History Wrestling / BrayWyatt

** Wrestling/DeanAmbrose is becoming a fairly violent one as well. It all started when Bray wanted to "heal" Ambrose but Ambrose declined by smashing him with a chair. This spiraled down into Ambrose breaking his "sacred" rocking chair and Bray smashing Ambrose's neck with a chair against the steel steps.
** Wrestling/RomanReigns. While the Wyatt Family reuniting in Kate 2015 and feuding with Reigns, Ambrose, and Orton has bad blood on all ends, at the core of it all, it comes down to Roman and Bray. It started with them, and considering how much the two hate each other now as the months wear on, it's going to end with them.

*** Also said on the May 5, 2014 ''RAW''.

** Harming members of the family is this for Wyatt; if they're in a match, you've got leeway. If they aren't, leave them be. When John Cena drove Luke Harper through the barricade at Wrestlemania XXX, [[AFatherToHisMen Wyatt went ballistic]].

* {{Determinator}}: Where losses like the one to Cena at WrestleMania and Payback would normally deter an opponent or force them to take a different tact or approach in their character, Wyatt's still preaching his word, his hope that the rest of the world will "open their eyes" like he did. JBL summed it up best when he said that to Bray, "wins and losses don't matter." Bray, one way or another, finds a way to his goal regardless of the setbacks he suffers. and even then, victories against him and the family [[PyrrhicVictory can come at a physical and mental cost.]]

* DoNotTauntCthulhu: Bray finds out the hard way during his match against the Undertaker in WrestleMania 31.

** In terms of other well-known wrestlers, he compares in a lot of ways to a young Wrestling/MickFoley (the original Mankind persona in particular). He even uses a variation of the Foley pop. Foley himself even signs off on this comparison, tweeting the day of WrestleMania XXX that Wyatt is “A darker, meaner, more athletically gifted version of what [he] brought to the table.”

* PowerStable

* StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred: In his Wrestlemania XXX match with John Cena, he repeatedly tried to goad Cena into attacking him with weapons and getting himself disqualified. It didn't work.

** In the go-home show before [=WrestleMania=] he was interrupted Undertaker's thunder and dark light effects to make people think Taker was coming, only to reveal he was the one "commanding the spirits of the night" now.

* VillainousBreakdown: During his WrestleMania match against the Undertaker, Bray said something along the lines of "I won't let you take this from me! I OWN this! This! All of this is mine now!" During the final minutes of the match when the Undertaker recovered from another fall, Bray appears to have had enough and starts going batshit on him, only to end up as the 22 in 22-1. The Undertaker holds the honor of being the very first to truly get under Bray's skin.

** The entirety of Bray's match against John Cena at WrestleMania 30 is basically an extended attempt by Bray to invite Cena to become a monster like he is.

** Bray can be extremely detrimental to the plans of even Wrestling/TheAuthority as well. At MoneyInTheBank 2014, when Wyatt hit Sister Abigail on RandyOrton and looked to capture the WWE World Title, TripleH and Stephanie had a ''massive'' OhCrap moment that ''he'' could come away with the championship, because they know there's no way he could realistically be corralled under The Authority.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Can ''invoke'' this in-universe; on more than one occasion, the Wyatt Family has beaten the tar out of someone only to carry them off to God-knows-where.

* WorthyOpponent: He seems to consider Wrestling/RomanReigns to be this; while he viciously mocks Dean Ambrose, and denounces the likes of John Cena, Daniel Bryan, and CM Punk, he treats Reigns with the closest we've seen him come to respect, and describes him as an "interesting creature." Part of this may be due to the fact that Reigns is being built as the next Rock-like superstar, so treating him as a main-eventer would make sense.

** Wrestling/DeanAmbrose is becoming a fairly violent one as well. It all started when Bray wanted to "heal" Ambrose but Ambrose declined by smashing him with a chair. This spiraled down into Ambrose breaking his "sacred" rocking chair and Bray smashing Ambrose's neck with a chair against the steel steppes.

