Randy Orton has been absent from WWE for the past few months. The former WWE Champion was advertised to appear on this week's edition of SmackDown. However, there were no signs of The Apex Predator on the show. It leaves the WWE Universe wondering whether Orton will make his return before the year ends.Many fans were anticipating a feud between The Viper and Cody Rhodes. However, WWE has been pushing that for a long time. Besides, there have been no major reports about Randy Orton's comeback in the coming weeks. Therefore, for now, it’s safe to assume that The Legend Killer might not return until 2026.With that in mind, let’s take a look at four signs that suggest this could be the case:#4. Cody Rhodes has been feuding with Drew McIntyreCody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre were involved in a massive brawl on SmackDown last night. It suggested that WWE has plans to continue the feud between the two stars for the rest of the month. Therefore, if that is the case, Orton’s comeback wouldn’t make much sense if it involved any storyline other than one with The American Nightmare.WWE has already been teasing that The Apex Predator wants the Undisputed WWE Championship. It has even become a running joke among fans, given the company’s reluctance to pull the trigger on this feud. Besides, it could be pretty disastrous if WWE brings back The Legend Killer to once again make him a side character in Rhodes' storyline.#3. December is typically a quieter period for WWEDecember has no major PLE in WWE. The company only has an episode of Saturday Night's Main Event this month, with no special episodes advertised for SmackDown and RAW. Therefore, Triple H usually backs away from kicking off major storylines in the company this month. Randy Orton's comeback holds significant value for WWE. As a result, the company cannot afford to bring him back in a typically quieter period. There are chances that WWE would try to build an exciting story around The Apex Predator once he returns to the scene. It is pretty unlikely to do that in the month of December. Instead, WWE tends to focus on kicking off the new year with a bang on its special episodes in the first week of January. #2. There are no plans for Randy Orton's heel turnWWE has been teasing Randy Orton's heel turn for a long time. With that said, his face turn has not made any significant impact in the company for a while. The Viper has failed to win every major match for the past year. Therefore, it has become an impression among the fans that things will get better for The Apex Predator only when he turns heel.Considering the fact that WWE has always refrained from pulling the trigger on Orton's heel turn could mean that Triple H is saving it for a big moment down the line. Road to WrestleMania is the hottest period for the Stamford-based promotion. Therefore, such a major angle taking place during that time would make perfect sense. Hence, WWE is unlikely to turn Randy Orton heel before this year ends.#1. Royal Rumble is more than 7 weeks awayRoyal Rumble is the next big PLE for WWE. It is set to take place in Saudi Arabia for the first time in history at the end of January. It makes it more than 7 weeks away as of now. Therefore, there is a potential that WWE could be saving The Viper's comeback for the build towards Rumble PLE.If that is the plan, then bringing back The Legend Killer now could result in him getting lost in the shuffle. Instead, WWE can focus on building other stars in the mid-card scene. Besides, Randy Orton's Royal Rumble surprise return could be much more impactful than a comeback on a random episode of RAW or SmackDown. Therefore, there are chances that Randy Orton could be back either during the build for Rumble or at the PLE itself.