on where she started and how it’s going for her now. She grew up on this show, and it’s absolutely incredible to see how far she’s come and how absolutely confident she looks in stepping up to bat. Let’s see how boldly she can go and how far she can take this.

Yeehaw.