'''Windham Lawrence Rotunda''' (born May 23, 1987) is an American [[ProfessionalWrestling professional wrestler]]. He debuted in Wrestling/{{WWE}} in 2010 under the ring name '''Husky Harris''' as a part of Wrestling/TheNexus. After a punt kick from Wrestling/RandyOrton and a trip back down to developmental, he re-debuted in 2013 as '''Bray Wyatt''', a creepy backwoods cult leader and "Patriarch" of Wrestling/TheWyattFamily along with Wrestling/LukeHarper and Wrestling/ErickRowan. He is the son of Wrestling/MikeRotunda and the older brother of Taylor Rotunda, who currently wrestles for WWE as Wrestling/BoDallas

[[caption-width-right:441:TV Tropes, I'm here!]]

'''Windham Lawrence Rotunda''' (born May 23, 1987) is an American [[ProfessionalWrestling professional wrestler]]. He debuted in Wrestling/{{WWE}} in 2010 under the ring name '''Husky Harris''' as a part of Wrestling/TheNexus. After a punt kick from Wrestling/RandyOrton and a trip back down to developmental, he re-debuted in 2013 as '''Bray Wyatt''', a creepy backwoods cult leader and "Patriarch" of Wrestling/TheWyattFamily along with Wrestling/LukeHarper and Erick Rowan. He is the son of Wrestling/MikeRotunda and the older brother of Taylor Rotunda, who currently wrestles for WWE as Wrestling/BoDallas

* {{Anticlimax}}: His confrontation with Wrestling/Boogeyman at the 2015 Royal Rumble

[[quoteright:441:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/976334e8b88cedad675f6700958db348.png]]

* RealLife/MeanCharacterNiceActor: Bray Wyatt is a twisted, sadistic cult leader who delights in destruction, twists people's minds, and may or may not be demonically possessed. Windham Rotunda... was worried that one of his promos would hurt Nikki Bella's feelings and made sure to apologize to her before the promo aired.

* LightningBruiser: While Wyatt is no slouch in this department, himself, the real stand out is Luke Harper, who pulls of some exceedingly impressive moves for a man his size, including standing dropkicks, suicide dives, and at one point, a damned impressive Hurricanrana.

** In the go-home show before [=WrestleMania=] he invoked Undertaker's thunder and dark light effects to make people think Taker was coming, only to reveal he'd seized control of the "spirits of the night".

* BlindingBangs[=/=]PeekABangs: Bray Wyatt. Not to say that he chooses one or the other-- his long, stringy hair tends to just hang in front of his face haphazardly, which can result in either of these tropes.

* ContinuitySnarl: As Bray Wyatt's gimmick evolved since his NXT times, we have got at least three distinct biographies for his character: a disturbed bayou dweller who burned his father alive, a dark cult leader whose very birth is related to the enigmatic 'Sister Abigail', and now an ancient evil possessing Husky Harris's body. But the ''scariest'' part is that the three lives are implied to be somehow one and the same. We just could realize how little we know about him.

* MeanCharacterNiceActor: Bray Wyatt is a twisted, sadistic cult leader who delights in destruction, twists people's minds, and may or may not be demonically possessed. Windham Rotunda... was worried that one of his promos would hurt Nikki Bella's feelings and made sure to apologize to her before the promo aired.

* StrikeMeDownWithAllYourHatred: In his Wrestlemania XXX match with John Cena, he repeatedly tried to goad Cena into attacking him with weapons and getting himself disqualified. It didn't work.

* LargeHam: ...doesn't even ''begin'' to do himt justice.

* SickeningCrunch: Hoo, boy. Luke Harper's discus clothesline can reeeeeally connect. Reminds one of the [[Wrestling/{{JBL}} Clothesline From Hell.]] So can his big boot, for that matter.[[note]]The Big Boot was actually his finisher in his indy days, and now it's his "kill the HopeSpot" move[[/note]]

* WorthyOpponent: He seems to consider Roman Reigns to be this; while he viciously mocks Dean Ambrose, and denounces the likes of John Cena, Daniel Bryan, and CM Punk, he treats Reigns with the closest we've seen him come to respect, and describes him as an "interesting creature." Part of this may be due to the fact that Reigns is being built as the next Rock-like superstar, so treating him as a main-eventer would make sense.

