It’s time once more for an At Odds with Wrestling homework assignment. Each and every week without a major PPV the At Odds with Wrestling podcast hosts assign each other a classic wrestling event to enjoy. Or occasionally, a movie. This week we all watched the Chikara movie, The Ashes of Chikara. When last we watched a Chikara event on IWTV the company got shut down. This movie follows those that won’t let Chikara go gently into that goodnight. They want to bring the company back. Meanwhile, smaller companies have risen up to fill the void that was Chikara and evil forces are at work to shut those companies down as well. I have lots of immediate thoughts of the movie as I break down scene by scene but also final thoughts on the entire presentation. There is also a pause in the movie during which we all hopped over to YouTube to watch a playlist of events that took place in other companies that are connected to this movie. 

I’m already confused where the trailer ends and the movie begins. Icarus is here to save us all. I think this movie takes place in Philadelphia. 

This movie jumps around a few different plots. I think it’s best to put those all in now and then my thoughts and then final thoughts. Icarus, despite being a heel, is trying to get Chikara back together. Mike Quackenbush is injured and a broken man. He refuses to help and tells Icarus to give up. Fire Ant and Green Ant are deciding what is next for the colony. 3 Point 0 want to go back in time to see if Archibald Peck could have prevented this with his knowledge of the future. Dr Cube, the BDK, the Gekido, the Wrecking Crew, and I’m probably forgetting some – have all united to erase Chikara’s legacy from the world. All of this culminates at National Pro Wrestling Day. 

Back to thoughts as I watch this. 

Quack shows up at a cafe to talk to people who helped bring down Wink, well they tried. “The black sheep in a family of white supremesists.” What?! Fire Ant and Green Ant visit someone broken down in his home. He hands them a mysterious box. Icarus is watching a Dragon Gate show as a fan. He’s blocked from the locker room and told “there is no Chikara”. Icarus waits for Chuck Taylor at his car and they have an intense talk about what Chikara was and maybe will be. 

3 Point 0 head to their car on the roof and wish that they would have stopped Condor Security. They can only think of one man who might be able to help, Archibald Peck. 

Icarus meets up with OCD antique dealer, Tim Donst. This is fascinating. Donst zones out and sends Icarus on his way. Donst catches up to Icarus outside. “Tell Jakob I’m sorry.” What?! Donst gives Icarus the Young Lions Cup. Icarus reads Hallowicked’s handwriting – which is in a different language than what he speaks. Icarus pulls up to the Wrestle Factory where Hallowicked is training people. Hallowicked has no answers for him. Icarus steals some of Quackenbush’s gear. 

3 Point 0 meet with barrister RD Evans. Where is Archibald Peck?! 3 Point 0 are now in a search for Parts Unknown. 

The ring crew is setting up for a show. Eddie Kingston arrives. Icarus is there waiting for him. Icarus wants Eddie’s help to get Chikara back. Eddie might be the best actor in the movie thus far. “You still have it.” “Not it. Her.” Damn that was good. 

We’re at a bar where Fire Ant and Green Ant upset Ultramantis Black. Young Daniel is working the bar and I swear that’s Daniel Garcia but I don’t think the age matches up. assailANT is called out for still wearing the vestiges of the Swarm despite claiming to have turned to the side of the Colony. Green Ant and Mantis fight over this. In the ring, assailANT and Jervis Cottonbelly are wrestling. deviANT shows up with Colony Xtreme Force. They chloroform Jervis. deviANT hands assailANT a lighter and wants him to burn the ring. assailANT refuses. assailANT battles Arctic Adventure Ant. deviANT tears assailANT’s mask away. 

Icarus confronts someone in a beautiful library. It’s Mantis! Wait, is Mantis a librarian? Could we talk shop? Despite having differing views Icarus reminds Mantis, “when it mattered, I was there.” 

3 Point 0 are hiking through the snow and finally arrive at Parts Unknown. 

We now hop over to the YouTube portion. 

Sinking the Lifeboats – the Demise of the Wrestling is Universe. 

Dr Cube reveals he controls the Eye of Tyr (Kaiju Big Battle Brawl in the Family).

Gavin does the English language dub over the action from inside the ring. Good crowd for this show. Dr Cube comes out and Gavin screams “you’re dead!” 

Dasher Hatfield and Mr Touchdown reconcile (Wrestling is Fun Cruel Summer).

No more cheating, what do you say? TD hugs Dasher. All the hugs. Fans chant fam-i-ly.

Gekido shuts down Wrestling is Intense (Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead).

Darkness Crabtree vs Jervis Cottonbelly in the ring. There’s maybe 20 fans here. Ouch. Been to shows like that. Gekido take everyone out. Some authority figure comes out. deviANT forces this figure to shut down the company. Someone says “you’re the worst ants” and I pop. 

