PLEASURE AND PAIN: A RECAP

A song for the deaf, that is for you 

A graphic showing the match up of Sage Pontiff vs Ria Lockhart is shown as the opening chords of Queens of the Stone Age’s “Song For The Deaf” drones on before getting heavy. 

Nobody’s coming down the hall
Nobody echoes in my head
Broken reflection, outta luck
Nobody ever needed it

Ria Lockhart is shown backstage at ReVival 16. Gear bag in hand, she’s on her way to exit the building. As she walks, she passes a meditating Sage Pontiff. Though her curiosity slows her, Lockhart keeps waking. It’s when Sage opens his mouth that Ria stops. She turns around and approaches him.

I got what was
I want to take what’s left
(Ready now)

Cut to two of them speaking, just out of each other’s personal space. Their mouths move wordlessly, the music filling the space. Sage closes the space, but does nothing more. Ria is animated in her movements, Sage calm. Ria gets particularly heated, but Sage meanders away before any violence takes place. A frustrated Ria stomps off in the other direction.

Beautiful senses are gone
Canary in a gilded cage
Singin’
Sweet, soft and low
I will poison you all
Come closer, racin’ to your tongue

We jump to ReVival 17. Ria is staring at a business card intently. She looks up and immediately shows annoyance before Sage Pontiff comes on screen. Sage speaks with silence as the agitated Ria stands by and humors him. She soon steps forward, words of venom spoken but not heard. Pontiff retorts, his body language as zen as ever. He moves in even closer to Lockhart.

I got what was
Want to take what’s left
No talk will cure
What’s lost, or save what’s left
(For the deaf)

Sage’s hand meets Ria’s cheek. Enraged, she launches forward and smashes him in the face with a headbutt! The blow staggers Pontiff, dropping him to one knee, blood pooling in the ground in front of him. He looks up at her, hair disheveled, eyes wild… And smiles. Ria’s face distorts into disgust, either at her own actions or the response given. She storms off with haste. Sage, left alone, gathers some trickling blood from his chin. With deft fingers, her paints a third eye on his forehead.

I got what was
Want to take what’s left
No talk will cure
What’s lost, or save what’s left
(For the deaf)

We see Ria Lockhart at ReVival 18. She’s alone, but it doesn’t last. Like a starving lion, Sage pounces the unsuspecting Lockhart with a wooden escrima stick! Cut to the wall assisted flying kick from Pontiff being caught by Lockhart. She throws him off, but takes a shot to the knee with the stick. He gets her in a full mount while Ria struggles valiantly to get free.

As the heavy instrumental plays, Sage rears back, his flexibility allowing him to contort to a less than natural angle. He fires forward like the hammer of a gun, plowing into Ria’s face with his forehead! Blood sprays out, as if a rock were dropped into a puddle. As the camera focuses on the destruction of Lockhart’s face, the screen pulsates from standard to red, standard to red. Ria lays broken as security drags the Buddha calm Sage away.

The blind can go get fucked
Lie beside the ditch
This halo ’round my neck
Has torn out every stitch

ReVival 20. Pontiff is in his makeshift sanctuary, absolutely beaming over his recent past. He talks, the camera focusing on his ruggedly handsome face. He drones on, eloquent words unheard. Though his message cannot be heard, there’s an obvious charisma to the Bodhisattva. A sound catches his attention as he cranes his body around to inspect the doorway.

Who are you hiding? Is it safe for the deaf?
Beautiful cancer, infiltrate then forget
Yeah, I saw you coming and I heard not a thing
A mistake not to listen
When I knew where you’d been

Sage starts inspecting further. The door is clear, but his eyes settle on a dimly lit corner. Pontiff slowly draws toward it, posture defensive, eyes unblinking. He whips back the tapestry to reveal… Nothing. His shoulders relax and air escapes his lungs in apparent relief. That relief is short-lived. He turns around, face overtaken by shock at he sees the sight of a black leather mask in front of him; Ria Lockhart’s black leather mask.

And I got what was
I want to take what’s left
No talk will cure
What’s lost, or save what’s left
(For the deaf)

Pontiff attempts to speak, but is quickly cut off by a headbutt to the mouth! He’s stunned, but recovers, throwing a wild right cross. Though it may be wild, Ria sees it coming and cuts his legs out with a brutal kick that sends Pontiff flipping. He tries to retreat, but as he struggles to the door, Sage is sent through it with a vicious shotgun dropkick!

No longer in the dimly lit personal nirvana created for him, Sage weakly attempts to rebound, his nose a bloody mess. Like a horror slasher, Ria steps out of the broken remnants of the door towards her prey. Before Pontiff can get any further, Lockhart pounces on him, a hyena looking to feast on a wounded beast. She swiftly grabs his arm and locks in a kimura, making a very real attempt at serious injury.

Security is quick to intervene, dragging Lockhart off the howling Sage. Two men pull her away while two act as guardians for the damaged Bodhisattva. This doesn’t last. An elbow to the diaphragm of one and smashing down on a foot with a stomp of the other frees Ria! She charges forward like a bowling ball. The poor other guards act as her 7-10 split, Ria demolishing one into the other! She gets to Sage and covers him with a blanket of violence, fists bartering him.

The music nears its end. Ria gets pulled away by the assaulted security while we close on one last scene. The brutalized Sage Pontiff, on the ground, bleeding and grievously harmed… With a smile that draws Buddha to mind. The music stops and we get one more shot of the matchup graphic.