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WWE's PG Era may be coming to an end if rumblings on the rumor mill are to be believed. Over the company's 14 years of presenting family-friendly entertainment, they have had to adjust their product. Among these adjustments, the promotion has had to figure out how to present supernatural characters in a non-extreme manner.
Gone were the crucifixions, brood baths, and blood matches that hardcore fans had come to love. Gone were the brazenly controversial and edgy storylines that ruled the Ruthless Aggression and Attitude Eras.
However, with these restrictions came the opportunity to get creative and invest more energy into character development. A number of new supernatural gimmicks arose, inspired by the likes of The Undertaker, Kane, and Mankind but distinctly unique from the old guard.
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With that being said, let's rank the five best PG Era characters based on the mystical and paranormal.
Honorable mention: WWE Hall Of Famer Sting
Sting has been one of the premier supernatural characters in professional wrestling for almost three decades. However, he made his WWE debut in 2014. So, technically speaking, he qualifies to make this list.
However, comparing him to our other entrants would not be fair on both sides, him having a two-decade headstart and them having the benefit of freshness. Nonetheless, The Icon had a memorable run with the company, with his debut at Survivor Series 2014 being among the most unforgettable moments in WWE history.
He then went on to compete at WrestleMania 31 and challenge for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship before injury cut short his in-ring run.
He deservedly took his place in the Hall of Fame before coming out of retirement and continuing to do what he does best in AEW.
#5: Aleister Black took NXT by storm
Aleister Black was one of the darker, edgier characters of NXT's black and gold era. Similar to characters like Karrion Kross, Black's persona had a brooding goth esthetic which helped him come across as a threat to anyone. This made him one of the most "over" characters in the developmental brand and he eventually also became NXT champion.
After crossing over to the main roster, The Dutch Destroyer embarked on a year-long undefeated singles streak. He defeated the likes of Cesaro and Buddy Murphy before suffering his first pinfall loss to AJ Styles. He was repackaged a few months later but was released before his character development reached its proper conclusion.
Who knows where he would rank on this list if he had reached his full potential?
#4: "Woken" Matt Hardy's character did not find as much success in WWE as it did outside the company
"Woken" Matt Hardy was WWE's PG spin on the more extreme "Broken" Matt Hardy character outside the company. His unhinged, erratic behavior and hilarious dialog took the independent scene by storm, continuing to make waves during his Impact Wrestling stint. When Hardy returned to the company at WrestleMania 33, it was only a matter of time before the character made its WWE debut.
The Woken One had a solid run in the company, mainly feuding with Bray Wyatt before later joining forces with the Eater Of Worlds. The duo won the RAW Tag Team Championships before breaking up due to injuries suffered by Hardy and a lack of creative direction.
The character did not last long, and did it hit the heights it reached outside the company. Nonetheless, he enjoyed a memorable run headlined by the innovative Ultimate Deletion cinematic match.
#3: Bray Wyatt's "Eater of Worlds" character had great potential
Bray Wyatt was one of the most creative WWE Superstars of all time. His character work as The New Face Of Fear led many to describe him as the heir to The Undertaker's supernatural throne. The Eater Of Worlds and his Wyatt Family left audiences world over in awe as they battled every top babyface in their path for almost six years.
Wyatt won one world title and two Tag Team Championships with this character, but it was constantly hampered by questionable booking decisions. This left many fans feeling that it did not live up to its enormous potential. Wyatt was eventually repackaged into another character, which also features on the list.
#2: "The Demon King" is one of the most protected characters in WWE today
Finn Balor's "Demon King" alter ego was created to add an extra layer to his character. When The Prince is pushed to his limit, The Demon comes out to confront his opponents. Using a modified version of Balor's entrance, the mystical character helps the Judgment Day leader unleash a meaner and stronger version of himself.
The Demon persona has helped Balor achieve great success in WWE, including his sole Universal Championship win. His alter ego was so effective that it only tasted defeat twice, once to Samoa Joe and then to Roman Reigns. With Balor being the only entrant on this list still active on the roster, we wouldn't bet against him taking top spot in the future.
#1: Bray Wyatt's "The Fiend" character was incredibly awe-inspiring
Bray Wyatt is such an incredible creative mind that he has made this list twice. After his previous Eater Of Worlds gimmick ran its course, Wyatt took inspiration from it to create another, improved character.
"The Fiend" was an instant hit, with his look, entrance and theme all being an upgrade on the previous character. This persona had added depth due to his hilarious alternate personality who hosted the "Firefly Funhouse" skits.
He inspired awe, laughter and fear in equal measure, establishing himself as the biggest threat on the roster by attacking legends like Kane. He then went on to become a two-time Universal Champion before his shocking release. With the man behind the iconic mask rumored to be returning to the ring soon, we can only hope to see the spooky monster on our screens sooner rather than later.
He is, without a doubt, the best supernatural character of WWE's PG Era.
