#SLCC16: WWE superstar John Cena discusses his career at Salt Lake Comic Con

The following is a transcription of John Cena's Q&A panel at Salt Lake Comic Con 2016. After the transcription, I have included my personal thoughts about Mr. Cena, including a couple behind-the-scenes stories praising his character. Enjoy!

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Moderator Jay Whittaker: What’s up, everybody? How are you all doing? You already know this man ­– who’s this man right here?

Audience: JOHN CENA!

Whittaker: John, what’s going on, man? How are you doing? Take a seat.

John Cena: Thank you, guys. This is rather overwhelming. I’d like to thank Salt Lake Comic Con for having me here today. Of course, I’d like to thank you all for coming out to Salt Lake Comic Con, because without you, this is just an empty, big room, so thank you for the energy – all of this. It’s amazing. I don’t always get to do this sort of thing. I think what could be special about today and what’s special about this experience, especially for you people who are coming here today, is that you get some candid time with me. It is very rare that I can do candid situations like this. I will do my best to answer absolutely any question you may have. It’s an honor to be here. It’s even more of a privilege to be able to speak to you guys. I have 45 minutes and 15 seconds, and I would like you to get the most of your experience, so, without further ado, I don’t want to waste any of your time. If you have any questions, I’ll do my best to give you guys answers.

QUESTION: A fan asks what Cena’s favorite match is.

Cena: That’s a great question. I get asked that a lot, and my answer is always the same. My favorite match is always my next one.

Whittaker: Yes! Yes!

QUESTION: A fan asks, “What is your favorite meme of yourself?” (Audience laughs and cheers)

Cena: I guess the meme… it’s a picture of me, and it says, “No more John Cena memes, please.” I kid. I kid. I don’t quite understand the whole thing. I’m truly thankful and grateful that the internet has made me the butt of all these jokes, so… Thank you, internet, yet again!

QUESTION: A fan asks why Cena dropped his wristband at the end of his Summerslam 2016 match with AJ Styles.

Whittaker: Shots fired! Shots fired!

Cena: That’s a very good question. That has a…

Fan: A-J STY-LES! (Other fans begin to boo and chant for Cena)

Cena: That’s all right, that’s all right, that’s all right. Trust me, I’ve been called much worse than “AJ Styles.” (Audience laughs) That actually has a lot of significance, and was a very important piece of symbolism. Unfortunately, right now it’s just for me, and you’re going to have to wait to find out what it actually means.

QUESTION: A young fan asks how it feels to defeat another champion.

Cena: How does it feel to defeat another champion? Well, when you do that, you actually win a championship, so it’s really nice, unless it’s that weird red belt that they just debuted that not a lot of people like. (Audience laughs and claps) I kid! I kid! The red belt would be nice. But no, it always feels good to defeat another champion because that means you win the championship!

QUESTION: A fan asks Cena to try on his replica belt to show the fans that he is looking forward to being a 13-time world champion.

Cena: Well, that is a great request, but it comes with a bit of sacrilege because, if I were to try that on, I would say that I’m going to become a sixteen-time champion…

Whittaker: Yeah, see? Get your stats. Gotta know your stats. (Audience laughs)

Cena: …and that record is held in fairly high regard by people from the Nature Boy Ric Flair.

Audience: WOOO!

Cena: So, until that moment happens – if it actually happens – I’ll wait and save that significance for that moment.

QUESTION: A fan says Cena is one of her favorite memes and asks what his favorite meme is and why.

Cena: I saw a Dave Chappelle one, where he’s… there was this skit where he’s a junkie and he’s got, like, drugs all over his face… (Audience laughs) …and he’s looking up and the caption is, “Y’all got any dank memes?” (Audience laughs) That’s my favorite one.

QUESTION: A fan asks what Cena’s superpower of choice would be.

Cena: Well, I’ve mastered the power of invisibility, so… (Audience cheers) So there’s that. That’s a great question. I think I would want to find some sort of teleportation device so I could be more places at once and do more things. So, there’s a lot of good going on and I’m involved in a lot of good, but a lot of that time is taken up just trying to get from one place to the next, so if I could teleport, that would be awesome.

Whittaker: John, I’ve got a follow-up question for that: are we ever gonna – you clearly fit the part – are you gonna suit up with Marvel or DC? (Audience cheers) I mean… it needs to happen! (Audience cheers louder) Marvel, cut the check! DC, cut the check! Please!

Cena: So, we’ve got Hype Man over there… Apparently, although I would certainly love to be a part of an animate-franchise-brought-to-life, apparently those places can’t see me yet, so… We’ll see. We’ll see.

QUESTION: A fan asks how Cena feels about the current tag team championship on Smackdown.

Cena: The tag team championship tournament on Smackdown? I think it’s a wonderful opportunity. That one tournament kind of encompasses what we’re doing in the WWE right now; we’re doing the “New Era,” and I think it’s a fantastic thing. You see a lot of new tag teams – and a lot of veterans tag teams: Rhyno and Heath Slater; the Headbangers came back last week, after a 16-year hiatus… but it gives opportunity to a lot of new teams, and that’s what the New Era is about: opportunity for individuals to go out and show that they can be superstars, so I am all for the tag team championship on Smackdown.

QUESTION: A fan thanks Cena for inspiring him and his friends to get out and lift weights (Cena: “Appreciate it. Thanks, man!”) He goes on to ask Cena how he, as a person, differs from the “John Cena” character on TV every week.

Cena: Now, I mean… I woke up in this [outfit], I went to sleep in this, I took a shower in this, so it’s kind of me… The weird thing about me, and I think this is what’s developed such a reaction, whether positive or negative, whether you hear people cheer for John Cena or shout out “AJ Styles,” is because, over the years, I’ve been (a fan yells something out) on television… There is not an AJ Styles fan over there; that’s ok… Over the years that I’ve been on television… I’ve been on TV a lot, like, it’s been 15 years, every week – sometimes twice a week, sometimes pay-per-views on Sundays, so, unless your character is authentic, it’s not believable. When I started, I was able to use hip-hop as a vehicle to identify with all of you guys, but that was only a part of me – and a very small part of me - and a very true part of me, but a very small part. And nowadays, you kind of just get me and who I am, and I think that’s why people are driven in such a strong direction, whether they really like me or they really hate me, there’s not a person that’s been like, “Eh…” (Audience laughs) …because they get me, and I’m not afraid to be me. A lot of young superstars so badly want to showcase their technical ability, but they are afraid to be identifiable with the audience. I’ve had moments of success, of failure, of excitement, of humility, and I share them all with all of you guys, and I think that’s what makes the connection very special – it’s because, when it comes to me, yeah, I do have a bright-colored shirt, I change my hat up about every six months, but you get me, and it’s extremely close to who I am as a real person. (Audience cheers and one fan yells, “Thank you!”)

Whittaker: That was my favorite question so far.

Cena: Oh, thank you!

QUESTION: A fan asks Cena at what point in his life he chose this career.

Cena: The very first time someone said that it was a possibility. I remember graduating from college and not knowing what I was going to do with my life. I moved out to the west coast, just to spite my father, who said I wouldn’t make it more than two weeks in California before I had my tail between my legs, dragging back home to Massachusetts. And it’s weird because I don’t know if he was a genius or just (pardon my French) a dick, because when he said, “You won’t make it two weeks,” the first thing I did was said, “All right, man. Whatever. I’m out of here.” But he probably said that so I would go and stay and try to do the best I could to make something of myself, so while I was out there, literally doing nothing, just holding on to a dead-end job, a friend of mine said that we always used to talk about [WWF] RAW and [WCW] Nitro and he said, “Man, you always talk about this and you’re built for it – would you ever consider trying to be a wrestler?” And I didn’t know, back in the days, it wasn’t very publicized… “Back in my day…” it wasn’t very publicized how you could be a wrestler, and this was the first invite I had ever seen to something like that, so I said yes, and as soon as I saw a physical ring that I was allowed to step through to get my feet into, I knew right then that either I would make it a hobby – that I would work my whole life to support my hobby – or I would make it my career.

