Resident Evil is a groundbreaking collection with many memorable characters, together with a really iconic protagonist. However nobody resonates extra constantly than Leon S. Kennedy.
Through the years, we have watched him develop from an eccentric rookie cop to a hardened playable character. Regardless of this, Leon has managed to retain a lot of the emotional depth and relatability that made followers past love him all these years in the past. In a world the place issues really feel extreme and absurd every day, Leon stays one of the crucial human components of this story. A number of moments in Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil 6, and Resident Evil Requiem stand out as proof of why Leon is such a brilliantly human hero.
Watch out for spoilers for the sport above, together with potential variations with the remake.
10
wet evening in raccoon metropolis
resident evil 2
Watching the modern-day model of Leon Kennedy, it is easy to overlook that once we first meet him, he is a rookie cop who’s obsessive about himself on his first day on the job. The horrors that Leon witnessed that evening had been horrifying, not solely on a bodily stage but in addition on an existential stage, and the percentages had been stacked towards him.
Certain, he managed to outlive, however the occasions of September 1998 modified him endlessly. And earlier than that change occurred, he was a scared younger man. He’s removed from the battle-hardened warrior he would turn into in later years.
That is very true within the iconic gasoline station scene that opens Resident Evil 2. Provided that it basically serves as a tutorial for the sport, it is easy to overlook the character moments proven throughout that sequence, however the worry you see on Leon’s face in these opening cutscenes has quite a bit to do with shaping the hero he later turns into. I just lately replayed RE2, and watching this scene after just lately taking part in Requiem attracts a pointy distinction.
9
refuse to go away Marvin behind
resident evil 2
Marvin Branagh was one of many first victims we noticed.Remodel right into a zombie in Resident Evil 2after assembly and attending to know him. His scenario is tragic. He hesitated to place down his contaminated former associates and colleagues, and paid the final word value by permitting the an infection to persist. It is a very human response, however his humanity finally price him his life, instructing Leon a worthwhile lesson within the course of.
Regardless that Leon is effectively conscious of Marvin’s scenario as a strolling lifeless man, he nonetheless refuses to go away him behind. He insists he can take Marvin to the hospital and save him. Marvin helps Leon and offers him a fight knife, and Leon feels obligated to assist Marvin.
Regardless that Leon is aware of that taking Marvin with him might be an enormous burden on his probabilities of survival, he nonetheless desires to take action. He even claims that he’ll ultimately have to carry Leon at gunpoint to ensure that Marvin to go away him behind. In hindsight, he could also be just a little naive, however Leon’s empathy and compassion for human life on this scene is plain, and it is a large cause why I’ve all the time been a giant fan of his character.
8
Return to Raccoon Metropolis
Resident Evil Requiem
One of the vital memorable moments in Resident Evil 9 is his return as Leon to the RPD station in Raccoon Metropolis after so a few years. Capcom may simply have made this sequence rely solely on nostalgic fan service, however as a substitute it is reframed as Leon’s private reckoning.
The devastated city setting serves as a metaphor for Leon’s unresolved trauma and the a part of himself he misplaced throughout the pandemic, forcing him to bodily stroll by way of the anguish that has haunted him for many years.
Irrespective of how troublesome it might be to return to Raccoon Metropolis, Leon nonetheless selected to take action. It isn’t for egocentric causes, it is as a result of there are nonetheless folks to save lots of and Leon is a person prepared to do no matter it takes for the higher good.
7
The best way he treats Helena
resident evil 6
Bio 6 is commonly ridiculed. It is over-the-top, approaching Michael Bay’s Quick and Livid movies, versus a fastidiously crafted horror expertise worthy of John Carpenter. However regardless of all this, Leon’s marketing campaign nonetheless retains its trademark humanity.
That is most evident in the way in which he treats Helena. Somewhat than seeing her as a burden or a nuisance, he treats her like a accomplice, slightly than a ineffective passenger. I just lately went again and performed RE6 for the primary time, and one of the best a part of the sport was seeing how Leon treats Helena.
Helena’s anguish all through Resident Evil 6’s story is comprehensible, contemplating she misplaced her sister in a violent and disturbing method and blames herself for the Tall Oaks outbreak that led to the deaths of hundreds of harmless folks. Leon continues to assist her and refuses to maneuver ahead with out her, letting her get by way of every little thing.
6
“It is okay even in the event you’re scared.”
resident evil 4 remake
The cutscene begins with Ashley feeling sorry for herself. She talks about how the Las Plagas an infection has affected her and the way scared she is. Ashley then discovers that Leon can also be contaminated with Las Plagas, and a slightly revealing dialog ensues between the protagonist and his frightened younger companion.
Leon would not downplay the gravity of their scenario or invalidate Ashley’s fears. In a second when he may have ignored Ashley’s fears and thought it was simply that she was younger and weak, he as a substitute places himself on her stage.
