One of the secrets to any wrestler’s longevity is to have the ability to evolve, and Kane is no exception to that rule. Since 1997, Kane has played a significant role in the WWE.
Before his pyro ignited his entrance for the very first time, Kane benefited from the reputation that preceded him. Before his debut, Kane received months of build-up from Paul Bearer, alluding that the Undertaker had killed his own family in a fire, but his brother survived. As audiences came to learn, Kane was a pyromaniac who suffered horrific burns and scars both mentally and physically at the hands of his adolescent sibling, The Undertaker.
It was this mystery and expectation that made his debut all the more impactful. Those questions were answered at Bad Blood 1997, when Kane took center stage for the first time, making his way to the ring during Taker’s bout against Shawn Michaels during the inaugural Hell In A Cell.
Kane makes his debut at Badd Blood 1997
The Original Mask and Attire
Partially inspired by horror movie characters such as Halloween’s Michael Myers, Kane was covered up almost entirely by a red bodysuit, albeit one bare, ungloved arm. A masked Kane debuts with Paul Bearer by his side. Kane’s was perfectly marketable by being both scary and "cool."
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Jacobs had no real problems with the mask, stating that breathing, surprisingly, wasn’t an issue. "The mask was leather, and it was molded, so it was hard when I first got it. I remember one time that I had a match with someone. I gave him a powerslam, and our heads hit. I looked down, and there was blood on the mat. I was wondering what he was bleeding from. I didn’t realize it was me. The thing was, it was the little corner of the mask that was sharp.
As cool as Kane looked, maybe putting him in a cape was one step too far in the superhero direction. At a house show before his television debut, Kane made his entrance with a red and black cape adorn 'round his shoulders.
First Attire Change
King Of The Ring 1998 will always go down in history for Mankind and The Undertaker’s legendary Hell in a Cell match. But, almost poetically echoing his debut from that hellacious structure, it would also see the first noteworthy change up in Kane’s attire. The black flames across his chest became longer.
There are a few possible reasons for this change in look. Kane’s match that night was a first blood match against Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWE title. If Kane lost, he vowed to coat himself in gasoline and set himself alight. Another reason for the sweatshirt style redesign is an angle that would take place a few weeks later.
On the June 6th edition of Raw, Kane would take on Mankind in a number one contendership bout for the world heavyweight title. After besting his foe, Kane would take off his mask, revealing that it was actually The Undertaker in disguise!
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In October 1998, Kane would revert to his old gear, one sleeve, and stitching while maintaining the new elongated flame design. Around this period, children in playgrounds would theorize that "They changed the actor who plays Kane!" This was not true, clearly.
In June 1999, when Kane started teaming with D-Generation X, his "original attire" would undergo one more change. This new suit above was originally going to be green, enforcing Kane’s alliance with DX. After years of rumors about this, fans have made renditions of what this green attire could have looked like on him.
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SummerSlam 2000 Redesign
Kane’s first major redesign came at SummerSlam 2000 in a match against the now American Bad Ass Undertaker. Kane now wore a black vested one piece with red flames, noticeably exposing parts of his body once presumed burned but with no acknowledgment from the characters or the commentators. The fact that the story to this match saw Taker trying (and succeeding) to take Kane’s mask speculates that maybe this new costume was to complement a new unhooded look.
Then, for one night only at the 2001 Survivor Series, Kane would reverse his colors once again. In his five years with the company, Kane’s character went from a voiceless burnt monster to a growling masked anti-hero and everything in between.
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The Unmasking of Kane
Kane had been doing more and more "comedy" work before his injury, and this new half mask enabled him to speak clearer, be more expressive, and connect with fans on a new level. The happy times could only last for so long. On the June 23rd, 2003 episode of Monday Night Raw, Kane was given a title shot against Triple H. However, the stipulation stated if he lost, he would have to unmask.
Kane unmasked after losing to Triple H
Proving unsuccessful in his attempt for the gold and after some coaxing from his buddy and then tag team partner RVD, Kane did the unthinkable and tore his legendary image from his face. At first, he pretty much wore the same gear, sans mask, and with shaven hair, plus tiny changes to the straps and buckles.
"I was confident that it was the next chapter of the character. The only people who were [confident about the unmasking] were Vince McMahon and me. No one else wanted to do it because they figured if it wasn’t broke, don’t fix it. But, again, by this point, I had worn the mask for, gosh, five, six years, and I felt for as great as it all was, I could do other things. Kane continued, "So [there was] a little trepidation because it’s change, but I was confident that I could do it. Only Kane and Vince McMahon were behind the original idea of Kane unmasking.
Despite spending the vast majority of his career at this time with his face exposed to the world, the masked era remained a fan favorite and wanted to see a return to that character (and no, the Luke Gallows imposter Kane angle didn’t count).
The Return of the Mask
After a cracked fibula and five months off, Kane returned on the December 12th Raw in 2011, not only back to the WWE but back to his mask. His new mask had red leather/burnt flesh-like features, wrinkles and creases, and his "hair" sewn into the garment. On his trouser leg was the flames’ return, alternating between yellow left leg and later a red right leg design with more extensive stitching on top.
Another two-month hiatus meant another return, which would expect another costume change, but this time one that would suit Jacobs’ new real-life governmental roles. Instead, Kane turned heel and aligned himself with the evil Authority. Kane is back in the mask, with prominent red flames once again crawling up his black one-piece costume. Kane is back in the mask in 2018, with prominent red flames once again crawling up his black one-piece costume.