WWE and Mark Henry: The Monster, the Sex Addict & His Journey to Champion

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“He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."

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                                                                               ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

A long time ago, before the rebellion led by CM Punk, the dethroning of Vince McMahon and whispers of a conspiracy, there was the untold story of a man whom the spotlight would soon shine brightest on during the war we find the current WWE universe in.

While we now focus our attention and place our gazes squarely over the battlefield of the rebellion and conspiracy, and all the destruction and chaos it has left in its wake; there has been an unseen monster growing deep within the bowels of the universe.

A monster that has been fueled by 15 years of oppression, hatred, gimmicks, fake smiles, injuries and ridiculous pregnancies. It has now become more than a monster, but a reality that the universe must now contend and deal with.

Mark Henry has come out from the overlooked caves of the universe and unleashed hell unto all that stand in his way.

It was only a matter of time before the rage of this monster unleashed itself into the wild and wrecked havoc upon the WWE kingdom. It's time has come and no rebellion, conspiracy, King or Orton can control its path of destruction.

Henry now sits alone, isolated from the other warriors of the kingdom in his quiet, dark and sheltered cave as its World Heavyweight champion. All the while, the cloud of conspiracy that currently circles the kingdom ominously prepares to bring Henry into the forefront.

Lines of war are slowly being drawn. Henry cannot sit isolated for forever—the time will come when the war will spill into the cave, knock at Henry's door, and Henry will be forced to choose a side.  

But until then, Henry is left to fuel himself with thoughts of his past.

Let us look back at the epic journey of Mark Henry and his path to isolation and champion.

A Monster is Born—Sexual Chocolate Style

When Mark Henry first arrived at the gates of the WWE kingdom in 1996, the universe and all its wonderment and glory was quickly laid at the feet of the young warrior.

He was instantly recognized as a giant among men, a dominant force of nature, though young and inexperienced, and a beast that would break the will of men.

He was quickly thrown into the squared circle with some of the greatest and upcoming men the WWE universe had to offer.

Henry found himself paired with names that now echo with the winds of the universe—Goldust, Jake Roberts, Jerry Lawler, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Rocky Maivia. This was the company Henry kept and rubbed shoulders with during his first couple of months within the kingdom.

Times were easy, and times were good. The future was bright for the rising star.

But like many before him, mounting injuries from the battlefield would claim the young warrior. While it was a minor step back, and one that most take along they're journey to greatness, it would be a sign of things to come and a pattern that would shape the foundation of today.      

Henry, upon his return to the universe in 1998, saw fit to befriend a popular faction of rebels known as the "Nation of Domination."

While it was a return to action for Henry, who now found himself once again in the spotlight, it would be the first signs of his building anger and hatred that would breed the monster we know today. While Henry's demeanor had changed subtly, he was once again on his path to greatness.

However, Henry's misfortunes would strike again.

Shortly upon gaining new "brothers in arms," a coup was performed among the top two stars of the rebel faction, which would soon lead to them to disband, forcing Henry to fend within the kingdom for himself. The the other, more popular, established parts of the faction moved onto bigger and better things. 

Henry was once again lost—left without direction and focus. He was at the mercy and fate of then-king Vince McMahon and his never-ending bag of gimmicks—gimmicks that had crushed, punished, suffocated and belittled the careers of men better and more well known than Henry. 

His fate and future within the WWE was no longer bright but now at the hands of a so-called mass murderer of careers. No longer was Henry to be positioned as a grandiose, unstoppable, opposing force meant to draw comparisons to other great giants from the past.

His new direction? A likable, smiling sex addict known simply as "Sexual Chocolate."

Henry would mold this new character into his own. Not to be forgotten, like he was during his brief run with the "Nation," but to be remembered as one of the standout "characters" from the kingdom's greatest time period.

While some of his actions, directions, partners (Chyna, and Mae Young) and new focus were questionable, he accepted them with open arms—unfortunately becoming a joke along the way.

The Calm Before the Storm

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The only difference between saints and sinners is that every saint has a past while every sinner has a future.
                                ~ Oscar Wilde

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By the time the year 2002 rolled around, Henry once again found himself lost within the kingdom.

He had suffered numerous new injuries and had been asked to leave the universe numerous times to prove his self-worth to the company by re-training.

He was no longer the beloved "Sexual Chocolate," but a man completely torn apart by rapid-fire changes to his character. Questions and self-doubt inevitably surfaced in the mind of Henry.

Was he the good-natured, happy-go-lucky, smiling Henry that displayed the occasional power surge and enjoyed the occasional feel-good victory?

Was he the angered, veteran warrior whose sole purpose within the universe was to put over those less experienced than him?

Or was he to be the giant who underachieved—leaving a lot to be desired and a spring of potential untapped?

Henry saw opportunities and minor success come his way (a European championship, an ECW championship, a match against the Undertaker at WrestleMania, and brief tag team glory). But for a career that spanned nearly 15 years, it was nothing compared to what the other greats have accomplished in that same span.

While the Rock and Triple-H (who started with Henry) had become legends, Henry could be remembered for becoming a first-time father to a hand—from an 80-year-old woman. A sex addict who once made love to a transvestite.

All his frustration, anger, hatred, embarrassment and rage was uncorked in the year 2011.

No longer would Henry play politics with the hierarchies of the kingdom. No longer would Henry play second fiddle with a smile on his face. No longer would Henry be apart of the system that had mocked him for nearly two decades.

Mark Henry had unleashed his bond to the universe and set his own path toward greatness.

The monster was alive. Not to prove his self-worth and skill to himself, but to punish all those that were responsible for all his years of oppression.

Henry has now done the unthinkable. He has defeated one of the two "Super"' beings that dwell within the universe, becoming one of the champions along the way.

Randy Orton, and all his glory, power, presence and skill were disposed of so quickly that one may wonder if we have seen the birth of another "Super" being. The title now resides with Henry, whose future is no longer decided by kings, but by the beast raging inside.  

While the Kingdom sits on the brink of crumbling, Henry glares from his cave watching the clouds of conspiracy grow darker. Henry doesn't need to concern himself with something as trivial as this. He knows a storm is on the horizon. However, he only concerns himself with his own agenda.

An agenda that simply states:

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"Somebody is gonna get their ass kicked."

                                ~ Mark Henry

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