Resident Evil Requiem’s Multiple Endings Explained

The ninth mainline entry in the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil Requiem, is out this week, and its storyline is about as buck wild as you would expect. There are plenty of mysteries and twists scattered throughout the narrative of Requiem, which makes for a very enjoyable ride from start to finish. When it comes to its ending, though, Requiem surprisingly features multiple conclusions, which is quite the departure from more recent entries in the series.

If you’re wondering how the story of Resident Evil Requiem ties up in the end, then here is a full breakdown of both the “Bad” ending and the “True” ending. As expected, full spoilers for Requiem are mentioned from here onward, so be warned.

Resident Evil Requiem’s Bad Ending Is Going to Terrorize Fans

At the end of Resident Evil Requiem, Leon and Grace find themselves within the confines of Ark, which is a lab used by Umbrella to create a new virus known as Elpis. Villains Victor Gideon and Zeno are in pursuit of Elpis throughout the events of Requiem, and believe that Grace is the key to obtaining it.

Eventually, Grace comes face-to-face with the terminal that houses Elpis and is prompted to enter a password. This password, if entered incorrectly, will lead to the entirety of Ark self-destructing. Leon urges Grace to destroy Elpis rather than risk it falling into the hands of Zeno. She obliges and inserts the wrong password, which prompts the facility to begin collapsing.

Amidst the chaos, Grace is able to escape the grasp of Zeno while Leon fights him off. Unfortunately, Zeno is far too powerful for Leon, and quickly brings him to his knees. He then shoots Leon in the head, immediately killing the longtime Resident Evil protagonist, as the platform the two are standing on crashes. Grace watches this play out from afar and screams in agony as Leon dies. She is then able to find a way to escape Ark, but still regrets that it came at the cost of Leon’s life.

If this ending sounds truly unbelievable, well, that’s because it pretty much is. The “Bad” ending in Resident Evil Requiem almost certainly isn’t the one that’s canon. In fact, it’s pretty surprising to see it included at all, as the game strongly urges players to release Elpis rather than destroy it. Still, for those who want to see some chaos at the conclusion of Requiem, this resolution definitely provides them with plenty.

Resident Evil Requiem’s True Ending Is Much More Satisfying

If Grace chooses to release Elpis rather than destroy it, Zeno immediately gets his hands on a vial of the substance. Without first trying to figure out what it is, Zeno promptly injects Elpis into himself, only to find that his powers are quickly waning. Grace then reveals that Elpis was never a new bioweapon, but was a cure that was developed by Oswell Spencer as a means to atone for what he unleashed upon the world.

Victor Gideon, who enters the facility while this is playing out, states that they never truly knew what Elpis was, as Spencer’s unearthed documents kept its purpose hidden, which led to only theories of what it could be. Gideon then dispatches of Zeno by lashing his head clean off his body. Leon, conversely, injects Elpis into himself, which cures his lingering infection that had nearly taken his life.

Gideon then approaches Leon and Grace, still committed to obtaining Elpis for himself. Leon engages in one more battle with Gideon, who eventually mutates into a monster that is similar to the evolved form of Nemesis. Despite overwhelming odds, Leon, who is now rejuvenated and feeling better than ever, is able to take down Gideon and end the conflict for good.

After dispatching the monstrous Gideon, Leon and Grace find themselves stuck within Ark as it begins to shut down. The pair resign themselves to never being able to escape and accept their demise. Fortunately, as all of the lights within Ark turn off, a rescue crew from the BSAA, specifically the Hound Wolf Squad, which is commanded by Chris Redfield, enters the facility and saves the duo.

Now, outside in the ruins of Racoon City, Leon contacts Sherry Birkin to inform her that he has a vial of Elpis to cure her as well. He also mentions that Chris isn’t on site at Ark, but he imagines he’ll see him soon enough. Leon then informs Grace that he thinks they can still save Emily, the small child whom Grace tried to escape from the Rhodes Hill hospital with, thanks to Elpis.

In the game’s epilogue, Grace publishes her report with the FBI and helps make her findings public. Emily is also confirmed to have been cured of her virus and now lives with Grace, who seemingly serves as her adopted mother. A mysterious enemy group is then shown to enter the Ark in pursuit of recovering something from the wreckage and mentions that they must hurry before the Wolf Squad is upon them. This final scene seems to tease DLC for Requiem that will come about in the future.