Backstage Notes On Brodie Lee's AEW Debut

Here's how Lee became The Exalted One.

Brodie Lee
AEW

Brodie Lee was unveiled as The Dark Order's Exalted One on last night's episode of Dynamite, cutting a fearsome promo from a darkened corridor before laying waste to SCU members Frankie Kazarian and Christopher Daniels, having promised to make the latter pay for dismissing his existence.

PWInsider has published a new report on how Lee's arrival was handled backstage. The former Lule Harper was always going to be the group's leader from the moment it was clear he'd be signing with the promotion. The Matt Hardy and Lance Archer teases were done to throw people off the scent, keeping Lee's unveiling a surprise.

18 March was pinpointed as the show was set to take place in Brodie's hometown of Rochester, New York, all but guaranteeing a massive pop, though current affairs forced AEW to change this.

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Watching Brodie Lee unleashed in AEW should be a lot of fun. If he's as creatively suppressed as many think he is, he should be ready to go nuts in a promotion that will almost certainly offer greater freedom than his old employees. A shame he lost the hometown pop, of course, but that couldn't be helped.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.