AEW returned to the road this week and that means one thing and one thing only. Fans can start throwing shade at each other for which Final Fantasy games they prefer again.
AEW and WWE have been forced to stage wrestling shows in front of little-to-no fans since the start of the pandemic. That era officially came to an end this week as AEW Dynamite aired live from Miami in front of a capacity crowd. WWE will follow suit next week as it returns to the road for SmackDown and then Money in the Bank two days later.
Fans returning means a number of things for wrestling. Ticket revenue, the buzz in its arenas, and the return of fan-made signs. While signs at wrestling shows have become less and less common over the course of the past 20 years, some fans still bring them along. In fact, for the last few years, fans have been using signs at wrestling shows as a platform to make their feelings known about their favorite RPGs.
It's unclear where exactly this trend started, or who the first fan was that decided to make a very non-wrestling statement via a sign at a wrestling show. However, prior to the pandemic, the trend caught fire. The main thread is the argument over whether Final Fantasy 8 is good or not. One fan will bring a sign to a show letting the community know they liked the game, and the following week a different fan would be shown on camera with a sign explaining why those who like it are wrong.
This isn't just in one company either. While wrestling fans are busy arguing whether AEW is better than NXT, a small slither of its fans are focusing on a very different war taking place on various shows, regardless of promotion. The battle has even split into various subsections. As the argument over FF8 continues, another fan took the chance to profess their love for Final Fantasy Tactics via a sign.
What was originally a drawn-out, non-verbal fight over which Final Fantasy game was best has extended to other titles. Persona 5 has shown up on signs at wrestling shows, as has one demanding a buff for King Dedede. Still unsure if that's a request to improve the fighter in Smash or for a muscular version to be added to the game. Hopefully, despite 16 months away, wrestling fans fighting their respective RPGs corners haven't forgotten what really matters. Creating signs professing your love for FF8 at home and hauling them all the way to an arena in the hope you get a few seconds of screen time to show it off.