* CarpetOfVirility: Luke Harper, who has an odd blend of both types 1 and 2.

'''Windham Lawrence Rotunda''' (born May 23, 1987) is an American [[ProfessionalWrestling professional wrestler]]. He debuted in Wrestling/{{WWE}} in 2010 under the ring name '''Husky Harris''' as a part of The Nexus. After a punt kick from Wrestling/RandyOrton and a trip back down to developmental, he re-debuted in 2013 as '''Bray Wyatt''', a creepy backwoods cult leader and "Patriarch" of Wrestling/TheWyattFamily along with Wrestling/LukeHarper and Erick Rowan. He is the son of Wrestling/MikeRotunda and the older brother of Taylor Rotunda, who currently wrestles for WWE as Wrestling/BoDallas

** Luke Harper gets back in on the action in a promo against the Shield:
---> "You three boys picked a beautiful hill to die on."

'''Windham Lawrence Rotunda''' (born May 23, 1987)[2] is an American professional wrestler. He debuted in WWE in 2010 under the ring name '''Husky Harris''' as a part of The Nexus. After a punt kick from Wrestling/RandyOrton and a trip back down to developmental, he re-debuted in 2013 as '''Bray Wyatt''', a creepy backwoods cult leader and "Patriarch" of Wrestling/TheWyattFamily along with Wrestling/LukeHarper and Erick Rowan. He is the son of Wrestling/MikeRotunda and the older brother of Taylor Rotunda, who currently wrestles for WWE as Wrestling/BoDallas

* BadassPreacher: Wyatt in particular... although what he's preaching is still ''anybody's'' guess.
* BaldOfEvil: Erick Rowan - although he more than makes up the difference in facial hair.
* BeardOfEvil: All three of them. UpToEleven. Harper's is especially notable as it hangs down to his chest.

* BigYes: Luke Harper's "YEAHYEAHYEAHYEAH" chanting, which were more trance-like in NXT but louder on Raw and [=SmackDown=] (likely due to venue sizes).

* BreakupBreakout: Bray, towards Wrestling/TheNexus along with [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] and Wrestling/{{Ryback}}, and ''most certainly'' is this out of the prospects that joined the Wrestling/CMPunk-led version of the stable.[[note]][=McGillicutty=] was repackaged into Wrestling/CurtisAxel after nearly two years off TV. Won an Intercontinental title, but never truly got over, even with the help of Wrestling/PaulHeyman. David Otunga shifted to an out-of-ring character and now most of the work he does for WWE is in a backstage capacity. Mason Ryan's career never gained traction from the beginning, and he was sent back to put over upcoming young talent on NXT.[[/note]]

** The most simple, to the point one you could possibly come up with. It's a single word. "'''RUN.'''"

** "[=YeahyeahyeahyeahyeahYEAHYEAHYEAHYEAH=]," Luke Harper's trance-like chant that he uses at seemingly random times.

* TheCorrupter: Bray officially became this to [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]] on the last episode of ''Raw'' in 2013, though this proved to be a ruse on Bryan's part two weeks later. Bray also did ''something'' to Wrestling/{{Kane}} after kidnapping him that drove Kane into a FaceHeelTurn when he finally resurfaced, and tried in vain to tempt and cajole Wrestling/JohnCena into giving into the monster Bray saw inside of him.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Most would probably agree that The Wyatt Family stands out distinctly from the less extreme gimmicks in the "Early-mid 2010s" era of WWE. Normally, the darkest character WWE would create during the Cena Era is someone like Randy Orton, who "hears voices in his head" and has "anger management issues." Then, enter The Wyatt Family, led by a possibly-demonically-possessed, ax-crazy, backwoods cult leader who speaks in dark, cryptic riddles and preaches sermons about death and destruction on a nearly weekly basis. He can also manipulate (and possibly possess) children in a somewhat hypnotic manner, and pretty much anyone he wants (including the entire WWE Universe-- the commentators often note that "The movement is spreading" as the crowd supports Wyatt more and more despite being a {{heel}}). [[JumpScare Their entrance begins with a sudden flash of horror-movie-esque images and sounds]], and the things Bray Wyatt does in the ring are creepy and unnerving to say the very least.\\

* DarkIsNotEvil: In his {{face}} incarnation, Erick Rowan wears the attire he debuted in (sheep mask included), with the only change being that it's all black.

