10 Times WWE Went Further Than The Attitude Era

5. Kane Becomes A Real Monster

Kurt Angle Sharmell
WWE Network

Booking monsters and hosses across weekly episodic TV for years is a challenge, and has been since the territories dissolved.

Plainly, if they don't win all the time or close to it, there's not a character archetype worse off for it. They are massive. They hold the physical advantage.

That doesn't quite excuse Vince McMahon's approach to the Kane character in the 2000s. Instead of tactically cycling him out to rebuild his aura, Kane beyond the odd whacky tag run was made to do a great deal of really dumb, intensified sh*t. He set people on fire. He electrocuted some testicles. He unmasked to resemble one.

And then, he forced himself on - and impregnated - Lita against her will in 2004. Lita was so distraught that she attempted to lure Kane into her path so that she would miscarry, and to complete the reprehensible bingo card, she aligned with the Big Red Monster some time afterwards. You see, Kane was a babyface, and Trish Stratus was a bit disingenuous to the crowd a few times, so she was certainly more worthy of Lita's scorn.

Perhaps it's not the best idea to handle such sensitive and difficult subject matter in the topsy-turvy cartoon world of sports entertainment.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!