we all go through patches where we you know we make decisions against our value system we all turn heel at one point it's just a matter of if you if you see the light you take a really good good guy and then have them lose their way don't give up on that guy no gu's good in him like that's that's beautiful those stories are beautiful as time progresses your ability to do what you once did will decrease and when a man knows father time has overtaken him the desperation becomes tenfold at Rock Bottom desperate men do in fact do desperate things in a timeline where CM Punk returned to WWE Vince McMahon no longer runs it and Stone Cold Steve Austin wrestled the match a John Cena heel turn was the only thing left that would cement the 2020s as the personification of insanity the WWE's greatest good guy has finally been pushed over the edge and now begins a whole new chapter in his career where he connects with his most ruthless self embracing his most villainous qualities for years there was untapped potential for Jon we'd seen him embrace the hard but if he just embraced the hate it could add layers to a character that had been the same for many many years but now in his final year of in ring competition and chasing history he sold his soul this story is about so much more than just an old man who sees that his time May in fact be up more than the franchise who held it down seeing that his Empire is thriving without him this story has been touched on in some of John's great greatest rivalries dating back many years now the same people who he gave everything to are questioning his legacy and maybe you can't see me as more than a catchphrase maybe we've truly never been able to see what John Cena was going through all along there's an unspoken Beauty to seeing familiar faces in familiar places it felt as though the leader of the SE Nation would ride off into the sunset as the one guy who at his Peak never turned his back on the people most important to him John Cena as a baby face has always had the same core fundamentals never give your word and not hold firm to it never cheat never quit never take any days off and never give up under the surface there's the burden of carrying the company we have to understand Jon's parasocial relationship with a certain portion of the audience a group of people that believe he's nothing more than a comic book hero come to life with zero layers to his character that simply needs to show that he can be a bad guy he remains true to those who gave him an opportunity to live out a childhood dream and despite all the noise he feels an obligation to those people to remain true and carry the company the prevailing thought was always he wins too much and it's time for him to change a guy who came in clutch in so many situations that he was given the nickname big match John maybe the greatest winner in WWE history but what happens when the greatest winner just can't win anymore for seven years John Cena hasn't won a televised singles match looking at this you start to see something come to the Forefront despite being older not being able to do some of the things he once could he still thinks that he can hang this slaps you right across the face when you actually take a second step back and look at his recent programs to understand his underlying story we have to go back a decade to the 2010s it was here where John Cena started to find himself on the outside looking in the new generation of stars were taking over but he still continued to believe that he was unbreakable despite doing everything he claimed to despise thinking that time would never catch up to him you started to see Cena take a step back in 2015 of course the year of the United States Championship open challenge this has always been seen as a masterful late career Resurgence where he gave everyone else an opportunity but leaning into this narrative you could assess it as a reset phase for him where he needed to regroup and see if he could still do this in 2016 AJ Styles took WWE by storm and in a few short months he started to Proclaim himself as the face that runs the place which John Cena took massive issue with AJ believed that he was the standard while JN knew that there was no one who could lay claim to that tagline aside from him on the August 2nd episode of SmackDown live Styles tells Cena you don't get a trophy for participation you get a trophy for being a winner why why why are you still here his answer he's here out of love he loves to do make a Wishes the SBS the Teen Choice The Today Show telling a AJ that he was only here to be a good wrestler adding he's here out of love what the hell was he doing here almost defending the company from an intruder Cena lost to Styles at SummerSlam and started to question himself maybe this wasn't his WWE anymore he left his wristbands in the center of the ring and did what he criticized the rock for doing just four years ago he went Hollywood John and Dwayne's beef was very simple Rock didn't like that Cena kept putting dirt on his name the reason he was doing so was because he saw him as a phony who left the company he proclaimed to love high and drive saying that he would never do that himself Rock tried to make Cena understand the Hollywood schedule the work he's putting in is something that he won't understand until maybe he gets to that same point when AJ Styles said the same thing about him is when appearances started to become sporadic in today's day and age this is a very interesting Dynamic to lean into because the rules are now reversed now the company's Ace was gone WWE looked elsewhere to build a new star and the formula was right there in front of them pick out the best parts of John Cena and give it to someone who they believed could run with the ball after all he was still here because the other guy couldn't do his job there's no one who's fully taken the Reigns the man they're penciling in is colossally flopping and Jon sees this as the truest form of embarrassment Jon understands what's going