QUESTION: A fan asks what Cena’s most memorable match was.

Cena: Well, you know, when it comes down to being “most memorable,” I kind of leave it in the hands of people like you. I think a lot of people remember the few matches that I had with The Rock... (Audience cheers) …because those were on a really, really big platform. I know that some of the matches I had with C.M. Punk are quite memorable. (Audience cheers) There was a Summerslam match with Daniel Bryan that was extremely memorable. (More cheering) And, [heck,] I’d like to think the match I just had with AJ Styles was pretty decent. (Audience cheers again) I always look forward. The WWE moves so very fast, and its fan base demands new and it demands next. So I don’t really sit back and look at the matches I’ve done; I look more towards what I can do and what I’m going to do. So, if you ask me, the answer is the same: I look forward to what I’m going to do. But I think, judging by some of the responses, those were three or four matches that were pretty good for the time.

QUESTION: A fan tells Cena that his work with Make-a-Wish has been inspirational to her. She asks what his favorite Wish that he has granted was.

Cena: You know, being able to meet so many families and be a part of so many great moments. Just being at the finish line of the Wish. I think WWE is a perfect vehicle for Make-a-Wish because the Wish family gets the entire experience. A lot of times with Wishes, when you meet, let’s say, a pro athlete or an actor – and not to take anything away from them – but sometimes it’s in a setting where it’s not game day or where there isn’t a show. With us, they get to meet John Cena – and not the John Cena that’s in a suit and tie, like this John Cena, but the Monday Night Raw, the Smackdown Live John Cena, and they get to meet me at the event, and they get to be swamped with all the latest gear and sit as close to the ring as possible and enjoy the whole scope of everything and meet so many other people that it doesn’t just become a handshake and a conversation; it becomes an experience, and the whole experience is designed to provide an escape and provide hope. So, the favorite Wish and favorite part about a Wish is making it happen. Thank you to anyone out there that’s ever done anything with Make-a-Wish because the miles that are donated, the monies that are raised, the volunteer hours that are given… I am at the end of all of that and I see it and it’s lovely and it works awesome, so thank you.

QUESTION: A fan asks about Cena’s acting career and what it was like to act with LeBron James in “Trainwreck.”

Cena: You’ve… You’ve seen those movies, right? And you still call me an actor? (Audience laughs) (Whittaker laughs exaggeratedly) Well, thank you very much, sir. I appreciate that. I didn’t get to work a ton with LeBron because we were on different schedules, but I not only thought that “Trainwreck” was hysterical – it had a cast of extremely funny people being funny – I also think what was great about it was it gave a few people that you would never expect a chance to be funny: myself, LeBron… It was really cool to see the whole movie be a tremendous laugh the whole way through. [Director] Judd Apatow is a genius for a reason. He seems to find people that are ok with letting loose and just kind of going for it and will do anything for a laugh, so it was a pleasure to be a part of. I didn’t get to do much with LeBron, but I certainly had a lot of fun.

QUESTION: A fan asks Cena about speaking Mandarin Chinese and what he had to do to prepare for being the WWE’s ambassador to China.

Cena: I didn’t. I did nothing that I didn’t want to. I went to Shanghai in 2010 and saw the enormity of the city and the entertainment that WWE brings around the world, and China was the last place that we were not. And I began to ask questions of “Why?” And the first thing was that the culture does not relate to our product, and I figured that, maybe, if one of the superstars spoke the language that there would be a better connection, and we are about to head back there next week for our first live event on September 10 in Shanghai in Mercedes Benz Arena.

Whittaker: That’s awesome! (Audience applauds)

Cena: But I basically… whatever little time I had off, I studied Mandarin and I’ve been doing that for about three and a half years, now. Thank you to the WWE because they offer second-language programs free to all superstars, so I actually think that I’m the only one that takes advantage of it! (Audience laughs) And I learned to speak a second language free, so that’s pretty good.

Whittaker: What other languages are you interested in speaking?

Cena: (Responds in Chinese) Right now, I just speak Chinese.

QUESTION: A young fan asks if Cena would “ever verse Roman Reigns” again.

Cena: Would I ever verse Roman Reigns? I would love to, and this – what I’m about to say next – is probably going to get a little bit of mixed reaction in here. I would love to because I believe Roman Reigns is a pivotal piece of the future of the WWE. Would I ever verse him again? Heck yes, because if I get to verse him again, that’s because I did really good the first time.

QUESTION: A fan asks Cena which movie was his favorite to act in.

Cena: I dug “Trainwreck” a lot because they just kind of let me (whistles). (Audience laughs) Uh, maybe, looking back on it, might have shown a little too much of myself…  (Audience laughs) …but, uh… Can’t take that one back.

Whittaker: I think the ladies disagree. (Women cheer)

Cena: It was fun because the crew… (Fan shouts a dirty “Trainwreck” reference and audience laughs) (Cena takes a drink of water and audience laughs)

Whittaker: Just sip water when it gets awkward.

Cena: The crew was filled with funny people, and this was my first time doing something like that, and they could have been really stand-offish, but they were all so awesome, and the director was so awesome, and they were encouraging me to, like, “No, don’t worry about if you say something and it’s not funny. Just go with it.” And it made for some really cool, funny moments, and every day I stepped foot on that set, I just laughed myself silly, so when you can go to work and laugh all day, then clock out, it’s not really work, so it’s fun.

QUESTION: A fan asks Cena what his favorite wrestling move to do on people is. (Fans begin to shout names of moves)

Whittaker, nervously: You don’t need to demonstrate at all, because… (Fans begin cheering loudly) Hey! Hey! Hey!

Cena: No, it’s ok. It’s all right, it’s all right, it’s all right.

Whittaker: I got Obamacare, ok? The coverage is… decent.

Cena: Well, believe it or not, of all the things that I do, I take the most pride in being invisible – and I’ll tell you why. Two reasons: because people have actually believed, now, that they can’t see me. (A fan yells something) It’s like that… person over there… And because it started out as a joke. My little brother dared me that I wouldn’t do it on television, and I said, “I’m your big brother, so not only am I going to do it on television, but you’re going to like it, too. So whenever I go like this (Cena demonstrates his signature taunt by waving his hand in front of his face), that’s probably my favorite thing to do.

QUESTION: A young fan asks, “How did you win the Big Show?”

Cena: Well, I believe, you know, in life, me winning the Big Show is me just being a better person than he is. (Audience laughs) I kid. I totally kid. I totally kid. How did I pick him up? I will tell you that I couldn’t have done that without the electricity of the WWE audience. Because, although he is big, he also carries a certain odor about him (Audience laughs), and when you get too close, man, it’s like adding an extra 150 pounds to human weight! But when everybody’s excited and everybody makes a lot of noise, amazing things happen and, all kidding aside, Paul Wight, the Big Show, has been instrumental in my success because – this is a little bit deep down the rabbit hole, young man – but way back at Wrestlemania 20, a lot of people always think that I was, like, the “privileged one,” and, like, “Hey, he’s John Cena! He can do whatever he wants.” There was a large opposition towards me, who I was, what I stood for, and Paul Wight, in his very big and gentle-giant ways, stepped up and said, “No, this young man has something and I will prove it,” and had the guts to step out on there in the middle of Madison Square Garden at Wrestlemania 20 and give me a moment that I will never forget. So, there wouldn’t really be me without people like the Big Show, and I am forever indebted to him – as much as I make fun of him…

Whittaker: How much does he weigh? Seriously, how much does he weigh?

Cena: It depends on when you ask him. Right now, probably… (jokingly coughs) 500-plus…

Whittaker: I see your Instagrams – you squatting like 600-plus…

Cena: He’s the reason I have to do all of that!

