It's inevitable that Seth will lose his Championship eventually and despite who takes it off him (with the exception of Kane), the Authority betrays him. Stephanie reminds Hunter that the original plan was for Seth to keep the belt in the Authority. There is no longer a use for him. Hunter takes pity on Seth, giving him a few chances to win back the belt but to no avail. There's nothing more they feel can do but move on and Hunter regretfully abandons his once prodigy.
Wracked with paranoia, loneliness and a serious chip on his shoulder, Seth strikes out on his own to prove to The Authority and all of the WWE that he is the man, just like he has said over and over. Things don't go according to plan and he loses his edge, unable to shake a losing streak. Strangely, Kevin Owens reaches out to him with an offer of alliance but Seth bitterly refuses, feeling as if it was a patronising gesture.
Defeat after defeat, Seth starts to descend into an inferiority complex and his matches become sloppy. An example of this is Seth begging Roman Reigns for a match and Reigns agrees. During the match it seems like Seth isn't even trying anymore and Reigns walks out of the match before it is even finished, disappointed in his former Shield brother and feeling that his time was wasted.
Meanwhile, Owens has taken advantage of the internal turmoil by working his way to the top of the card as a lone assassin. He eventually captures the WWHC from a babyface and promises to the WWE Universe that he will single-handedly usher in a new era of the WWE, personally calling out The Authority.
Owens approaches Seth a second time, who has been reduced to a pathetic shell of who he once was. Owens uses the title as bait to get Seth to ally with him. Although the former Champion knows he could not possibly win it back, even being near the belt is a drug too sweet for him to refuse. Using the Championship as leverage, Seth is easily manipulated into doing whatever Owens wants and despite this Owens chooses to nurture Seth back to a semi-former state of mind.
Like a miracle was worked on Seth, he starts winning matches again. With every victory, his confidence comes back. Old moves that he seemed to have forgotten in his slump are reintroduced, he even has new moves that are clearly from Owens' influence. Suddenly Seth is a threat again as his confidence exponentially grows and The Authority sends out anyone they can to keep him down but with the help of Owens, they beat every opponent back.
Owens and Seth become a superforce. It's impossible to fight one without watching your back for the other. Seeds of anarchy and doubt are planted backstage while they clean house in the ring. When they're together, they're unstoppable, especially after they introduce their double team finisher, Owen's Pop-up Powerbomb followed by Rollins' Phoenix Splash.
Suddenly, a paradigm shift takes place when The Authority find themselves locked out of an arena at Raw. The show is total anarchy with the usual format completely abandoned. Random wrestlers are on commentary, there are multiple fights happening at one time which the cameramen have no idea what to focus on, sometimes the show cuts to an interview segment and there's no one there, just shouting and yelling in the background. Cena tries to make sense of the situation, letting in The Authority but getting beaten in a brutal five on one boiler room match. The episode ends with The Authority at the top of the ramp and Seth and Owens stand in the ring, "This is my WWE now," Owens says, gesturing to every wrestler in the promotion is scattered around the stage, ramp and ringside, "Who is going to stop us?" There is a long pause before all the wrestlers start beating on each other again in complete and total anarchy.
The Authority have no choice but to make a face turn, rallying any righteous wrestlers they can find to attempt a coup on the KO superteam.