Finn Balor’s alter ego, 'The Demon,' made a striking appearance on WWE SmackDown, seemingly resurrected from Danhausen’s experimental table to confront Gunther. The segment culminated in a dramatic sequence where Balor, as The Demon, delivered a Coup de Grace to Gunther through the announce table from a ladder. This visual spectacle effectively highlighted the distinct ferocity of The Demon character compared to Balor himself and elicited a rare display of fear from Gunther, according to critics.
However, the return has also raised questions about its long-term booking implications. One point of contention is the timing and context of The Demon's resurgence. Critics noted that The Demon's presence as the result of Danhausen's months-long experiments seemed to contradict previous storylines, such as Balor’s street fight against Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania earlier in the year, where The Demon was also featured.
This strategic decision, occurring just before Halloween, has led to scrutiny regarding its necessity and its potential to create booking complications for both Finn Balor and his opponent, Gunther, moving forward. The New York Post reported on these booking issues following the SmackDown broadcast.