Randy Orton vs. Luke Harper Best Booking Options at WWE Elimination Chamber 2017

A blood feud will come to a head when Randy Orton battles Luke Harper at WWE Elimination Chamber 2017.

To maximize the clash on Sunday's SmackDown-branded pay-per-view, WWE has to tap into what makes this match special. Orton and Harper were brothers of sorts for the past few months, battling under the same banner but never trusting each other. Their infighting has to culminate in an explosive collision. 

Harper called out Orton on Tuesday's SmackDown. The Viper accepted soon after. Now, the meeting between former stablemates is officially a part of the Elimination Chamber card:

WWE has an intriguing narrative element to play with as The Wyatt Family tears itself apart.

Two beasts are ready to be unleashed. The end of a chapter is upon us. The company needs to treat Orton vs. Harper as such.

Toy with Family Dynamic

This bout has to be more than a standard meeting of rivals. It has to show the aftereffects of an imploded family.

Harper hasn't quite been able to abandon his allegiance to Bray Wyatt. Even after breaking away from The Wyatt Family, the big man looked to be under Wyatt's control for a moment on Tuesday's SmackDown.

Credit: WWE.com

The Eater of Worlds stared Harper down, momentarily freezing him in place. Harper, though, shook off his inner turmoil and laid out Wyatt with a discus clothesline.

Kyle Ross of Top Rope Press wrote of the exchange, "The crowd wanted it and Harper delivered. This was the best moment tonight on SmackDown."

At Sunday's PPV, WWE has to dive into this element of the story.

Harper must still look at Wyatt as a father figure. He has to be confused and torn as he takes on Orton. He can look to Wyatt at ringside for approval or bark at his former patriarch in frustration.

Orton and Harper's battle on Jan. 24 featured some of this as they looked for approval from Wyatt in between issuing hard shots.

There's a chance here to explore Harper's character, send him off on his own in dramatic fashion and provide this match with a substantial subplot.

WWE would also be smart to tease splintering between Wyatt and Orton.

Should The Man of 1,000 Truths win the Elimination Chamber match, he will take on his own stablemate at WrestleMania. The company would better that bout by foreshadowing the two allies falling out. Perhaps Orton takes issue with Wyatt's mid-match instructions to kick that off.

Settled by a Slobberknocker

These men have to forgo headlocks in favor of straight right hands.

As much tension as Harper and Orton have built between each other over the past few months, the bout has to be brutal and personal to match the tone of the story.

Harper shouldn't care as much about victory as he does vengeance. Orton unseated him from what he knew as family. He sees The Viper as the man who turned his father figure against him.

The action has to reflect that. Orton vs. Harper should feature the wrestlers slamming each other through tables, stomping on each other in the corner and rolling around on the mat as fists fly.

A pre-match brawl would enhance this as well.

Their previous meetings have been hard-hitting. As the likely climax to their feud, this has to surpass those clashes in intensity.

Harper Strong in Defeat

After standing in Wyatt's shadow for so long, Harper could use a PPV win over a former world champion in the worst way.

There is only one outcome that makes sense, though. Orton has to win on Sunday.

Kris Zellner, host of the Exile on Badstreet podcast, is among those who believe The Viper needs to prevail:

That's because Orton has a WrestleMania main event ahead of him. Falling to Harper at Elimination Chamber would only hurt his momentum and lessen interest in that upcoming title match.

The best bet is for Harper to push Orton, only to fall.

Orton needs to look like a legitimate contender en route to WrestleMania. Outlasting Harper will help in that regard.

As for Harper, WWE will have to start building him as a solo star after Sunday's PPV. His role for now is to play Orton's warm-up. His beastly, dominant side must wait.