WWE RAW: Chris Jericho's RAW Return Was Anticlimactic

Well, that was a bit of a letdown.

On the Monday, January 2, 2012 edition of RAW, a final "It Begins" promo was featured.  The promo was cerebral and mysterious, much like the videos that had aired in the six weeks leading up to last night's show.

When the video ended, the camera panned the Memphis, Tenn. crowd while mimicking a shaking earthquake-like camera motion.  At long last, the speculation which had lasted for weeks was put to rest as Chris Jericho made his anticipated return to the WWE.

Then promptly did nothing.

In stark contrast to the dark and cryptic videos which had been airing foreshadowing his return, the actual in-ring return was comprised solely of Jericho absorbing the adulation of the crowd, circling the ringside area and pressing the flesh with the spectators at ringside.  

Handshakes and adulation seemed to keep the goofy ear-to-ear grin on Y2J's face throughout his approximately seven-minute long promo.  Few words were spoken, no character direction was given and no story lines were initiated nor plot lines resolved.

Many in the IWC have referred to this return and the perplexing promo as "brilliant."  Some have gone as far as saying that his unorthodox return signaled a heel turn over the course of his time in the Music City ring.

Nonsense.

This was an anticlimactic end to weeks of brilliant suspense-building drama.  Seemingly endless speculation and prognostication regarding who the mysterious figure or figures shown in the "It Begins" videos fueled interest in last night's program.  The resulting return explained nothing, and was seemingly in direct contradiction of the promos.

There was nothing cerebral or prophetic about Jericho's return.  In subsequent weeks, as the story line unfolds, it is likely there will be resolution to the clues mentioned in the videos.  However, in the meantime, WWE fans are left to further speculate about the nature of Jericho's return.

Last night, "it began." However, viewers are left with far more questions than answers.

Let the speculation begin.