QUESTION: A young fan asks what Cena’s favorite movie is.

Cena: What is my favorite movie? That’s a good question. You know what? I just saw the original “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” last night.

Whittaker: Rest in peace.

Cena: And I forgot how good a movie that was. One of my favorite movies of all times – something you can’t see for at least another two and a half years – is “Blazing Saddles.”

Whittaker: Oh yeah. (Audience cheers)

Cena: Trust me, like 80 years from now, you’ll think it’s funny – because it’s always funny. And I think, in the realm of movies – and this may also stir up a lot of controversy – I like the entire package of “Star Wars.” (Audience cheers loudly) This is really going to jab some people, but I like One all the way through the end because the movie is the most fantastic setting of the story I try to tell every day – the struggle of good versus evil – so I think they did a wonderful job in “Star Wars” and I think that is a movie that I try to represents what I try to do on a daily basis.

QUESTION: A fan asks if Cena is a fan of any other forms of martial arts, other than wrestling.

Cena: That’s a great question, and… and not really – and I’ll tell you why – because I understand the discipline and the technique. I’m certainly appreciative, especially of the self-defense that martial arts provides to an individual, but WWE is about the entertainment. WWE is about giving you, the ticket-buyer, the most for your money. WWE is about creating an experience where you can walk into an arena and sit down – and I hopethat you only sit down for a second because the rest of the show you’re on your feet, either cheering or booing those you love or those you hate. It is a whimsical, imaginative society that we all kind of share and enjoy, and martial arts is very literal. It is very athletic. Although it does have mental and spiritual disciplines, it is showcased in the form of just pure exhibition, where we are more apt to be showmen and showpeople – and I think that is fantastic because I’m really just an imaginative kid, at heart.

QUESTION: A young fan asks what Cena’s favorite colored shirt is.

Cena: Well, you know…

Whittaker: I love her.

Cena: Favorite colored shirt, right now, it would probably be something olive with a pink French bulldog on the front. [Note: Because of the way he described it, this may have been referring to the shirt the young girl was wearing, although I cannot be certain.] It’s a very nice shirt. It reminds me of a very adorable French bulldog that is waiting for my lovely lady in Arizona called Winston. Second, of course, anything black with red, white and blue.

QUESTION: A fan asks, when AJ Styles presumably defeats Dean Ambrose for the current WWE championship, whether Cena would be the one to take the title from Styles.

Whittaker: Say yes. Say yes, please.

Cena: Here we are, trying to trumpet in a new era, and you want me to go back and vie myself for the championship yet again.

Whittaker: Say yes. Say yes.

Cena: Here’s a weird fact: I don’t think I’ve had a championship opportunity for a year and some-odd something! I don’t know. I don’t know. What I like about that question is the names you put aside from me in that conversation: Dean Ambrose as champion, AJ Styles as challenger – two guys who have worked their butts off to get to where they’re at and are relatively new names in the WWE – and, if we are to have a strong future as a company, we need the new superstars to step up and excel. And I, having been in there with both Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles, I will say that Dean Ambrose has his work cut out for him because AJ Styles is pretty […] good.

QUESTION: A fan jokes(?) that his mother is blind, so she actually cannot see John Cena. (Audience nervously laughs) (Whittaker: That’s solid. That’s solid.) (Cena takes another drink of water) The fan goes on to ask whether Cena ever thought about joining the military.

Cena: I did. I told a story about how I got into sports entertainment, and I was literally on the cusp of enlisting for the United States Marine Corps… (Audience cheers) I had taken an exam to be a California Highway Patrolman and failed miserably. So the cops didn’t want me and I figured the Marine Corps would take me, but, literally, the weekend that I was contemplating my decision was the first time that I stepped in the ring. So, now that I’ve garnered success in sports entertainment, because I’ve always had a passion for the military and what it stands for, I always do what I can and give back and give those men and women the respect that they deserve. (Audience cheers)

QUESTION: A fan asks who the most difficult person to wrestle is.

Cena: Without a doubt, Brock Lesnar. (Audience nervously laughs) Without a doubt. Every single second you stand in the ring with Brock Lesnar, you are, essentially, earning everything you are ever given. He is the most gifted, athletic individual I have ever been able to be associated with.

QUESTION: A fan asks, “What is your favorite part of being you?” (Cena and Whittaker laugh)

Cena: Man, that’s, like… deep. (Fans laugh and one fan chants, “NIK-KI BEL-LA!”) (Cena laughs and takes another drink) (Whittaker: We’ll get to that!) I have great perspective that anyone could be chosen for my position – that I am where I am out of hard work, but also out of a lot of luck and a lot of opportunity, and I have great appreciation for that. What’s the best part about being me? …is that I am lucky enough to do what I love for work and call it “work.” I love… Like, I… this is going to sound weird, but I love life because I’m sitting here, talking to you guys about life – about really deep, personal issues – and about what we’re doing in WWE and movies and all of that stuff, and it’s fun. And then, when I’m at a WWE event, I get to race down that ramp and be a superhero, and that’s fun. And then, when I get to go on screen, I get to tell R-rated jokes, and that’s fun. So, the best part about me is to be able to appreciate the fact that I can do what I love and actually call it “work.”

QUESTION: A fan asks Cena how he likes to be in the ring.

Cena: How do I like to be in the ring? It’s where I feel most comfortable. It’s where I feel the most at home. I’ve had a lot of circumstances happen in that ring that not a lot of other superstars have, and I still always keep a smile on my face because it is truly where I belong and it is where I feel the most at home.

QUESTION: A fan in an inflatable muscle suit steps to the microphone. (Cena: I see you’ve been working out.) The fan asks what encourages Cena to do so much charity work, giving back to his fans.

Cena: It’s not an obligation. It’s not like I feel I have to. I do it because I want to, and I think, once you reach a level of success in any field, you feel like you want to try to give back. I’ve found a wonderful home in Make-a-Wish, where we can make some amazing things happen and, if you talk to a different celebrity or somebody who’s had success in their life, they may give you a different charity and say, “No, this charity is fantastic!” I just love what we do for Make-a-Wish, I love what I’m able to do for the Armed Forces, and I don’t do it because I feel obligated; I do it because I want to, so it’s easy to make the time.

QUESTION: A fan says that Cena’s rap album came on Pandora the other day. (Cena, nervously: Oh, boy.) (Fan: Bars! My boy got bars!) The fan asks whether fans can expect another album soon. (Audience cheers)

Cena: Every one of you who just cheered obviously did not listen to the first one. Those who were quiet probably bought the first one, and for that, I’m sorry. Hip-hop… I’m a huge fan of hip-hop. I really am. Hip-hop still pumps through my heart. But it is a music of the youth. It truly is. It is a rebellious form of art and it is music of the youth. And if I did it today, it would be… it would be real weird. It would be like me standing up here in wristbands and a ball cap and a t-shirt… That would be real weird. (Audience laughs) No, there probably won’t be another album.

QUESTION: A fan asks who some of Cena’s favorite rappers are.

Cena: So, if you’re under 35, this is going to sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher. (Cena mimics the cartoon teacher’s “Wah-wah” style of speaking) (Audience laughs) Brand Nubian; Nas; (Audience cheers, covering some of Cena’s talking) … Jay-Z is fantastic; Eminem is probably the one name you guys know; Black Moon; Black Sheep; Smif-N-Wessun; Snoop Dog, obviously; … Notorious; Big. The names can go on and on, but I was into hip-hop in the mid-80s and fell in love with it, and I was in a really small town where they just didn’t listen to that type of music. It hit stride for me in like ’95, so anything between, like, ’86 and ’95, I was completely attached to.

Whittaker: That’s what’s up.

QUESTION: A fan says he has watched all of Cena’s wrestling. (Cena: Where do you find the time?) The fan says he has also watched all of Cena’s other work, including his appearances on the “Fred” series. (Cena: I was living in a refrigerator.) Finally, the fan asks how Cena’s reaching out into kids’ TV programming affected his life.

