Shane of Thrones

Shane McMahon may be a beloved figure within WWE right now but are his motives all a ruse?

When Shane McMahon returned to RAW back in February, many fans were overjoyed at once again seeing the prodigal son take a stand against his authoritarian father and sister. The balance of power had been one-sided for too long and we were elated to finally have a hero who would champion the rights of the people.

Or is he?

If we think of the WWE in the same terms as the incredibly popular HBO series Game of Thrones (as well as the novels on which the show is based), it means that power is the ultimate goal for essentially every character in one form or another. Whether the intentions are noble or not, the desire to impose their will over others is the theme of both professional wrestling and the world of Westeros.

This is where Shane comes in. Before anything else, he is a McMahon, and a McMahon is never to be trusted. Shane poses as the savior because that’s exactly how he wants you to perceive him. But like his father and sister and even brother-in-law have demonstrated in the past, a McMahon (or psuedo-McMahon) will always put their own interests before yours.

Lest we forget, Shane was once a leader within the Corporation, the Ministry of Darkness and Corporate Ministry. He worked tirelessly with his father in feuds against Stone Cold Steve Austin and Degeneration X. Therefore, I believe Shane McMahon to be the WWE equivalent to Game of Thrones character Petyr Baelish, AKA Littlefinger.

Shane McMahon was nicknamed, “Little Mac” due to his relatively small stature and meager build. Petyr Baelish was nicknamed “Littlefinger” due to his relatively small stature and the location of his meager landholdings. Through hard work and determination, McMahon was appointed Chairman and CEO of YOU on Demand, a Chinese media streaming and subscription service. Through hard work and determination, Baelish was appointed Master of Coin on the royal court at King’s Landing. At the 1999 King of the Ring, McMahon climbed a ladder to retrieve a briefcase which gave control of the WWE to his father. Baelish once gave an eloquent speech about ladders:

Besides these unmistakable similarities, there are numerous quotes by Baelish that could have easily come from the mouth of any McMahon, including Shane:

“Always keep your foes confused. If they are never certain who you are or what you want, they cannot know what you are like to do next. Sometimes the best way to baffle them is to make moves that have no purpose, or even seem to work against you” (A Storm of Swords, Chapter 61).

Just like accepting a Hell in the Cell match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania?

“In King’s Landing (WWE), there are two sorts of people; The players and the pieces.” (A Storm of Swords, Chapter 68)

It’s no secret how the McMahons feel about not just the fans but the WWE superstars as well. They are a means to an end; expendable assets who can be shifted and manipulated as needed. As Triple H famously noted, “there’s always a Plan B.”

Shane’s true motives will undoubtedly play out in time, but don’t be surprised when another McMahon screw job takes place at the expense of the current fan favorite. I won’t say “I told you so” because I’m saying it now.