The counter-point to yesterday’s “Thrill of Victory” gallery — which featured smug, confident Tag Team wrestlers gloating while their partners own the ring — is the presentation of the Safe Partner on the losing team. Now we get to enjoy that posture of frustration, concern for his suffering partner, and eagerness to get in the ring to take revenge.
There is no question that these two Baby-Faces In Peril are Tag Team partners based on their flamboyant green and pink tights. It seems as if one wrestler had a pair of pink tights, the other had green, so to symbolize their joining together in an unbreakable bond, they cut their tights in half, swapped gear, and stitched them together.
Here is another Bookend Tag Team in matching gear eating a big plate of destruction and humiliation. The Safe Partner watching in the background is like a dog in a cage, eager to get in the ring but restrained by the ropes. His powerless position — his impotence and inability to take action to protect his buddy — is the magic that makes pro wrestling exciting, dramatic, and arousing.
The best Safe Partner is one who gets in the act, pleading with the opponents to stop hurting his helpless bro, or bitching at the ref to pay more attention to the other team’s cheating. I also dig it when the Safe Partner calls out his own partner to verbally berate (and further humiliate him.) “Come on Johnny — get out of that hold! Don’t just LET them drop their knees across your neck — ROLL OUT!”
That is exactly how I would act if I were a Tag Team wrestler — I would never shut up. I would either be gloating over how easily we were winning, or complaining, crying, and calling foul. “Hey – you CAN’T do THAT. Come on ref, you blind idiot! Don’t you SEE what they’re doing to him!” That verbal stuff makes it more exciting for everyone involved.
They are both wearing white trunks, so I am assuming that the guy watching from the far corner is partnered with the victim of this impressive Drop-Kick.
The Safe Partner may act as if he is eager to get in the ring, or he may act intimidated and fearful of the other team, even refusing to Tag In and take his turn as Partner-in-Peril.
Here is an interesting variation on the Watching Partner theme. Instead of witnessing his partner suffering painful abuse, the match is over and it’s time for some sugar. Now the Watching Partner is not eager to get in and fight, but rather to take his turn in the hunky opponent’s warm embrace. Whether they’re wrestling or hugging, it’s kind of the same thing: quality time spent interacting with the other guys while your partner watches in jealousy.