Wrestling is, by its very nature, a story that never ends. There are no periods, just a continuous string of commas and conjunctions. Seth Rollins triumphed over both Triple H and a bum leg, but Triple H will be out for revenge the next day. Brock Lesnar is the new universal champion, but he has to defend the thing at some point. That's why the end of WrestleMania 33 Sunday was so striking. It ended with a literal fade to black inside Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Fitting, as we just witnessed what certainly seems like the final match of the almost-30-year career of Mark Calaway, better known as The Undertaker.
After suffering a bruising defeat at the hands of Roman Reigns, he took a moment to soak it all in. Bathed in dark blue light, he placed his hat and gloves in the center of the ring and walked off down the ramp. Then, to save his damaged hip from further distress, he descended down into the floor, literally on a hydraulic platform and metaphorically back to Parts Unknown. Then, darkness.
It was the most melancholy ending to a WrestleMania in history. In a way, it almost felt like someone died. Maybe not a close friend or relative, but a person like the postman who's reliably delivered your mail with a smile for most of your life. You appreciate his or her work and take it for granted until they're gone. The Undertaker's day-to-day life was certainly a more glamorous career than that of the average USPS driver, but they both occupied the same space of distant familiarity in people's lives.
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