AEW: Why Leva Bates would make the perfect Librarian

Leva Bates was revealed as one of the wrestlers playing The Librarian in upcoming storylines for AEW. Let’s talk about why we – and so many other of her fans – think Bates would make a perfect Librarian.

Yesterday, All Elite Wrestling revealed a number of signings coming their way. They revealed a new tag team in Private Party. Apart from that acquisition, AEW also signed Leva Bates to play “the one and only” Librarian.

Well, maybe not “one and only.” They also posted about signing one Peter Avalon as “the one and only” Librarian, but you know, semantics.

Regardless of whatever shenanigans may revolve around having two dual Librarians, we think Leva Bates would make the best fit for that part.

https://twitter.com/AEWrestling/status/1120370899847471104

For some recap, last month, AEW sent out a casting call for anyone interested in playing a character coming to AEW TV known as The Librarian. Everyone, including fans, were advised to post an audition tape if they were interested. Even Ariel Italic of the famed Nobodies Watching Wrestling podcast tipped her hat into the race.

However, no matter who threw their name into the race, one name would consistently flood the comments: Leva Bates.

If fans weren’t actively campaigning for the role themselves, they were practically begging AEW to hand the part to Leva Bates. Frankly, it comes with good reason.

Many readers may recognize Ms. Bates best as Blue Pants during her brief run in NXT. Since then, Bates has traveled the world round over from promotion to promotion as a cosplay legend. We’ve seen the former blue pants donning, Star Trek talking, D&D dealing, wig peeling daughter of a gun compete in practically every wrestling fed there is: IMPACT, MLW, WrestleCircus, PROGRESS, SHINE, SHIMMER, RISE, CZW, etc. You name it, Leva’s likely made her mark there.

Everywhere she goes, she arrives in a unique costume cosplay that she rarely – if ever – wears twice. We’ve seen Leva Bates step into the ring to transform herself into Deadpool, Jon Snow, Harley Quinn, a T-Rex, a Broken Hardy, Chris Jericho, Stone Cold, Leva Omega, The Sandwoman and even LevaTaker.

While it’s easy to look at these costumes as nothing but fun and games for a good laugh, it must be commended how strongly Leva is able to encompass whoever she’s playing. Whether she’s playing a familiar wrestler or a character from the comics or even an inflatable giant dinosaur, it’s clear that a lot of work was put into accurately recreating their  movements and personalities.

It would be easy for Leva to just dress up as these characters and call it a day. After all, it’s likely she’ll get a pop regardless as soon as she steps through the curtains as, say, The Undertaker. But she puts far more work into playing that character for one night than anyone really expects her to. If she’s gonna go through the trouble of donning the classic purple gloves and the top hat, she’s going to go the limit to recreate all of his movements, facial expressions and signature moves.

If she steps into the ring as The Undertaker, she is going to believe she is The Undertaker and she is going to go the extra mile to get the crowd to believe in her Undertaker impression. Doesn’t matter if she’s only ever going to wear that character/costume for 20 minutes on just one night. She’s just that dedicated as not only a wrestler, but as an actor.

At Bates’ core, she is a character actor. Every wrestler is an actor, but few are character actors. The difference between an actor and character actor is that a character actor is often expected to play exaggerated, strange, charismatic enigmas opposed to real people (i.e. Johnny Depp).

Leva Bates would fall into that same character actor category. Considering she often sees herself slip into a different character for practically all of her matches, she’s one of the more experienced character actors in her field. Few compare to her and that is what will make her the perfect Librarian.

Now, all she has to do is fight Peter Avalon for exclusive rights to that role, probably.