Remembering Bray Wyatt: The Man Who Brought True Horror To The WWE
Bray Wyatt (real name Windham Rotunda) was one of the most unique minds in horror, but he didn’t do it in movies. No, Rotunda pulled off terrifying storylines in the squared circle of WWE. Rotunda brought something to wrestling that had been missing for a surprisingly long time: a truly terrifying character.
Much like the Undertaker, it’s a testament to Rotunda’s commitment that he convinced modern viewers that the supernatural still existed in the world of wrestling. Whether he was the silver-tongued cult leader of the Wyatt family or the savagely violent monster called The Fiend, Rotunda committed fully to gimmicks that were once considered ridiculous in the modern era.
Just like many a horror icon before him, Bray Wyatt was once just a normal, unassuming man. Windham Rotunda’s original in-ring name was Husky Harris, and he was part of a wrestling family. His father was the wrestler known as IRS, and his grandfather was the iconic Blackjack Mulligan.
Humble Beginnings
However, Rotunda didn’t immediately make a splash on the scene. Upon his WWE debut, he was nothing but a filler member of the wrestling stable known as The Nexus. In fact, the most notable moment of his time as Harris was eating a punt kick from the Legend Killer, Randy Orton. That kick sent Harris back down to developmental, where Rotunda started to think of ways to stand out.
As it happens, Rotunda was a massive fan of horror movies. He began thinking of different ways to incorporate his love of horror with his passion for the wrestling business. His first gimmick was a relatively obscure character known as Axl Mulligan.
This character was clearly inspired by classic horror slashers. The “Mulligan” part of his name was a reference to his grandfather, Blackjack Mulligan. Axl Mulligan is the most blatant example of Rotunda’s passion for wrestling and horror, as he draws from both to create his characters.
That said, this wasn’t a fleshed-out gimmick like his future ideas. This was Rotunda testing the waters of how well a horror-inspired gimmick could work in the modern era. Hence, Axl Mulligan only appeared in smaller wrestling promotions such as FCW, and was often met with chants of “Husky! Husky! Husky!”.
Those jeers practically removed any menace the character might have had. Thankfully, this didn’t slow Rotunda down. With his in-ring style settled, Rotunda started to work on his promo skills, the “talking head” segments that wrestlers had to show off more of their character. This was the birth of his most iconic character and the name he would keep for the rest of his WWE career: Bray Wyatt.
Bray Wyatt, Cult Leader
Bray Wyatt was the charismatic patriarch of the Wyatt family, a mysterious backwoods cult that had the enormous Luke Harper and Erick Rowan as its enforcers. Eventually, they would also add Braun Strowman to the family’s embrace. Wyatt would preach to anybody within earshot about the teachings of the enigmatic Sister Abigail, hypnotizing them with his silver tongue. Those who aren’t taken in by his magnetism are brutally destroyed by his enforcers, wielding them like vicious appendages.
The character of Wyatt was primarily inspired by Robert De Niro’s portrayal of the sociopathic killer Max Cady in Cape Fear. Interestingly, De Niro’s portrayal was influenced by the character of Harry Powell, the star of the 1955 horror-thriller The Night of The Hunter, one of the earliest slasher films ever made.
Much like Cady and Powell, Wyatt played himself up as a soft-spoken gentleman. However, no amount of honeyed words could hide the murder in their eyes. These men were killers, and try as they might, they couldn’t hide that nature. Eventually, they would unleash their wrath on any unfortunate victims standing in their way.
Of course, while Wyatt was perfectly capable of hurting people by himself, he didn’t need to. His family enacted violence for him. These hulking, backwoods monsters evoked icons such as Jason Voorhees and Leatherface. They have no deeper drive other than to inflict pain upon others, at the command of their caretakers. However, Wyatt knew that the cult leader, as wonderfully crafted as he was, hit a ceiling with WWE’s creative team.
Enter The Puppets
This was supported by his many scripted losses. He took a year-long hiatus from wrestling and in that time, crafted the most arguably iconic character of his entire career. Wyatt returned to the WWE with a brand-new look.
Shedding the Hawaiian shirt and cult members, he was now the host of a children’s daytime show called Firefly Funhouse. Wyatt, in contrast to the soft-spoken gentleman of old, was now boisterous and jolly, teaching kids about how to deal with their emotions in a Pee Wee Herman-styled set. Every episode would end with one phrase to his adoring audience: “Let me in.”
