Dark Deviations: Bray Wyatt’s “The Fiend”
As we gear up for a strange WrestleMania this coming weekend, I thought now would be a good time to talk about one of the contenders and a Dark Deviation in the World Wrestling Entertainment sphere – The Fiend.
WWE’s Bray Wyatt (Windham Lawrence Rotunda) is no randy when it comes to putting horror into his wrestling. During his NXT days, he founded the faction The Wyatt Family with Luke Harper and Erick Rowan. Later on, The Wyatt Family joined Raw, continuing the creepy backwoods origins and its Bayou/voodoo cultist imagery. This led to Bray Wyatt eventually facing John Cena at WrestleMania XXX, in a weird match between the “Eater of Worlds” and the current host of “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” on Nickelodeon.
After Bray Wyatt was defeated by Cena, the Wyatt family still kicked around for a while, sinking disappointing lows when Randy Orton joined the group.
The group officially disbanded in 2017. Bray Wyatt still wrestled (and even teamed up with the “Deleter of Worlds” Matt Hardy for and after Wrestlemania 34), but never fully rose to his full potential.
Until April 2019.
There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture.
In April 2019, strange occurrences started happening on the live feed of WWE. Short and ominous clips of strange, grotesque puppets began airing. Soon, they became longer segments of a “children’s show” called “Firefly Fun House”, featuring a intensely cheerful Bray Wyatt with his puppet friends: Mercy the Buzzard, Abby the Witch, Ramblin’ Rabbit and Huskus the Pig Boy.
During its first full segment, the new and improved Wyatt destroyed a cardboard cutout of his old self with a chainsaw and cheerily told viewers that all they had to do was “let [him] in”. Thus began the catchphrase and constant request throughout the show as it became more sinister in tone and the request increasingly became more demanding.
Over the following weeks, Bray began to gleefully mention HIM, the one who was able to finally give him safety and comfort. He talked about this new friend as a mentor and guardian, teaching him how to control the darkness and to not be afraid. How this friend is also a friend to you and to me…
All we have to do is let him in…
The Fiend Emerges!!!
Three months later, HE appeared. No one saw it coming, least of all Finn Bálor. Poor Finn Bálor.
In July, The Fiend made his unofficial debut as all the lights went dead during Monday Night Raw as Finn was in the ring. Only seconds later, the lights flashing on to reveal The Fiend had destroyed Finn within the darkness.
After some matches, some wins and some losses, we have The Fiend going after old rival John “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth-grader” Cena in the next Wrestlemania on April 4-5th, 2020. Cena accepted this challenge, but the stipulations of the Firefly Fun House match are not yet known. However, I doubt it includes a rap battle between The Fiend and Cena, so we can all be rest-assured.
The Character:
Bray Wyatt (Windham Lawrence Rotunda) is a master story-teller and a terrific actor. The lead-up and the reveal of The Fiend is one of the best and scariest things that the WWE has ever had in its history.
I am so, so glad that he was given creative license to try this and to try the Wyatt family, because that was absolutely the foot-in-the-door for this character. Wyatt not only has the charisma to pull this character off, but the passion behind it to make it work. Without both, this could have been a hot mess and fallen flat. It’s a bold move that has paid off big – for fans, for Wyatt and for the company.
According to some theories, this character has been in his mind for quite some time and they are major layers of complexity. That’s what makes it resonate so much with the fans. This persona is carefully crafted – from personality, to moves, to the horrifying and hideous mask.
The Mask:
Yowie wowie! There’s a good reason why that mask is as mother-snuggling terrifying as it is. The mask was first designed by tattoo artist Kyle Scarborough, owner of The Washington Tattoo Collective. But as horror aficionados, you’ve most likely seen the work of the official mask creator before. Once the sketch was given the green light, it was then handed to horror legend and special effects icon Tom Savini’s studio and created by Savini, Jason Baker and Ell Farrington.
Not only is it utterly horrific, but needed to be completely wrestling-proof. That means he had to be able to see every dropkick coming his way or could be seriously hurt. It had to be easy to breathe in, and breathable itself for all the sweat and movement of getting, say, dropkicked in the face.
Truly a work of art from Bray Wyatt, Kyle Scarborough, and Tom Savini’s team, this is an instant classic and iconic mask in horror history.
The Lantern:
A little while after the construction of the mask, Wyatt also asked for at least one other accessory that we know of…his own head.
Again, Wyatt went to Scarborough for the concept art.
“The idea was to have the face that we know that he has, stretched over a lantern with a glow coming out of his mouth,” Kyle Scarborough said.
The lantern was also created by Savini’s studio, with the fear that it would get the boot because it was too scary. They were given the go-ahead…mostly. While the mask has been an easy sell to promote, the WWE has edited out the lantern for their Youtube channel, but it can be seen during its live shows. And, if you’ve got a spare $100, you can buy a replica on the website, complete with stitched eyes!
Bottom-line:
I have thoroughly enjoyed Bray Wyatt’s Fun House and The Fiend since Day 1.
The Fiend is a fast fan-favorite and it’s easy to see why. A lot of time and preparation has been taken to create and perfect this character. While Wyatt has always dabbled and moved within the realm of horror in the WWE, this character takes it to a whole new level. He is a carefully crafted jump-scare and not just a quick gimmick. Bray Wyatt is one of the best entertainers they have right now in the WWE, regardless of his wrestling, regardless of his physical attributes. He has people terrified and loving it.
