The summer of 1997 saw legendary manager Paul Bearer reveal to the world that The Undertaker's long-believed-dead brother Kane was, in fact, very alive and was on his way back to WWE to avenge the his dead parents. To do so, he would target the man he considered responsible for the fire that led to their demise: Undertaker. The Phenom denied involvement, going as far as to label Bearer a liar. Then, at Badd Blood in October, the Dead Man found out just how true Bearer's proclamations were. Just as the former heavyweight champion prepared to plant Shawn Michaels with a Tombstone piledriver and record a victory in the first-ever Hell in a Cell match, the arena went dark and orchestral music played over the PA system. Suddenly, flames erupted at the top of the aisle and a massive figure clad in red and black made his way to the ring, ripping the door off the cell and standing toe-to-toe with the most respected star in the industry, The look of disbelief on Undertaker;s face told the story as he looked his brother up and down and came to the conclusion that, standing before him, was the younger sibling he had mourned so many years earlier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASmdxXaOzd4 Kane ended the reunion with a Tombstone of his own, ending any chance his brother had of defeating Michaels and earning a future WWE Championship opportunity. In the weeks and months that followed, Kane would establish his dominance in WWE, repeatedly attacking Undertaker and any other Superstar unlucky enough to be in his path but nothing quite matched the imposing, horrifying debut of the Big Red Monster on that autumn night. It was undoubtedly one of the reasons the character has proven to have the longevity it has over the last two decades.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
