Resident Evil Requiem Quietly Nails One of the Series’ Best Villain Twists

The following contains spoilers for Resident Evil Requiem

Resident Evil Requiem has a pretty clever twist on a villain trope, subverting expectations with a character who was otherwise being set up to become a major figure in the future of the series. Resident Evil Requiem initially presents the main threat as Victor Gideon, a brilliant but demented scientist who is trying to build on the successes of previous inventors like Oswell Spencer for his own machinations. He’s also eventually revealed to be tied to the Connections, the mysterious organization that has been moving behind the scenes for several games in the series.

In the process, the game also introduces Zeno, a clear stand-in for Albert Wesker, who has a deeper history connecting him to the long-dead villain. While Zeno is initially set up as a major new threat for the series (and even kills a series mainstay in one of the potential game endings), his true role in the finale is far more surprising and effective at setting up a more open-ended future for the series. Here’s how Resident Evil Requiem subverts expectations by turning Zeno into a very different kind of villain.

How Zeno Fits Into Resident Evil Requiem

Zeno is one of the big bads in Resident Evil Requiem, a mysterious figure working on the outside of the primary narrative as the apparent employer of Gideon. A member of the Collective, Zeno’s appearance and abilities make him a dead ringer for longtime franchise antagonist Albert Wesker, who was killed off in Resident Evil 5 by Chris Redfield. As the game progresses, it turns out that Zeno actually does have a deep-seated connection to Wesker; he’s a clone of the long-dead villain, who has become a major figure in the mysterious Connections organization.

Alongside Gideon, Zeno hopes to use the final research of Spencer to gain control of Elpis, which they believe to be the key to dominating the world. Portrayed as a dangerous manipulator and cool-headed villain, Zeno initially seems to come across as the leader behind Gideon and a potential new big bad for the series at large. He’s got an interesting personality, too, which highlights his ego and desire to be more than just a clone of Wesker. Given his abilities and capabilities, Zeno could have easily become a defining threat to the franchise, albeit one that fans might be frustrated by given the trope-y nature of the character. However, that’s not the direction the game goes in.

Zeno Gets Taken Out Surprisingly Quickly In Resident Evil Requiem’s Climax

In one of Resident Evil Requiem‘s best twists, Zeno never actually gets a confrontation with the player and is actually more of a fake-out threat. While Leon faces off with forces who serve under Zeno, like the Umbrella Commando known as Hunk and Zeno’s mutated creations, the villain is actually undercut in the final stretch of the game. In either ending, Zeno’s plans are undone by Grace and Spencer. In the scenario where Grace destroys Elpis, Zeno is brought down with the surrounding lab — albeit after killing Leon in a cut-scene, at least giving the villain a minor victory before his apparent death. In the longer ending, however, Zeno doesn’t even get that.

While he has enhanced healing, super speed, and superior strength in his base form, Grace’s decision to use Elpis ends up destabilizing and curing the biological manipulations of the Umbrella Corporation. This leaves Zeno infuriated with the whole situation, leading Gideo to matter-of-factly behead his employer and transform himself into a new Nemesis-like state to serve as the game’s true final boss. Given that Gideon has been at the center of the game up to this point, it doesn’t feel like it messes with the game’s narrative. If anything, this unexpected subversion of the typical villain swap is one of the most clever things about Resident Evil Requiem.

Zeno Is Exactly The Kind Of Twist That Resident Evil Requiem Needed

In a lesser game, