4/15/02-4/21/02

Raw

INT. PROMO SET – NIGHT

Jonathan Coachman is standing by with Croooooow.

Coach: Croooooow, last week you were the victim of a sneak attack by your opponent for Backlash, X-pac. There’s some speculation going around that Nykk may have slipped X-pac those nunchukus underneath the table. Is there any truth to this?

Croooooow: Coach, we all talked to Nykk over the weekend, and he says he didn’t have anything to do with X-pac getting that pair of nunchukus. And you know what? I believe him. He’s been my friend for longer than I can remember, and I trust him with my life. The rest of the PPV Squad feels the same way. So no, Nykk is not joining the nWo, he’s leading us toward our goal of improving the WWF, just like he always has.

Coach: Be that as it may, you have a European Title match against X-pac at Backlash. Do you have any concerns about X-pac bringing out those nunchukus once again, or about the rest of the nWo?

Croooooow: Ah yes, X-pac and his deadly martial arts weapons. I can tell you right now that’s the only way X-pac’s beating me. You know, my brother Cynric is also proficient with martial arts weapons if you remember, and he has a match with X-pac tonight. No, Coach, I’m not worried about X-pac. You see, for a long time he’s had a bad case of what the PPV Squad has come to call ‘not talented.’ I mean, the nWo loses possibly the biggest draw in the history of the sport, and they compensate by hiring the King of the Diaper Match? I guarantee you the PPV Squad have their priorities in much better order. Last Monday was a prime example of the PPV Squad coming back stronger than ever when everyone thinks we’re down. X-pac, if Cynric leaves me any for Backlash, I promise you that the feel of a metal belt upside your head will be the least of your concerns. Title tested… PPV Squad approved.

He leaves the set.

INT. ARENA – NIGHT

MATCH: Cynric vs. X-pac

The nWo’s theme hits and X-pac makes his way to the ring with his nunchukus.

JR: Here comes X-pac and those damned nunchukus. We’re about to see a battle of martial artists here folks, as X-pac will be going one on one with Croooooow’s brother Cynric.

Nykk: Everyone knows how proficient Cynric is in the martial arts. Remember Crouching Cynric, Hidden Blackman? Remember the Modern Day Melee?

King: Yeah, Nykk, but whose side are you going to be on tonight?

Nykk: What do you mean by that, King?

King: Well, you know the rumors.

Cynric’s theme hits and he makes his way to the ring.

Nykk: Did you not listen to Croooooow? Just because JR’s a rumormonger doesn’t mean that you have to take everything he says as gospel. No, I’m not joining the nWo and I would never hurt my friends. Although, the nWo certainly has been hurting for membership as of late.

JR: Indeed, Kevin Nash was suspended last week by Ric Flair… wait a minute. Look at this.

X-pac won’t let Cynric in the ring. As Cynric tries to get on the apron, X-pac swings the nunchukus at the ring ropes. Cynric lifts the ring apron and retrieves his bo.

JR: Well, now Cynric has that equalizer, that long staff.

Nykk: It’s called a bo, JR. Can’t you get anything right?

Cynric finally gets in the ring and the ref makes them put down their weapons.

FINISH: As Cynric goes for a spinning heel kick, X-pac ducks and he accidentally takes out the ref. X-pac takes down Cynric with a spinning heel kick of his own and goes for the nunchukus. Cynric sweeps X-pac’s legs before he can use them and rolls to the corner to retrieve his bo. He swings at X-pac, who ducks, but doesn’t duck the rebound. Cynric drops the bo and prepares for the Lift Off. He hits the move and covers, but the ref’s still out. All of a sudden, Nykk gets in the ring and pulls Cynric off of X-pac. Cynric questions him, but Nykk picks up the bo and tells Cynric to raise X-pac to his feet. Cynric does so, and Nykk charges but nails Cynric with the bo instead of X-pac. X-pac picks Cynric up and hits the X-Factor. The ref wakes up and makes the three count.

