Analyzing Erick Rowan's Direction Following Babyface Turn

Now roaming outside the confines of The Wyatt Family, Erick Rowan is on his own, a beast-turned-babyface.

Long Bray Wyatt's silent soldier, Rowan now finds himself in the marquee match at Survivor Series, his former brother on the opposing team. WWE appears to be committed to showcasing him but looks unsure of who he is post-Wyatts.

His gimmick is in mid-formation, residing on the line between ridiculous and sinister.

As Monday's Raw came to a close, John Cena was in need of allies. Team Authority boasted a fivesome that featured the intimidating trio of Harper, Mark Henry and Rusev. Eventually, Rowan surprised us all by picking Cena's side.

It's unclear what his motivations are, partly because he doesn't speak much and partly because WWE hasn't explained the move.

As author Kevin Sullivan tweets, Rowan's history with Cena necessitates an explanation for his actions:

WWE needs to let us get into Rowan's head a bit more in general. We need to know what drives him, why we should be puling for him.

Since venturing on his own, his gimmick has been shifting as it moves along.

He toyed with Renee Young's hair a few weeks ago, playing a creepy neanderthal with a taste for blondes. He went searching for someone the next week at ringside and proclaimed with disappointment, "She's not here." One would assume he wanted to stand near Young and unsettle her once again.

The company has pulled back what looked like a stalker angle, though.

Instead, he's morphing into a man-child of sorts. While The Miz tried to woo Grumpy Cat on Monday's Raw, Rowan walked in muttering, "Here, kitty kitty." He swiped a stuffed-animal cat from Damien Mizdow's hands.

That cements it: He's no longer a savage from the swamps. He's more of a lovable brute, much like the version of Frankenstein's monster that befriended a little girl in The Monster Squad.

Rowan now looks destined for a comedy role as WWE plays up the contrast between his ominous presence and goofy behavior. Think Festus mashed up with George "The Animal" Steele.

The positive of this route is that it keeps his talking to a minimum; giving him just a line or two at a time is smart.

This way, he can be creepy and amusing and not have to venture out of his comfort zone on the mic. 

That kind of character has often been short-lived, though. Festus, for example, was only around for two years before WWE repackaged him as Luke Gallows and paired him with CM Punk.

Snitsky, a massive man with a foot fetish and most famous for punting a baby, should serve as a warning for WWE as to how it handles Rowan. 

The company leaned too far on the comedy side with him. He found himself pigeonholed into a silly role. After the steam ran out of his foot-loving persona, WWE decided to repackage him as well. 

He emerged with a shaved head and a grimace filled with yellowed teeth. 

That's when he was his most compelling. Snitsky didn't end up sticking around for long, but being a freakish predator was a better fit for him. WWE can't wait until Rowan flops before seeking out an ideal balance of aggressiveness and comedy.

To avoid the need to press reset on Rowan's career down the road, WWE has to keep Rowan from becoming a walking punch line. He can provide some unsettling chuckles, but the company can't forget to portray him as a threat in the ring.

Don't make him the easy elimination at Survivor Series. Let him earn his keep on Team Cena.

Credit: WWE.com

His motivations for joining that squad can center on issues he may have with Harper. That's the ready-made rivalry that WWE should hand to him.

A bruiser-versus-bruiser feud over the Intercontinental Championship has plenty of promise.

Hopefully, that's the direction the company goes with him, rather than having him play with more toys or be WWE's resident stalker. As a heel, he was at his best when he was slugging it out. That will be just as true now that he's switched sides, with just his motivations differing.

At Survivor Series and beyond, WWE has two paths waiting for Rowan: He can either be a giant, righteous gladiator, or he can go further down the road of ridiculousness.