Brodie Lee Jr is ringside for Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania

Cody Rhodes came to WrestleMania 39 to finish the story. It’s never just been his story, though. Rhodes return to WWE to pursue the championship his legendary father Dusty never won has always been about his entire family. He’s been effusive in his praise for his wife Brandi and their daughter Liberty for the sacrifices they’ve made so he can chase his and Dream’s dream.

But Cody’s family is a big one, and includes many who aren’t linked to him by blood or marriage. There are the men & women he recruited to and mentored at AEW when he helped found that company.

Rhodes played a role in bringing the late Brodie Lee (real name Jon Huber, fka WWE’s Luke Harper) to AEW. It’s Lee’s eldest son he’s mentored, before and after his father’s unexpected, tragic death. Their connection was strong enough that Huber’s widow Amanda shared that she asked Brodie Jr’s two favorite people in the world, Cody & Big E, to be with her as she told him his father was going to die.

It’s why the young man who is known on AEW television as Negative 1 was with Brandi & Liberty, and Cody’s mom & sister, as he got ready to finish the story in the biggest match of his life.

Normally, we’d make jokes about an AEW star being ringside, but this is too special to bother with that. It clearly means so much to Cody, and Brodie, and those that love them both.

Whether or not the story is finished after tonight, this was a beautiful page from it.