Nevermind that Austin was already a heel upon his return. He came back stunning everybody. Since it was Stone Cold this was played as a face tactic. That is until he stunned Mick Foley who was trying to help him, at that point even JR said Austin had gone too far.
But oh well DTA right? Well when Austin did find out it was Rikishi he didn't try to wrestle him, he didn't even try to beat him up, Austin tried to MURDER him by attempting to ram a car into Rikishi while he was laid up against a concrete wall. Not content with just one attempted murder, Austin would then go on to try and murder Triple H too by dropping Hunter off of a forklift while he was trapped inside a car!
And of course the fans went along with it, eye for an eye and all. But it was that bloodlust that was unleashed in Stone Cold that turned inward and animated his jealousy, his insecurities, and his fears of his own mortality. And that led him directly to Vince. Finally humbled and ready to play ball. The fight drained out of him. He had taken the hard way as far as it could go and was FINALLY ready to take the easy way that Vince had offered him on day 1. It's the perfect bow on their entire saga.
And actually in listing this all out kinda redeems the Higher Power (plotholes and all), the Vince that was willing to go that far was the exact guy Austin would need to turn to to reclaim the throne. A man that would do anything. Because that's what Austin was too. So yeah, I rambled myself into it. Best story they've ever told... But the bloodline story isn't finished yet and they've got a few more tricks up their sleeve before it's said and done.