Cena: I guess, the same way the opportunity to become a WWE superstar did. It’s just another opportunity to show people what you can do, and hopefully you do well enough that they want to see it again.

QUESTION: A fan asks whether Cena has any stories about working with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Cena: I do. I do. Would you like to hear one? (Audience cheers)  (Whittaker: Gossip!) Would you guys like to hear one? (Audience cheers even more loudly) Ok, this is actually… this is the first time I’ve told this story. (Clears throat) So, for two years, The Rock and I kind of made fun of each other. A lot. (Fans shout “Fruity Pebbles!”) Um, it got pretty heated and it got pretty personal. I said some things that were less-than-nice. He said some things that were less-than-nice. And I can assure you, in our line of work, there is a gray area where imagination becomes very real, and we were right in the sweet spot of that gray area, each watching each other’s every move and not too happy with the other party. We had a match in Miami at Wrestlemania, of which I finished second place – and I’m very proud of that… That’s a light way of saying, “I lost.” (Clears throat again) But we had a follow-up match at MetLife Stadium and I was good enough to finish first that day. And when I did, I’m well aware of the amount of work that Dwayne Johnson has on his plate, and the fact that he did not need to come back to the WWE, and I talked all that trash many years ago, just to try to get him to come back because I, like you guys, am a fan of The Rock. So, he comes back and stays for the better half of two years, only to lose in one of his final matches in WWE. And after the three-count of the match in New York, we had a moment where we had an embrace and I said something to him, and there’s been a few people to ask me what I said, and my answer is always, “Well, that’s between me and him.” I actually told him that he had taken a picture with me when I was an employee at Gold’s Gym back in the year 2000, when The Rock was, like, meteoric and he didn’t need to pay any attention to anyone but people who could possibly do things for him. And here’s this low-level employee at Gold’s Gym, wowed by the unbelievable personality that is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and I went up to him and said, “Rock, is it ok if we get a picture together?” And he gave me the picture and he gave me some advice on how to further my career, and didn’t have to do any of that. And now, being in the return seat, I understand, truly, how valuable his time was and how much that meant to me, as a person, and I held him close and I said, “You’re never going to remember this, but you took a picture of me in 2000. It helped me stand here today and, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here today.” And then I thanked him very much for all the work that he’s done for the industry and for all he’s done for me, and we went backstage and had a shot together in celebration. That is my “Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson” story.

Whittaker: That was an awesome story! (Audience cheers)

QUESTION: A young fan asks when Cena came up with the “You Can’t See Me” gimmick.

Cena: The gimmick… (Whittaker: It’s a gimmick?? Thanks, kid. A gimmick!) (Audience laughs) Like I said, my little brother dared me to, and the reason he did was because, when I started and I was, like, the “Ruthless Aggression” John Cena, which was way before you were born, I didn’t look any different than anyone else, and then someone from WWE overheard me rapping and said, “Would you like to do that on television?” And I said, “Yes.” But it’s not like they just threw me on RAW right away. Like, I wasn’t in the big matches. I was still, like, not even barely on television, and there was this show that was barely even watched called “Velocity,” which I was on every single week. And I didn’t take it as, like, “Aww, I gotta do this.” I took it as, like, “Man, I own that show!” – and I did! So, my brother was, like, “You won’t do that on television.” And I was, like, “Well, I own this show, anyway, so of course I’m going to do it!” And that’s kind of where it started, and now it’s become “a gimmick,” so I’m very happy. (Audience laughs)

QUESTION: A fan thanks Cena for making wrestling interesting, explaining that she and her cousin are on “opposite ends of the Cena Spectrum.” (Cena: Your house must be really interesting.) The fan goes on to ask where Cena’s trademark military dog tags came from.

Cena: I’m one of the very few people that doesn’t have a tattoo on his body… (Some applause from audience) No, you don’t have to clap about that. I think tattoos are great, I just… My mom would kill me, straight up. She would literally… and it would be weird. It wouldn’t be, like, a quick death. I would get stoned. It would be bad. Or grounded indefinitely. So, the dog tags have the names of my mom, my dad, my brothers and Nicole [Bella, John’s co-worker/girlfriend], and I wear them to all the high-profile matches because the “plus” of doing what I do is I get to travel the world and see a million great people and do some great stuff, but the drawback is I don’t ever see the people closest to me, so it is a way for me to let them know that they are always in my heart, no matter where in the world that I am.

QUESTION: A fan thanks Cena for coming to Salt Lake Comic Con. (Cena: I’m having a great time! Are you guys having a good time?) (Audience cheers loudly) (Whittaker: Yeah, there we go! All right!) The fan asks what the strangest thing is that has happened to Cena while overseas.

Whittaker: Oh, I wanna hear this!

Cena: That’s a good question. This didn’t exactly happen in Iraq or Afghanistan, but on the flight back, because we were in the military transport carriers, we had to stop at the air force base in Germany… and at the air force base in Germany, they have a wonderful officers’ pavilion. We made it a lot less wonderful… because when you get, I don’t know, when you get 40 tired, sometimes-cranky WWE superstars and you land them with, like, an eight-hour delay and there may or may not be an open bar, eh… you know? (Audience laughs) Stuff happens. We had a lot of fun in Germany. We have always had fun at those shows, but the trips there and back were especially fun and we were always very well taken care of, no matter how rowdy we ever got.

QUESTION: A fan dressed as a medical professional steps to the microphone. He comments that Cena is “a big guy.” (Cena: And you’re not a doctor, but you did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.) The fan asks whether Cena has ever gotten goosebumps out of intimidation as an opponent has walked to the ring. (Fans begin chanting for Brock Lesnar and the Undertaker)

Cena: To me, that moment’s all the time. It is. It is. You guys don’t see what I see. At the events, you literally can’t see me because I’m sitting in a random seat, just as one of the fans, peering through the curtain trying to get a feel for the live audience, or watching backstage on the smallest of televisions, as close as I can to the audience to try to hear their energy - and those moments happen to me all the time. When a superstar who doesn’t necessarily get a reaction maybe gets an ovation that I didn’t expect, it gives me goosebumps. When a match goes out there and the expectations are low and it exceeds expectations, that gives me goosebumps. When the expectations are high and it comes in way low, that gives me goosebumps. Every single time those trumpets that I have nightmares about sometimes hit and I get to go down to the ring and run and do what I do, that gives me goosebumps. There have been moments where the crowd response is louder for some than for others, but it doesn’t take away the energy. Honestly, I feel as if I’m doing what I was born to do because I truly feed off of the energy of the people and I’m always aware of what’s going on.

QUESTION: A fan asks about Cena’s experience seeing his infamous meme on the internet for the first time.

Cena: A quick impression of me seeing that for the first time: (Cena sits back in his chair, checks his phone, makes a surprised noise and shakes his head repeatedly while putting his phone away)

Whittaker: You liked it!

Cena: Thank you, internet, again.

QUESTION: A young fan asks what the hardest part about WWE is.

Cena: I don’t want to say it’s not tough, because I love it. I think the hardest part for anyone is to connect with you people. To get you people to develop an opinion on the action in the ring. I think there are some really gifted performers right now – one of them I’ll name is Cesaro… (Audience cheers) …who is a fantastic athlete but is still struggling to connect with the audience, and once a fantastic athlete can connect with the audience, then it becomes really, really fun. But the toughest part is making you believe in me, and that’s what I try to do the best I can every single day.

QUESTION: A young fan asks, “Can you see me?” (Audience laughs)

Cena: You can’t use me because I have poor eyesight, so I can’t see anybody.

QUESTION: Who is the best person you’ve ever RKO-ed? [Note: The RKO is a finishing move belonging to a different wrestler, Randy Orton.]

