Ministry of Darkness The Ministry of Darkness was a professional wrestling stable in the World Wrestling Federation during the late 1990 s . Led by The Undertaker , this Ministry was a controversial group with storylines with a Satanic theme that included fictional scenarios where they appeared to perform evil rituals and human sacrifice . They were not the first Satanic themed wrestling stable , however , as Kevin Sullivan had previously led several variations of the Army of Darkness stable , starting in Florida Championship Wrestling in the late 1970 s . Formation . In October 1998 at Judgment Day : In Your House pay - per - view show , Paul Bearer turned his back on Kane and rejoined The Undertaker , who began prophecizing that the Ministry of Darkness and a " plague of evil " would be unleashed on the WWF towards the end of 1998 thus making Undertaker a heel . In the show , the Undertaker continued to feud with Kane and Steve Austin , which involved several controversial . Throughout the PPV , the Undertaker appeared attempted to have Austin embalmed alive , have Kane committed to a mental asylum , and crucify Austin . Undertaker ' s evil and satanic plans were delayed when he lost a Buried Alive match to Steve Austin at and wasn ' t seen for several weeks afterwards . Meanwhile , Justin Hawk Bradshaw and Faarooq formed Hell ' s Henchmen , a dark and brooding tag team briefly managed by The Jackyl . Shortly after their debut , the Jackyl left WWF and the team changed their name to The Acolytes . The characters Bradshaw and Faarooq ended up as the henchmen of a then - unknown new leader . As one of their first orders of business , they abducted Dennis Knight on the January 11 episode of Raw Is War and took him to " Hell . " Weeks later , " He " turned out to be a new , druid - like Undertaker , who proceeded to initiate Knight as his servant with a ritual , rechristening him as Mideon . At the Royal Rumble 1999 , the Undertaker , Mideon , and The Acolytes abducted the 485 - pound Mabel , who was renamed Viscera the next night on RAW Is War . Another faction , The Brood ( Edge , Christian and Gangrel ) , was recruited to The Undertaker ' s service as well . Then , the Undertaker made it clear that he wanted to oust Vince McMahon and take over the World Wrestling Federation . First Strike . Vince McMahon turned face during this time , claiming that Mark Calaway ( Undertaker ) was taking his gimmick too far , and that Calaway actually believed that he , in fact , was The Undertaker and that he was the second coming of The Lord of Darkness . This statement could be received as breaking the fourth wall of Kayfabe , due to the use of Calaway ' s real name and the reference to gimmicks . McMahon , shook up , put Undertaker in the second - ever Inferno match , a rematch of the first as Undertaker faced off against his brother Kane . Undertaker defeated Kane again , and reduced the WWF owner to tears at the sight of a burning teddy bear . The bear was said to have once belonged to Stephanie McMahon ( as a child ) . For weeks , Undertaker revealed that his Ministry actually took orders from a " higher power " , and continued to reference this higher power who apparently owned the key to McMahon ' s heart and soul . After leaving a burning symbol resembling a crucifix in McMahon ' s yard , the Corporate leader ordered his enforcer , The Big Bossman , to face Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania XV . Undertaker claimed victory without much difficulty . After the match , The Brood lowered themselves from the ceiling onto the top of the cell and then lowered a noose to the Undertaker . He sent McMahon another message by hanging Big Bossman from the cell . After WrestleMania , the mysterious woman in the storyline was revealed to be McMahon ' s own daughter , Stephanie . The Ministry took Stephanie captive that night , and Corporation member Ken Shamrock found Stephanie , crying in the boiler room with the Undertaker ' s symbol on her forehead . As revenge on Shamrock for ruining his plans , Undertaker ordered The Ministry to abduct Ken ' s " sister " , Ryan , and " sacrifice " her on one of his symbols . The next week , Shamrock found his sister crying in the boiler room . In addition , since Shamrock had attained the information as to Stephanie ' s whereabouts by forcing it out of Christian , Undertaker punished Christian by flogging him . The next week , he tried to sacrifice Shamrock and then ordered Christian ' s fellow Brood members Edge and Gangrel to sacrifice him as well , but they refused and turned against Undertaker instead . This defection of the Brood was the only voluntary defection from the Ministry during its entire tenure .