* {{Determinator}}: In a meta sense, Bray Wyatt. Where losses like the one to Cena at WrestleMania and Payback would normally deter an opponent or force them to take a different tact or approach in their character, Wyatt's still preaching his word, his hope that the rest of the world will "open their eyes" like he did. JBL summed it up best when he said that to Bray, "wins and losses don't matter." Bray, one way or another, finds a way to his goal regardless of the setbacks he suffers. and even then, victories against him and the family [[PyrrhicVictory can come at a physical and mental cost.]]

** Harper and Rowan might be possessed men as well, given their blank personalities and especially Harper's facial expressions.
* DidntSeeThatComing: Harper returning, joining Team Authority and winning the IC Title in his first match back since the Family split was a surprise. ''[[spoiler: Rowan]]'' of all people coming out and joining Team Cena not only shocked Harper and TheAuthority, but ''Cena himself.''

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Introduced themselves to the WWE in person by beating the [[{{Pun}} hell]] out of [[{{Badass}} Kane]] and giving him a Con-chair-to with '''steel steps'''.
* EvilIsBigger: Fits the trope pretty solidly. Bray himself is the shortest at 6'2", but weighs about 285 or so (and that's ''down'' significantly from his [[MeaningfulName Husky]] [[Wrestling/TheNexus Harris]] days). Luke Harper stands 6'5" and weighs roughly 270 pounds, and Erick Rowan comes in at about 6'8" and well over '''300 pounds.''' No flyweights in this stable.

* EvilRedhead: Erick Rowan and his fiery red beard.

** Bray Wyatt is this to [[Film/CapeFear Max Cady]] (and by extension, to [[Wrestling/DanSpivey Waylon Mercy]]) and that might just be the obvious one. The underlying hints that he's possessed by an abomination [[CompositeCharacter also]] liken him somewhat to Azazel from ''Film/{{Fallen}}''.

** Arguably, Harper is one to MinistryOfDarkness-era [[Wrestling/JohnBradshawLayfield Bradshaw]] with the dark hair, imposing presence, cultlike devotion to his leader, and [[CombatPragmatist his finisher being a ''really hard'' clothesline]].
** Erick Rowan could be considered an expy of [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]]. He's a tall, imposing figure who hides beneath a mask, says VERY little (he's only spoken one word after over two years of being a member of The Wyatt Family on the main roster: "Run"), and he tilts his head in a very similar fashion to Voorhees (and [[Franchise/{{Halloween}} Michael Myers]] before him).

* FinishingMove: Wyatt's 'Sister Abigail', Rowan's splash, and Luke Harper's monstrous discus clothesline.

** Bray Wyatt "releasing" Eric Rowan and Luke Harper. Normally when the leader of a powerful stable starts to enter major singles competition, he tries to keep his underling by his side as extra reinforcements. This of course inevitably backfires as the ego of the wrestlers involved eventually leads to them resenting and eventually overthrowing their former leader. (Take Evolution and The Nexus / The Corre for example). But by letting Rowan and Harper leave the stable of their own free-will, Bray Wyatt no longer needs to worry about them turning on him out of jealousy.

** Whenever Bray Wyatt wants to use his finishing maneuver, "Sister Abigail's Kiss," on someone backstage, he always makes sure he's near a wall, and modifies the move to throw the opponent into said wall. This way, he doesn't hurt himself by doing the move conventionally, which involves him falling, with his opponent, onto what would be a floor with no mat or any type of protective covering.
* TheGhost: Bray Wyatt's beloved "Sister Abigail," whom he refers to often in his promos and has even named his FinishingMove after, but who has yet to actually appear. (Assuming that she is a person, not a disembodied entity. [[UnreliableNarrator Also assuming she even exists.]] For what it's worth, what Bray's said about her heavily implies that she is a real person, but she died some time ago.) From what he has said of her, she is responsible for making him into what he is today (so she's either evil herself or [[CreateYourOwnVillain just plain]] [[NiceJobBreakingItHero messed up bad]]) and possesses the power to save the world with a touch or destroy it with a kiss.

