Summary
AsResident Evilventures back to Raccoon City, franchise fans might be surprised thatResident Evil 9is played from the eyes of a new protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, instead of a series veteran. After all, who better to become the viewer’s eyes on the remains of horror gaming’s most iconic zombie city than any one of the franchise’s original cast members? After all, the short-lived tenure of Ethan Winters as a newResident Evilprotagonist also came with the return of Chris Redfield - perhapsResident Evil 9could see the return of yet another franchise veteran as well.
However, withResident Evil’s rather expanded roster of protagonists, it might be interesting to theorize which among these lead characters has the best motivation to visit the remains of the very city that thrust them into their anti-bioterrorism work. And as Grace Ashcroft relives the murder of her mother, Alyssa Ashcroft, perhaps aResident Evilreturnee can help players piece together what truly happened in the destruction of Raccoon City behind the scenes.
1Claire Redfield
The Disease Could Have Been Investigated By TerraSave
AlthoughClaire Redfieldinitially visited Raccoon Cityto search for her brother Chris, her search turns for the worse as she’s thrust straight into a viral zombie outbreak. Since her survival alongside Leon, Claire has actively involved herself in efforts to combat Bio-Organic Weapons (BOW), leading to her membership in the human rights organization TerraSave. Many of the animated films showed Claire’s continued involvement in stopping bioterrorism threats, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if a TerraSave investigation would lead her back to where her journey started. Claire, back in Raccoon City, could have the protagonist “reminisce” about her journey with Leon and Sherry. It makes sense for Grace to find herself acquainted with Claire as somewhat of a liaison, as Claire’s familiarity with the location could be an asset to their mission. Claire becoming a mentor to Grace would be a callback toResident Evil: Revelations 2, where Claire would also mentor a young woman after they are kidnapped by mercenaries.
How Gameplay Could Work With This Character
Given how Grace is established as a brainy technical analyst, it makes sense for a veteran like Claire to become the more combat-oriented operative. Claire has the advantage of familiarity with her surroundings due to her experience, so she may have access to shortcuts or special pathways that Grace wouldn’t. She may even get better weapons, should TerraSave equip her (given her experience with investigations that had gone awry). If the game wanted a Claire campaign to be a callback to herResident Evil 2experience, Claire could “re-explore” Raccoon City in the reverse way she escaped it - starting from the tracks where their evacuation train escaped and going all the way back to the gasoline station.
2Jill Valentine
A Woman On A Mission To Redeem Herself
The last fans saw ofJill Valentinewas that of a hardened veteran on Alcatraz Island - a much colder and infinitely more reckless Jill compared to her companions Chris and Claire Redfield, and even Leon, whom she meets much later. Fans might remember thatAlbert Wesker had mind-controlled Jillto aid him in his work with the Uroboros Virus, forcing Jill to try and kill her former teammate and potentially commit other atrocities. Although free from Wesker’s control and having undergone therapy, Jill seems to be desperate to redeem herself. Jill’s return to the field had been marked with a characteristic recklessness that even Chris called out. While Chris advised Jill to stop before she loses herself completely, Jill said she couldn’t think of herself when others out there are being victimized by BOWs. Jill’s travelling to Raccoon City on behalf of the BSAA could mark her reunion at the very site of her fight for survival against Nemesis.
Seeing the independent Jill work with Grace could already make for a compelling story, but it may be up to the protagonist to aid Grace in the segment of the trailer where she is seemingly captured. A first-person POV of Jill Valentine could give fans a deep dive into gameplay representations of her resourcefulness, such as exclusive lockpicking segments (and zones with special loot). Likewise, her reckless personality could be channeled in-game with different versions of mechanics, such as more powerful melee moves that have an immense stamina trade-off. Flashbacks of her horrific experience being controlled by Wesker could become pivotal side missions for Jill to overcome.
