From Undesirable to Undeniable: Cody Rhodes' AEW Evolution

He hissed and purred as he stared into the WWE cameras cutting promos about the cosmos while constantly being interrupted by various WWE Superstars. Cody Rhodes was now Stardust: a b***ard of a character that was a spinoff of his brother's Goldust.

To Cody Rhodes, this probably felt like a slap in the face. The heir to The Rhodes Legacy had now been reduced to an undesirable character that didn't fit in with his family legacy, as he floundered on the mid-card for what seemed like an eternity with no end in sight.

The heart yearned for more and he sought out his fortunes elsewhere. In a sense, he embarked on a hero's journey in 2016 to remake himself as his own father, Dusty Rhodes, did before him.

Imagine yourself as an immigrant who has only experienced one way of life, until your world suddenly changed and required you to move to an alien nation that you know nothing about.

In a sense, Cody Rhodes was travelling through the Undiscovered Country (at least from his perspective) and that was the independent wrestling scene. His path led him through minor promotions as well as working with Ring of Honor, Impact Wrestling, and eventually NJPW.

Along the way, he made some very important friends like Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Hangman Page, and Marty Scurll. He started realizing his true potential as a main-eventer and metamorphosed into 'The American Nightmare.'

The character was a twist on his father's nickname, but it was the true realization of what Cody Rhodes could be. He was born to be the star of the show and this new persona helped him win new fans that didn't exist before. They have stuck with him since, as he helped start AEW.

In the company's short history, he has already had the best matches in the promotion, including his 5-star classic with his brother, Dustin Rhodes. His matches with Darby Allin, as well as his match with Chris Jericho were also well received.

If anything, his feud with Chris Jericho was probably one of the best feuds in 2019 as both men gave the best promos in any promotion. The promo referred to as 'Undesirable to Undeniable' was the story of his career and was a callback to his father's Hard Times promo.

Cody is now a true main-eventer that captured the hearts of wrestling fans all over the world with his ability to tell stories slowly and methodically with emotion, passion, and excitement. All of that has made him undeniable to the masses.

He is the embodiment of old school and new school. Cody Rhodes is man who, in the last 3 years, endured the trials and tribulations of being uncertain of his next booking. He is a man, who is now helping create a quiet revolution in professional wrestling with bluster, panache, and now boldly leads the way towards a better future for all.

An Undesirable Stardust to an Undeniable Cody Rhodes...who would have ever thought?