For years, Bray Wyatt referred to himself as the Eater of Worlds, the Man of a Thousand Truths, and the New Face of Fear. Even though WWE fans might want to see a talented star like Bray Wyatt soar to unbelievable heights, we can see through cover-ups and false advertisement. As a fan and proud follower of the Buzzards, it pains me to say that Bray Wyatt has never really delivered on his word.
He does hold victories over heavyweights like the Shield and Daniel Bryan, but he’s never really beaten ‘well-groomed’ talents like John Cena, Roman Reigns, or the Undertaker. In fact, he has lost cleanly in nearly every encounter with them, and it might just be because he’s never been in the position to prove himself.
Bray Wyatt has always had the upper hand in every situation. He’s never seen the value in fighting his own fights and relies on Luke Harper and Erick Rowan to bail him out of harsh storms too often. For a self-professed God, he behaves too cowardly in the ring, and his sermons on danger, and playing with fire, become less and less credible as time rolls on. Many of his victories are rarely due to his superior abilities, or his incredible move set. They’re due to him having help from every corner of the arena. If creative strips Bray Wyatt of his most prominent asset, the Wyatt Family, he can really shine as an in-ring competitor.
Bray Wyatt is a character who needs the spotlight all to himself. He doesn’t need Harper & Rowan just like he doesn’t need Braun Strowman. He needs to stand tall, and prove that he can eliminate any threat on his own; he is a main-eventer, and he should carry himself as such. In late 2014, creative realized this, and Bray Wyatt ceased to mentor Luke Harper and Erick Rowan.
This was a step in the right direction, unfortunately, it did very little for Bray Wyatt because he played the same role. He was still dark, he still cut promos on nonsense, and he still turned the lights on and off. The only difference was that Harper was IC Champion, and Rowan was nowhere to be found. Both former members were drifting into nonexistence, and the release of Harper & Rowan was a greyer period for all members involved. In order for a refreshing story to begin, elements need to change as time changes, and what should change is Luke Harper and Erick Rowan’s trust in Bray Wyatt.
Randy Orton’s been the cornerstone of various faction, and he’s one of the few ‘well-groomed’ superstars on the WWE roster. He is just as deceptive as Bray Wyatt, and occasionally cuts promos in much more favorable fashions. Orton is a twelve-time world champion, and fans would expect him to beat Bray Wyatt in a fight; it’s just logical. Orton has held his own against powerhouses like John Cena, the Undertaker, and Roman Reigns, something Bray Wyatt hasn’t done on his own. Many fans would be able to fathom Orton using his experience to beat Wyatt, and the ordeal would be great.
However, if Randy Orton were to overthrow Bray Wyatt as head of the Wyatt Family… That would turn heads! Bray Wyatt has been beaten before, but he has NEVER been beaten at his own game of manipulation. He’s never been stripped of his authority as a leader, and the day of Wyatt’s downfall as a leader is unimaginable. And Randy Orton would be the perfect superstar to imagine it with. Imagine it: Bray Wyatt, shocked and heartbroken, as he looks up at Luke Harper, his first son, and begs for empathy, searching for reason where there is none; Rowan, picking up the scraps of flesh off the mat as he hauls Wyatt across the ring, and finally Orton, dictating the attack on the former head of the family.
The new authorities, picking away at Bray Wyatt’s pride, and standing lankily over his body, symbolizing a pedestal for a new age. The Age of Orton, and a new authoritarian for the Smackdown division. Wyatt? A vengeful God, and a ruthless opposition to the new stable of Randy Orton, Luke Harper, and Erick Rowan. More importantly, a man who can prove why he is the New Face of Fear.
Oh yeah: And the WWE Universe will be 100% behind the newer, more dangerous Bray Wyatt.
