The Axel

It isn't everything.

Sure, for many in this sport it's a right of passage of sorts, the point at which you can consider yourself a real and legitimate skater. But there are plenty of amazing skaters who don't have their axel, and many others who have their axel but aren't very good at actually skating.
In my opinion, skating should be mainly about the artistry- you want the audience to feel an emotional connection. Sure, if your name is Patrick Chan, maybe you can throw a triple axel into  your program and still tell a story with it, but no one sheds a tear because of a beautiful jump. They do when they feel the emotions that the skater is experiences and wants to convey.
I was talking with one of my friends about her program this morning, and she said that one of the goals she had with her program was to make the audience cry. She had an amazing program with dramatic choreography and beautiful edges. And one jump. But her program has to be one of my favorites of all time.

So maybe the axel is an integral part of skating, but in spite of what some people might tell you, it's not everything.