Cena: Uh, that’s a great question. People are like, “Ooh! She said RKO and that’s not his maneuver!” Wait! Watch me move the pieces right in for a checkmate: Randy Orton, because he’s the only person I’ve ever RKO-ed! (Audience cheers) So, yes, your question is very, very relevant! …and it was “out of nowhere,” by the way.

QUESTION: A nervous young fan bumbles through asking where Cena’s motto – “Hustle, Loyalty, Respect” – came from.

Cena: Well, believe it or not, that is directly borrowed from the United States Armed Forces. (Audience cheers) They operate with words such as “honor,” “code” and “country,” and I took “honor,” “code” and “country” and kind of switched it around to “hustle,” “loyalty” and “respect,” because, essentially, if you work hard, you stay loyal to the friends – people that are loyal to you – and you respect everyone, even if they are your enemy, then you will operate at a peak level and do nothing but good things. (Cena notices that his time is nearly up) The red light is here, but, like I said, I don’t do this a whole lot, so we’ll get a little bonus time. I’ll do a little bonus stuff.

Whittaker: We’ve got two more here.

QUESTION: A fan asks who Cena’s favorite tag team member has been.

Cena: Definitely Shawn Michaels because we won the tag team championships. (Whittaker: Yes! Yes!) And I thought that would never happen! So yes, definitely HBK.

QUESTION: A young fan asks how Cena learned to wrestle.

Cena: How I learned to wrestle? Well, it depends on who you ask. If you ask some people, they’ll say I still don’t know how to wrestle. (Audience laughs) …so there’s that… But, I had a bunch of really, really great coaches. I think one that really, really stands out – actually, a few – Jim Cornette was one, Arn Anderson was another, Pat Patterson is one of the last ones and, believe it or not, I learned a lot about wrestling from Vince McMahon, himself. (Audience cheers) Four good coaches! (Cena looks at the line of fans waiting to ask questions) We have one more? Fire away! We have two more!

QUESTION: A fan asks whether it’s allowed to be a Cena fan and a Rock fan. (Cena: Of course it is, man!) The fan asks whether Cena smells what The Rock is cooking.

Cena: I do! I do. (Audience laughs) What day is it today? Is today Thursday? (Fan: It’s Friday.) Friday? Because Thursday is Pancakes Day… Friday? I believe he’s cooking a poutine! It’s… very spicy! So today is Poutine Day for The Rock. That is what he’s cooking. It smells very “bayou.” We got one more? (Cena looks at the monitor, which indicates that his time is up.) Oh, I know time is up, guys. Don’t… You’re not the boss of me, digital world! I got real people here, talking about real stuff, like what The Rock is cooking!

Whittaker: Yeah! Yeah!

QUESTION: A young fan asks what Cena’s everyday car is.

Cena: Ah! Yikes, I guess that would be a bus. (Fan: Because I know you have a dope car collection.) Is “dope” still good? Is that still a good word? Or am I going to get arrested for narcotics? (Audience laughs) I don’t know. Anything fast. (Fan: Anything fast?) Anything fast. But I don’t drive fast. I always drive the speed limit. That’s a lie. I drive fast. (Audience laughs) That’s it. That’s a good last question, though.

Whittaker: Thank you, guys, so much for being here! Please make some noise!

Cena: They’re going to tear me off stage! Thank you, guys, so much! I greatly appreciate it! Thank you, Salt Lake Comic Con, for having me – and remember, this place does not exist without you! Thank you, guys, for being here!

Salt Lake Comic Con MC Chris Provost: Everybody, JOHN CENA!! (Audience cheers loudly)

***

As Cena wrapped up his panel, many young fans (and some parents) hurried to the front of the stage. Cena graciously approached them and shook a few hands before being ushered off the stage. I saw, to the right of the stage, one special-needs fan being rushed up to the front of the Ballroom by his father, who was frantically trying to flag Cena down before he left. Cena did not notice them, however, and was walking off the stage as a volunteer ran up and got his attention. Cena came back onto the stage and spoke to the young fan momentarily. At the end of their conversation, unseen by probably 99% of the people in the room - except for me and a photographer, apparently - he shook the boy's hand and gave him one of his wristbands before finally leaving the Ballroom. I thought that was a cool moment.

Later in the afternoon, I had a photo op with Cena, which I was looking forward to all weekend. As I got back to the photo op area, the volunteers were, obviously, doing their job and telling fans how to appropriately carry out their photos ("As soon as you see the flash, step up for you picture, and, please, no handshakes... No handshakes, please," they repeated several times.) Despite the volunteers' instructions, John Cena shook hands with every single fan that I saw while I was back there, including me. I thanked him for coming and he reiterated that it was a pleasure to be there. From my very brief interaction with him, he seemed like a genuinely nice man.

This practically pales in comparison to a story I heard told of him the next morning at the Salt Lake Comic Con staff meeting. A former Comic Con co-worker of mine was having a bad weekend; she lost her wallet, including all of the cash she had on hand, which was apparently over $300. She was understandably upset by the theft and was not in good spirits, from those who witnessed her reaction. The woman is a huge pro wrestling fan, apparently, and she credits Cena for helping her work through depression and some difficult times in her young adulthood. When she approached Cena for a photo op on Friday, she gave him a three-page letter that she wrote him, thanking him for his example. Reportedly, Cena told the photographers to hold off for a moment, and he embraced the woman and gave her a big confidence boost. They took the photo and that was that. Later on, the woman got a notification saying that Cena had followed her on Twitter (I verified this last night). He sent her a direct message, explaining that he read her letter and was grateful for her kind words, then giving her one more confidence boost online.

That's awesome. While I don't quite understand the level of commitment/obsession that some fans experience over certain celebrities, movies or TV shows that they claim have profoundly impacted or changed their lives, I think it is so cool of Cena to have reached out personally to this former co-worker of mine and encouraged her to keep her chin up, especially considering the difficult circumstances that she was experiencing after losing her wallet.

I know that a lot of people can't stand pro wrestling. They whine about it being fake (so is every other show on TV, by the way) and they think the wrestlers are phonies. Despite it being a gigantic, sweaty soap opera, I do understand the entertainment value. I watched as a kid - and even a little bit as an adult - and I'll (mostly) defend it under a broad variety of circumstances. I even blogged about it once.

I had heard a lot of good things about John Cena before his appearance at Salt Lake Comic Con last weekend - and all those stories and compliments were validated after seeing him up close and personal. Listening back to this panel as I transcribed it reminded me of how polite Cena was - especially when addressing kids. Good on you, John. Thanks for your example and for actually being a good role model for young people. (There aren't many of those anymore these days.)

I see you, John Cena. And I like what I see.

Wayward Points S02E10: Ashes, Ashes

"There is no 'greater good.' Only good, however small the act."

***

What we already know:

• Wayward Pines, under the rule of Jason Higgins and the First Generation, has become dangerously low on resources - they're nearly starving to death, are running low on medicine and only have enough cryo chambers to send 48% of the surviving population back to sleep.
• They can't regrow crops inside the Fence because there is something wrong with the soil underneath Wayward Pines.
• At the beginning of the season, a revolution was being staged by Ben Burke, Xander and a few others to rise up against the First Generation. Ben Burke is presumed dead after having been exiled by Jason, but Xander has a few stolen weapons that the remaining rebels can use to fight, if necessary.
• Rebecca Yedlin helped design Wayward Pines. She and Adam Hassler, who did not die in the wilderness during Season 1, had deduced that the Abbies, led by the super-smart Margaret, are digging tunnels underneath the Fence.
• Rebecca and Xander were married in Wayward Pines before Rebecca's real husband, Theo, showed up. Rebecca and Xander are now separated, but we learned that she is pregnant with Xander's baby. Theo isn't thrilled.
• Margaret broke free from the Complex, killed Mrs. Fisher (yay!) and has recovered enough from her injuries to lead the army of Abbies against humanity. The Abbies are bent on destroying the humans because of a long-standing grudge against David Pilcher, who, unprovoked, killed many of the original Settlement Abbies in order to clear room for the construction of Wayward Pines.
  