Dr Cube shuts down Wrestling is Awesome (Crowning a Champion night 2).

Masked orderlies come out and attack everyone. Here come the Kaiju and the Cube. Gavin gets beat down again. Gavin is like the Flash in any DC Crisis crossover. There’s no fans at this show as well. Wrestling Is crowds are like having this giant Avengers crossover but you’re the Quasar book. “Hubble Benson” maybe is the GM and he asks Dr Cube to leave. The Kaiju steal the gate money and cut up the Wrestling is Awesome sigil. They all escape in a white van that somehow is not padded. 

Kizarny and the Odditorium shut down Wrestling is Art (Cubism).

Gavin says the Colt vs Gulak match is a draw. Fans want 5 more minutes. Kizarny has a pretty cool mask that he then immediately takes off. “I am art”, Kizarny comes across as the most interesting heel on here so far. His crew starts to dismantle the ring. 

The BDK shut down Wrestling is Cool (Best Served Cold). 

Why is this room all white? These crowds suck. If I can hear individual fans, no one needs a mic to cut a promo. Gavin goes all Chumbawumba and gets knocked down again. The BDK salute. 

Dr Cube and Gekido fail to shut down Wrestling if Fun (The Wild Bunch).

Good crowd for this one. The fans realize what’s happening and start to chant for Chikara. Icarus runs out to make the save. Dr Cube is in a Cosby sweater. The heels back off. The match continues and Green Ant makes the pin. 

The Wrecking Crew shut down Wrestling is Respect (6).

Heels come in the door. Chikara unites in the ring. No! The Wrecking Crew members who were once in Chikara join the heels. The Wrestling is Respect sign is cut up as well. 

Back to Ashes. 

Quack is at home, alone and miserable, and watching classic WWF. Icarus tries to rally Quack. He throws Quack’s gear at him. Green Ant is rolling in the ring with someone. There’s Chikara legacy here but I do not know who this is. Icarus shows up to warn Green Ant and Fire Ant. They all realize National Pro Wrestling Day is a few weeks away and that is most likely where this will culminate. The Ants finally sign up with Icarus. Icarus has a Marty Jannety figure in his car! 

3 Point 0 enter a barn in Parts Unknown. Archie shows up and they look at his time travel string board theories. Time moves differently in Parts Unknown. Is it too late to save the day? Icarus does the Rocky run to prepare. Everyone is training for the upcoming fight. We got the Rocky stairs! 

National Pro Wrestling Day has arrived. Quack is watching the action live at home. Icarus has some supporters, but is it enough? Quack has left his chair. White vans pull up and all the heels are here. Junior gets his neck snapped. Heidi Lovelace is in the ring. She locks on a Chikara Special. All the heels show up. They smash the Young Lions Cup in the ring. Fans chant for Icarus and Chikara. A masked man reveals himself to be – Jimmy Jacobs! Was this supposed to be something? It feels like a big reveal out of nowhere at the very end. The Chikara army comes out, but there’s only 8 of them. Including assailANT firmly on Team Chikara. Dr Cube’s orderlies remove their masks, and it’s actually more members of Team Chikara! Huge brawl. The crowd is loving it. A DeLorean pulls up and its 3 Point 0 with Archie for reinforcements. Everyone is wearing “I AM CHIKARA” shirts. Mr Touchdown and Archie hug! Icarus holds up a sign that says 5-25-14. The return of Chikara.

Where was Eddie, Donst, and Quack? Other than Quack’s cane that is.

At a bar run by Crossbones, Green Ant and Fire Ant enter to speak with assailANT. assailANT says he turned face for his baby boy. assailANT is gifted the box from earlier and is now the new Worker Ant.

Post credit, Wink’s dad is having his body disposed of. 

Wow, that was a lot. Alright so what are my thoughts? 

There’s something here. There is definitely something here. The camera work is fine to bad. The acting is all over the place. The editing is bad. But the story below it all is something good.Maybe many years from now some Hollywood director will find this movie and do their own take on it. I also wonder how this movie would have differed if Quack had seen Endgame first.  Heel or face, we were a family and all it takes is one person still believing in the dream to bring that family back together. That’s beautiful. That’s something special. Watching it now, as someone who has lost all that was my life and had to build it back up (and still trying to) that message hit me hard. If I had a place outside of my actual home to call home, my own personal Chikara, I would have done anything to grasp onto it. I get it, Icarus. That said, there is also a double edge sword now there is no Chikara. It did fall apart. It did go away. And it was due to an attack from within. Or such is my knowledge as a fan and outsider and correct me if I’m wrong. Thus this united family story feels bittersweet.