Winner: X-pac at 3:54

JR: What the hell is going on here?

King: It looks like Nykk has decided to join the nWo after all!

X-pac gets the nunchukus and starts whacking Cynric across the back with them as Nykk stomps on him. X-pac gets out of the ring and goes over to the timekeeper’s table as Croooooow angrily marches down and gets in the ring. He holds his arms out, asking Nykk, “Why?” Nykk begs off and tells Croooooow not to come any closer. X-pac gets in the ring with an nWo shirt. He spins Croooooow around, kicks him and delivers the X-Factor.

JR: Croooooow has just been given the X-Factor and his supposed lifelong friend didn’t do a damn thing to stop it!

X-pac hands the shirt to Nykk, who puts it on. He goes over to the corner and requests a mic.

JR: Ever since the offer was made, Nykk has been preaching about brotherhood and the nature of the pack. I guess now we see what he was really thinking about: fulfilling his own desires, and to hell with anybody else, even his friends. What a liar.

Nykk finally gets a mic.

Nykk: Well, did I have you all fooled? Croooooow, you were my lifelong friend, but you just had to get pretentious, didn’t you? When we came to the WWF, we agreed that I was to be the leader of the PPV Squad. Me. But you just had to go and be the first PPV Squad member to win singles gold, painting yourself as superior to me while I was laid up on the shelf. Well, you and what’s left of the PPV Squad can go straight to hell. Now I’m part of a group who appreciates my talents, and has freed me from the burdens of leadership to pursue my own career. I guess you could say to me that nWo stands for Nykk Wants Out.

He and X-pac start to leave.

JR: What a vile human being.

Nykk: Oh, by the way, Croooooow… X-pac will see you in the ring at Backlash. And guess who’ll be watching from the announce position?

They leave as the nWo theme plays.

King: I don’t know what to say, JR. You think you get to know a guy over the span of four weeks…

JR: I know, King. We were all duped. Nykk thinks only about himself, and that’s more evident now than ever. Well, at least he’s in the proper company.

Smackdown

INT. BACKSTAGE – NIGHT

The Pyro Twins are standing around as Vince McMahon comes upon them.

Jay: Can you believe what Nykk did?

Dusty: I know. What’s he thinking?

Jay: You know things are starting to crumble when you can’t even trust your own friends anymore…

Vince: Well, what have we here? The Pyro Twins. The guys who got beaten last week by the team of Funaki and the Hurricane when they were supposed to be showing how much of a vicious streak runs in them. Just for the record, right now you two make me want to vomit.

Dusty: I’m sure you saw what happened on Monday with Nykk. Really… now… is not… the time. Get it?

Vince: Oh yeah, I get it. There’s a lesson to be learned here, you know. You shouldn’t place implicit trust in your friends. But I guess this means there’s no reason for you to be worrying about this PPV Squad thing anymore. You might as well just conform to what I want you to be. And tonight, you get yet another chance to prove how vicious you can be, or it’ll mean your jobs. Because tonight you will be in a handicap match. And your opponent is someone you know quite well… tonight, in… that… very… ring, you two will go up against… Cheesecake. The PPV Squad’s dying on Raw, guys… now it’s dead on Smackdown too.

He shoulders his way past them as Dusty and Jay stare after him with contempt.

INT. ARENA – NIGHT

MATCH: The Pyro Twins vs. Cheesecake

Cheesecake’s theme hits and he makes his way to the ring, looking a little more apprehensive than usual.

Cole: Here comes Cheesecake, who looks like he’d rather be anywhere but here tonight.

Tazz: Can you blame him? He’s going against the Pyro Twins!

Cole: Cheesecake and the Pyro Twins are all members of the PPV Squad who have gotten drafted to Smackdown away from their… well, now former leader Nykk, and Mr. McMahon seems to have made it his mission to make the Pyro Twins his cronies.

