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With AEW Revolution out of the way, the biggest question on everyone's mind is the long-awaited reveal of The Exalted One. The so-called leader of the Dark Order has been a point of contention amongst AEW fans since he was first talked about in promos. Evil Uno has been constantly tweeting that his arrival is near.
Even on the AEW official Twitter page, a tweet was put out recently hinting that he will be appearing sooner than later.
With that being said, AEW teased the fans for a while about the identity of the mysterious leader. Considering that the tease has been happening for so long, there have been several stars who might fit the bill.
Here are 5 wrestlers who could be the Exalted One in AEW.
#5 Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels of SCU has been teased to be the leader of The Dark Order. While it's very possible that AEW could be misleading their fans, it cannot be taken off the table. On an episode of Being The Elite, both Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian found a Dark Order mask in his luggage and he couldn't explain it.
In some cases, The Dark Order has actually backed away once he's come to the ring to save his team from annihilation. At AEW Revolution, he did come out as a cloaked figure only to attack the heel stable and save Colt Cabana and SCU from an attack.
While all seems well after AEW Revolution, there might be more than meets the eye. In professional wrestling, nothing is as it seems and it would make for a good twist if he is the so-called leader. Has Daniels turned to the dark side, if he isn't the leader? Anything is possible.
#4 Raven
An ECW Original, Raven has been in the industry for several years. The man who had one of the most memorable character arcs in the 90s when he was still with WCW was teased on an episode of AEW Dynamite as a possible leader of the faction.
Raven was seated behind the Dark Order and it's very possible that this again could be a misdirection by AEW's creative team. But the parallels are quite remarkable. Back in WCW, Raven had his own stable called The Flock. He would do the same in TNA/Impact Wrestling with The Gathering, which also included CM Punk.
In a lot of ways, Raven being revealed as the leader of The Dark Order wouldn't be a stretch and makes sense in a lot of ways, given his past. Certainly, with his experience and creative mind, he would certainly bring something to the table and help get the group over.
If the Raven tease is just a red herring, that doesn't mean he could a member of the masked stable. It is pro wrestling after all.
#3 Hangman Page
While he is Tag Team Champions alongside Kenny Omega, it has has been teased for a while that Hangman Page could turn heel at any possible time. While he did get the maximum cheers of the night at the recently concluded AEW Revolution PPV, he did tease that he could turn on Omega at any time.
When it comes to The Dark Order, Hangman's drunken escapades seem to hint that he joined the group while he was drunk. At least that's what was being hinted on an episode of Being The Elite. That being said, it would make for an interesting reveal if he was actually the brains of the operation albeit via an alternate personality.
Hangman's journey since he lost to Chris Jericho at AEW All Out last year has been remarkable as he's been able to build his character and get himself over with the fans. Could he be The Exalted One? Considering that there were numerous teases on Dynamite and Being The Elite, it's not outside the realm of possibility.
#2 Luke Harper aka Brodie Lee
The man formerly known as Luke Harper in WWE is very possibly debuting in AEW very soon. If it isn't the upcoming Dynamite episode, it could be sometime this month as his 90-day no-compete clause ends on March 08, 2020. With that being said, him possibly being the so-called leader of The Dark Order has a high probability rate.
The connection is quite obvious. Standing at 6' 5", he would come across as a legitimate villain and be a valued addition to the group. His time with the Wyatt Family certainly has created an image that is hard to deny, that of a dark soul who is capable of ultimate destruction.
Dustin Rhodes even spoke of the possibility of Harper being in AEW and said:
"He can help people. He can take them to new highs and he can get them there and at the same time get himself over in a company that will allow him to do so."
The possibility of him being the leader of The Dark Order is certainly something to think about.
#1 Matt Hardy
Considering that Hardy is no longer under WWE contract, most people are under the impression that he will eventually be revealed as the Leader of the Exalted One. Matt Hardy revealed that he was leaving WWE because neither he or WWE was on the same page.
The Dark Order's hints came on the last episode of his Free The Delete YouTube series where he seemed to say 'Exalted One.' On top of that, Matt Hardy started having more social media exchanges with Chris Jericho and The Young Bucks.
Hardy in AEW would seem like a natural fit. The creative freedom has been on display with the likes of Jon Moxley and Jericho as well as others. Hardy as the leader of the Dark Order could be the canvas that he wants and a way to cement his legacy.
Is Hardy headed to AEW to be revealed as The Exalted One? While he has said that he is keeping his options open, the various social media hints seem to hint that his destination is AEW. All should be revealed in the weeks ahead.
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