Kane is a WWE Hall of Famer, former WWE, World Heavyweight, and ECW Champion, with many other titles, accomplishments, and records under his belt. There is no doubt that he is a certified legend and a huge favorite of many fans of different ages. He is a beloved member of WWE’s past and present, both inside and outside of WWE. However, he may be one of the worst booked characters of all time, and when looking at moments in his career, it’s a miracle that he is as respected as he is.

Kane’s Debut Was The Best Of All Time

After a brief run as evil dentist Isaac Yankem, the Kane character made its debut in 1997 in one of the most iconic introductions in history. His appearance was terrifying, with his attire being unlike anything seen before, with a mask that made him feel inhuman and even scarier. He was booked like a monster, though his feud with The Undertaker involved a lot of over-the-top, soap opera-esque elements, with family feuds, murders, deaths, and arsons. It is still remembered regardless as a defining feud.

WWE Kane Debut

His popularity as a character kept him around longer than WWE had intended, and he helped carry an era of Raw, along with Steve Austin, The Undertaker, and Mankind. Kane would switch allegiances often, with him and his storyline brother being rivals one moment, then partners the next. After a brief one-day reign as WWE Champion, he would drop into the midcard and tag team divisions, and that is where it all went downhill. Very quickly, his aura vanished, as he became comedic at times, with the first words he ever uttered on screen being “suck it”, during his association with DX, making a mockery of his mystery.

RELATED: Kane's First 10 WWE Rivalries, Ranked From Worst To Best

At a few points in Kane’s career, he would have defining moments that would rectify his poor booking. For example, his 2001 performance in the Royal Rumble was legendary, but that very same year at Wrestlemania he would compete in a comedy-ridden Hardcore Title match. He would become less mysterious and more human, with altered attire and more speaking.

Kane Was Involved In Some Of The Worst Stories In History

He was eventually unmasked in a World Championship feud with Triple H. What followed was the infamously horrific Katie Vick storyline – perhaps the single worst in history – which painted Kane as a necrophiliac. His other stories at the time included kidnapping, impregnating, and marrying Lita, only to cause her to have a miscarriage, in addition to setting fire to JR, feuding with ‘Imposter Kane’, and reigniting his story with The Undertaker.

Kane Lita

RELATED: The Undertaker's Career Told In Photos, Through The Years

Kane would then spend a lengthy portion of his career in the midcard and tag scenes, winning the ECW title too, adding to his list of accomplishments. His next poor feud would see him win the World Heavyweight Championship amidst a period of searching for a mystery individual who had attacked The Undertaker and put him in a vegetative state. It would turn out to be Kane all along, and their subsequent rivalry didn’t set the world alight. Later that year, he would lose the title and also be tricked into harming his own storyline father, Paul Bearer.

Kane Had Good And Bad Moments, But Nostalgia Was His Saviour

Eventually, Kane would return, once again donning the signature mask. This could’ve been a fresh start, but his ‘Embrace the Hate’ storyline with John Cena was terrible, and his new run started badly. He would enter a love storyline with AJ Lee, along with CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, which would lead to teaming Bryan in Team Hell No, which would turn out to be one of the most entertaining, funny, and rewarding stints of his entire career. Following this, he would join The Authority as ‘Corporate’ Kane, dropping his mask and wearing a suit. He would have several more heel and face turns over the next few years before slowly fading into being a part-time performer, focusing on his political endeavors outside the wrestling world.

RELATED: 5 Undertaker WrestleMania Victims That Found Success (And 5 Who Never Recovered)

Corporate Kane walking down to the ring.

A lot of the love for Kane comes from nostalgia. His initial character was such a fond favorite for many that he has managed to overcome all the truly terrible stories he’s had in WWE. For someone to retain that sort of support and continue cementing himself as a legend despite taking part in some of the most distasteful and controversial storylines in history is one hell of a feat. To view Kane’s career in a positive light, rose-tinted glasses must be worn to ignore some of the truly awful moments. Despite everything, he remains a legend to this day, whether that be through fond memories or his popularity behind the scenes.