Triple H Reveals Why It Was Necessary To Turn John Cena Into ‘Darth Vader’

John Cena’s heel turn was necessary for his career, according to Paul “Triple H” Levesque.

Cena will soon make an appearance at WrestleMania 41 in Allegiant Stadium against Cody Rhodes, marking his final WrestleMania appearance prior to retirement. His recent villain arc has undoubtedly gotten wrestling aficionados talking. However, WWE’s chief content officer, Triple H, believes that Cena’s Darth Vader-esque run is the need of the hour.

Triple H talks John Cena heel turn. pic.twitter.com/9i8XhMn5Q5

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) April 9, 2025

 Talking on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Triple H opened up on what can only be considered a phenomenal heel turn in Cena’s career.

“So, John Cena, who is the ultimate good guy and has been. His whole mantra his entire career – Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. He has just been the ultimate good guy. As a human being, he has done more wishes for Make-A-Wish than any other celebrity in history. He’s incredible. But the challenge on this is he’s in his retirement run,” he said.

The 16-time WWE champion will soon bid adieu to the sport that made him a household name. At ‘Money in the Bank’ in 2024, Cena revealed his plans to retire from professional wrestling at the end of 2025 while also announcing that he would compete at WrestleMania 41.

At the Elimination Chamber in Toronto, Cena first embraced Cody Rhodes before attacking him, marking his first heel turn since 2003. Moreover, he even called out the audience for “mistreating” him throughout his career. While this was a major shock for his fans, Triple H urged that this dark shade was necessary at this stage of Cena’s career.

“He will end his in-ring career in December with WWE. So he’s kind of got this year as his farewell. He came back and turned into a bad guy. It’s amazing to see that transformation of John from the most beloved character in WWE to just Darth Vader. They hate him, and he is working very hard to make them hate him,” he said.

“This Is A New John”

Rhodes, on the other hand, is also aware that he is facing a newer and darker version of Cena. Talking to the Gaming Bible, he revealed that he almost made the mistake of approaching Cena like he was his older self. “I almost made the mistake when I first encountered John after Elimination Chamber on 17 March on Raw in Brussels, Belgium, when he did our first promo together since that moment,” he said.

“I went in with the mindset that I was facing the old John, but in reality, this is a new John. They call him ‘big match John’ for a reason. He’s been in every type of pressure cooker. He’s experienced things that few have. He’s a master. But this John having it all on the line is the most dangerous version we’ve ever seen.”

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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