on here and there's also truth to this promo he sees that Roman is not ready and despite having lost a step despite there being a new crop of talent he still got the name value he still got the company's Golden Boy tagline and he'll still be called back Cena ends up losing this match to Roman Reigns and over the next little bit a theme emerges in all these rivalries they all result in losses but Jon still thinks he can go we really start to see his doubts kick in near the tail end of the 2010s he was no longer a full-time participant at this time and come 2020 his self-doubts really become apparent what am I doing for Wrestlemania he goes on to say that he's goingon to do the right thing it should go on without him and that he will not be there at WrestleMania 36 this is not goodbye but this is goodbye for now even though he says this when he's confronted by the fiend that one last ride mentality takes over Bray eventually tells Cena that time can either hurt or heal you he attributes his downward spiral the fun house and the fiend to that one night in New Orleans back in 2014 something that for a portion of the audience is seen as the night that Bray should have came out on top with a career defining win but Jon doesn't see it like this he counters by saying he's not the reason Bray fails Bray fails because he's lazy Bray Wyatt's biggest enemy is Bray Wyatt he then poses the question to Michael Cole the soundtrack of his career why does no one ever say that to him why does no one ever question when he loses where are the excuses for him going on to list the dismantling at the hands of Lesnar in 2014 the loss against punk in 2011 one night stand 2006 adding that he literally had to purchase a ticket to attend WrestleMania 34 every time he's counted out he brings himself back because in his mind there's no one tougher than Jon after all we're never the bad guy in our own story he says WWE needs to invest in their future and he lists off guys that he believes can carry the burden Bray enters the equation and reminds Jon that he craves the spotlight like an addict the magic of this promo is why it says to Cena one day I stopped fighting the voices and listened to them on the night before WrestleMania Smackdown JN says that Bray is not on his level not even on the level below him if you're following do you see how each of these opponents he's facing he's always got that belief within him that despite there being doubts he can still rise to the occas it happened with AJ it happened with Roman and again it happened with Bray you can go back and see for yourself one common denominator in all of these is Jon continually calls each of these wrestlers overvalued overrated and overhyped maybe he's deflecting on to others what he's told by the fans the beauty of the Firefly Funhouse match is it's anything you want it to be if you hate it it's non-existent it's a pandemic fever dream if you think it's Bray Wyatt's in intrusive thoughts it can be that or maybe it's an alternate side of John Cena's career The Cinematic match features Bray saying let's take a look at who you really are John you're about to face your most dangerous opponent yet yourself he enters the fun house and once he goes through the door the first person he comes across is a Vince McMahon puppet he asks Cena whether he has enough ruthless aggression to excel Beyond his Wildest Dreams does he have enough ruthless aggression to make sacrifice of Mind Body and Soul in order to become a success in this company show me or you're fired they then reenact Cena's debut with Wyatt telling Jon that this is just sad then equating him to being nothing more than muscle Cena has gone on record to say that the ruus aggression era version of him was a failure Because by the brass he was given a golden opportunity and he failed then we kick it thugonomics style where the doctor dishes out that Bray has been given so many chances and failed over and over Husky Harris was overweight the mandible claw was nothing more than a ripoff his rebuttal was that John Cena was the Golden Goose he's Untouchable but he's not a hero He's a Bully he's a horrible person he takes the weaknesses of others and turns them into jokes he'll do anything for fame anything but change we then go to 2014 where according to Wyatt Cena is supposed to be a man of the people but he didn't listen he shows imagery of all the fans singing along singing along with this new exciting star in the WWE but he wasn't elevated instead John did what he always does the fans wanted him the fans needed him but they didn't get him six years ago John Cena made the wrong choice and didn't swing now it was time for him to fix it once Cena takes a swing we're taken into an alternate universe where Cena's the bad guy this leans into that feeling from earlier that a heel Cena could have been a prosperous change for him Bray channels his inner Eric off and introduces NWO John Cena a new attitude all the while we see some of his biggest losses retrospect these are Cena's intrusive thoughts about how if he just gave in if he cheated if he did things the wrong way maybe the story would be different Cena had all of this inside of him the whole time and he just had to let it out it was Bray who was the one that got it out of him remember anyone the fiend touches changes Finn changed Seth changed Daniel changed it took time but Cena also changed another loss for John Cena we then move into the summer of 2021 where John once again meets Roman Reigns this time a different version of the face of the company someone who's finally found his way he tells him there's no protecting him there was one person in this entire world that could humble him he came back to teach him a lesson 1 two three and he's the answer to a trivia question also adding that yes yes he will go to a Hollywood movie set and he will take the universal title with him until WrestleMania in Dallas the next year John Cena doesn't say anything about defending it or even showing up at SummerSlam the