User blog:CEDJunior/Beth Phoenix: Face or Heel?

In the latest installment of my "Face or Heel?" blogs, I will analyze former three-time WWE Women's Champion and former one-time WWE Divas Champion--as well as a Royal Rumble Match participant in 2010--Beth Phoenix.

Face Beth:  In her six year career in WWE, Beth has been the heroic Diva on two occasions, but we fans really wouldn't get to see much of Beth's babyface character after she debuted in 2006. It wasn't until 2010 that we would see Beth come to full form as a babyface, and I still love how Beth slowly made that transformation from villainess to heroine. Her slow turn came as a result of the frustration with how LayCool was bullying Mickie James, who was a long time rival of Beth's, plus Vickie Guererro attempting to keep her out of the Women's Championship picture gave Beth more of a reason to reform from her wicked ways and serve as the golden superhero of the Divas Division. Beth's babyface run led to her third and last Women's Championship victory, but it her reign was cut short due to a legit ankle injury. She continued her babyface role when she returned at Survivor Series, and she would continue feuding with LayCool and a number of other heel Divas. I actually dreaded Beth turning face, but as I expected, she was great as a heroine. Of course, with her physique, Beth actually does look like quite the superhero.

Heel Beth: Obviously, Beth is much more notable as a heel than she is as a babyface; having worked as a villain for most of her wrestling career, including OVW and WWE. Beth was sent back to OVW in 2006, but would be called back up to the main roster a year later. At that time, Beth was repackaged as a physically dominant villainess who arrogantly referred to herself as "The Glamazon," and it was in this role that led to her first two Women's Championship reigns. I did say that as a babyface, Beth does look like a superheroine out to save the Divas Division from the forces of evil. As a heel, however, Beth does have the look of a power-hungry supervillain bent on taking over the Divas Division, and will destroy anyone who gets in her way. That was basically the type of heel that Beth was from 2007-2008.

Beth continued her heel role when she was moved to SmackDown in 2009, and what I loved was that they decided to remind viewers of how powerful she is by having her destroy jobbers in the ring. Of course, Beth's first heel stint ended in early 2010, but I itched to see her evil side return. I would get my wish on August 1, 2011, when Beth turned back into a villainess and attacked then-Divas Champion Kelly Kelly after becoming #1 Contender. It was during her second heel run that Beth would become Divas Champion herself, and she would hold that title for six months. Though I liked her first run better, I did love Heel Beth 2.0, even with the semi-faulty Divas of Doom gimmick (I'll explain my thoughts in another blog).

When I asked myself the titular question, "Face or Heel?," concerning Gail Kim, it was a bit difficult. In the case of Beth Phoenix, it's much easier:  heel all the way. Don't get me wrong--Beth is terrific no matter which side of the moral pendulum she's on. But without question, Beth is much more believable as a heel than she is as a face. In my humble opinion, Beth is the perfect villainess; an evil woman with an equal amount of physical strength and feminine beauty, as well as a good amount of arrogance. I do miss seeing her on WWE TV, and I have often wished to see her in TNA, but I'm not holding my breath.

Face Beth or Heel Beth? Which do you prefer?