The Undertaker Reflects on WWE’s Ministry of Darkness: A Legacy Cut Short
In a revealing discussion on his Six Feet Under podcast, wrestling legend The Undertaker shared his mind on a WWE faction he believes became in advance disbanded. The Ministry of Darkness, a notorious institution he led, made a huge impact in its brief existence from past due 1998 to mid-1999. The Undertaker, a cornerstone of WWE records, argues that this faction had the potential for a miles longer run.
The story starts in 1998 at SummerSlam in New York City, in which The Undertaker faced off in opposition to Steve Austin for the WWE Championship. Both wrestlers had been fan favorites, however Austin emerged successful, retaining his name. Following this high-stakes fit, The Undertaker’s individual started out to shift. Frustrated and veering in the direction of the dark aspect, he steadily transformed right into a heel, aligning himself yet again along with his sinister supervisor, Paul Bearer. This transformation culminated within the formation of The Ministry of Darkness, a faction designed to dominate the WWE landscape.
The Ministry of Darkness was an impressive institution comprising Edge, Christian, Gangrel, Bradshaw, Faarooq, Mideon, and Viscera, amongst others. By the spring of 1999, they’d merged with Vince McMahon’s faction, The Corporation, to shape the Corporate Ministry. Despite the potential for greater storylines and person improvement, the Ministry’s reign become brief-lived, finishing inside the summer of 1999 after best 8 months.
(Image credit: WWE)
The Undertaker expressed his disappointment with the faction’s abrupt dissolution, suggesting that it could have lasted two to three years. He reflected on the group’s potential and the innovative directions they could have explored. “It definitely had the legs to go on if it hadn’t gotten watered down the way it did,” he lamented. “Probably a 2, maybe 3-year run out of that. I think there was so much that we still had left that we could have done to push the envelope and people to work with. But it had its place in my run and I’m pretty proud of it because it came at a time where I really felt like I needed an evolution and I think it resonated.”
One of The Undertaker’s major grievances was the transformation of the Ministry of Darkness into the Corporate Ministry. This merger diluted the original group’s dark, edgy essence, which had been its defining characteristic. “How much can I push back really in that situation? But I didn’t like it. I thought as soon as it became Corporate Ministry that it got all watered down and it just ceased to be fun anymore. So, yeah, that was the kind of the beginning of the end right then,” he explained.
The Undertaker emphasized that the Corporate Ministry lacked the unique impact and daring narrative of the original Ministry of Darkness. The latter had pushed boundaries, incorporating controversial themes and receiving substantial fan reaction, including hate mail. However, with the Corporate Ministry, the group expanded to nearly twenty members, diluting its core identity. Comparing it to other wrestling factions, The Undertaker noted, “[The nWo] is a great example of where it ended up, you know? Not a super great payoff, in my opinion. It was just kind of blegh.”
The Ministry of Darkness remains a memorable bankruptcy in WWE records, showcasing The Undertaker’s versatility and potential to reinvent his individual. It untimely ceases leaves enthusiasts and The Undertaker himself pondering what could have been if the faction had been allowed to reach its full ability.
