The New Day will never be the same after the shocking 10-year anniversary segment from the latest episode of WWE Raw.

It's safe to say no one knew what to expect after Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods engaged in their most gut-wrenching argument yet on Nov. 25. We certainly didn't anticipate one of the biggest swerves of the year as they united to excommunicate their resident powerhouse.

Big E posted a heart-warming Player's Tribune article chronicling his life and pro wrestling career. Later, he made his first appearance in the ring since his serious neck injury in 2022 to help his friends remember who they are and offer to manage them.

What came next stunned everyone who had hoped the trio would pull through this and anyone predicting Woods would turn on Kingston. Instead, the troubled duo put their differences aside and unceremoniously rejected their returning stablemate.

Ariel Helwani compared it to the infamous "barber shop" incident, in which Shawn Michaels super-kicked Marty Jannetty and threw him through a window. In the process, he disbanded The Rockers and kick-started his iconic run as a singles competitor.

That's a bold statement, but it might not be too far off considering the moment's significance and what it could do for The New Day. The group has been directionless for over a year and coasting for too long on who they were.

This long overdue heel turn could be the power play they needed to adapt and revive Raw's underutilized tag team division.

An Emotional But Necessary Sendoff

We've made the case that the in-fighting between Woods and Kingston is the best storyline on Raw. The latest development cemented it and positioned the pairias the tag team to build around heading into WrestleMania season.

From the beginning, E's absence has been integral to this story. The void he left forced the remaining members to overcompensate in different ways. Woods' insecurities were on full display, and Kingston attempted to find a replacement and seek help from other factions.

In truth, some of their struggles started when they got separated during the 2020 WWE draft.

Sure, Woods fulfilled his dream of winning the King of the Ring tournament and Big E went on to win the men's Money in the Bank ladder match and become WWE champion, but they felt the most disconnected during this period, and injuries bogged them down for most of the year in 2022.

Their short-lived side quest to NXT wasn't even enough to reassure fans that The Purveyors of Positivity still had some life left.

Their current storyline is the most compelling material they've had to work with in years. Sadly, they had to address E's status if they were going to move forward. This seemed like a goodbye to his onscreen character and a definitive answer to viewers waiting for his return.

It's telling that he wasn't involved in any physicality during the segment, and he has remained consistent in his belief that he may never be medically cleared to wrestle again.

The 38-year-old notably attempted to serve as manager for hid former teammates because he possibly doesn't want to risk his health after such a serious injury to his vertebrae.

After nearly three years, it's clear he doesn't see a future as an in-ring performer, and he has made his peace with that. As such, it was a heart-breaking but brilliant move to rip the band aid off and use this unfortunate situation to generate heat.

A Potential Return to Form

Never say never in wrestling. Their third member could compete again someday, but for now, they must deal with the reality of the situation and write their next chapter the same way they started 10 years ago.

E's surprise return, and harsh sendoff, were the boost they needed to trudge forward as a duo. As usual, they needed to do this their way and stop resting on their laurels.

It was brutal and emotional, but the move was a return to The New Day's roots. After all, Woods declared it was time to forget about the past and look to the future in their initial vignettes in 2014.

In fact, Woods has been trying to encourage his partner to do just that for weeks. Like his original pitch to start the stable, he has been adamant they must stick together and stop playing nice.

He and Kingston are both Dragon Ball Z fans. Their fandom influenced their most recent gear–an homage to Goku and Goku Black–and the Saiyan armor they sported during their unforgettable entrance at WrestleMania 32.

A fan recently pointed out that Kingston has been wearing a chain adorned with the Majin symbol lately. This reference to the anime series is significant because the character Vegeta had the marking on his forehead when he allowed himself to be possessed to return to his evil ways and become more powerful.

Straight away, it's exciting to imagine what The New Day could do next as heels because they were so much fun to watch after their turn in 2015. They always managed to create unconventional moments and exceed viewers' expectations.

So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the two active members didn't split up in response to claims that it was time. Their anniversary segment celebrated their connection with the audience and proved they can still make us invest in their journey.

The fact that viewers can't wait to see what's next is a testament to their staying power and proof this was a much-needed change of pace.