Each segment was seemingly mundane but had unsettling flashes of horrors past, evoking the same vibes as the horror web series Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared. Even the puppets that starred in the Funhouse were references to his history.
The puppet Abby was a reference to Sister Abigail, the same lady who had converted Bray to the cult in the first place. Mercy the Buzzard was a reference to Waylon Mercy, who was actually the first wrestler to be inspired by Max Cady in the wrestling world. Husky Harris was a reference to his old self, seen as a slob. Rambling Rabbit was also a joke Wyatt had against himself, referencing his cult leader persona’s long monologues.
More subtle references include the “HURT” and “HEAL” gloves, a callback to Harry Powell from The Night of The Hunter, who had the words “LOVE” and “HATE” written on his knuckles.
As the episodes got more and more unhinged, Wyatt revealed that the monster inside him never disappeared. Instead, he had found a way to harness it and control it to do his bidding. However, even he can’t hold back the hatred this creature brings. With a horrifying grin, The Fiend debuted in the WWE.
Welcome The Fiend
With a mask created by legendary horror make-up artist Tom Savini, The Fiend immediately rocked the WWE universe. It was nothing like The Undertaker, who despite the mystique, was so clearly the image of a man.
The Fiend was a literal monster. Its visage was inhuman, with a wide-flayed smile and bright orange eyes. The Fiend, in contrast to the Bray Wyatt, barely talked. instead, it made its intentions known through terrifying violence.
Needles Kane from the Twisted Metal franchise and Joker’s design from The New 52 come to mind when looking at The Fiend. Fittingly, both of these characters were psychotic clowns, and the horror comes from the contrast of people who were supposed to bring laughter, only bringing slaughter.
The likes of Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, and Daniel Bryan, all legends in their own rights, fell to The Fiend’s savagery. Despite being an outright horror villain, fans couldn’t help but adore The Fiend. This was a character from their nightmares, and they got to see it live.
Eventually, Wyatt would release his magnum opus with the Firefly Funhouse “match” with John Cena at Wrestlemania 36. Released in the midst of the pandemic, this motivated WWE to finally give Rotunda the full reigns for his creative vision. Without having to worry about silly things like live crowds, Rotunda finally got to make the horror short he’s always wanted.
What followed was less a match, and more of a deconstruction of John Cena, both as a man and a character. This was full-blown surreal horror, with many segments being completely nonsensically paced. Even so, the fantastic callbacks, eerie atmosphere, and commitment of both performers resulted in one of the most memorable moments in Wrestlemania history.
The Fiend continued his reign of terror in the WWE throughout the pandemic, often feuding with old foe Randy Orton. He even got his own Harley Quinn in the form of Alexa Bliss, who took to the role with great gusto.
Shifting Masks
That made it all the more shocking when Wyatt was released from WWE in July 2021, allegedly as part of a massive cost-cutting measure that saw dozens of other superstars let go from the company. Thankfully, Wyatt would return at WWE’s premium live event Extreme Rules in October 2022, to a massively positive reaction from the audience.
Once again, Wyatt reimagines himself, this time ridding himself of the Fiend and seemingly coming back to his more cult-like roots. and even teased a new character in Uncle Howdy. Wyatt also wore a new mask, created by a protege and friend of Tom Savini, Jason Baker. Baker’s most famous work with a mask was with the horror hit The Black Phone, hence the similar machiavellian grin.
His return was going well, and there was even an amusingly wholesome moment where The Undertaker officially gave Bray Wyatt his blessing to be the new spooky man of WWE. Under a new creative department that was more open to his ideas, Wyatt still garnered the same reactions he’s always had.
Just as Rotunda was getting settled back in, however, he unexpectedly went on another hiatus after the Royal Rumble. Health issues were cited as the reason, and unfortunately, Windham Rotunda passed away on August 24, 2023.
Behind the horrifying veneer of Bray Wyatt was one of the loveliest men in the wrestling world. Everyone from his family to his co-workers had nothing but good things to say about the man Windham Rotunda. Everyone from The Rock to John Cena, icons of the business, grieved with the WWE universe.
He was a loving husband to his wife, a fantastic father to his children, and an unforgettable performer for the millions of WWE fans who watched him.
This trek through Rotunda’s career is my tribute to one of the people responsible for my reignited passion for both wrestling and horror. Two mediums of entertainment that couldn’t have been more different on paper turned out to be surprisingly great in tandem, all thanks to the mind of Windham Rotunda.
I let Bray Wyatt into my life, just as he asked. And I don’t intend on letting him go anytime soon.
Categorized:Editorials
