4 reasons behind Toni Storm's sudden memory loss
Last seen at All In 2024, Toni Storm finally returned to AEW on this past Wednesday's Dynamite. The 29-year-old star came out to a huge pop following Mariah May's successful title defense against Mina Shirakawa.
Interestingly, Storm donned her iconic rockstar attire during this segment instead of her usual Timeless look. The former AEW Women's World Champion has seemingly dissociated herself from her black-and-white persona and returned to her original gimmick.
Toni Storm cut an intriguing promo on the latest episode of Collision, which has left the audience confused. During her promo, The Illustrious expressed her excitement at finally becoming "All Elite," as if she had no recollection of everything she had accomplished since joining the company in 2022.
The former NXT UK Women's Champion seemingly has no memories of her run as "Timeless" Toni Storm. Having one of the most layered characters in AEW, it would be intriguing to see what Storm has up her sleeve this time around. In this article, let's look at four reasons behind Toni Storm's memory loss.
#4. A much-needed break from the Timeless gimmick
Toni Storm's run as "The Timeless Superstar" is what essentially revived her run in All Elite Wrestling. Fans instantly fell in love with Storm's portrayal of a 1920s Hollywood Starlet, a character that helped the 29-year-old star stand out from the rest of the roster.
Storm spent most of her career as a paranoid actress. She held the AEW Women's World Championship, but the Timeless Superstar ultimately lost her title at All In 2024, where Mariah May dethroned her.
Toni Storm's sudden dissociation from her Timeless persona might be a way to give the vintage-theme character a much-needed break. Now that she no longer holds the AEW Women's World Championship, Tony Khan would not have wanted to overexpose the popular gimmick.
The President of AEW will refrain from bringing back the iconic persona until he develops a solid creative plan for her future programs. While the gimmick has been a proven success, a lack of proper direction could quickly cause it to become stale.
It would be intriguing to see if The Illustrious could generate the same support from the fans without her vintage persona. Moreover, Storm's sudden memory loss could open up some intriguing possibilities for the eventual return of the Timeless Superstar.
#3. It would be a method for Toni Storm to cope with Mariah May's betrayal
In July 2024, Mariah May scripted history by winning the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. Moments after her historic victory, The Glamour cut her ties with Toni Storm by launching a brutal assault on her former mentor.
The two stars eventually collided at All In 2024, where Mariah May ended the legendary title reign of the Timeless Superstar. It was Storm's final appearance in All Elite Wrestling until she finally returned to the company this week.
The 29-year-old star seemingly never recovered from Mariah May's betrayal. Storm had a great amount of affection for her former mentee, who had been right by her side throughout her title reign. The Timeless Superstar was very close to The Fighting Princess and had claimed that May reminded her a lot of her own self.
Since her loss at All In 2024, the former NXT UK Women's Champion has actively refused to acknowledge Mariah May's existence. May's shocking betrayal could have caused psychological damage to Toni Storm, resulting in her losing all memories of her Timeless persona.
The Illustrious might have gone back to her 2022 gimmick to avoid any recollections of her pairing with The Fighting Princess. However, Storm might be forced to snap back into her Hollywood Starlet persona when she eventually crosses paths with Mariah May again.
#2. Toni Storm's recent losses outside of AEW could be the reason behind her psychological dissociation from The Timeless persona
At All In 2024, Mariah May dealt a huge blow to Toni Storm's mental stability. The Fighting Princess snatched away Storm's AEW Women's World Championship, a title that the 29-year-old dearly loved.
Soon after her loss at All In, The Timeless Superstar traveled to promotions like CMLL and STARDOM. In October 2024, Storm unsuccessfully challenged Mayu Iwatani for the IWGP Women's Championship. Two weeks later, the New Zealand-born star lost against La Catalina in Arena Mexico.
Consecutive defeats in important title matches could have triggered Toni Storm's memory loss. In a recent interview, the Timeless Superstar announced her sudden retirement from pro wrestling and expressed frustration with her recent losses worldwide.
Storm's retirement could have simply been a way for her to disengage from her vintage persona. The Illustrious could have been deeply affected by her recent failures, which allowed her to snap back into the present-day world. Although Storm is now back to portraying her rockstar persona, all the memories of her AEW run have seemingly been wiped out.
#1. It could be a trap set up by Storm to lure in Mariah May
Mariah May pulled off one of the greatest heel turns in the history of All Elite Wrestling. The Fighting Princess earned the trust of Toni Storm for several months before eventually stabbing her in the back earlier this year.
The Glamour carefully planned the demise of Storm's historic World Championship reign. Although The Illustrious could not take her revenge at All In, Toni Storm could have devised a new strategy to take down Mariah May.
The Timeless Superstar could have purposefully distanced herself from her Hollywood Starlet persona to get closer to the current AEW Women's World Champion. Since "Rockstar" Toni Storm has never interacted with The Glamour, she has no resentment towards the Woman from Hell.
Storm's ongoing identity crisis could be a way for her to gain the trust of her former protege. Mariah May would salivate at the prospect of having The Illustrious as her sidekick, which could lead to an unlikely partnership between the two stars.
The former NXT UK Women's Champion could work as May's sidekick for a while before eventually revealing her true colors to the world. The New Zealand-born star could give Mariah May a taste of her own medicine by betraying her at a crucial juncture.
It would be the exact moment when Toni Storm could reveal her master plan and turn into the Timeless Superstar yet again. It would be a clever way to extend the May vs. Storm feud without taking a predictable direction for their eventual rematch.
It would also serve as a moment of redemption for Storm, who was once caught off guard by her trusted protege.