Ever since Kane first set foot in a WWE ring, people have been trying to figure out why he acts as he does. Experts and fans alike refer to his childhood, the loss of his parents and his tumultuous relationship with Undertaker and Paul Bearer as the source of his tortured ways.
His recent actions, however, suggest that other factors might be at work. Raw Magazine is fully aware of the difficulty in trying to understand or explain Kane. It is doubtful that we will ever know the whole story when it comes to the motivations behind the "Big Red Monster," but this does not mean that the world should stop trying.
What is it with Kane and his obsessions: fire, demons, the color red, and now, Lita? Perhaps when he sees Lita - the red hair, the punk outfits, the tattoos that scream non-conformity - he sees rage. Kane sees red, the color of hell, fire and demons.
When he debuted in 1997, Kane was a tortured soul from his tragic beginnings - he was left behind in a horrific fire that left him with burns and scars on his face. Led by Paul Bearer, Kane would soon decimate those who dared to stand in his way. Wearing a mask, he remained mysterious and feared. Soon, Kane and his half-brother, Undertaker, met in a series of colossal encounters. After an Inferno Match at Backlash in 1998, in which Undertaker set Kane on fire, fans began to see some changes in his personality. By 1999, he decided to fight evil instead of embracing it. Kane displayed a human side, and memories of his monstrous behavior soon began to fade.
He and Undertaker teamed up as the "Brothers of Destruction," and whether Kane was liked or hated, he continued on, defeating everyone in his path. For the next two years, Kane dominated WWE, and seemed to become comfortable in his surroundings.
After taking time off in 2003 due to injury, he came back leaner, faster and better than ever. But what shocked fans the most was when he finally decided to speak for himself. The moment marked a major breakthrough for the 7-footer. Had his vocal chords healed or was he simply becoming confident and comfortable enough to speak?
Whatever the reason, Kane suddenly appeared more human and humane - no longer as intimidating as he once was. He went from being a terrible, feared animal, into a righteous do-gooder. It certainly didn't hurt his in-ring performance either, as he went on to the Hardcore, Intercontinental and Tag Team championships.
In early 2003, Kane captured the World Tag Team Championship with Rob Van Dam. However, it seemed that his competitive fires were on the verge of disappearing. Soon, he lost to Rene Dupree on Raw. After the match, he paced around the ring dejected. At the time, Stone Cold Steve Austin was the co-general Manager of Raw and he thought that seeing Kane act this way was unacceptable. He tried to re-ignite the fire within him.
Austin's efforts proved fruitless. In mid-June, Kane fell further when he and RVD lost the World Tag Team Championships to La Resistance. Afterward, Austin and Eric Bischoff once again tried to re-ignite Kane's fire.
Perhaps angered by the putdowns of those authority figures, the rage inside began to rise again as Kane chokeslammed anyone and everyone he could get his hands on. Before long, Triple H gave Kane the chance of a lifetime by asking him to become part of Evolution. Kane turned the offer down though, and instead took up Austin's offer to challenge Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship. Bischoff added the stipulation that should Kane lose, he would have to unmask. Thus, one of the most anticipated matches in recent history was set.
On June 23, 2003, Raw emanated from Madison Square Garden. There, with help from Evolution, Triple H defeated Kane. Rob Van Dam saved Kane after the match ended, but his arrival was seconds too late. Bischoff ordered Kane to unmask.
Kane did so, and then, he snapped, delivering a brutal chokeslam to his friend RVD. For weeks afterward, he set new standards in brutality. He threw Bischoff off the Raw stage, set Jim Ross on fire and delivered a Tombstone to Linda McMahon on the steel stage. The Kane of old had returned, but with an added twist. He was now more vicious and sadistic than ever.
When Kane removed his mask, it seems he lost whatever had been left of his conscience as well. With the mask, he could restrain himself, even control and measure his actions. Without the mask, all he sees is red - the blood of his enemies.
Kane went on to wage a bloody war with Shane McMahon that concluded with his victory in an Ambulance match at the 2003 Survivor Series. Later that same night, he helped Vince McMahon bury Undertaker in a Buried Alive match.
He and 'Taker settled their differences at WrestleMania XX, and even though Kane lost, he was not discouraged. In fact, his intensity level continued to rise. So, too, did his vindictiveness and this time he was not after a fellow competitor who could defeat him in the ring. He was after Lita.
It's no secret that Kane's inner demons have haunted him since the incident that scarred him as a child. If you look closely, you can see that when Kane first removed his mask, for a moment, he showed remorse. The look on his face said it all. Unfortunately, it didn't last.
When we finally think we understand what motivates Kane, he does something that once again forces us to ask the same question: Why?
Does Kane hate Matt Hardy so much that he would try to take away the love of his life? The answer is simple: No. Kane hates everyone. He wants to destroy everyone and everything in his path. Hardy is simply in the way of what Kane desires.
Kane also wants his legacy to go on. What better way than to choose Lita as his soulmate? A strange thought, but could Lita's rebellious persona be what attracts Kane the most? Perhaps Lita's fiery red hair is a symbol to Kane. Notice that when Kane gets close to Lita, his hands are glued to her long red locks and the look in his eyes is the same as when he summons fire. In Kane's eyes, Lita is the female representation of what Kane is. Lita is not possessed with feelings of evil and hatred, but Kane might think differently.
Then again, what if Kane knows something that none of us knows about Lita? She is not your typical girl. Perhaps there is more to her than meets the eye. Kane has transformed back into the monster that everyone prays is not lurking behind their own shadow. Perhaps his goal is to transform Lita into something malevolent, something we cannot even imagine.