• Jason plans on putting the citizens of Wayward Pines back to sleep until the Abby uprising dies down, but, as previously mentioned, there aren't enough functioning pods to protect everyone in the town.
• Dr. Theo Yedlin has become what many believe to be the new leader of Wayward Pines. His leadership and medical expertise have set him at odds with Jason throughout the season and Theo refuses to spend any more time being ruled by a spoiled brat.
• In Episode 9, a shocking revelation came to light - that Kerry Campbell gave birth to Jason Higgins before being abducted and sent to Wayward Pines. Jason was awoken years before Kerry and had no idea of their relationship. Pilcher told Kerry that he sent her son to Texas, so she was also unaware. When Jason discovered the shocking truth (that he had been in a romantic, intimate relationship with the woman who gave birth to him), he and Kerry got into a scuffle and a gun was fired. Both Kerry and Jason collapsed, bleeding, on top of the miniature model of Wayward Pines inside Pilcher's old office - but who got shot? And who will survive? Only time will tell...

Wayward Points:

• THE AFTERMATH

• The episode begins with Jason being rushed to the ER at the hospital. Kerry appears to be fine - a little bloody, but well enough to walk herself to the hospital, apparently. Theo quickly begins surgery on Jason, extracting the bullet from inside him, but too much damage has been done to Jason's lungs and, without proper medical supplies to aid in the procedure, Theo pronounces Jason Higgins dead. Kerry watches in horror.
• Theo assumes leadership of Wayward Pines, promising safety to its citizens and encouraging them to honor Jason by fulfilling their fallen leader's dying wish - that the town survive.
• Oscar (shut up) accuses Theo of intentionally skipping steps in the procedure to save Jason's life.
• Oscar realizes that Jason and Kerry have the same rare blood type. Theo realizes that this means Kerry was Jason's mother. He breaks the news to Kerry and she proceeds to vomit into a garbage can.
• BEDTIME

• CJ suggests that Jason's plan for saving citizens be followed: save intact families first (two parents and all children) - this would account for about 300 of the 571 functioning pods - then children, leaving behind "non-essential" adults, in order to better control any unforseen turmoil. CJ suggests saving the 571 first without telling the others that they will not be receiving a cryo pod.
• Jason already made decisions about who should be saved, despite Theo's belief that selection should be made randomly. CJ believes Jason's plan should be followed, but he explains to Theo that there are 300 cryo pods that are currently occupied that could be emptied to free up more space for current citizens, if necessary.
• Frank and Lucy are separated into two different extraction groups. Frank is restrained by force as Lucy's bus drives away. Rebecca and Xander are also separated. When Rebecca protests, the guard says their separation "has something to do with the sequencing of the pod room."
• As night falls, we see that Arlene and Xander have yet to be rescued. Some rioting and looting begins on Main Street. The chaos spreads to the checkpoint outside the Complex. One of the extraction guards at the gate gets his throat slashed and citizens begin banging on the gate. CJ fires a gun into the air to disperse the mob.
  
• Theo rescues Frank and Xander from their impending extinction and alcohol addictions. Arlene, who was not initially selected, is allowed entry to take the pod of the extraction guard who was murdered at the gate. She greets Theo with a big ol' kiss on the lips.
• CJ greets Kerry at the Complex, explaining that her inappropriate relationship with Jason was not her fault. "We all believed in things here that weren't real," he says. He explains that Kerry survived Pilcher and Jason because of all of her positive qualities and encourages her to use those things for "good" the next time she wakes up. However,
  Kerry says that one fresh start was enough and she gets out of line at the sanitation area.
• END GAME

• Theo discovered at some point that David Pilcher had access to three types of deadly bacteria - the kind that cause bubonic plague, typhoid and the Marburg virus. Theo intends to inject himself with all three viruses, wait until the incubation period is over and then walk outside the Fence to sacrifice himself to the Abbies, thus infecting the Abbies and wiping them out swiftly. He estimates that one-third to half of the Abbies would die from the bubonic plague, alone, and the rest would be killed by the other two viruses.
• When Kerry left the line at sanitation, she went to the medical bay, where she discovered Theo's voice recording, explaining his plot to destroy the Abbies. Without Theo's knowledge, Kerry injected herself with all three viruses, saving Theo's life and sacrificing herself for "good."
• CJ initiates cryostasis at the Complex. After everyone enters their pods, CJ's wife appears to him in vision, again asking, "Was it a mistake?" CJ appears ready to decide on "pod termination," whatever that means, but ultimately decides to continue cryostasis, setting a timer for 60 seconds and ultimately entering a pod of his own.
• Kerry is shown leaving the city limits through the Fence, injected with three viruses and some morphine to make her immune to pain.
• As the episode (and season) comes to a close, we are shown a glimpse of a family of Abbies, including a mother with a brand new infant in her arms.

What we learned:

• The Settlement of Abbies is much larger than we had previously seen. They've got an entire dang civilization out there!
• There were over 300 people who were never awoken from cryo-sleep.
• Kerry knew that Pilcher changed her file, but did not know that Jason was her son.
• Frank and Lucy's last name is Armstrong.
• We learned more about Theo's abduction: He was once asked (by Sheriff Pope in Hawaii) whether he would save 1,000 lives if he had the chance. Then, Theo says, "some crazy nurse drugged me, kidnapped me and brought me here."
• Theo assumes that Pilcher was saving the viruses for some eventual form of germ warfare.
• One small soil sample was shown at CJ's harvester headquarters with plants growing out of the dirt, so apparently whatever he was doing was about to yield results, but it's too late to do anything about that now.

Wayward Lines:

• Voice over P.A.: "Attention, citizens of Wayward Pines: extraction teams are on their way. Gather your families and your belongings. Only take with you what is essential for survival. Those who have not been picked up, remain calm. Shuttles will be coming back for the next group shortly. Reminder: once you do leave, you will not be returning home."
• Theo: "Time of death, 0-7-3-3."
• Theo: "I know that many of us did not ask to be here. I know I didn't."
• Oscar: "You never make mistakes... Was that on purpose, Dr. Yedlin?"
• Arlene, to Theo: "I-I just wanted to tell you what a wonderful little speech you made out there and I know you're very busy, but I just wanted to confess to you - I've had a lot of different professionalities in my life. ... I've been a toll booth operator, I've been a hockey mascot, I've been an adult bookstore manager, but, of all those jobs, this has been the most satisfying. I feel like I've really made a difference, and it's all because of you, and I just want to say I feel like I can really make a difference in the future, and I feel like, together, you and I could change humanity." Theo: "Yeah..." Arlene: "I will see you in the mountains. Tally ho! ... I will see you... in the mountains!"
• Theo and CJ, about Jason: "You knew him as a boy." "I did, but I did not know the man he would become."
• CJ, on the consequences of Theo changing Jason's selections: "...For every action, there is an equal, opposite reaction. ... You will be granting a pardon and a death sentence at the same time."
• Kerry and Theo, on Jason's death: "Did he suffer?" "Did you want him to?"
• CJ and Kerry: "Are you all right?" "No."
• Theo to CJ: "We're not saving just one life. We're saving the human race. ... It's completely different."
• CJ to Theo: "You've been saving the world all along, Doctor. You just didn't know it."
  
• Theo, on a voice recording: "I hope whoever hears this understands this more than I do, but you need to know that David Pilcher was wrong about everything. In an effort to save humanity, he created a town that is ruled by inhumanity - an effort he had no right to undertake."
• Theo, on a voice recording: "There is no greater good. There's only good, no matter how small the act."
• Frank and Xander: "I wish I was born somewhere else." "Unfortunately, there is no 'somewhere else.'"
• Theo, after rescuing Xander and Frank: "Let's not make a moment of this."
• Arlene to Theo, upon learning she was not selected: "You say hello to the future for me, ok?"
• Xander and CJ: "Are things going to be different?" "They have to be different."
• CJ to Kerry: "You certainly deserve a fresh start."
• Theo: "I guess the future needs ice cream."
• Rebecca to Theo: "We couldn't save our marriage. You can save the town. Only you can."
• Kerry to Theo: "Humanity needs you - and more people like you - in the future... and less people like my son."
• Theo: "Good luck to us all, and hopefully I'll see you all very soon."