champ isn't here The champ is gone again this is unquestionably the toughest competition out there for him to face but what happens again it's a rehash of the Styles rivalry it's a rehash of the first time he met Roman it's a rehash of way he met Bray he thinks he has it but again after talking a big game he falls into the same vices he loses in the main event of SummerSlam against someone he at the top of his lungs yelled was not ready couldn't be protected and couldn't replace him Superman wasn't Superman anymore JN again goes away until he's back to celebrate his 20th anniversary in 2022 a propping up of WWE's most selfless Superstar a nod to an entire generation of wrestling fans but it was the same year where someone wasn't celebrating their 10year but making their return to WWE Cody rhods came back to the company and within a matter of months became essentially the new John Cena the similarities between these two are scary Cody the guy who in present day WWE makes all the towns makes all the appearances similar to his WrestleMania 41 opponent has the burden of carrying the company he's in a portion of his career that John Cena went through many many moons ago he's the modern-day John Cena PEC teer and all over both their careers they're both known to absorb a great deal of punishment and their resolve is unmatched their dedication isn't questioned and their morals can never be corrupted in 2022 Cena talks about how he's Wrestled a match every single year since 2002 and doesn't want to let that streak end he can't let go of the business despite not having won a singles match in forever so he comes back to continue the streak and the next year is a piece of this puzzle that isn't talked about as much as I think it should be but one where history repeats itself again WrestleMania 39 against Austin Theory similar to the co year against the fiend you see that JN doesn't want to wrestle he doesn't want to take on this competition but his head drags him back into it Theory tells John that he remembers watching him on TV with his mom and that he inspired him he wants a match against him but Cena says no he declines and again what's repeated in this promo it's that theme of opportunity those themes of the person in front of him having no heart no soul unable to beat the great John Cena then telling him that he's the Ghost of Christmas future that he's in the phase that almost got him fired Austin talks about Cena's catchphrases and questions if he's finally giving up before saying that you don't want to meet your Heroes because all they do when you meet them is disappoint you we get an Avenue into how Cena feels about the audience calling them the most harsh vocal ruthless critical audience and that they will eat Austin alive just like they ate him alive so there's undertones that even though he didn't say that it's getting to him all the years beforehand did land they did strike a cord capping off by telling theory that he just made the biggest mistake of his life also the same night where he gave Cody rhods the cosign by raising his hand in Hollywood comes maybe the most uninspiring performance Jon has ever had another loss another goodbye later in the year he meets solo seoa the same story repeats itself he calls him a ripoff Taz and again he loses he keeps coming back for one more fight despite in his heart of hearts knowing that time has passed him by this is him knowing what he's been a proven winner it all came so easy to him that despite him truly knowing that he's not the same he thinks that he's a piece away dynasties don't just crumble they always think that they're at or somewhere close to winning it all again because all they know is winning that's what continues to happen to Cena in every single rivalry let's jump to 2024 where Cody rhods After suffering punishment that Cena in his Heyday didn't even go through wins the big one and celebrates with the agulation of everyone everyone including the goat himself maybe this was where he saw the writing on the wall as a few months later this happened tonight I officially announced my retirement from the WWE you knew it was going to come to an end sooner or later but that night in Toronto signaled the beginning of the end John Cena announced he'd retire in 2025 also adding that they were planning to do something Unforgettable his reasoning wasn't entirely clear but two things were it was for the people as a thank you and that he would wrestle from January to December in the ballpark of 30 to 40 dates so now we kick off the farewell tour January 6th live on Netflix F you Cena chance had become thank you Cena chance and he brings up Championship number 17 this to a chorus of you deserve a chance he then immediately dismisses this saying that it will never happen because of the streak he hasn't won a match in 2,446 days admitting again it's the new generation's time not his I sound like a broken record but again a light bulb goes off in his head he says he can't do something but again he remembers he's John Cena of course he can do it he's going to win the Royal Rumble it's that simple he makes it to the final two but loses to another wrestler from this generation and this is the moment where realization sets in one shot Remains The Elimination Chamber if not his final year will be written without him main Eventing the show of shows it was on the post show press conference where John Cena said he would field no questions one of the first things he says is in his over 23 years he's never used his pull for a spot he didn't earn which is poetic because while all the other superstars had to qualify for the Chamber match he was plopped in there no earning necessary quote tonight standing in that ring I wanted this to be a tour of Goodwill I've openly admitted I don't know how much I have left in the tank and I just wanted to do something that would be nice for all of us to get together and have a good time unfortunately tonight it dawned on me that that's not best for business he eventually went