Roman Reigns' Path to Reaching Higher Level of Success Runs Through The Rock

It all seems so obvious now—all paths for Roman Reigns and the Bloodline saga have always led to The Rock.

And Reigns and the Bloodline will only benefit greatly from a revitalizing wave courtesy of Rock's return splash.

The dream, what if? endgame scenario for one of the best sagas in modern pro wrestling history abruptly came to life this past week when the Rock returned and explicitly threw out a Reigns reference by suggesting he might want a seat at the head of the table:

There hasn't been anything official beyond that, but it's easy to speculate where things will go from here with WrestleMania season only just beginning.

Simply put, it's almost assuredly heading to a Reigns-Rock 'Mania main event. Even the "Head of the Table" phrase originates with a desire to involve the Rock with Reigns as far back as WrestleMania 38, according to Wrestling Observer Radio's Dave Meltzer (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats).

That obviously never happened, but maybe that's for the better—doing that program now would revitalize the Bloodline in a way nothing else can. The mainstream attention Dwayne Johnson's return would shine on Reigns closing in on Hulk Hogan's third-all-time 1,474 days as champion would be an achievement that, frankly, the title run and surrounding storyline deserves.

In fact, speaking of what if? factors, the Bloodline saga would always feel a little incomplete without Rock involved. This has been a heavily family-based story from the jump, so it would always be one of those nagging questions—what if the Rock came back around to claim his spot at the table, potentially angry with Reigns' treatment of family?

Well, now we can all find out together. Because there are bound to be some unforgettable promos when the two Superstars actually get on the mic together. Never mind one of the greatest of all time on the mic—Paul Heyman—is right there and will have plenty to say, too.

Along the way, it's pretty safe to presume that Rock will work wonders in putting over the likes of Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa. An endorsement for the former and treating the latter as a serious threat, for example, could provide a bump nobody else can for those Superstars. And it's no secret WWE needs those two as hot as possible for the long-term if Reigns is truly headed for part-timer status once he loses.

Keep in mind this always works under the presumption Rock challenges and loses. There's little upside to him actually being the one to beat Reigns, as he's more of a way to boost every surrounding piece while extending things in an entertaining manner.

No matter what WWE ends up doing, some fans will cry foul about this, bemoaning literally anything that extends Reigns' run. But the only viable alternative is Cody Rhodes finally finishing the so-called story.

Problem with that is, Rhodes' story would just be a re-hashing of last year's journey to 'Mania, as WWE has exhausted pretty much every interesting thing possible about that angle already. This year, assuming they don't want Rhodes to win two Royal Rumbles in a row, it would merely be his earning a shot at Reigns via the Elimination Chamber, which just isn't that captivating or different from the year prior. Rhodes has been in purgatory all year and now his star power has been eclipsed by both Rock and CM Punk, for better or worse.

The nice thing for Rhodes or any other would-be Reigns challenger, at least, is that everything taking a detour for Rock wouldn't mean they can't challenge again in the future. And for Rhodes specifically, staying in chase mode is probably best. His winning the title and subsequent defenses probably wouldn't feel all that different from what Seth Rollins is already doing—and fans have turned on that in a big way.

Truth is, Reigns' run and limited appearances are all about the big-feeling spectacle, especially compared to Rollins' more traditional run on the other main program. There's no bigger spectacle in the sport—and in many other industries like Hollywood—than the Rock.

It's a fit that just makes too much sense and the alternatives just can't compete as a result. Passing on the storyline and spectacle combination that is Rock involved with the Bloodline during the run up to the biggest show of the year would be a colossal mistake.

This leading to Reigns being the one to "retire" Rock for good during his reign of terror isn't just an amazing storybeat, it would make the payoff for fans and the Superstar to beat him alike even better when the time comes.

As far as briefly sidetracking away from a title change fans desperately want goes, it doesn't get any better or more historic than Rock getting involved with Reigns, with even the most adamantly opposed to it guaranteed to tune in and see the spectacle.