THE MAN CALLED VADER
BEHIND THE BEAST IS AN EVERYDAY MAN LIKE YOU OR I!
The Wrestlezone Tournament allows us to vote by whatever criteria we choose. Today, we're going to look at Vader's softer side; his charisma and his likability. Many assume that the big man merely only ever played the monster, and never had the real world believability that later stars had. This is simply untrue. Behind the mask and monster lies Leon White, a humble, friendly, and hardworking man.
It's easy to get distracted by the mastodon armor and the strap mask. I bet that as you watch him makes his entrance, and as he destroys your favorite superstars in the ring, you'll never think of Big Van Vader as....a loving father?
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Listen to that soft voice. If my own father had shown me that kind of support and love, I may have turned out to be...well, anything at all (even WZ Forum ADMIN!). Anyways, as you can see here, he's very into helping his son out. I think he's always had a bit of that "Papa Bear" thing in him to protect that which is most dear to him, including his chosen trade. We all might have shitty jobs, or jobs that people ridicule, but a man has to be proud of his chosen career. A man has to stand up to anyone who would try to belittle him. And no man sets a better example of this than Vader.
In 1997, while touring in Kuwait with the WWF, a television dared to try to embarrass Vader and The Undertaker on live tv. The result?
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Vader stood up for himself, his friend and opponent, and his profession against the naysayers and the critics. Vader is the man with no fear, and that includes not being afraid of doing the right thing. Fancy that; Vader is a man of morals. A man who lives by a code that perhaps we all should.
Often through his career, Vader had managers to talk for him. Some may perceive that as a weakness, and think that he couldn't cut a promo himself. Also untrue. First of all, almost no wrestler ever
isn't improved by having Jim Cornette involved somehow. Secondly, Vader is a man of all business when it comes to the ring. Like many admire Chris Benoit for his stoicism, letting his actions do the talking, so also is the way of Vader. When he does talk, though, Vader is to the point. Observe in the following promo, where Vader discusses coming up from inner city life to achieving the dream of being a World Champion. Just inspiring.
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A man of codes.
A man of bravery.
A man of family.
A man we can relate to.
At the end of the day, wouldn't you just love to have a beer with this man?
COMING NEXT: VADER 1 - BOB ORTON (deceased)