on to say what was best for business was to Main Event WrestleMania and confidently say he will win a 17th Championship then bringing in the same Dynamic we've gone through in this video he wants people to slander his name and think that they have a chance against the greatest of all time the same talk that was there against Bray the same talk that was there against Roman twice the same talk that was there against AJ Austin Theory solo seoa again it repeats itself but you guys know what happened after this press conference just like The Rock he went away he didn't promote it in the slightest all well the roster called him out for being a hypocrite and taking a hand out fans were also left high and dry just two appearances in a year that was supposed to be a celebration then comes the unthinkable elimination chamber 2025 he enters second second last and the man who has the final spot is a guy he knows very well CM Punk a man whose entire existence depends on Main Eventing WrestleMania in 2013 it was the bigger story of rock and Cena that cost him that opportunity but this Dynamic is still really special think about it the idea of Cena becoming a bad guy was really hammered home with the rise of CM Punk fans believed that they could turn Cena and have the voice of the voiceless be the man of the people if there was ever going to be a double turn it was going to happen in 2011 after all Punk despised Cena and everything he stood for he thought he was corporate he thought he was the phony of all phonies this entire Act was just an act he was a dynasty he was the New York Yankees but JN made a Believer out of punk because he stayed true to his word so many turns of the calendar later here they were and JN was still that same guy but there's one more moment in a moment of high tension Jon couldn't beat CM Punk in Chicago so much history so much bad blood between the two and here they were when Jon reaches out to shake Punk's hand having shared so many miles so many insults his opponent pulls him in for a hug after he's eliminated Seth Rollins comes in and Stomps CM Punk out but the old John Cena would have done something a little bit different he would have checked for a pulse on his opponent but here he had ice in his veins and without hesitation he took advantage and punched his ticket to Vegas roads Cena WrestleMania 41 WWE Championship it was that perfect that generation's good guy this generation's good guy 20 years on from his first world title win would come as last Jon's quest for 17 would coincide with match number 17 at WrestleMania a celebration of the guy who never went bad against a mere image of himself you couldn't write a better script but there was one more thing the offer a year ago Cody rhods nearly had his WrestleMania Main Event sabotaged and he had to fight an entire bloodline to get to where he wanted he earned The Rock's respect but the final boss wanted to make him so much more if Cody became his champion and sold his soul he could have it all the lavish lifestyle a less taxing schedule Hollywood roles be at home with his family all he had to do was turn his back on the people that made him and embrace the Rock but he didn't Rock knew that Cody wouldn't so there was always a plan John Cena dapped up Cody rhods and struck him with a low blow after all think about it he just had help to beat CM Punk how is he going to handle a guy who's cutting his teeth every single day how is he going to handle the champion who he watched duke it out and overcome obstacle after obstacle all well keeping his word how is he going to overcome essentially himself how does John C Cena beat Peak super Cena John Cena sold his soul to the man he basically called the devil the same puppet master that he was fighting 12 years ago and imploring everyone he hated with a burning passion why because he was everything that was disrespectful to him like a toy robot that just had a new set of batteries put in the expression shifted and the game changed in the same city he announced the end came a new beginning this all comes down to Clarity and and Desperation a man who sees that time is passing him by and maybe he can't do the same things that he used to maybe he can't do it the same way he used to time and time again he suffered loss after loss after loss now he's driven to a point where he knows he's not as strong as he once was he's not Invincible his body is deteriorating the clock is ticking so to preserve his legacy to beat Cody rhods who has an unmatched resolve he has to do things different differently plus his WrestleMania opponent is being hailed as the greatest good guy since him 17 will cement him as the greatest of all time but maybe it's more than that his motto was always never give up and now he's given up and given in maybe the message is he needs to win in evil ways but maybe it's a story of Jon needing to listen to his own message that this is the one grand error Jon has made in a near-perfect career despite fighting through the pain doing everything with dignity class and intelligence he's brainwashed within himself after years and years of trying to do the same thing and it not sticking we all go through patches where we you know we make decisions against our value system we all turn heel at one point it's just a matter of if you if you see the light and I think that's what makes a lot of the characters redeemable is you take a really good good guy and then have them lose their way it's it's a Darth Vader in Star Wars but you want to root for him because you know you don't give up on that guy no gu's good in him John Cena has said that if he ever became a bad guy he'd flip his core values on their head he'd begin to show up less not work as hard not respect the business and essentially become a hypocrite now he's infected with the poison of the final boss is selling his soul what gets him everything or does he need a new chapter to truly find himself again regardless of everything this proves that there truly is Evil Within everyone