3Ada Wong
A Reintroduction To Her Mysterious Allure
WhileAda Wonghas established herself as a femme fatale, Ada hasn’t really ever been aResident Evil"lead" save for a segment inRE6and being playable in non-story game modes. Either way,RE9could become the perfect avenue for Ada to mark her return to modernResident Evil- especially whenher uncertain allegiancescould task her to either run interference in Grace’s mission under the guise of a field agent, or to pursue a different objective entirely under the protective purview of the FBI. Such an involvement combines Ada’s “missions” inRE2andRE4, where she can pursue her interests while helping Grace with her investigation. The ruins of Raccoon City could make for the perfect playground for Ada’s mysterious appearances, and this could allow Capcom to give Ada’s allure a refreshing modern take, especially with the trend of having much darkerResident Eviltitles.
Ada’s potential gameplay inResident Evil 9could finally give fans a fresh look at Ada Wong’s fatal finesse from a first-person standpoint. She could be equipped with her signature hook-gun and crossbow, and she may even get exclusive melee moves given her specialized training. Given how Ada’s appearance anywhere means she has some alternate agenda, Ada’s missions could involve exclusive objectives that are much harder to accomplish but provide powerful rewards as a result. Alternatively, Ada’s playthrough could be set at a much higher difficulty as her objectives involve both helping Grace while making sure she doesn’t notice her other objectives.
4Leon Kennedy
The Investigation Might Be Under Government Jurisdiction
Although Grace’s journey to Raccoon City will likely help her solve the mystery of her mother’s murder, she will also be present as a technical analyst for an ongoing FBI investigation into deaths caused by a mysterious disease. Since the FBI is involved, this places Grace’s mission under federal custody - something potentially under the purview of the Division of Security Operations, which can give them the perfect excuse to sendLeon Kennedyback to where his journey began. Compared to his fellowResident Evilprotagonists, who either joined the BSAA or non-profits investigating bioterrorism, Leon got the privilege of working under the US President himself. In fact, Leon became the founding member of the DSO, designed specifically as the United States’s anti-bioterrorism agency, after the dissolution of the Anti-Umbrella Pursuit and Investigation Team. Leon could have been sent to aid Grace in her investigation as a field officer, an experienced combatant compared to Grace, who had been implied to specialize in investigation.
Being the character that popularized quick-time events (QTEs) inResident Evil, it would be interesting to see a potential return of the mechanic in a more immersive and modernized fashion inResident Evil 9. Leon’s kit could involve using knives with special actions as a reflection of his specialized training. Compared to Grace, who would be a mere technical analyst, Leon’s access to more resources could give him more gameplay opportunities - aside from Hunnigan providing informational support, Leon could have access to better gear at the onset. His familiarity with Raccoon City could also give his playthrough shortcuts that Grace couldn’t easily locate.
5Chris Redfield
The Troubled BSAA Agent Might Already Be There
Theories surroundingResident Evil Requiem’s second playable character revolve around either a “new face” or a legacy character. And if there has been any OG character who’s had more stakes in modernResident Eviltitles, it could beChris Redfield. Although portrayed as the level-headed,go-getter commander of BSAA’s bioterrorism missions, recent titles have shown the slow friction surrounding him and the organization. Ethan discovers inResident Evil Villagethat Chris and his Hound Wolf Squad have been operating outside BSAA regulations for the past three years, and this implied friction is exacerbated further at the end ofVillage, when Chris discovers one of their deceased BSAA soldiers was a BOW. With a burly and hooded man shown in Grace’s flashbacks of her mother’s murder eight years ago, it wouldn’t be surprising if Chris had been the one to terminate Alyssa, whether because of her stories or perhaps an infection.
If Chris did indeed have anything to do with Alyssa’s death, it would explain his disdain for the BSAA’s handling of anti-bioterrorism affairs. This should immediately be reflected in his gameplay, where Chris wouldn’t have access to his usual slate of advanced gear and may be using older weapons. Should Chris be affiliated with a sketchy third party, this would reflect in missions that could impede Grace’s progress or Chris working in the shadows to help Grace, where his actions could make certain segments in Grace’s build easier or harder to do. Due to his build, Chris could mark the return of more action-packed QTEs much in the same way he popularized them inResident Evil 5 -adding more tension and gunfights to his gameplay segments compared to Grace’s more investigative, survival horror aspects.
