Bray Wyatt's Best Booking Options After Epic Return at WWE Extreme Rules

During Saturday's Extreme Rules pay-per-view, teasers for the "White Rabbit" reveal were inserted randomly throughout the show to hype up the moment that would close the whole event.

After Matt Riddle and Seth Rollins ended the night with a competitive bout inside the Fight Pit, Bray Wyatt made his return to WWE programming with a massive presentation.

The lights in the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia dropped and a creepy version of "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" began to play over the sound system. Most of the fans in attendance immediately pulled out their phones to provide the familiar backdrop of fireflies as it continued.

A spotlight picked out figures dressed as characters from the Firefly Fun House before a video played showing the neglected set of Wyatt's fake TV show.

Finally, a door appeared on the stage from which Wyatt would emerge, remove a mask that was as equally creepy as his last one, and blow out his lantern to end the broadcast. It was one of the most well planned and executed returns we have seen in years.

WWE also left the door open for the near future. Wyatt did not attack anyone or indicate a specific goal or target, so his future booking is completely up in the air. This allows management to go in several directions, many of which could lead to some intriguing storylines to close out the year.

Let's take a look at some of the ways the company might go with him in 2022.

One possibility is a new stable built around the returning Superstar.

The Wyatt Family was a major part of what made him so popular to begin with, and having him serve as an overseer of other rising talents could help all parties.

The Judgment Day's initial vibe might have worked well with him, but the way the group is now is more akin to a gang or family than a supernatural gimmick.

A few people stand out as obvious choices for The Eater of Worlds to mentor. Pairing him with Alexa Bliss again is always an option, but it might not be as beneficial for either of them as a new alliance would be.

Karrion Kross and Scarlett being aligned with Wyatt would make for some interesting possibilities, as would somebody such as Dexter Lumis.

Or WWE could go with somebody who is not in the midst of a push like T-Bar. He has been out of the spotlight for so long that he could be a blank slate for WWE and Wyatt to mold into whatever new character would suit the situation best.

Then there are the options to call up NXT stars to work with the former Fiend like Joe Gacy, Boa or even Commander Azeez. He would need a new look and gimmick, but a guy with that kind of size would be a great enforcer if Wyatt began a new stable.

If that is what WWE wanted to do, there are several great options and many more we probably haven't even considered yet.

Little Miss Bliss still carries her Lily doll around and has begun showing more aggression in recent weeks, so fans online have begun to wonder if she is destined to return to Wyatt's side.

They had one of the weirdest runs in WWE history together. The matches were always a little off, but the non-wrestling segments and storylines always drew us in.

They would work well together again, especially if the dynamic was different. Having Bliss return to being a disturbed character might not be the best route to take, but having her positioned more as an equal to Wyatt is probably a more interesting option at this point.

Booking them more as a twisted couple instead of a leader and follower could lead to some great spooky Bonnie and Clyde-type shenanigans.

However, there would be some who saw this as a step backward for both Superstars. We've already seen them together for a long time, so going back to that—even in a different scenario—wouldn't be satisfying for a number of viewers.

Another possibility is having Wyatt and Bliss enter into a more antagonistic relationship. She could hold a grudge for feeling like he messed with her head and then just disappeared, so having her manage a rival of his could be a great way to change things up.

One option that is a major possibility is WWE booking Wyatt as a solo act. No allies, no proteges and no followers. Just a man and his lantern looking to cause some trouble.

The 35-year-old is such a magnetic and watchable personality that he does not need anyone else around him to succeed. If anything, the only reason to pair him with anyone would be to help the other person.

Allowing Wyatt to just focus on himself and work with the creative team to bring his unique vision to life might be the most satisfying option for both him and the fans.

The fact that he did not appear alongside anyone at Extreme Rules could indicate plans for him to work alone. Those figures dressed as characters from his show probably weren't wrestlers. They were more for the visual than to indicate a stable would be forming.

With Wyatt not making anyone a specific target right away, the possibilities for his first feud are still open.

Since this is supposed to be a refreshed and reinvigorated character, management might think the best route would be to pair him with somebody he has never faced before, or at the very least, someone he hasn't faced in several matches during a long feud.

The Judgment Day would be a great option for multiple reasons. Not only could WWE get several matches out of this since The Eater of Worlds would be feuding with a group, but it would also be three people who don't share a ton of history with him already.

Wyatt has never been in the ring with Dominik Mysterio or Damian Priest, and his on-screen history with Finn Bálor is limited to only a handful of encounters.

The Judgment Day also has a dark aesthetic that would make for some cool imagery during this feud. When it came time for Bálor and Wyatt to have a big singles match, we could even see The Demon make an appearance.

Then there are the unconventional options like Austin Theory. Just imagine the kind of reactions Mr. Money in the Bank would have whenever Wyatt started getting creepy. It might make for some entertaining segments and a good short-term feud to get the returning Superstar's feet wet again.

Wyatt has been gone from WWE TV since April last year, but there are still tons of people on the roster who have history with him.

Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins are two in particular who have long, storied histories with The Eater of Worlds.

With The Tribal Chief now having The Bloodline to back him up, Wyatt could get several matches out of the entire group before he and Reigns get in the ring together.

With Rollins, it would be more of a straightforward singles feud. Both men are in different places career-wise than they were the last time they met, so it could still feel fresh while acknowledging their past issues.

It would also give them a second chance to prove they can put on a memorable Hell in a Cell match after their 2019 encounter was almost universally panned due to how it was booked.

However, the most interesting option might be someone nobody is talking about. When Wyatt was first brought into WWE as Husky Harris during the first iteration of NXT in 2010, he was paired with Cody Rhodes.

Both men have changed so much in the 12 years since then, so it would be interesting to see how WWE could weave their unique histories together for a storyline.

There are only two-and-a-half months left in this year, so how WWE uses Wyatt now will be a good indicator of what 2023 will hold for him.

His first feud should be substantial, but not as long-term as most of his storylines. We don't need a six-month program with several PPV and TV matches and a bunch of filler. Something that is wrapped up in a couple of months would be the best way to go.

That would give Wyatt a chance to get back into the swing of things, and it would also give WWE a chance to see exactly how this new version of him will fit into the greater landscape.

We still know very little about this version of Wyatt. All we have seen are some cryptic teasers, one quick appearance at Extreme Rules and some discussion from WWE announcers during Raw. That's it.

We don't know if he is going to be a vicious heel, ambiguous tweener or dark babyface. We have no idea how many of his old gimmicks will be incorporated beyond what we saw on Saturday. We still haven't even heard him address the crowd. All of this is still a big mystery, and WWE might want to let that play out for a bit before he becomes a weekly fixture again.

The more people are talking about all of this, the more intrigue it will create. The Fiend was such a divisive character, but Wyatt himself is well-regarded by the majority of fans for his creative vision and unique approach to his gimmicks.

Management was smart not to trot him out on Monday with a mic to explain where he has been and what he plans to do. It keeps people guessing, but there is a clock on this.

If WWE waits too long to provide some answers and give us an indication of what will happen next, then it will cause the more fickle side of the fandom to lose interest. Patience is not always easy when we are used to getting things handed to us in easy-to-digest segments every week.