The Rules:

• None mentioned specifically, although instructions are given several times over the P.A. speakers, to which the citizens all react quite obediently and calmly.

Wayward Whines:

• When Jason was being rushed to the ER, the gurney he was being carried on was leaking a trail of blood. When Oscar was shown running to get help, there was no blood on the floor. Continuity, people! Come on!
• CJ says Jason wanted intact families to be taken together, however, the extraction team is shown splitting up a family by sending the mother and two kids up to the Complex, while restraining the father, who would be sent up in Group 2. Also, we see that many of the children at Wayward Pines Academy are left behind to be taken later. Not sure I understand... Maybe Theo made changes to Jason's selections?
• Rebecca is afraid of being "alone again" without Xander. She has the least to complain about because, sure, she arrived in Wayward Pines without Theo, but then she got married to Xander in the meantime, so it's not even like she was without a partner for that long, anyway. Pssssh. Rebecca...
• At this point, we must assume that Ben Burke truly did die in the wilderness outside the Fence. Their choice not to show the face of his body when Hassler brought it back to the harvesters (and Theresa) is a bit baffling to me. Like, what? Was Charlie Tahan not available to film a three-second shot that week or something?

Wayward Signs:

• "Wayward Pines Hospital"
• "Proceed through security to medical checkpoint"
• "Procedure: Relinquish personal effects, collect pod suit, change into pod suit, proceed to Sanitation for antiseptic spray"
• "Wayward Pines Academy"
• (Inside Wayward Pines Academy) "You are the future"
• (On school bus) "Emergency Exit: Operates from inside only"
• "Student Council: Sign up here!!"
• "Welcome to Wayward Pines"
• "McGonigles Ice Crea         Emporium"
• "PI ES"
• "2 Cryogenics"
• "Pod Termination?"
• "Risk of death: Return to Wayward Pines. Beyond this point you will die."

Easter eggs:

• The voice over the P.A. system in Wayward Pines had always previously been Jason or Kerry (fairly confident in that), but the voice heard at the beginning of this episode was a different man.
• The shot where Theo addresses the crowd outside Wayward Pines Hospital mirrors the shots of Margaret overlooking the Settlement Abbies from high up on the cliff.
• Three paintings of David Pilcher are shown, including the oft-removed painting in Dr. Yedlin's office. Speaking of which, Theo removes the painting one final time, smashing it on a desk and sending shattered glass across the office.
• CJ asks Kerry if she is all right. She responds by saying no. This mirrors the same question and response posed by Kerry and Jason in Episode 9 (see "Wayward Lines" section).
• As he is rescued by Theo, Xander grabs one last Wayward Vine from his store.
• Theo mentions ice cream!
• The sign at the Fence that says "Risk of death: Return to Wayward Pines. Beyond this point you will die." is shown in the closing moments of the pilot episode in Season 1.

Who survived?

• The following main characters were shown in pod suits and entering cryo pods at the Complex: Xander, Rebecca, Frank, Lucy, Arlene, Oscar, Theo, CJ

What we don't know:

• Did Theo's plan for Kerry actually work? This would imply that Kerry is dead (she's basically dead either way) and that the Abbies are all going to get fatally infected by the viruses.
• Did CJ fix the soil? And what was wrong with it in the first place? We may never know...
• Where is Adam Hassler? Still out wandering in the wilderness?
• Will there be a Season 3?

Obituaries:

RIP Ben Burke

Season 1 - Season 2: Episode 4 (or earlier, presumably)

RIP Jason Higgins

Season 1 - Season 2: Episode 10

RIP Extraction Guard, Molotov Cocktail Rioter and Abandoned Father

Season 2: Episode 10

RIP Kerry Campbell

Season 2: Episode 1 - Episode 10 (presumably)

***

Well, there you have it! What did you think? I was hoping for a bit more conflict in this finale. I thought there was going to be an all-out war with the Abbies, but it looks like that is either going to have to wait until Season 3 - or perhaps it won't ever be shown at all, depending on when the survivors wake up. Maybe all the Abbies will be dead by then! We finally got the death of Jason, however anticlimactic it may have been. Probably would have been better if Kerry just straight-up shot him like Pam did to Pilcher in the Season 1 finale, but this gave Theo a chance to, technically, "kill him," which is kind of what he wanted to do all season, anyway. I'm glad Theo didn't have to sacrifice himself like Ethan did in Season 1 (RIP, baller), so we can assume that Jason Patric will reprise the role if there is a Season 3. I'm also super happy that Arlene survived. "Tally ho!" (Fun fact: Siobhan Fallon Hogan, the actress who plays Arlene, has now appeared in more episodes than any other character [16], just ahead of Toby Jones' David Pilcher, who has appeared in 15.)

Speaking of Season 3, I'm fairly confident at this point that it will happen next summer, unlike last summer, where we all basically thought that the show was a 10-episode event and was over after its first season. The "Wayward Pines" social media team had been referring to last night's show as the "season finale," as opposed to last year, when they called it the "series finale," so that's a good sign, right? What would you like to see in a potential third season? My prediction is that Theo will save Wayward Pines and give us a happy ending, bringing the show to its actual finale. Season 1 was the mystery, Season 2 was the conflict and Season 3 will be the resolution. It will be interesting to see where "Wayward Pines" goes from here.

Overall, I thought Season 2 was quite good. It started a bit slow and I think I, just like most other viewers, took a little bit of time to get over the fact that Matt Dillon (RIP) was not returning to the show. I thought the reign and fall of Jason Higgins was a good arc to follow and the bomb that Kerry was his mom was the high point of the season, in my opinion. Theo was a baller (though probably not to the extent of Ethan Burke, who is forever a television icon in my mind), and he had some of the best one-liners of the summer. I thought the script and the dialogue, especially, was fantastic, giving me, the Easter Egg Hunter of Easter Egg Hunters, a lot of fun stuff to delve into. I had a great time each week, whether I was transcribing some hilarious Wayward Lines or annoyingly pausing the episode to catch every detail of Kerry's sealed file. Was it better than Season 1? I think probably not. But "Wayward Pines" is undoubtedly a heck of a ride and remains my favorite serialized TV show in recent memory.

How I love my weird little town in Idaho. Thanks for joining me in this year's journey.

Until next season,

Work hard and be happy.

Concert review: Weezer, Panic! at the Disco and Andrew McMahon

USANA Amphitheater was rocking last night as Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Panic! at the Disco and Weezer appeared in concert on July 26. It was my first time seeing all three of the bands in person and my group, consisting of three siblings and a friend, had an interesting experience, so I figured I'd blog about it. It's a first draft and is by no means the award-winning journalism that I'm sure your accustomed to me producing, but here are my rambling thoughts about each of the acts:

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

Andrew McMahon, formerly of Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin, and his new band started promptly at 7:00 PM, as we were making our way into the venue. We made it to our seats about half-way through the set and were able to listen to the final few songs the band performed. I was previously only familiar with two of Andrew McMahon's songs ("Cecilia and the Satellite" and "High Dive"), so my expectations were set pretty low - hopeful, but low. With that said, they did about all I could possibly expect from an opening band - put on an enjoyable performance that got me interested enough to go home and look up the rest of their stuff. Andrew seemed to be having a good time (I had no idea where he was for like five minutes because, apparently, he was out in the crowd and not up on stage), singing his hottest songs, rattling off some inspirational mumbo jumbo about parachutes and ultimately jumping up and doing some good, old-fashioned stomping on his piano keys. I mean, if you're going to play the piano for a living, why not, right?

