Harley Cameron Gets a New Mask in ‘Possessed’ Vignette

A new and potentially darker chapter has begun for AEW star Harley Cameron. On the August 9 episode of AEW Collision, a mysterious new vignette aired featuring Cameron, who has been out of action with a legitimate injury. The cinematic video saw her obtain a new protective face mask, which appeared to possess her, teasing a significant character transformation upon her eventual return to the ring.

Harley Cameron Teases a Dark Transformation

The vignette began with Harley Cameron wrapped in a blanket, watching footage of the match where she suffered a broken nose at the hands of Megan Bayne. She then walked to her closet and pulled out a strange, ornate mask. As she held the mask, the lighting and sound design of the vignette shifted, and Cameron’s demeanor changed, suggesting that she was being possessed or taken over by a dark power emanating from the mask. The style of the segment was a clear and direct homage to the classic 1994 Jim Carrey comedy, The Mask, where the main character is transformed into a chaotic cartoon character after putting on an ancient mask. Cameron’s vignette, however, had a much more sinister and less comedic tone.

From a Real Injury to a New Gimmick

The new character direction for Harley Cameron is a creative way to turn a real-life injury into a compelling new storyline. Cameron has been out of action since the May 28th episode of AEW Dynamite. In that match, she suffered a legitimate broken nose. The vignette on Collision directly referenced that moment, using the real injury as the catalyst for her character’s transformation. By obtaining a new mask to protect her surgically repaired nose, she has also seemingly unleashed a new, more dangerous persona. This type of storytelling, which blends reality with fiction, is often some of the most effective in professional wrestling.

A History of Masks in Wrestling

Masks have a long and storied history in professional wrestling, from the sacred tradition of Lucha Libre to the iconic masks of superstars like Kane and Mankind in WWE. A new mask often signifies a major turning point in a wrestler’s career. It can be used to hide a superstar’s identity, to signify a rebirth after a devastating loss or injury, or, as appears to be the case with Harley Cameron, to unleash a hidden, more chaotic side of a performer’s personality. Superstars like Kane used their masks to hide disfigurement and trauma, which in turn made them more monstrous and terrifying. Characters like “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt used their masks as a way to transform into an entirely different, supernatural entity. The mysterious vignette on Collision suggests that Harley Cameron may be heading down a similar, darker path.

While it is not yet known when Harley Cameron will be medically cleared to return to the ring, this intriguing and cinematic vignette has created a great deal of buzz and anticipation for her comeback. The AEW women’s division is now on notice: a new, and potentially possessed, Harley Cameron is on her way.