The E&C Dynasty Is Laid to Waste

Ever since Edge & Christian first set foot in a Federation ring, one question has constantly dogged them. It's a question neither one felt comfortable answering, and with all the success that they had as a tag team, it's one they never really had to answer. The times have changed, however, and it appears that we will soon have an answer to the question:

Who is the better wrestler, Edge or Christian?

At present, it's still too early to give a definitive answer. Both brothers are highly decorated Superstars whose athleticism and intestinal fortitude are beyond question. They are of comparable size, and both employ similar ring tactics. Physically, neither seems to have an advantage over the other. Psychologically, however, this war may have already been won.

Just a few months ago, it seemed unlikely that Edge & Christian would ever square off in the ring. They were the most successful tag team in Federation history, as well as one of the most popular. The E&C Dynasty, as they liked to refer to themselves, looked like it could continue on in perpetuity. Then came the 2001 King of the Ring Tournament.

Edge & Christian were placed in opposite brackets and immediately started running through the competition. Edge defeated Test and Saturn to advance to the semi-finals at the King of the Ring pay-per-view, while Christian did the same by pulling off upsets over Kane and Big Show.

As the pay-per-view neared, a buzz was running through the sports entertainment community. Might Edge & Christian finally square off and end the debate over who is the better wrestler?

The answer turned out to be "no."

With Shane McMahon's help, Kurt Angle defeated Christian in their semifinal matchup, ending the possibility of a championship match between the brothers.

Edge managed to defeat Rhyno in his semifinal and then, with some unsolicited assistance from Shane, he defeated Angle to win the 2001 King of fhe Ring Tournament.

To his credit, Christian reveled in his brother's accomplishment. Edge had won the King of the Ring, and Christian, it seemed, couldn't have been happier. But as the weeks wore on, it became apparent that all was not well with the duo. Christian never let the King of the Ring trophy out of his sight. He seemed obsessed by it. Edge, for his part, appeared bemused by all of the attention his brother was lavishing on the trophy.

Christian then began telling everyone that if he had Edge's draw in the tournament, he - not Edge - would have been King or the Ring. A quick review of the draw indicates that Christian did indeed have the tougher road to the title. Whether the tournament would have turned out differently is quite another matter, and one that can only remain a matter of conjecture.

To most fans, it became apparent that Christian was jealous or his older brother's success. There has been speculation that Christian has felt overshadowed by Edge, and perhaps Edge's victory at King of the Ring drove him to the breaking point.

With Edge's victory over then-Intercontinental Champion Lance Storm at Summerslam, a win which gave Edge his second major tide, Christian's behavior became even more puzzling.

Finally, on September 3 at Raw Is War in the brothers' hometown of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Christian revealed his true feelings toward his elder sibling. With one swing of the KOR trophy and a devastating one-man "con-choir-to," a lifelong familial bond was shattered. According to Christian, he broke with his brother because of Edge's jealousy of him.

To many, this explanation held little water. Clearly, his actions over the past several months seemed to indicate the opposite - for weeks Christian has made it clear that he doesn't like the accolades that his brother receives. Any inference that Edge is the better wrestler sets Christian off, "Look, you chumpstains of World Wrestling Federation Magazine can't even give me the credit and respect that I deserve," exclaims Christian.

"You admit that I have the best finishing move in the world - the Unprettier - ("Down and Out Courtesy of Christian," September 2001) and then you call it the Downward Spiral - one of Edge's moves! How heinous is that? Why is it always about Edge?"

Is Christian right? Is it always about Edge? Or is he just jealous of his brother's success?

The conventional wisdom says that Christian is jealous and that his jealously will soon lead to his demise. But maybe Christian has been overlooked. Maybe he does have a legitimate beef with his brother and all the fans who have taken Edge's side in this debate.

Then again, maybe Christian's anger stems from another source. Perhaps some deep-seated resentment from their childhood, or perhaps the growing influence of someone else.

Could Christian's recent behavior be attributed to the undue influence of another Superstar who has gotten in his ear? And if so, who might that be?

Matt Hardy might be a candidate. It's a well-known fact that the two are longtime friends, and Matt, like Christian, has had to deal with an extremely popular brother.

Could Lance Storm have something to do with this? He's desperate to be recognized as Canada's greatest athlete, and maybe he feels that by destroying the E&C Dynasty, he will finally be recognized as such.

And what about Edge? Might this all be some master plan of his, or even better, might the brothers actually be in cahoots for some greater scheme that none of us can even imagine?

If there's one thing that fans have learned over the years, it's that anything is possible in the World Wrestling Federation.

There's little doubt that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg concerning this matter. How it eventually plays out is anyone's guess. The only thing we can say for certain is that someone is playing mind games with everyone. The question is: who is playing whom?