For those of you not familiar with the “Broken” Matt Hardy story, you can read below to catch up before the #FreeTheDELETE series finale begins tomorrow.
The “BROKEN” Matt Hardy story
BACKSTORY
On April 19th, 2016, Jeff Hardy swantoned Matt Hardy through a table from the rafters of the Impact Zone. This incident led to Matt becoming aware of where his essence (soul) had been since it was first created, which was on July 7th, 7 AD. Matt’s essence was named ZENITH and allowed Matt to utilize more of his brain power, turning him into a supernatural being. On April 1st, 2017, something happened in a match against The Young Bucks that led to ZENITH being disconnected from Matt’s mortal vessel. On November 27th, 2017, during a match with another supernatural being, Bray Wyatt – who also contained a powerful essence – ZENITH reconnected with Matt’s mortal vessel. As time went on, ZENITH eventually faded away and became obsolete because of the premeditated actions of the dastardly deity, Kennagen.
The #FreeTheDELETE Story
The mortal vessel of Matt Hardy is having a dream, which in reality is a premonition. In this vision we see Senor Benjamin digging a grave and then burying the Hardy Boyz version of Matt Hardy. After Matt is woken up by the Baby Hardy Boyz, one of the 7 Deities comes to Matt and declares he’s “been led astray from his destined path”. Matt must find it, SEIZE IT, and “Free The Delete.”
As Matt prepares to train King Maxel and Lord Wolfgang in the Dome of Deletion, he is visited by the ghost of his Broken Brilliance. Matt is once again told to Free the Delete and SEIZE IT, as the ghost of Broken Matt continues to appear. Another one of the 7 Deities comes to Matt and proclaims that Matt must be atoned for allowing the evil deity, Kennagen, to contaminate his essence, ZENITH; This contamination is what caused ZENITH to disappear from Matt’s mortal vessel.
Matt tries to connect with the inanimate objects that he could once communicate with to no avail. Matt also continues to be haunted by the ghost of his Broken Brilliance. Matt feels like he’s losing his mind, even to the point where he snaps and physically destroys one of his oldest friends, Marty Garner. Matt is visited by yet another one of the 7 Deities, who instructs Matt to use the magical water from The Lake of Reincarnation to build a ROAR (Reservoir Of Altering Rebirth) to reconnect with ZENITH.
Matt is told he has 13 weeks to get everything in order, re-procure his Broken Brilliance and Free The Delete. Matt’s friend, Rob, visits to help Matt transfer the sacred water of The Lake Of Reincarnation to the ROAR that Matt has built. While transferring the water, Rob is hypnotized by an eerie voice that appears to be Sister Abigail, who was exposed to the lake during The Ultimate Deletion. Rob becomes uncontrollably submissive and allows Abigail to enter the ROAR. Matt then enters the ROAR to reconnect with Zenith.
Matt successfully becomes one with ZENITH again & is mandated by the 7 Deities to test his refurbished abilities in a battle on the Hardy Compound. Matt wishes to battle his friend Rob, but Rob fears the new version of Matt. Matt then throws Rob into the ROAR where he is reborn as the demonic Ryzin. The fight begins.
The fight between Matt and Ryzin, known as The WOKEN Deleletion, rages on across The Hardy Compound. There are times in this battle where Matt doesn’t seem to be in control of himself. You hear orders of “RUN” and “CLIMB” that don’t appear to be of Matt’s own volition. A high risk maneuver turns out to be a horrible mistake, as Matt loses this battle and is defeated by Ryzin. The 7 Deities tell Matt that this battle was not about deleting Ryzin, but about deleting Woken Matt Hardy.
Infuriated by the result of The Woken Deletion, Matt demands answers out of his higher powers, The 7 Deities. It is revealed that Abigail, who is only an extension of a much more powerful force, Abomination, infected Matt when he entered the ROAR. Abomination will eventually completely take over ZENITH, ending the 2013 year old essence; All of this being the master plan of the evil Kennagen to destroy ZENITH. Matt learns that ZENITH is now terminally infected and will perish on 3220, March 2nd, 2020. Matt is crushed by this discovery. While having a get-together at the Hardy abode, Matt is depressed, miserable and taking it out on his family.
Queen Rebecca slaps Matt and tells him to be the man who will not die. Matt says she’s right and vows to ROAR until he gets his Broken Brilliance back.
Matt ROARs over and over again, returning as nearly every different version of Matt Hardy there has ever been except for the one he needs: Broken Matt Hardy. Abomination continues to destroy ZENITH as Vanguard 1 approaches Matt with one last idea to save him.
Vanguard 1 is almost crushed by Abomination as he continues to gain a stronger hold on Matt and ZENITH. When Matt is back in control, he follows Vanguard 1 to a “man of the cloth”, who turns out to be Matt’s old friend Marty Garner. Matt apologizes and confesses his sins to Marty. Marty says that Matt needs God & only God can show him the way. When Marty comes to The Hardy Compound to deliver a special sermon to Matt and his children, Marty’s John 3:16 verse triggers Matt into having an prolific epiphany. Matt now knows what he has to do to re-procure his Broken Brilliance and Free The Delete. Matt heads outside and makes a call to the individual that can help save him.
