By Chris Rizzo
When young and mysterious superstars Gangrel, Edge, and Christian first joined forces to form the Brood, I must admit that I was excited. Like many, I saw it as an opportunity for three athletes with tremendous potential to band together in an effort to push each other to the top of the ranks in the Federation. The three obviously had a lot in common, from their choice of ring attire to their silent demeanors, and when the fans witnessed the visually striking entrance of the Brood as well as their in-ring abilities, the group developed a devoted following.
Unfortunately for these superstars, something just didn't click. The Brood had a hell of a lot more talent than they had victories, and that was pretty disappointing to their fans. For one reason or another, even the ring of fire and the viscous fluid-spitting didn't cut it when the Brood couldn't pull out any wins. When the trio became part of the Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness, they were pushed even further into the background. This was a group that needed to be showcased rather than be overshadowed by the Phenom. Things looked pretty bleak for the gothic boys.
Even after they broke away from the Taker and went out on their own again, the Brood found only limited success. It wasn't until Edge started having success in singles competition that the trio showed real signs of life again. Gangrel became upset with Edge's individual popularity and the two took their disagreement to the ring. Christian seemed caught in the middle of the struggle, and the fans were, too. Finally, Christian revealed his loyalty to Edge on RAW during the first-ever Bloodbath match and the Brood as we had known it apparently came to an end, at least for the time being.
I say good riddance.
Too many times in the Federation do singles competitors with true potential join together to form an unsuccessful group. This is what happened to the Disciples of Apocalypse, the Truth Commission, and the Oddities. Though many hoped that the end result of the Brood's coming together would be different than these failed unions, it was not so. Let's hope that the same doesn't hold true for their breakup. Groups like the Oddities simply disappeared after their unsuccessful runs. Fortunately, this same fate does not appear to be in the futures of Gangrel, Edge, and Christian. Unlike the members of the aforementioned groups, these three superstars are young, hungry, and ultra-talented. In addition, Edge and Christian have already achieved some singles success in the Federation. Edge held the Intercontinental Championship for a short time and Christian once held the now-defunct Light Heavyweight Title. Perhaps it was this taste of success that led Edge and then Christian to leave Gangrel and move on to what they fell are bigger and better things to come. It would be tough to argue that the brothers do not have shining careers ahead of them. What they may lack in mic time right now they more than make up for inside the ring. The complete package will come in time.
As for Gangrel, his future is a bit cloudier. We have heard the gothic warrior comment on his plans to "weed out the weak" so that the Brood would begin to thrive as a stronger and more complete entity. However, it appeared that he was relying on Christian to be a part of his new and improved group, and we know now that those plans sure won't be carried out. So now what? Surely, Gangrel will want to gain some measure of revenge against his former mates after being doused by his own bloodbath on RAW. But will this mysterious superstar hold true to his promise to continue the Brood? If he does, it may require some fresh blood, if you pardon the pun. One would think that Gangrel might have a few more acquaintances in the gothic scene. I, for one, would not be surprised to see him initiate the formation of a new Brood. However, I would hope that Gangrel takes this opportunity to move away from the group atmosphere. If it didn't work once, perhaps chances are good that it won't work again. It seems to me that the fanged one has enough power, intensity, and charisma to make it on his own without having to share the spotlight with any partners. Perhaps a run at the European Title or even the Intercontinental or Hardcore Championships would get Gangrel on the right track to success.
No matter what these three superstars decide to do in the upcoming months, chances are they'll have to get done with each other first. It might even be foolish for me to speculate on their individual futures, because we can't even be sure that both sides would survive this hypothetical war. If this conflict does continue, it might be wise for everyone else to stay out of the way…