RATING: 7 out of 10

Panic! at the Disco

Unlike their predecessor last night, I am familiar with a bit of Panic! at the Disco's music. They've got some fun stuff from the past 10 years or so (12, to be a little more precise), so I was a little excited and anxious to hear what they'd do in concert. They kicked things off with "Don't Threaten Me with a Good Time" from the 2016 album "Death of a Bachelor," which I had listened to a time or two in the days leading up to the concert, transitioned to the 2013 song "Vegas Lights" and launched into one of my favorite songs of theirs, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa," and the show progressed from there. Panic! would go on to play songs including "Nine in the Afternoon," the profanity-laden "Crazy=Genius," "Miss Jackson," "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" and (their closing number and most recent success) "Victorious." The highlight of their set was almost undoubtedly their cover of Queen's legendary mega-hit "Bohemian Rhapsody," which, I thought, was tremendous.

When I go to concerts, I try to give bands I'm not entirely familiar with the benefit of the doubt - I genuinely want to like them. This has worked out well for some bands (Guster, for instance) and unfavorably for others (Ben Folds Five, for instance, who followed Guster and was horrible). As much as I didn't want to say anything, I found lead singer Brendan Urie's otherworldly falsetto to be WAY out of tune for most of their set, especially in the opening three or four songs. (I've got video recordings to prove it.) The other problem I had was that -- now, I don't know if they just didn't realize that they were having an issue or whether they didn't properly do a sound check beforehand or whether it was just that I don't know the words to most of their songs -- but I couldn't understand a bloody thing the dude was singing. It all pretty much sounded like screaming and random wailing, for the most part. When Brendan talked to the audience, there wasn't much of an issue with clarity, but when the music kicked up, it almost all sounded like muffled, garbled garbage.

Music completely aside, I do have a bone to pick with Panic! at the Disco, and their aforementioned lead singer. As far as a front man goes, Brendan Urie is pretty much everything you want. The dude has got swag up the wazoo, is a heck of an on-stage dancer and has an incredible voice. But I knew we were in for it when he took a moment to pause from the music and explain that he was born in St. George, Utah, and raised by his parents in Las Vegas, where he said, "they thought it was a good idea to raise a Mormon kid." At first glance, it shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the guy has intentionally distanced himself from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but he came straight out and said it, himself, to put all speculation to rest. He referred to Mormons as "very smart people" and said he has nothing against them, but had no issue taking slight jabs at the Church throughout the evening, at one point jokingly mocking the LDS repentance process by telling the audience that he wanted to confess a childhood sin like he would to a bishop. He prefaced his religious commentary by saying he didn't want to preach to us (because he got that for the first half of his life - a veiled reference to Mormon culture), but what he did for the remainder of the set was exactly that - he preached to us. Now, he wasn't preaching doctrine or trying to convert us to a different religion, but he bombarded the audience with constant suggestions that willy-nilly, premarital sex is what "we're supposed to" do here during mortality, which I didn't think was a great concept. Brendan also made a point to tell us that, since it's 2016, nobody has the right to tell us what to do - and if they try to, we should simply give them The Finger and say, "F--- you." Direct quote. How kind.

By far, the most humorous moment of the night was what Brendan referred to as "Hardcore Positive Thursday," which consisted of him screaming into the microphone for a minute and a half. (Listener discretion is advised if you decide to YouTube that, by the way.) It was an odd and fascinating metamorphosis from emo-punk rocker to scream-o monster. I'm sure he was trying to make some kind of profound statement or if he was just goofing around, but his surprising stream of F-words was shocking at first, but had us laughing the entire way home. What a fool. Honestly, what was he trying to prove? How "un-Mormon" he had become? It was all just very strange to me. Whatever makes you feel good, dude. I'm not going to judge him because what he chooses to say and do really have little-to-no lasting effect on my personal life, but I lot a lot of respect for the guy after his shenanigans last night. More than anything, I'm just disappointed in the guy.

Something that I believe many people don't understand about life in this P.C. society of ours is that you can disagree with people and not hate them. People leave the Church. I get it. But why do they have such a hard time leaving the Church alone? Sing your songs, do your thing, but leave the bitter-ex-Mormonism out of it, please.

And then there was the annoying Panic! fanbase, who could be easily identified out of the sold-out crowd by their tattered clothing, ridiculous haircuts and penchant for vaping. Stereotypically, they seemed to be the fanatically crazed type of millennial girls and emo-kids who go wild at the mere sight of a man taking his shirt off or discussing how his friend has been sober for two years (great news for the guy, but, like, why are we screaming at the top of our lungs for him? - he can't hear you!). Again, just kind of weird to me. Thankfully, a lot of the Panic! fans sitting around us left about 20 minutes into Weezer's set.

RATING: 4 out of 10

View the setlist here

Weezer

Weezer has been my favorite band for more than a decade, but I had never before seen them live in concert. Needless to say, when tickets went on pre-sale months ago, I bought mine immediately. My excitement for this show could not have been greater. I listened to every Weezer song in my iTunes library in the 24-hour period before the concert, so I was ready and raring to go.

Let me tell you this, Weezer could have stopped playing three songs in and still have blown away Panic! at the Disco. From the get-go, Rivers and the crew blasted "California Kids" from their new "White Album," then moved to "Hash Pipe" and their classic, "My Name is Jonas." From then on, it was an hour and a half of the band's greatest hits, including "(If You're Wondering if I Want You To) I Want You To," "Perfect Situation," "Beverly Hills" and "Island in the Sun." They also were sure to include new songs like "King of the World" and "Thank God for Girls," to which I am proud to say I rapped along the entire time. Mid-way through the set, they broke out a medley of five songs that would have been nice to hear in their entirety, but I was happy to hear, nevertheless. The high point of the set, in my opinion, had to have been "Say It Ain't So," which practically broke into a gigantic audience sing-along. (Check my Instagram for a quick video. Watching it makes me a little emotional. I'm a nerd.) Also, it's worth mentioning that the gigantic, head-banging Troll dolls on the screen during "Say It Ain't So" were the greatest things ever. Weezer closed the night with an encore of "El Scorcho" and "Buddy Holly" to crown things off.

Front man Rivers Cuomo was everything I imagined (#mancrush), sounding identical to his recordings and embodying the rock dreams of nerds around the world. The man is like a modern-day Elton John, with some hilarious wardrobe changes - a sombrero, a Hawaiian lei and a cap/crown combo. During "Perfect Situation," Rivers made his way through the audience, down the aisle probably 15 feet away from where we were sitting (I slightly panicked and failed to get a picture due to nervousness), and later randomly encouraged the audience to join him in singing a partial cover of fun.'s "We Are Young."

Rivers is a legend. That's all I can say.

Admittedly, I'm a bit biased when it comes to my thoughts about Weezer. I was more prepared for this concert than any other that I've ever attended and was stoked out of my mind the entire time, but I genuinely feel that they have a lot of singable songs that made the show fun for everyone in attendance. However, as biased as I was, I can definitely say that Weezer shattered the ridiculously high expectations that I set for them. With most bands, I'd be good seeing them once in my life - and, to some extent, that's how I felt Weezer would be, as well - but, after the show they put on last night, I would love to go back and see them again the next time they're in town. My only regret or critique was that it was a little too short; there were a couple songs that I would have liked to hear that they didn't have time to play, so the next time I see them, I'd prefer for them to come alone, without another major band to share the stage with. I want more Weezer!

Overall, I loved the show and know that everyone that I went with did, too. They put on a heck of a performance and it was all certainly worth my hard-earned money.

RATING: 9.5 out of 10

View the setlist here

Were you at the show? If so, what did you think? How would you rate the bands? Let us know in the comments below. Have a good one - and remember, "if it's too loud, turn it down."