I think the most interesting thing about The Shield is the shifting power dynamic. When they first debuted, it was clear that Dean Ambrose was the leader. He spoke the most, held the US Championship, and was face to face with the leaders of The Wyatt Family, Three Man Band, and any other trio they faced. Seth Rollins was his sort of second-in-command while Roman Reigns was the loyal big heavy.
Then suddenly Roman Reigns shifted into the lead role. He stood front and center anytime they were on screen and was pitted against Bray when they faced the Wyatts. In terms of power levels, I don't think anyone can deny that Roman is at the top of the group but now his leadership skills had caught up as well. Rollins was still somewhere in the middle, making a name for himself with flashy high-risk maneuvers. While Dean was now quietly placed into a reduced role.
Last night, it was pretty evident that Rollins was now the top guy amongst the three. It was startling to see just how far Dean Ambrose had fallen when you saw the two on-screen together. Roman is still a credible threat and a believable candidate for the lead spot. Of the three different variations, I'd have to say the original Dean Ambrose-led Shield is still my favorite. But it's still weird, I can't imagine seeing a Luke Harper led Wyatt Family or Big E fronted New Day.
