Phase 1: The Deadman Arises (1990-1998)
When The Undertaker debuted at Survivor Series 1990, the wrestling world had never seen anything like him before. Introduced with Brother Love as his manager, Paul Bearer became The Undertaker's manager two months later. He was similar to a supernatural horror movie monster.
Appearance: Grey (later purple) gloves, black trench coat, pale makeup, and an unblinking stare.
Abilities: Immune to pain and sitting up after taking significant punishment. While usually slow in the ring, he would suddenly attack opponents with a burst of energy and aggressiveness.
Entrance: Slow and brooding, accompanied by variations of funeral dirge-style music.
Notable Opponents: Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart. When The Undertaker faced Hulk Hogan at Survivor Series 1991, The Deadman became WWE Champion for the first time in his career, only one year after his debut in the company.
An unstoppable force of darkness, The Undertaker was an unprecedented character that instantly stood out in the colorful landscape of early '90s WWE. This "Deadman" persona established him as intriguing and powerful, creating a foundation of mystery that kept WWE fans talking and would stay with him for years.
Phase 2: Lord of Darkness & Ministry of Darkness (1998-1999)
During the Attitude Era -a period of edgy content, pushing boundaries, and often sparking controversy- The Undertaker's persona went from being dark to being blatantly evil, and dictatorial like a cult leader. He began wearing gothic, sinister-style clothing, and although the Undertaker character already had supernatural abilities, this version was more powerful. During promos, The Undertaker talked more often, commanding respect.
Abilities: The Undertaker character displayed the capability to summon lightning and manipulate fire.
Ministry of Darkness: This was the peak of The Undertaker's reign as Lord of Darkness. Leading an evil faction that featured Paul Bearer, Bradshaw, Viscera, Faarooq, Mideon, and The Brood (Edge, Christian, Gangrel), The Undertaker attempted to seize control of the WWE, going as far as sacrificing Steve Austin, and attempting to force Stephanie McMahon into a dark ceremony marriage.
Brand Impact: This era featured The Undertaker character at his most evil and powerful, a force of terror that reflected the edgier, darker themes of the Attitude Era. The Undertaker was no longer only a phenom; he was a dark ruler. It frightened children and made people in general uncomfortable, which is exactly what he wanted. Many young fans were scared of the Deadman persona of the early 1990s. As those same fans matured into adults, their fear was resparked by the more complex and sinister Lord of Darkness and his ministry, who engaged in dark rituals and psychological torture, seeming more like a cult leader than a wrestler. The Undertaker proved that while the character had evolved, his capacity to create unease remained strong across generations.
Phase 3: The American Badass & Big Evil (2000-2003)
Feeling that his character was a little stale because the gimmick was confining him and preventing him from engaging in cutting-edge promos that defined the Attitude Era, The Undertaker wanted to shift his character. The result was the American Badass version of the character (referred to as "Big Evil" while The Undertaker was a vicious, arrogant heel who demanded respect), which allowed him to keep some elements of the original character while introducing more of Mark Calaway's -the man behind the character- real personality, such as his real-life interest in motorcycles. The American Badass made its debut at Judgment Day 2000 during a match between The Rock and Triple H. Returning from injury, The Undertaker made a surprise appearance, speeding to the ring on a Harley Davidson, looking nothing like a "Deadman" or Lord of Darkness.
Appearance: A biker look, consisting of a bandana, leather vest, sunglasses, and jeans (which were replaced by leather pants while he was Big Evil). The Undertaker also wore fingerless MMA-style gloves. His demeanor was bold, tough, and no-nonsense.
Personality: No longer only making promos based around death or darkness, The Undertaker spoke freely, trash-talked, and showed the true extent of his promo skills.
In-Ring Style: This version of The Undertaker was faster than the previous versions, utilizing a more fast-paced style, as opposed to the previous, usually stalking, slow-moving style.
Brand Impact: This change allowed The Undertaker to display a completely different side of his character, connect with a new audience (motorcycle fans and riders), and to wrestle and perform outside of the boundaries of a gimmick based around horror.
Phase 4: The Return of The Deadman (2004-2020)
At WrestleMania XX in 2004, The Undertaker returned to his roots, becoming "The Deadman" once again, with revenge on his mind after Kane had buried him alive almost four months earlier. Also, elements of the "American Badass" grittiness were integrated into his classic Deadman persona.
Appearance: While the original Deadman had long hair that often obscured his face and pale face paint around the eyes to emphasize his zombie-like nature and stone-faced demeanor, this version of The Deadman had his American Badass look with grounded intensity, resulting in a more focused, intense expression. He began wearing a black trench coat again, but continued to wear fingerless MMA-style gloves.
Entrance: The classic slow walk and gong returned, now with the aura of the legendary status that The Undertaker had reached at this point.
In-Ring Style: The Undertaker retained the fast-paced style of the American Badass/Big Evil version of his character. In addition, while brawling and power moves continued to be a prominent part of The Undertaker's in-ring style, he also used holds and submissions (such as his "Hell's Gate" submission), showcasing his technical skills.
Utilization: The Streak at WrestleMania became the focal point of The Undertaker's career, and was the biggest topic of conversation about the event. Seeing him defend The Streak at WrestleMania was more important than a championship. Beginning in 2011, The Undertaker's appearances were limited, with WWE wanting to utilize him as a special attraction.
Brand Impact: With The Deadman back and evolved, The Undertaker became the measuring stick for new talent and was a respected figure whose appearances were a must-see, with viewership numbers rising when he would make pre-announced appearances on WWE-TV.
Phase 5: The Unholy Trinity (2020)
This version of The Undertaker was the unified persona that was presented in his final match, a cinematic "Boneyard Match" with AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36. It was a unification of The Deadman, The American Badass, and the man behind all of the versions of The Undertaker character, Mark Calaway. This blend allowed him to use the supernatural aspect of The Deadman (which was revealed towards the end of the match) while also being a trash-talking American Badass, and acknowledging the personal life of Calaway- the match was made as a result of Styles verbally disrespecting Calaway's wife, Michelle McCool.
The Undertaker's journey from an undead entity to a dark lord to a biker, and then back to a "deadman," before combining the character with the man behind the character is a masterclass in character evolution. Mark Calaway’s ability to adapt, combined with his unwavering dedication to the character, ensured that The Undertaker remained fresh, dynamic, and a unique presence in professional wrestling, leaving a permanent mark that will likely never be duplicated.
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