As we As fans prepare for the highly anticipated Resident Evil: Requiem, excitement is building for what could be one of the most pivotal entries in the long-running franchise. Capcom’s Resident Evil universe has evolved from a simple tale of survival horror into a sprawling saga of global bioterrorism, personal sacrifice, and moral corruption.
Before diving into Requiem, let’s revisit the defining moments, key characters, and escalating threats that have shaped this terrifying world—and explore what the next chapter might hold.
The Story Begins: Umbrella Corporation’s Downfall
The nightmare began with the rise of the Umbrella Corporation, a pharmaceutical giant whose glossy public image masked a sinister reality. Beneath the surface, Umbrella conducted unethical experiments involving the T-virus, a mutagenic pathogen capable of reanimating the dead and mutating living organisms into grotesque bio-weapons.
When the virus escaped containment, Raccoon City became ground zero for one of gaming’s most infamous disasters. What started as isolated incidents quickly spiraled into a full-scale apocalypse—a city consumed by chaos, flesh-eating zombies, and genetic horrors.
From that darkness, heroes emerged:
- Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, elite members of S.T.A.R.S., were among the first to uncover Umbrella’s involvement.
- Leon S. Kennedy, a rookie cop caught in the outbreak on his first day, became one of the franchise’s most enduring heroes.
- Claire Redfield, Chris’s sister, risked her life to save survivors and expose the truth.
Despite their efforts, the U.S. government eventually nuked Raccoon City, erasing it from the map in a desperate attempt to contain the T-virus. Umbrella was eventually dismantled, but its legacy—and the technology it created—would continue to haunt the world.
New Threats Emerge: Beyond Umbrella
Even after Umbrella’s downfall, humanity’s obsession with controlling life and death never stopped. New organizations stepped into the power vacuum, each manipulating biology for profit, power, or ideology.
Las Plagas Parasite (Resident Evil 4 Era)
In rural Spain, a secret cult known as Los Illuminados unearthed the Las Plagas parasite — a mind-controlling organism capable of turning hosts into loyal, intelligent soldiers.
When Leon S. Kennedy was sent to rescue the President’s daughter, he uncovered the horrifying potential of the parasite: total domination without decay or chaos. The Plagas represented evolution — not destruction — and introduced a new era of controlled infection.
The Mold Virus (Resident Evil 7 & 8)
Years later, in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, a shadowy group known as The Connections engineered a new bioweapon: the Mold, a sentient fungal network capable of reanimating and replicating human tissue.
This gave rise to one of the series’ most tragic heroes, Ethan Winters, whose family was torn apart by bio-experiments gone wrong. His journey through the Baker estate — and later through a frozen European village — revealed that the Mold could not only kill but also restore life, blurring the line between humanity and infection.
Ethan ultimately sacrificed himself to destroy the source of the Mold, but his daughter, Rose Winters, survived — carrying both her father’s spirit and a fraction of the Mold’s power within her.
The World Today: Corruption, Conspiracy, and Conflict
By the time Resident Evil: Requiem begins, the world is no longer just reacting to outbreaks — it’s living under the shadow of constant bioterrorism. The BSAA (Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance) was founded to combat these threats, but over time, cracks have begun to show.
- Reports suggest the BSAA itself is now deploying bio-engineered soldiers, violating its founding principles.
- Chris Redfield, once its most loyal operative, has grown disillusioned, questioning the very organization he helped build.
- Leon S. Kennedy continues to serve in covert operations, but years of death and deception have left him weary, cynical, and haunted.
- Rose Winters, now a young woman, struggles to understand her inherited abilities — making her a target for groups seeking to weaponize her unique biology.
In short, the line between heroes and villains has never been thinner.
What to Expect in Resident Evil: Requiem
The word Requiem itself suggests both mourning and closure. It hints that this new entry — whether as a film or a cinematic game experience — could bring long-standing storylines to their emotional and moral conclusion.
Here’s what we can expect based on where the series left off:
Chris Redfield’s Reckoning
Chris’s journey has always been defined by his fight against corruption. But now, as he faces the possibility that the BSAA has become the very monster he swore to destroy, his mission turns inward. Requiem could see him taking on former allies, exposing secrets, and confronting his own guilt for the countless lives lost along the way.
Wesker’s Legacy Returns
Though Albert Wesker met his end in Resident Evil 5, his legacy — and DNA — continues to echo throughout the series. Rumors suggest Requiem may introduce a new generation of Wesker experiments, or perhaps reveal hidden survivors tied to his genetic research. His shadow still looms large over everything Umbrella and its successors created.
Rose Winters’ Transformation
Rose’s presence may become the emotional core of Requiem. As the child of the Mold, she embodies both life and infection — a bridge between human and bioweapon. Whether she becomes savior, destroyer, or something in between could define the franchise’s next era.
A Final War Against Bioterrorism
Expect Requiem to weave together all major threads — Umbrella’s ghosts, Las Plagas, the Mold, and the BSAA’s corruption — into one catastrophic confrontation. If this truly is a “requiem,” it may end with the death of the old world and the birth of a new one, shaped by science gone too far.
Thematic Depth: Humanity vs. Control
Beneath the gore and gunfire, Resident Evil has always explored deep philosophical questions:
What happens when humanity tries to play god? Can something born from corruption ever be pure?
Requiem seems poised to confront these themes head-on — especially through Rose, who may represent humanity’s last chance to reconcile with the biological horrors it created.
Final Thoughts: A Legacy Worth Fighting For
From the claustrophobic halls of the Spencer Mansion to the snow-covered ruins of Eastern Europe, Resident Evil has constantly reinvented itself. Yet at its heart, it’s always been about survival — not just from monsters, but from humanity’s own hubris.
Resident Evil: Requiem stands as both a tribute and a turning point — a chance to close the chapter on decades of terror while paving the way for a new generation of heroes. With moral lines blurring, trusted organizations compromised, and long-forgotten sins resurfacing, this may be the most emotional and consequential battle yet.
So, prepare for the return of Chris Redfield, Leon S. Kennedy, and Rose Winters, as they face the ghosts of their past and the monsters of their future.
When Requiem finally hits theaters, one thing is certain:
The world of Resident Evil will never be the same again.