Originally, The Legacy was a group led by Randy Orton that contained the tag team of Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase.

[5] The Legacy has been compared to the former WWE faction Evolution of which Orton was a member, but Rhodes and DiBiase have said that they saw the comparison as an opportunity to prove themselves and show their potential.

[6] Cody Rhodes was a World Tag Team Champion throughout the beginning of 2008 alongside Hardcore Holly, who was acting as a mentor to him.

[7] Ted DiBiase made his first WWE appearance on the May 26 episode of Raw, in which he claimed that he and a mystery partner would take the World Tag Team Championship from Rhodes and Holly.

[8] At the Night of Champions pay-per-view event in June, DiBiase revealed his partner was running late and started the match without him, however Rhodes quickly betrayed Hardcore Holly by attacking him.

[9] In September, Randy Orton, who at the time was injured, made an appearance on Raw, where he criticized all the champions, mocking Rhodes and DiBiase for allowing their title belts to be stolen by Cryme Tyme (Shad Gaspard and JTG).

Fearing they would try to convince Raw general manager Stephanie McMahon to fire him, Orton went to speak to her himself but their conversation ended in an argument.

When Vince McMahon, Stephanie's father, made his return that night Orton maintained he was owed an apology.

[20] The next evening on Raw, The Legacy came to the ring accompanied by lawyers and doctors, with Orton explaining his outburst against McMahon was a result of intermittent explosive disorder (IED) and threatened to sue the company and cancel WrestleMania 25 if he was fired, as winning the Royal Rumble match guaranteed him a championship match at WrestleMania.

Stephanie McMahon came to the ring to oversee her brother being carried away by the paramedics and shouted at Orton until he performed an RKO, his finishing move, to her.

[28] In spite of Triple H's absence, Shane McMahon continued his feud with the group, leading to another match between him and Orton on the May 4 episode of Raw.

[29] Batista was left on his own as a result of The Legacy attacking Shane McMahon, but continued to challenge Orton for the WWE Championship.

[30] In their rematch, however, which was held inside a steel cage at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view, Batista won the championship.

It quickly turned out to be a ruse with Dusty's intention to allow The Legacy to attack Cena, who was special guest referee.

[38] As a result, Triple H refocused his attention on Rhodes and DiBiase, losing to them in a handicap match, and reforming D-Generation X (DX) with Shawn Michaels.

[45] Kofi headed a team at November's Survivor Series against Orton's team of The Legacy, William Regal and CM Punk which ended with Kingston eliminating Punk and then Orton in quick succession to become the sole survivor while Christian eliminated Rhodes and DiBiase earlier.

[46] The next night on Raw Jesse Ventura announced the contender for the WWE Championship would be determined by a series of matches contested for by wrestlers who had never held the title before.

[47] Orton defeated Kingston the following week on November 30's Raw after he was attacked from behind by both Rhodes and DiBiase separately,[48] while Kingston took a return win the following week after guest referee Mark Cuban made a fast count[49] leading to a rubber match at the TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs pay-per-view, which Orton won.

[50] On the January 11, 2010 episode of Raw, guest host Mike Tyson announced that the winner of a triple threat match later that night between Orton, Kingston, and John Cena would challenge Sheamus for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble.

[56] Orton's split from the group was cemented when he lost a handicap match against both Rhodes and DiBiase on Raw and showed increasing signs of becoming a fan favorite.

[59] Cody Rhodes reformed his alliance with Ted DiBiase on the May 20 episode of SmackDown, and the duo went on to feud with Sin Cara and Daniel Bryan.