The Pyro Twins’ theme hits and Jay and Dusty make their way to the ring, without their usual intense march.

Cole: The Pyro Twins, Jay Rowe and Dusty Schneble… they didn’t ask for this match against their friend, but Mr. McMahon didn’t have any choice.

Tazz: You think they’ll do it? Will they beat up their friend?

Cole: They’ll have to if they want to stay employed.

The Pyro Twins and Cheesecake stare across the ring at each other for a few moments, and then the Pyro Twins suddenly rush Cheesecake, beating the crap out of him.

FINISH: Cheesecake fights back, and manages to get Dusty in position for the Long Kiss Goodnight, but Jay dropkicks him in the back of the head and Dusty counters with a spinebuster. They wait for him to get up and hit Final Darkness, with Jay covering for the pin.

Winners: The Pyro Twins at 4:36

Cole: The Pyro Twins win it emphatically with Final Darkness, but they look a little remorseful at having to beat up their friend Cheesecake.

Tazz: He is their buddy, Cole, but I don’t think that they really have a choice. Mr. McMahon wants them to beat up Cheesecake, so that’s what they gotta do.

Cole: What’s this?

After a few moments of Dusty and Jay posing half-heartedly, Cheesecake staggers to his feet. Dusty and Jay get into position to execute Final Darkness again, but grab Cheesecake’s wrists and raise his arms instead.

Cole: The Pyro Twins with a show of sportsmanship for their friend, but what will Mr. McMahon think of this?

Heat

INT. PROMO SET - NIGHT

Lillian Garcia is standing by with Croooooow.

Lillian: Croooooow, I know you must be going through a tough time right now, but tonight you have to put that European Title on the line against X-pac with your former friend and leader Nykk now in the nWo’s camp and X-pac’s corner.

Croooooow: You know, Lillian, if you had asked me a year ago, I would have told you that Nykk was a lifelong friend of mine and that he would never betray me or any of us. But since we came to the WWF, I’ve realized that Nykk’s changed. It happened gradually, but he became more self-absorbed, more into his own interests. But last week when I talked to him about X-pac beating me down with nunchukus, I saw glimmers of the old Nykk. And that’s why I believed him. It turns out that was a lie too. But I promise you this, Lillian. We may have lost our leader, but I’m more than able to fill that void. We may have lost a few members to Smackdown, but the ones we have left will help Ric Flair rid the WWF of the nWo even if it means the end of us. And Nykk, you know I would never take advantage of the injured, but if you decide to stick your nose in my match tonight, I’ll end you.

He leaves the set.

INT. BACKSTAGE – NIGHT

Jonathan Coachman is backstage looking for the nWo, but he only finds Nykk and X-pac.

Coach: Well, I’ve been looking around for the nWo back here, and it looks like I’ve found two of them. Guys, what are your thoughts of the changes that have gone down in the last couple weeks, especially the luring of Nykk away to the nWo?

X-pac: Whoa, Coach. Nobody lured Nykk away. He saw what dead weight the rest of the PPV Squad was and he took the opportunity to jump ship to a better, more reliable organization.

Coach: Be that as it may, what do you have in store for Croooooow tonight at Backlash?

X-pac: I can’t speak for Nykk, but I plan to kick the crap out of Croooooow and take that title. As far as my nunchukus go, what can I say? He came at me with hostility and I reacted accordingly. Croooooow, Nykk and me have something special planned for you tonight, don’t worry.

Nykk: I’ve been watching the monitor and hearing Croooooow whine to Lillian Garcia about how I’ve changed, I’m a terrible person, he’ll end me… you know what? Some of what he said made sense. I have changed, and it’s definitely for the better. Croooooow was just another no-talent until I came along. Hell, I even carried our team to a tag team championship. X-pac doesn’t need my help against Croooooow, but I do have something special planned for tonight, and I think that it will please just about everybody… except for one certain long-haired no-talent. Let’s go.

He and X-pac walk off camera.