He instructed Ashley, “It is okay to be scared, however do not run. You must maintain shifting ahead. We’ll get by way of this collectively.” Leon tells her that he acknowledges the worry she is experiencing. He additionally provides her a transparent answer to combating that worry by motivating her to maintain shifting ahead and reassuring her that she’s not doing this alone and that they are on this collectively.
5
dying of luis serra
resident evil 4 remake
Lewis would not die in a blaze of glory or go save anybody. As a substitute, he was actually stabbed within the again by Main Krauser and bled out. In his closing moments, Leon lights a cigarette for Luis to take one final puff, and after he dies, he places the lighter again in his hand.
It is a quiet, solemn second that stands out in distinction to the bombastic character deaths in Resident Evil, however its extra low-key nature really permits us to see extra of Leon’s humanity on show. This second has all the time caught with me ever since I performed the unique model of Resident Evil 4 (as a substitute, Saddler himself unexpectedly stabs Lewis within the again by way of the citadel doorway).
Luis and Leon are two sides of the identical coin. Leon, each seasoned survivors of the identical age, is aware of deep down that he may have been like Luis in one other life. For this reason this character’s dying hits Leon so laborious, and what additionally makes it stand out for a protagonist like Leon, who has already seen plenty of dying earlier than this.
4
Accomplish the mission whereas affected by RCS
Resident Evil Requiem
When RE9 begins, Leon is already affected by Raccoon Metropolis Syndrome. This an infection is noteworthy as a result of, not like the T virus, its results seem step by step and should not instantly apparent. The principle signs that Leon reveals all through the sport are bodily pressure and fatigue, which implies that his physique just isn’t working with him prefer it used to.
Throughout a sequence that takes place inside a former Umbrella facility hidden beneath Raccoon Metropolis, often called the Ark, Leon rescues Grace Ashcroft from a xeno, however is quickly knocked unconscious by the accidents he inflicts.
When he regained consciousness, he admitted that he was exhibiting signs of the third stage of the T-Virus. Grace asks why he is coming to assist if he is so sick. Leon’s response reveals the depth of his humanity, telling her, “Raccoon Metropolis is the place every little thing began for me. When every little thing occurred, I could not make a change, so I am right here now.”
3
Confront Main Krauser
resident evil 4 remake
Combating Main Jack Krauser just isn’t troublesome for Leon. As a result of he is a really succesful antagonist with a menacing bodily presence. On a extra emotional stage, preventing Krauser means Leon grappling along with his previous. It is a man he as soon as admired and revered, and now he should kill him for the higher good.
Krauser killed Luis Serra, and like Luis, Jack Krauser is one other man who is aware of Leon may need lived one other life. This battle is not only a cool boss battle, it is Leon battling the darkest components of his personal character.
If Leon may have saved his former comrades, he would have. Nevertheless, Krauser tragically refuses to provide Leon that possibility, and the 2 are compelled right into a brutal battle to the dying. Regardless of Krauser’s lack of humanity, Leon sees it as important to degrade Krauser because of his private grief, and takes no pleasure in degrading him. The ultimate consequence is similar as the unique sport.
2
Belief Ada Wong
Resident Evil 2&4
Through the course of their interplay, Ada Wong manipulates Leon and makes use of him for her personal acquire, capturing him and leaving him for lifeless. There was a superb cause why he did not belief her, and she or he could not precisely blame him for that. Nonetheless, he does it as a result of he is aware of that she is somebody who has her personal causes for making the choices she makes.
She could also be a spy, she could also be taking part in either side on a regular basis and triple-crossing Leon, however regardless of the menace she poses, he is aware of there’s rather more happening behind her chilly demeanor.
That is as a result of Leon S. Kennedy was simply the form of man who saved her life throughout the battle with Boss Sadler in Resident Evil 4, though he knew she would possibly betray him once more sooner or later. I am additionally glad that Leon continues to save lots of Ada. As a result of I feel she’s one of the crucial fascinating characters within the collection.
1
“Please do not do it once more.”
Resident Evil Requiem
One of many darkest moments within the Resident Evil collection is the destiny of the Kendo household. In Resident Evil 9, Leon returns to the Kendo gun store in Raccoon Metropolis and discovers the skeletal stays of Emma Kendo. Emma was an harmless youngster contaminated with the T-Virus in September 1998.
After discovering Emma’s cranium, Leon laments the mindless human sacrifice brought on by the zombie outbreak and, after experiencing a harrowing flashback, solemnly says, “I am actually sorry. Please do not do it once more.” This is similar scene within the Resident Evil 4 remake the place Leon takes Ashley to Lewis’s lab, saying, “This time it will be completely different.”
The best way Leon continues responsible himself for not with the ability to save everybody speaks volumes about his perspective and the extent of humanity he maintains in a world of worry and cruelty.