This article contains spoilers forResident Evil Village.
While theResident Evilfranchise has been led by various iconic protagonists, both new and recurring, there’s a case to be made that one of its most recent main characters should be the last of a narrative trend in future games. With the latestResident Evilremakes, players will likely be familiar with how frequently classic characters make their comebacks, such as Leon Kennedy, Jill Valentine, and especially Chris Redfield, who even appeared inResident Evil Village. However, another character featured inRE Villageand its predecessor,Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, stands out from other protagonists for potentially the wrong reasons.
Unlike pastResident Evilgames,RE 7: Biohazardwas a significant step forward for the series as it broke from tradition with its first-person perspective, replaced viruses with mold, and introduced Ethan Winters as an everyman-style protagonist. Beyond Ethan’s initial lack of training compared toother legacyResident Evilcharactersand his self-determined motivation as the protagonist, the series' new first-person view also allowed his appearance to remain ambiguous. Yet despite this effort to amplify Ethan’s relatability with players, this particular storytelling trick should and may already be retired for futureReisdent Evilgames.
Resident Evil Took An Odd Approach To Ethan Winters
When Ethan was first introduced as the protagonist inRE 7: Biohazard, his involvement with the game’s story was initially circumstantial as he searched for his missing wife in rural Louisiana. Whereas previous protagonists were soldiers, officers, or secret agents with professional combat training and some understanding of the threats they faced, Ethan was ultimately just an everyman, an anonymous civilian thrown intoResident Evil’s world. Even when Ethan returned inRE Village, though it was confirmed in-game that he had received training since the events ofRE 7: Biohazard, his impetus in the game’s story was to rescue his daughter.
As a result, while pastResident Evilgames explored the bigger picture of shadowy organizations like the Umbrella Corporation and the viruses they were creating,RE 7: BiohazardandRE Villageprovided a smaller focus on how ordinary lives like Ethan’s might be impacted by each game’s events. However, though this nuanced and humanized approach to storytelling was well-received and refreshing, certain decisions made about Ethan’s design and characterization have potentially undermined this, especially when he returned asRE Village’s protagonist and featured in itsShadows of RoseDLC.
Resident Evil Couldn’t Face The Problem With Ethan Winters
Regardless of the split between players who liked Ethan’s anonymity and those who didn’t, Capcom’s commitment to keepingEthan’s face hidden even inRE Village’s Shadows of RoseDLC arguably only added to the intrigue behind the character’s real appearance. Consequently, besides being one ofResident Evil’s only faceless protagonists, it is difficult to separate interest in Ethan’s story and character from his unusual anonymity. While Ethan’s hidden face may have only been in keeping with his everyman archetype, it wasn’t something factored into the games' stories, nor was it carried over to his daughter, Rose Winters, asRE Village’s DLC protagonist.
Detailed Legacy Characters Help Define Resident Evil
Just as Chris returned inRE Villageor Ada Wong leadingRE 4’sSeparate WaysDLC, it has become something of a tradition forResident Evilcharacters to return multiple times across future games. However, the demand for which characters return is often influenced by how players engage with them in previous games, something which established characters like Chris, Ada, Leon, and even Albert Wesker asResident Evilstaples. Yet even if Ethan didn’t meet his fate inRE Villageand could return in a future game, it seems his anonymity has left him overshadowed by his daughter,Rose, with a potential return inResident Evil 9.
