For the past 20 years, Randy Orton has been a mainstay on WWE programming. He's had his fair share of ups and downs in the promotion, but the talented third-generation superstar was able to weather the bad times and become a true legend in the sport of pro wrestling.

Orton had the unenviable task of growing into a man in front of millions of fans. He made some mistakes in his younger days that painted him in a less than stellar light. However, there have been some great photos of Orton snapped throughout the years that might help shine a different light on WWE's Apex Predator.

10 Hanging With The St. Louis Cardinals

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Historically, St. Louis has always been an incredible market for professional wrestling. This dates all the way back to Sam Muchnick and his St. Louis Wrestling Club. The promotion operated primarily in St. Louis and was part a big part of the NWA. So much so that it was commonly referred to as the "St. Louis Office" of the NWA.

In the modern era, St. Louis hasn't been as prevalent of territory as it has been in the past. However, one of pro wrestling's heaviest hitters, Randy Orton, is a St. Louis native. In this picture, Orton is shown on the field at Busch Stadium posing for a quick shot with a couple of St. Louis Cardinals.

9 Caught Washing His Hands By A Fan

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In the 80s, pro wrestling blew up into a worldwide phenomenon. From that point forward, many of pro wrestling's top stars have become household names. Performers like Hulk Hogan, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin even crossed over into full-fledged celebrity status.

Today, thanks to social media and the fact that everyone has a camera available at the tip of their fingers, being in the limelight can be a bit more difficult than in years past. This candid picture of Randy Orton washing his hands is a great example of the lengths fans will go to snap a picture of their favorite superstars. It might be getting out of hand. Either way, Orton seems to have been a good sport about it.

8 The Real-Life Marine

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A military background isn't uncommon amongst pro wrestlers. In fact, some fans would be surprised to learn just how many pro wrestlers served their country at one point or another. Randy Orton's time as a Marine is captivating for two reasons. The first reason is that at one point, Orton was set to star in WWE's Studios' major motion picture, The Marine.

The second reason is the main reason Orton was recast in that role, his Dishonorable Discharge. In 1999, Orton spent 38 days in a military prison after going AWOL from the Marines. Orton would eventually be discharged, which is why there was so much pushback over him playing a Marine. As evident by this photo though, he was actually a Marine at one time, unlike John Cena and The Miz.

7 On Vacation With His Family

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The day-to-day life of a professional wrestler isn't exactly as glamorous as some people may think. In reality, being a pro wrestler is one of the most grueling professions imaginable. Aside from the punishment that the performers put themselves through regularly, there are mental and emotional hurdles as well.

Most pro wrestlers, particularly in WWE, spend upwards of 300 days on the road, away from their families. That has to take a major mental and emotional toll on a person. With that in mind, it's great to see a shot of Randy Orton on vacation with his family. The veteran has put in a ridiculous amount of work over the past two decades, and he deserves some time to reap his rewards.

6 Getting Stitched Up Backstage

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In major professional sports, there have occasionally been rookie classes that go down in history as being one of the best ever. Much like the 2003 NBA rookie class that included, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Dwayne Wade, the 2002 WWE rookie class is arguably the best ever. That class included standouts like John Cena, Batista, Brock Lesnar, and Randy Orton.

For as Influential as that rookie class turned out to be, it was a bit surprising that heading into SummerSlam 2016, Lesnar and Orton had never faced off. At SummerSlam that year, Lesnar would defeat Orton via TKO after splitting his head open with a vicious elbow. In this backstage photo, Orton can be seen getting stitches just moments after being split open by "The Beast."

5 Close With Stephanie McMahon

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Much has been made over the years regarding Randy Orton's relationship with Vince McMahon and Triple H. Both men were extremely instrumental in Orton's career success. McMahon was the owner of the company that made Orton a star, and Triple H was the superstar who took Orton under his wing.

One contributor that often goes unsung in Orton's career success is Stephanie McMahon. Stephanie was a big supporter of Orton's backstage and lobbied heavily for Orton to win the World Heavyweight Championship in 2004. In this shot, Stephanie is seen greeting Orton backstage after his World Title victory at SummerSlam 2004.

4 Catching Up With Shawn Michaels

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Despite what some delusional former wrestling stars claim, absolutely nobody in the wrestling business gets over by themselves. At some point, even the likes of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and John Cena had to get put over by established stars like Bret Hart and Kurt Angle, respectively. Randy Orton was no different.

There are two performers credited with helping make Orton a bonafide star, Mick Foley and Shawn Michaels. While Foley helped Orton break into the main event scene, Michaels made sure he looked like he belonged there. In this backstage picture from 2013, Orton is seen catching up with a retired "Heartbreak Kid." It's always great to see the mutual respect between two former rivals.

3 As A Baby With "Cowboy" Bob Orton

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There have been a few examples over the years of pro wrestling becoming a family business. It's not uncommon at all for the child of a former wrestler to follow in their parent's footsteps. In the mid-90s, pro wrestling's first-ever third-generation superstar hit the scene in the form of Rocky Miavia. Since then, third-generation performers have become slightly more common.

Aside from The Rock, perhaps the most well-known third-generation superstar in WWE history is Randy Orton. In this heartwarming photo, the infant, future "Legend Killer" is enjoying some quality time in bed with his legendary father, "Cowboy" Bob Orton. Who would've imagined the successful career that was waiting on that kid?

2 Granting A Make-A-Wish

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There's an old expression that says "Heavy is the head that wears the crown." This rings especially true in pro wrestling. As a reward for the promotion's success, WWE has been blessed with the biggest following of detractors in wrestling history. Sure, the company isn't perfect by any means, but many times WWE's critics overlook their positive contributions.

WWE's work over the years with the Make-A-Wish program shouldn't be overlooked or understated. Over the years, stars like "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and John Cena have made it their personal mission to grant as many wishes as possible. This picture shows Randy Orton continuing that honored tradition and granting a wish for a young fan.

1 Hanging Out With Andre The Giant & Hulk Hogan

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Most adults look back at their childhoods fondly. While Randy Orton likely also looks back at his younger days fondly, his childhood was far from ordinary. As the son of WWE superstar, "Cowboy" Bob Orton, young Randy could often be found backstage or in the locker room area.

As a result, Orton was often surrounded by some of the biggest stars in pro wrestling history. In this collage, a young Randy can be seen being carried by Andre The Giant and posing with Hulk Hogan. It's probably fair to say that young Randy Orton was the envy of many of his classmates growing up. Especially if they ever saw these pictures.