On Sunday night in front of 59,358 fans at Optus Stadium, Nathan Cleary took the first steps towards writing his name into State of Origin folklore.
But more importantly, the star NSW playmaker proved to himself he can thrive in the helter-skelter atmosphere of Origin.
Cleary scored two tries among his points haul of 24 to lead NSW to a 44-12 victory and level the series.
Just days earlier, the 24-year-old conceded he was yet to master the art of keeping a cool head amid Origin madness.
Game II no doubt has changed his thinking.
Cleary kept a cool head while possessing the hottest of heels in Perth, producing a best-afield effort in a dominant Blues display.
His grubber kick early in the game helped set up NSW's first try, with Matt Burton the benefactor.
Cleary hadn't scored a try in his previous 11 Origin outings.
He had a tough outing in Origin 1, with Queensland finding a way to unsettle the playmaker.
But on Sunday he was unflappable.
Cleary's composure helped set up the game, and he drove home the dagger with a two-try burst in the second half.
His first came when he dodged and weaved his way through in the 64th minute.
Three minutes later, he dummied a pass before slicing through a gap to put the match well and truly to bed.
The deciding Game III awaits.
If Cleary can produce another Herculean effort, he will etch his name into the history books as an Origin saviour.
NSW captain James Tedesco said Cleary's confidence hadn't been dented by his rough time in the series-opening loss earlier this month.
"It's about how you respond," Tedesco said.
"He copped a lot of criticism, which I think was unwarranted. He came out the week after and carved up for Penrith.
"He brought that confidence into game two. That shows what a champion player he is.
"He's awesome to play with, and he was probably our best tonight."
Cleary was put on report in the 70th minute for a solid tackle on Kalyn Ponga that resulted in the Maroons fullback leaving the field under HIA protocols.
The tackle isn't expected to result in a suspension.
