The Resident Evil franchise is being tailored into live-action as soon as once more. However whereas the earlier theatrical movies have been very free diversifications of the supply materials, Netflix’s new sequence seeks to construct on the established Resident Evil recreation continuity. And this time, the sequence’ most fascinating but convoluted villain – Albert Wesker – is the star of the present.
How precisely does Wesker match into this new sequence, and the way does all of it tie again to his complicated historical past of deaths and resurrections? Let’s break down what we all know thus far.
Albert Wesker: S.T.A.R.S. Captain or Umbrella Agent?
Like sequence mainstays Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, Albert Wesker made his debut means again within the authentic Resident Evil in 1996. The sport introduces Wesker because the captain of the Particular Techniques and Rescue Squad (or S.T.A.R.S.), a particular ops drive referred to as upon to analyze a sequence of mysterious killings on the outskirts of Raccoon Metropolis. However whereas Wesker initially comes throughout as a useful ally because the participant explores the zombie-infested halls of Spencer Mansion, he’s finally revealed to have a sinister agenda all his personal.
Wesker betrays his personal staff within the recreation’s climax, revealing himself to be a double agent working for the Umbrella Company. The zombie outbreak was brought on by publicity to Umbrella’s experimental T-virus bioweapon, and Wesker’s job is to look at the zombies and report again on their army effectiveness. Wesker is seemingly killed in a lab deep beneath the mansion, however not earlier than he frees Umbrella’s deadliest creation – the Tyrant.
Wesker manages to outlive his brush with demise, nonetheless. That will grow to be one thing of a operating theme with the character.
The Many Deaths of Albert Wesker
Wesker went on to play a significant function in a number of Resident Evil sequels and spinoffs, most notably 2000’s Resident Evil Code: Veronica, 2002’s Resident Evil Zero, 2005’s Resident Evil 4 and 2009’s Resident Evil 5.
Over the course of those video games, gamers be taught the total, sophisticated backstory of Albert Wesker. He started his profession as a promising virologist who rose up the ranks of Umbrella Corp and colluded with fellow researcher William Birkin. By the point of the unique recreation, Wesker is planning to betray his employer and promote the secrets and techniques of the T-virus to a rival company. And regardless of being impaled by the Tyrant, Wesker survives after injecting himself with an experimental model of the T-virus. And never simply survives, however positive factors enhanced energy, pace and glowing pink eyes, as well.
Wesker returns a number of occasions over the course of the sequence, typically immediately battling heroes like Chris and Claire Redfield and different occasions quietly pulling everybody’s strings from behind the scenes. However the frequent thread all through the video games – other than Wesker always faking his demise – is that he’s obsessive about stealing Umbrella’s analysis and unleashing it upon the world. He believes humanity has reached an evolutionary useless finish, and solely by unlocking the total potential of the T-virus can the species attain its true potential.
All of this involves a head in Resident Evil 5, as Wesker resurfaces but once more and conspires with the Tricell Company to launch the Uroboros virus throughout the globe. Although Wesker is extra highly effective than ever by this level, Chris and his allies be taught their previous nemesis relies on a continuing provide of a particular serum to remain alive. If he takes an excessive amount of or too little, Wesker may die.
After one ultimate battle together with his previous nemesis Chris, Wesker lastly dies a fiery demise. Or did he?
In the end, Wesker’s luck runs out when he’s overdosed with the serum and crashlands into an energetic volcano. After one ultimate battle together with his previous nemesis Chris, Wesker lastly dies a fiery demise. Or did he?
Albert Wesker in Netflix’s Resident Evil
Netflix’s early teasers for Resident Evil have revealed a shocking element concerning the sequence. Whereas it will not be set in the very same universe because the Capcom video games, the brand new sequence exists in a world the place some model of these tales has occurred. That features Wesker’s demise in 2009.
The Netflix sequence takes place in two separate time durations – one in 2022 and the opposite in a zombie-ravaged 2036. Wesker (performed by The Wire’s Lance Reddick) is a significant character within the 2022 storyline. The trailers trace that Wesker is as soon as once more working as a virologist for a resurgent Umbrella Corp., which has rebuilt Raccoon Metropolis on the ashes of the unique metropolis. Much more surprisingly, Wesker now has two daughters whose story kinds the spine of each timelines. There is no phrase but on whether or not Wesker’s son Jake Muller, who performs an enormous half in Resident Evil 6, will seem within the Netflix sequence.
Showrunner Andrew Dabb beforehand confirmed to IGN that Wesker did certainly perish within the ultimate battle in Resident Evil 5 and didn’t merely pretend his demise as he so usually has previously. By some means, Wesker is again, and he appears comparatively extra sane than he was in a lot of the video games. Is it doable we’ll be taught that Wesker was some type of deranged clone, and the unique has remained loyal to Umbrella all this time?
Regardless of the secret to Wesker’s return, it’s clear he’s nonetheless pursuing his final agenda of forcibly advancing human evolution. The post-apocalyptic 2036 storyline suggests Wesker will finally unleash his creation on the world, leaving a dwindling inhabitants to struggle for its survival in opposition to billions of zombies and the worst monsters Umbrella has to supply.
How do you suppose Wesker survived his demise in Resident Evil 5? How will the Netflix sequence construct on the muse of the video games? Tell us your ideas within the feedback beneath. And for extra Netflix Geeked Week protection, brush up on the whole lot that is been revealed on the occasion thus far.
Jesse is a mild-mannered workers author for IGN. Permit him to lend a machete to your mental thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