** Erick Rowan actually ''did'' turn face not long after the Family's dissolution.

* HiddenDepths: According to Tom Phillip's research, Erick Rowan has a genius level IQ (143, allegedly) and is a guitar prodigy as well as an award-winning winemaker. To drive the point home, Rowan solved a Rubix cube ''during'' the (less-than-one-minute) interview in which this was revealed.

* LargeHam: ...doesn't even ''begin'' to do Bray Wyatt justice.
* LightFlickerTeleportation: Have made use of this on occasion, ''a la'' Wrestling/TheUndertaker, to appear in the middle of the ring for a surprise attack on whatever poor dumb bastard is there.

* LimitedWardrobe: Harper stands out. Wrestlers wearing the same ring gear for several months at a time is pretty common, but Harper takes it a step further. That suspicious-looking stain on his shirt never goes away, suggesting that not only does he wrestle in the same outfits, he wrestles in ''the same one shirt'', [[{{Squick}} which, by the way, doesn't appear to have been washed since he debuted]].
* MadLibsCatchphrase: Their intro has become this.

* MalevolentMaskedMen: Erick Rowan's aforementioned sheep mask. Wyatt himself also wore a half mask while tending to a facial injury. It gave him a very creepy, serial killer effect.

* MeaningfulName: The sound that a [[AnimalMotifs sheep]] makes is often referred to as a "bray."
* MightyGlacier: Erick Rowan is the definition of this trope. 6'8", 320 pounds, and about as agile as you'd expect for someone that size that isn't named Wrestling/{{Kane}} or Wrestling/TheUndertaker. And when he hits you, ''you know it.'' Although he does have some moves in his arsenal that you wouldn't expect from somebody that big, like a spinning heel kick.
** Luke Harper subverts it, being only a couple inches shorter, maybe 30 pounds lighter, and a course-load more athletic and agile.

* NoSenseOfPersonalSpace: Wyatt himself, what with his kissing victims on the forehead and whispering directly in people's ears. It adds to his creepiness factor. He's also, at least once, ''slow-danced with the limp body of John Cena during a match.'' It's exactly as disturbing as it sounds.

* PsychopathicManchild: Bray has shades of this.
* TheQuietOne: Erick Rowan isn't much for talking, but when he does speak, he gets in on the action with a single word.
--> "'''Run.'''"

** They've also taken to calling Erick Rowan "Big Red", [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin referring to Rowan's sheer size and thick, red beard.]]

* ScarsAreForever: The bald spot on Luke Harper's head is actually a scar from taking an unprotected chair shot during his indie days. He actually chose to keep it instead of having it repaired.

* ShutUpHannibal: Averted. Bray Wyatt has a tendency to interrupt the promos of others and start rambling in riddles and mysterious speech, yet everyone he interrupts simply stands there and listens rather than cutting him off mid-sermon. Perhaps FridgeLogic in that part of Bray Wyatt's character is his hypnotic charisma, which can possibly make even his enemies unable to resist listening to his words.

* SilentAntagonist: Erick Rowan spoke in a couple of the hype videos, but mostly he just silently stares behind his sheep's mask. To a lesser extent, Luke Harper, who talks normally but only when Bray Wyatt isn't around... eventually though, it got to the point where Harper began to split segments with Bray, roughly 80/20.
* SleevesAreForWimps: Luke Harper, in his archetypical white trash getup of a plain white wifebeater and dirty jeans. Erick Rowan too, in a jumpsuit with the sleeves ripped out. Possibly an InvertedTrope, considering the [[HawaiianShirtedTourist wardrobe choices]] of the one they serve - although when Bray himself steps into a fight, he dispenses with the shirt and favors a sleeveless tank top as well.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Can ''invoke'' this in-universe; on more than one occasion, the Wyatt Family has beaten the tar out of someone only to carry them off to God-knows-where. {{Wrestling/Kane}} disappeared for several weeks and was [[FaceHeelTurn not the]] [[BadassInANiceSuit same guy]] when he came back. [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson DanielBryan]] has similarly been assaulted and abducted, and it's subverted for he returns 1 week later.