skydancers with exit wounds.

The most jarring personality, and the side we may see more often than not, is the sadistic / violent side. We saw this side of her jump out when she pretended to care for Sasha Banks after they lost their tag team championship rematch in Sept 2020. I will never forget Sasha cowering away from her former best friend, putting her arms up for mercy as Bayley menacingly approached her by the barricade. Becky Lynch has seen this side as well, but chose to avoid "collecting a debt" because she thought the Bayley she knew and loved was still underneath the monster. Bianca Belair has been a victim of Bayley's violence many times, but Bianca's own courage would not allow her to be bullied and defeated. Bayley seems to snap in and out of this psyche, even when she's wearing her other disguises; this face is always waiting to show up without notice.

Imitation isn't flattery, it's just annoyin' me... / and the dirt that they threw on my name turned to soil and I grew up out it

The Role Model was always in the heart of the Hugger. The Hugger wanted everyone who looked up to her to feel the same way she felt as a kid watching wrestling: that it can be a magical experience with fairy tales and heroes. Hugger Bayley's ideals of what it means to be a role model was distorted over time due to Sasha Banks' influence. The Role Model eventually despised her friends and the audience, because she is not a fool and there is only so much betrayal and humiliation that one woman can endure. The Role Model is the locker room's leader, the pillar and the cornerstone of not only the WWE women's division, but women's wrestling in its entirety. People admired her and emulated her. She won all the gold, she made her ascent to PWI's #1 spot as Bayley Dos Straps.

She chose to stand alone when she betrayed her best friend. She has turned her back on the other Horsewomen because they have all done the same to her in various ways over the years. She refused an alliance with Carmella and ripped Billie Kay's resume to shreds when offered a chance to be a partner. She walks alone. The only friends she needs now are her 3 faces.

I don't think you feelin' me / I'm out here being everything they said I wouldn't be and couldn't be I said 'see you at the top' and they misunderstood me

Subsequently, Bayley became a talk show host for her very own "Ding Dong Hello Show" on Smackdown. She portrayed a caricature of the stereotypical mid-day talk show hosts you would see on cable TV: with her turtlenecks, blazers, oversized glasses, chunky jewelry while sitting in the ring surrounded by a tall house plant, photos of her many achievements, and a hilarious, large white door. This version of Bayley provided laughs and entertainment but also gave her a platform to torment her enemies. Her talk show, interestingly, furthered many stories of other characters such as Bianca / Sasha, Nia / Shayna / Reginald, and Cesaro / Seth.

The talk show host personality is a twisted version of the fun-loving Hugger in some ways. Just louder, more boisterous, and condescending. In my observation, it appears that this side of Bayley is very important to her overall core persona because she looks deeply disappointed when other people destroy her show set or are disrespectful on the show. This disappointment is a reflection of the Hugger's negative feelings towards others and the audience whenever she was humiliated. Also, this fuels the instability of the other faces, so the angry side keeps interjecting like a time bomb with a broken clock.

Finally, there could be an argument that Bayley Dos Straps was a separate identity. But I think possibly that BDS is a mix of the sadistic / violent face and the Role Model face.

I hold no resentment in my heart, that's... maturity

She'll always be Bayley: true to herself. She is teaching us to be independent and to be loyal to your own self. That's why we cheer for her.

I don't understand why you blame me

The knee brace. The dark outfit. The expression on her face: pride mixed with disappointment. Maybe an inkling of defeat. The fade to black.

I had to check the news sources repeatedly, double-checked and triple-checked because it didn't feel real to me. 4 days later, still doesn't feel real to me.

Bayley and Bianca's story likely would've ended at the "I Quit" match at the MITB PPV. This feud has been so interesting, it originally began as a non-title feud between an impressive up-and-coming star and a disgruntled veteran last year, and culminated into the violence of Hell In A Cell. This is arguably my favorite wrestling feud ever because of the character work, story elements and excellent matches. Mirrors (taking over the digital screens of the ThunderDome), reflections, the fight of the past and present. Bayley and Bianca told a brilliant story that we will remember for years.

