Every key character in Resident Evil Village ahead of its DLC

Resident Evil Village has a long list of characters and it’s worth going back over them now that DLC is finally inbound for the popular game.

Resident Evil has a wildly varied cast of characters. Much of that cast has been heavily rooted in the series’ transformation into a ludicrous action franchise, which went off the deep end in Resident Evil 5 when Chris Redfield punched a boulder into a volcano. That changed with Resident Evil 7 as the series went back to its horror roots through the creepy, swamp-dwelling Baker family.

In many ways, Resident Evil Village bridges the gap between 7 and the earlier entries in the series. Much of that stems from the increased focus on a larger cast of wacky, spooky, campy, and generally fun characters. Here are the biggest standouts from the cast. 

Main character Ethan Winters not popular with Resident Evil fans

Ethan Winters returns following his debut in Resident Evil 7. Winters fizzled with fans as a character, but his experiences in RE7 factor heavily into RE8.

Resident Evil 7 pivoted away from the iconic zombies of the original Resident Evil trilogy and the parasitic arthropods that first appeared in RE4. The mold monsters of RE7 aren’t a one-off affair and that organically drags in Ethan, who was infected in his encounter with the Bakers. This factors heavily into the story of Resident Evil Village, as well as its DLC.

9-foot-tall Lady Dimitrescu gave Resident Evil Village early virality

Lady Alcina Dimitrescu was at the center of a boatload of memes after Resident Evil Village was first revealed. The first major boss of the game with her 1950s aesthetic and enormous stature was an instant hit with fans and garnered attention the world over. Capcom recognized this and quickly steered the marketing of the game towards her.

The trouble is that Lady Dimitrescu is actually a minor part of the game. As the first major boss she is quickly dispatched by a poorly equipped Ethan Winters, never to be mentioned again.

Still, Lady Dimitrescu lives on in the memories of fans and not just for her terrifying final form. She ultimately ticks every box there is in the horror genre by adding jump scares, looming terror, an interesting backstory, and more.

Mother Miranda is the game’s true villain

Though Lady Dimitrescu is the most identifiable villain in Resident Evil Villages, the actual primary antagonist is Mother Miranda. This is made clear early on, with both major villains and story NPCs discussing the mysterious figure.

Much of the backstory surrounding Mother Miranda falls into major spoilers category. Her role in the lives of the game’s characters, and the totality of Resident Evil mythos, becomes more obvious with time.

Karl Heisenberg stole the show for many Resident Evil Village players

Karl Heisenberg sneaked under the radar before the launch of Resident Evil Village. He was forgotten about amid the focus on Dimitrescu, but broke out after the game’s launch.

Karl Heisenberg is simultaneously the most and least typical Resident Evil character in the game. His bombastic persona and general campiness are in line with the series norms, but his crassness and magnetism powers are more unusual. He quickly became a popular figure among players and makes a strong impression throughout the course of the game.

Rose Winters goes from MacGuffin to main character in Resident Evil Village DLC

Rescuing the kidnapped Rose Winters is Ethan’s primary reason for bothering with everything in Resident Evil Village. While she’s just a baby in the main game, she is being put front and center in the upcoming Resident Evil Village DLC.

Exploring Rose Winters’ story is a big deal given what is revealed along the way in the game. There’s also a strong chance that the Resident Evil Village DLC will set up Resident Evil 9 or could tie Ethan, Rose, and Mia Winters to the rest of the series. Fans will have to wait and see what happens when the DLC drops this fall.