(5 / 5)
Breaking News
Joe Bob’s Christmas Carnage: A Bloody Good Holiday Special Fri. December 13th – 9pm ET!
Hey there, fright fiends! 👻 Are you ready to sink your fangs into some spine-tingling Black Friday deals? We’ve scoured the darkest corners of Amazon to bring you a blood-curdling collection of horror goodies that’ll make your wallet scream with joy! From classic monsters to modern nightmares, we’ve got something to haunt every horror fan’s dreams. Let’s dive into the madness!
Before we go further – we are an amazon affiliate and if you click these links we may get money for Amazon. With that said, we won’t put up things we don’t suggest so here is the curated list as it sits for Black Friday Week 2024.
🎥 Monstrous Movie Mayhem
Bram Stoker’s Dracula 4K
Sink your teeth into Francis Ford Coppola’s visually stunning adaptation of the classic vampire tale. Watch Gary Oldman’s mesmerizing performance as the Count in glorious 4K resolution!
Christine 4K
Rev up your engines for John Carpenter’s killer car classic! This 4K edition will have you gripping your steering wheel in terror as the demonic Plymouth Fury wreaks havoc.
Akira Blu-ray
Experience the mind-bending anime masterpiece that redefined the genre. Prepare for a psychedelic journey through Neo-Tokyo that’ll leave you questioning reality!
Underworld Ultimate Collection Blu-ray
Dive into the eternal war between vampires and lycans with this action-packed collection. Kate Beckinsale’s leather-clad Selene will have you howling for more!
Resident Evil Steelbook
For the true RE fanatics, this gorgeous steelbook edition is a must-have for your collection. It’s so shiny, you can see the T-virus reflected in it!
Doctor Who Complete David Tennant Blu-ray
Okay, it’s not strictly horror, but who can resist the Weeping Angels? Join the Tenth Doctor on his time-traveling adventures and prepare for some serious sci-fi scares!
Evil Dead Blu-ray
Groovy, baby! Sam Raimi’s cult classic will have you laughing and screaming in equal measure. Remember, this is your boom stick!
Scream (2022) Steelbook
The slasher franchise that knows the rules is back with a vengeance! This meta-horror masterpiece will have you guessing who’s behind the Ghostface mask.
Leviathan 4K UHD Blu-ray
Dive deep into aquatic terror with this underrated gem from the golden age of practical effects. It’s like “The Thing” meets “The Abyss”!
📚 Bone-Chilling Books and Comics
Terrifier 2 BOOK by Tim Waggoner
Can’t get enough of Art the Clown? This novelization of the splatter sensation will paint vivid, gory pictures in your mind. Sleep tight!
The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Vol. 3
D’oh-n’t miss out on this collection of spooky Simpsons stories! It’s the perfect way to celebrate Halloween in Springfield all year round.
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
Dive into one of King’s classic tales of psychic abilities and political intrigue. Johnny Smith’s visions will keep you on the edge of your seat!
🎮 Ghoulish Games and Collectibles
Halloween and Ash vs Evil Dead PS5
Double the horror, double the fun! Face off against Michael Myers and the Deadites in this terrifying two-pack of asymmetrical multiplayer games.
Alone in the Dark Xbox Series X
Return to Derceto Manor in this reimagining of the survival horror classic. Just remember, in the dark, you’re never truly alone…
Chucky Funko Pop
Add everyone’s favorite Good Guy doll to your collection! Just don’t turn your back on him, or you might regret it…
Harry Potter LEGO Hogwarts
Who can resist the allure of a magical and/or haunted castle? Build your own magical world and watch out for those Dementors!
🎬 The Final Cut
There you have it, horror hounds! These Black Friday deals are so good, it’s scary. Whether you’re into classic monsters, modern slashers, or cosmic horrors, Amazon’s got something to make your dark heart skip a beat.
But hurry! Like a vampire at sunrise, these deals won’t last forever. If you want to do a general search on your own, feel free to use our link here.
Remember, in the world of horror, the only thing scarier than missing out on these deals is paying full price! Happy haunting, and may your Black Friday be filled with delightful frights! 🎃👻🔪
If you live in the United States, it’s time to rock the vote for real. I shared this video before in conjunction with my identity-based costume work, and I feel it’s important to revisit now, with the election coming up in just a few days. Besides which, Jack Black and Tenacious D are brilliant and given the current political climate, who doesn’t want to do the time warp? But seriously, get out and rock the vote, your life kinda does depend on it (at least insomuch as being able to make for yourself the life that you want, without the government telling you how to do so – especially if you live on the fringes of socially acceptable awkwardness like me and so many of my friends).
Besides which, this video is so good, it’s worth sharing again anyway. And again, if for some reason the video doesn’t load, you can find it here.
Art Attack
And here are some artworks I made awhile back as political commentary. The photograph was shot of the scene exactly as found, of a sign above a parking lot in a quickly gentrifying neighborhood making sure all knew that any unauthorized vehicles were unwelcome, and hung right in front of a flag that was tattered and torn from being caught on the chain link fence driving the point home. The flags were meant to be interactive, with gallerygoers waving them while singing The Star Spangled Banner in its elitist entirety. The whole really spoke to me regarding some of the political climate at the time (this was right before Trump was elected President the first time). How much has changed since then? In some ways, a lot. In other ways, I guess we shall see.
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