Speaking of remembering, Bayley gave us so many great memories in the Pandemic Era: from the rise of Bayley Dos Straps in the Performance Center to her gleeful face taking over all the ThunderDome screens to intimidate a new champion. Her historic reign, the awards she won, her evolving character (leading to the 3 identities she left us with), her work in the ring... There are so many things to be proud of in the past 15 months.

The world stood still, but Bayley kept moving. She traveled weekly to entertain us, to bring smiles to faces during a difficult, unprecedented time. Years from now, whenever there is a documentary about the Pandemic Era, her contributions must be highlighted.

And now, WWE is back on the road, but Bayley will be absent. I won't forget who made the Smackdown women's championship title what it is today, the blue belt is a main event attraction because of the woman who held it for 380 consecutive days. I won't forget the double champion who became the top Heel in the women's division over the summer. I won't forget the Captain of the Smackdown Survivor Series Team.

I'll be thinking of the woman who showed us that Role Model is more than just her gimmick.

Bayley will be back. I'll wait for her, and I know you will too.

In contrast, the champion, Bianca Belair, white gear emblazoned with sparkling flames that rivaled the glitter of her blue belt, proudly whipped her long braid around, appearing unnerved by the monstrous structure she had never entered. The lights from her entrance seemed to dazzle throughout the cell, shining brightly through the steel patterning. A light in the darkness. Because that's what Bianca means to Smackdown, she is The Light. Bayley wanted to snuff that light out though, because she was once The Light when she was the Hugger, but her dreams were crushed by enemies and even by her own friends. The sequins, the braid... these were all reminders of Bayley's past as the Hugger, she even said she saw her old self in Bianca. She entered the Cell to put out the light, to prove to Bianca and the world that there is no such things as fairytales. Because these fairytales never existed for her.

Hell in a Cell changes your mindset, it alters careers. Entering the Cell is like allowing the devil into your heart for one night, just to survive. Bayley had been here once before, it didn't frighten her. But how would Bianca react? She was the one who asked to fight in the cage, after all.

There were many storytelling elements that played out well with the physicality of this match. Bayley's chair and duct-taped kendo sticks appeared, callbacks to her prior encounter with Sasha Banks in the Cell. Meanwhile, Bianca, who proved just as crafty as her opponent, maneuvered around these. Bayley and Bianca also appropriately employed the Chekhov's gun, which is a storytelling principle seen in cinema and literature; Bianca's braid was the detail. Since last winter, when their feud began and over time, Bayley has repeatedly ridiculed, grabbed or stepped on Bianca's braid. Frantically, desperately, Bianca shouted, "you wanna use my hair?!" and tied her braid to Bayley's wrist. Bianca had finally snapped, Bayley pushed her too far. But eventually, everyone's demons are revealed in the Cell.

In a last ditch effort, Bayley found a ladder to use which was yet another Chekhov's gun. And it went off, in the form of Bianca hoisting her onto her shoulders and smashing her down onto the ladder. The Kiss of Death. A long kiss goodnight. After the end of the match, Bianca held the championship high above her as she defiantly stared at Bayley, approaching her fallen foe.

While lying on the mat, Bayley gazed back at Bianca, a look of shock, almost horror, as she retreated, scooting herself to the ropes, to finally exit this living nightmare. The look on Bayley's face revealed that Bianca Belair was not truly her mirror, she was not a reflection of the Hugger. Bianca battled in the Cell like a veteran, she brought an uncanny sparkle and shine to the doom and gloom of hell, even her gear that night was a revelation of that. She is what she claims to be: The EST. The Champion.

Bayley worked hard to frustrate and humiliate Bianca, even going as far as to say that Bianca has a "track record" of running away from her problems. Bianca was pushed to the limit, and repeatedly proved Bayley wrong, while Bayley foolishly ended up fighting an old image of herself that she saw in the champion. But you can't fight what is already gone. That's like trying to grab the wind with your hands. What was the true war in Bayley's mind, that manifested in her pure dislike of Bianca, was her internal fight against her own past.