How the Truth Behind Grace In Requiem Changes Resident Evil’s Past (And Future)

The following contains spoilers for Resident Evil Requiem.

Resident Evil Requiem is a major turn for the series at large, with developments like the spread of the Elpis anti-viral agent potentially changing the future for the series in some pretty key ways. It’s all rooted in Grace’s arc in the game, which sees the apparent daughter of Alyssa turn out to have a very different origin story than she expected — and actually gives her a direct connection to one of the franchise’s most foundational villains.

It’s a surprising turn for Grace, but one that, more importantly, lays the groundwork for an even bigger twist that could reinvent a core element of the franchise going forward. Although villains like Gideon and Zeno are convinced that Grace is the key to unlocking a powerful new weapon, in reality, she is actually crucial to releasing a cure for many of the ills that have plagued the world of Resident Evil for decades. In doing so, Grace (and Capcom) might have just dragged the series kicking and screaming into a very uncertain (and very exciting) future.

Grace’s True Origins In Resident Evil Requiem, Explained

Introduced as Grace Ashcroft, one of the big reveals in Resident Evil Requiem reveals that she was actually not biologically related to the journalist. In reality, she was originally raised by Oswell Spencer, the architect behind the Umbrella Corporation and the dangerous genius responsible for much of the chaos and bloodshed that has taken place in the franchise. Having taken a liking to her after encountering her as a young girl in Raccoon City, Grace was briefly taken in by Spencer. As Grace discovers during the game, she was eventually given to Alyssa and raised by her in relative secret, helping keep her out of the crosshairs of forces like the Connections, who sought to use Spencer’s research to create more biological weapons. In doing so, Spencer trusted Alyssa with information about the Connection.

However, Grace’s impact on Spencer (as well as his own enduring ego) seemingly helped inspire him to change, leading him to develop Elpis as a means of undoing some of the damage he had done to the world. So long as the player chooses to unleash Elpis, they discover that it’s far from a standard weapon or biological power-up. The anti-viral substance counteracts any bioweapons or artificially created viruses, depowering people like Zeno while curing deadly viruses like the one afflicting Leon. While Gideon believes it was a final act of spite meant to cause chaos in the world, Grace claims that it was because Spencer had a “change of heart” and wanted to undo some of the damage he did on the world. Either way, the effect of Elpis on the world of Resident Evil is potentially game-changing, given the importance of bioweapons in the lore of the series.

How Elpis Could Change Resident Evil’s Future

As Gideon declares during his confrontation with Zeno in the climax of Resident Evil Requiem, Elpis could be the destruction of any and all biological warfare agents that have otherwise been used to amplify people, create monsters, or spread disease. That means that many of the potential dangers and threats of the franchise could be countered by the spread of Elpis. Given the sheer number of creatures and characters empowered by biological agents in Resident Evil, this could result in an entirely different future for organizations like the Connection.

Future games in the series could address these challenges, highlighting different types of threats that remain in the setting. After all, the DLC for Resident Evil Village focused on Rosemary Winters and hinted that her abilities granted by the Mold are still powerful years beyond the present day. The Connection could begin looking into alternate routes towards world domination, forcing the heroes of the franchise to adjust accordingly. The games could even be forced to reckon with the fallout of the Elpis spreading and impacting all forms of medicine, potentially causing more chaos.

Spencer’s role in creating the substance also raises an interesting question about his motivation, introducing a genuine question of redemption into a series that has rarely had time for it as a theme. Spencer’s actions may have been driven in part by selfish pride, but they also seem to be rooted in creating a better world than the one he helped shape. Future Resident Evil games could focus on the aftermath of these developments, showcasing the impact and influence of the Elpis on a world that has increasingly been defined by the biological weapons and monstrous creations. Resident Evil Requiem‘s big change could be a huge turn for the series, and Capcom’s next game in the series is going to have to directly address the fallout of Grace’s connection to Spencer and how it changes the state of the world.