On Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Heidenreich described teaming with Road Warrior Animal and testing face paint concepts during the gradual transition that positioned him alongside Animal in the revived tag team.

He said Triple H proposed the skull design and pursued clearance from The Undertaker because of how closely skull imagery was tied to The Deadman. Heidenreich also recalled that an earlier butterfly-effect concept from Animal did not gain internal support.

Heidenreich noted his long-standing fandom around the Legion of Doom lineage, framing the pairing as a full-circle moment for him within that WWE run.