WWE SmackDown: Burning Questions to Address After August 2 Show

As fans saw on Tuesday's WWE SmackDown, the rules of the brand split are still fluid, and the SummerSlam card is still incomplete. 

SmackDown security failed to prevent Raw Superstar Brock Lesnar from storming onto the blue brand. Just a week after WWE separated its worlds, they collided. Whether that is a sign of things to come or simply a function of Lesnar's feud with Randy Orton is one of the questions awaiting answers after Tuesday's show. 

Other sources of uncertainty came from what WWE has in mind for Bray Wyatt, Apollo Crews and Eva Marie.

Is The New Face of Fear headed for a prominent spot at SummerSlam? Can WWE find ways to help Crews evolve? Is there a goal in mind for Marie?

Let's first explore the Wyatt question. He was seconds away from having a world championship shot at the summer's biggest pay-per-view but now has set plans for Aug. 21.

What's the Plan for Bray Wyatt at SummerSlam?

Wyatt wanted to be in Dolph Ziggler's spot—awaiting a WWE World Championship match against Dean Ambrose. The heel challenged Ziggler, goading him into putting that title shot on the line.

The Showoff fended Wyatt off; a superkick earned him the victory. Wyatt responded with a post-match beatdown, with Erick Rowan fighting at his side. 

NoDQ.com foresaw a tag team match for next week as a result:

That's likely the plan for next Tuesday. But then what?

Is Wyatt going to force his way into the WWE title match, making it a Triple Threat bout somehow? Does WWE have another high-profile contest in mind for him?

The list of potential opponents is shrinking as the SummerSlam card grows. Crews is now set to face The Miz. John Cena will take on AJ Styles. Perhaps Rhyno or Shelton Benjamin, who WWE both recently re-signed to SmackDown, will be Wyatt's foil.

Both men would make intriguing foes.

The only thing WWE can't do is leave Wyatt on the bench. He's too talented not to be a major part of the New Era, SummerSlam included.

Can Apollo Crews Develop into the Star WWE Wants Him to Be?

Crews is a phenomenal athlete who boasts an impressive blend of power and agility. WWE has to be giddy thinking about his future, but he's far from a finished product.

LaToya Ferguson of the A.V. Club wrote, "Crews and Kalisto both need a lot of work on the character front, with Crews desperately needing a character and personality and Kalisto needing to move past his 'good lucha thing.'"

Ferguson is spot-on here. We have only seen hints of who Crews is beyond being a guy who wows with his physical gifts. He hasn't shown a great level of presence either, failing to connect with fans the way that Sami Zayn or Becky Lynch has.

Even so, Crews is headed for a title shot at SummerSlam. He defeated Kalisto and Baron Corbin on Tuesday night to move into the No. 1 contender's spot for the Intercontinental Championship. 

Can Crews make WWE look smart for its confidence in him? Can he quiet his doubters who said he wasn't ready to make the leap from NXT?

This rivalry will be a great chance to accomplish both of those things. He will likely have more mic time than he has had since his debut on the main roster. This will be his most prominent storyline and match to date.

WWE has to hope that all leads to Crews' catching fire and tapping into his immense potential. 

What's the End Game for Eva Marie?

Hours of training has Marie much further along in the ring than when she debuted on Raw in 2013. But that's not saying much. She was atrocious at that point.

WWE seems to know that it can't just throw Marie into the ring and expect her to put on a lengthy match. It teased her wrestling Becky Lynch on Tuesday, only to script her to fake a leg injury and pull out of the contest.

This is a smart move to work around her limitations. She had the crowd booing without taking a single bump. 

Wrestling Inc asked how long this will go on:

That's a good question. The act can rile up fans much the way Fandango did when he refused to fight when someone mispronounced his name. It's a short-term answer, though.

Eventually, she has to get in the ring. What's the plan, then? Is WWE hoping she will be polished enough by then?

The company can't seriously be thinking of moving her into title contention. She's a sideshow attraction at best.

WWE's safest bet is to move her into a manager role. She can use her looks, smugness and the heat she's generated without having to rely on her in-ring ability. 

How Often Will We See Brand Invasions?

Orton ambushed Lesnar on Monday's Raw. The Beast Incarnate paid him back the next night on SmackDown.

Both times, the Superstars traveled to a brand outside their own. This isn't supposed to happen now that Raw and SmackDown are separate entities. 

One has to wonder now if WWE will merge the two shows whenever needed. Are these attacks anomalies or trends?

We won't have a clear idea about that until after SummerSlam. Orton vs. Lesnar is an outlier in that WWE booked the bout before the draft. The company may just feel that the brands bleeding into each other is a necessity to tell this story. 

Once Lesnar and The Viper return to their shows, Superstars should stick to where they are signed. The more Raw and SmackDown wrestlers interact, the less special those moments become. When the next invasion happens, it should be shocking, eliciting the same reaction one would have if Spider-Man showed up in Gotham City.