Chris Jericho speaks on Raw for the first time since his return, what's his plan for the Royal Rumble?

Last night (Jan. 23) on Raw, Chris Jericho said his first words (into a microphone, at least) on WWE television since he made his big return on Jan. 2. So what did he say once he finally spoke after teasing it for so many weeks?

"This Sunday at the Royal Rumble, it's going to be the end of the world as you know it."

It was an interesting word choice if, for nothing else, it brought back to mind the promos that aired teasing his return for the six weeks leading up to Jan. 2. For the past few weeks, they haven't even acknowledged a connection between the current incarnation of Jericho's character and the creepy and mysterious videos. The general theme of the promos was that whoever was returning would bring about the end of the world as we know it and they were spurned on by a woman.

We have yet to receive any indication as to who the woman is as the push that makes Jericho move but we know he's not completely abandoning the concept introduced with the promos that brought forth his return.

The question, of course, is how will all this tie into the Rumble? And what exactly is the plan here?

Many of you opined in the Raw live blog thread that it now seems obvious Jericho will win the Royal Rumble match this Sunday night and I'm inclined to agree that that appears to be a logical conclusion. But how would that signify the "end of the world as we know it?"

Some have said Jericho could be planning on attacking CM Punk to cost him the WWE championship leading to Punk getting him eliminated from the Rumble match to set up their feud. That seems a lot less likely but still entirely possible.

Cagesiders, can you explain what Jericho has planned and where this storyline is going? Anyone got any good theories? Video of Jericho's appearance on Raw last night after the jump.