Randy Orton is the perfect example of a WWE superstar

Every time the music hits “I hear voices in my head,” a strong emotion is elicited from the WWE Universe as The Viper walks out from behind the curtain and slithers his way down to the ring.

It’s Randy Orton. The Legend Killer. The Apex Predator. The 14-time world champion. The man everyone loves to hate.

But instead of the fans fully booing him, their emotion is admiration. For one of the best to ever do it.

From the smug smile to the vicious attacks to hitting RKOs out of nowhere, Orton can do it all.

The third-generation professional wrestler won his first world title at the age of 24 to become the youngest champion of all time.

“I knew what I was meant to do, what I was born to do, what I was bred to do, and that’s a professional wrestler,” Orton said in a WWE promo.

Climbing to the mountain top, Orton began a feud with his mentor Triple H and the rest of Evolution. Instead of cowering on the big stage, Orton went toe-to-toe with one of the best to ever do it and thrived. He had IT.

He had the skill. He had the look. He had the personality. He had the brash, cocky arrogance that fans want to see.

From that moment on, Orton has never been far away from the world title picture. There were more than 16 years in between his first world title and his most recent one.

Orton was at his peak in the 2007-09 range – when he won the WWE title five times in that period. Starting off, the Apex Predator was awarded the title at No Mercy and won it back from Triple H later in the night in a last-man-standing match.

The Viper yet again taking center stage with a rivalry against The Game. But it was Orton who left with the title. The feud played out over several months and found its all the way to Orton’s house in one of the most memorable moments in Raw history.

A man who blazed his own trails, Orton formed his own faction: The Legacy with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. Teaming with these fellow blueblood talents, Orton appeared as deadly as ever. He had also previously won the tag team titles with Edge as part of Rated RKO. Giving Orton allies in the ring made him an unstoppable force.

The Legend Killer also had one of the best rivalries ever with John Cena. Over the years, the two battled numerous times on the biggest stages.

They each walked into TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs in December 2013 with a world title around their waists, but only one of them left the event with the gold: Orton. He came away from the event with both titles by winning the TLC title unification match.

This seminal moment of combining the two championships and retiring the World Heavyweight Championship belt was owned by The Apex Predator.

For the superstar known for punting opponents and delivering brutal rope-hung DDTs, Orton has displayed a much different side in his latest iteration. Now one half of the Raw Tag Team Champions with Riddle, he is showing a more jovial side. He’s smiling out there and having fun instead of showing the venomous fangs of a viper.

He referred to Riddle as his friend, a word he never used on-screen before. The fun-loving team shows just how much range Orton has in his arsenal.

The Legend Killer has simply become The Legend. And he doesn’t seem to be going anywhere 20 years into his WWE career.

“My legacy will be that I was the next guy after The Undertaker that was the only person that never went anywhere else and had more matches, more titles, more accolades,” Orton said. “I’m in my prime, ladies, and gentlemen. I got a long way to go. My legacy will be that I did it longer than anybody.”