This might be a long post so I apologize in advance.
I would like to drop my 2 cents on this but before I lay out some options on what I think may happen, I would like to talk about what I think isn't.
This isn't a burial.
This isn't destroying his career
This isn't ruining his gimmick
This isn't the New Generation part 2.
I mean it's not like Heath Slater has a Man Mountain Rock gimmick.
Wait...
He totally needs a WWE block style logo guitar.
Moving on.
The Why:
If anything I feel WWE is so confident with Bryan's overness that him joining the Wyatt Family is for the benefit of the Wyatt family. I think WWE's position is that "Bryan is so hot that we can put him in a side story (outside of, but still parallel to the main storyline)to help build other talent without any loss of momentum to himself."
Do I think they should have kept him at the forefront of the Authority storyline and not replaced him with Big Show? Yes. However I do believe both stories will merge and this will come full circle.
I would like to show something Mick posted on his Facebook page (That is , if it hasn't been posted here yet. I haven't seen it in this thread at least) because I agree with a majority of what he says:
"IS A DANIEL BRYAN TURN BEST FOR BUSINESS?
For the record, I am a huge daniel Bryan fan. I thought a Bryan win would have been best for business at "Hell in a Cell". I think Bryan winning the Royal Rumble, and the potential of 75,000 strong in New Orleans chanting "YES" at the conclusion of Wrestlemania - providing an image for the ages....and sending people home HAPPY - will be what's best for business in April. But could this recent turn of events with Bray Wyatt be what's best for business now?
It could be.
Personally, I see the WWE World heavyweight Championship in Daniel Bryan's future. But in the meantime, he has a chance to do something almost as important and prestigious; he has a chance to help MAKE somebody.
Last month, I mentioned that Bray Wyatt (yeah, I know I called him Way Bryatt on the TLC PPV) had that "IT" thing - those tricky two letters that can spell the difference betweeen a talented performer and a star, between an asset to the company and a main eventer. But even a peformer with that "IT" factor needs something else to get them there - a bridge of sorts to get lead them on that next step of the journey. Every performer in our business needs that intense personal issue, that rivalry, that FEUD that truly puts them on the main event map.
I was lucky enough to have had those feuds at the right times along the way. I was lucky enough to have had those feuds when I needed them - with Sting in 1991, and with The Undertaker in 1996 - the right opponents at the right time to put me on the main event map. I like to think that I was that right person at the right time for a few people over the years. It's an honor I take great pride in.
Daniel Bryan has that chance. It's not easy. But do I think he's up to it? YES, YES, YES! "
The How:
There was a video uploaded on to WWE's Youtube channel shortly after Kane joined the Authority. He was being interviewed by Michael Cole and had no answers for his questions until Cole asked where the monster went. His response was the following:
" YOU WANT TO SEE THE MONSTER? Because I can assure you that monster is lurking beneath this veneer of civility anxiously awaiting the right catalyst to unleash it.
*regains composure*
Mr. Cole there is a monster deep inside all of us. The difference is, is for seventeen years I choose to let mine to run amok, to promote chaos. But make no mistake I was always in control. Unlike you and everyone else I accept the bestial side of my nature, indeed I relish in it. But it is simply one facet of my personality. A tool if you will. But not the only tool at my disposal. So when the appropriate situation arises, the monster ... will be utilized. You see, my methods have become...more subtle..more sophisticated. Mr. Cole I am....
evolving. "
Here is the link:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOhVj4ZagRAI highly recommend it. Great promo from Kane. Should have been shown on RAW.
To me, as someone else suggested, SCREAMS sleeper agent. Or at the very least an ulterior motive. With that said here are my ideas for how this all connects together.
Scenario: Kane and Daniel Bryan are still aligned. They both agree that authority needs to be stopped. The authority has too many people standing in the way and too many ways of screwing people over politically. The best way to get at them is to destroy them on the inside. Kane puts this into affect while Bryan is hesitant. He continues to fight them out in the open and in their face. Taking on the authority's chosen champion and calling them out.
