this FUCKING MOMENT makes me lose it so bad. because it's such a fucking power play by cody, and it works PERFECTLY, because he understands seth's mindset better than anybody. he knows that seth rollins will do anything to be important. spectacular. someone people look at. seth wants so desperately to have his big moment, his main character moment. he doesn't agree out of dignity or honor, or even pride, and most certainly not to make things more fair; no, when he's tying that rope around his own wrist, it's desperate. pathetic. like he has no control over himself. he does this because he wants to be a part of the narrative. a part of the story. more than that, he wants to take control of the story. and cody has just declared a new requirement to be a part of his story.
at his core, seth rollins is a side character aware of his own status as a side character. he actively resents it, craves a moment in the spotlight not tainted by someone else's story. he is a moving puzzle piece, someone who only ever manages to push other people along in their own narratives. but cody knows that what he's really fighting for is the right to call this story his own. so he offers him an option: tie this rope around your wrist, forfeit your advantage, make things more difficult for yourself...for just a miniscule chance that this, finally, might make you the protagonist. and seth takes it, with trembling hands, cursing himself all the while. why would he be stupid enough to agree? because cody is saying this is now a part of this story, and if you don't play along, you're just a side character.