Kane is becoming a problem so while the Shield are the Authority's personal guards (after buying them off from Paul Heyman) they secretly have the Wyatt family in their back pocket to do the dirty work. They sent the Wyatt's after Kane to subdue and rehabilitate him for their personal use. They view Kane as an asset and if he can be on their side that is one more way of controlling everyone else.
Kane is subdued and re-emerges as the Chief Operating Officer amongst public suspicion that Wyatt Family may be working for the Authority.
While the Chief Operating Officer Kane could be leaving some political traps for when the time arrives to loosen the Authority's grip on that end.
Bryan is becoming a problem, so the Authority instruct the Wyatt Family to target him. Except this time because of Bryan's popularity actually being such that it can disrupt the their plan for business they want a tighter leash on him.
The Wyatt Family engage their attack on him publicly and profess that the "Devil" made them do it, subtlety announcing that yes that are pawns of the Authority.
Bryan resists the family still trying to fight the authority on the front line. Eventually he realizes it's not going to work. It has to be done from the inside. So he voluntarily gives in to the Wyatt Family.
He stays with the Wyatt's closely watched and hovered over.
Here is where several forks in the road could happen
Direction A: The Wyatt's were in on it with Kane all along and only played the pawn part to the Authority. Bray Wyatt wants to control, not be controlled. He's smart enough to know a temporary alliance is needed. Once Bryan is on the inside and the the higher-ups are convinced he is no longer a threat then then Kane, The Wyatt Family and D-Bry start taking mofo's out.
Direction B: CM Punk tired of Paul Heyman distracting him from the real problem of the corrupt WWE political landscape goes into rebellion overdrive. He goes to the one person who has enough power to sabotage them. (See WWE's youtube video of superstar's responding to Bryan joining the Wyatt family to hear Punk's view on why despite Bryan being his tag partner he hasn't helped him out against the Wyatt's. Which supports the idea of Punk trying to find a different solution to the problem)
The Wyatt's where in on it all along with
The Undertaker (the real "devil" as someone here suggested) and only played the pawn part to the Authority. Bray Wyatt wants to control, not be controlled. He's smart enough to know a temporary alliance is needed. Taker knowing from past mistakes that absolute power corrupts absolutely when a corporation is involved and with a little convincing from CM Punk (who earned Taker's respect at Mania) decides to approach the Wyatt's. The Wyatt Family work for Undertaker the same way the Brood did while still operating as a separate entity. Kane was already on board and Daniel Bryan was the last to be convinced of this idea.
Kane/Wyatt's/Punk unleash their plan. Punk decides to try bring the belt back and by going after Orton. He enters and wins the Rumble setting up the rumored (along with Batista. I could be wrong) Punk vs. Orton Mania match.
In order for it to be convincing Cena has to be out of the loop. Cena goes after the Wyatt's trying to save Bryan from the brainwashing setting up the Bray Wyatt vs. Cena mania match.
Undertaker, while supportive, is not fully convinced that Daniel Bryan could sustain having all that weight on his shoulders being the true face of the company, the WWE World Champion. He wants Bryan to prove it. He wants Bryan to earn it. He wants Bryan to
beat him.
Daniel Bryan vs. The Undertaker
Regardless of the outcome if Bryan wins or not. He has proven himself and CM Punk walks out with the title he took back from Orton earlier and gives it back to the rightful champion: Daniel Bryan. If Taker decides to retire after this he can. Bray Wyatt is now elevated to the supernatural/dark mainstay in his absence.
:: exhales:::
I know I left out the Shield and other players in this as well and there probably is a lot of holes in this too. The point is:
That was
one,
ONE alternate path out of many. A lot of you are acting like the only road for this to go in is down into to a pit. (of danger)
There are plenty of ways they can take it. I choose to remain optimistic and think about scenarios such as the above because it's fun. I know WWE isn't as detailed as that anymore and often fail us in the end. I understand the knee jerk re-actions to this but if you let your creativity flow, even for just a bit, there are exciting places to take it.
TL/DR:
There is no summary. Read it. Reading isn't difficult.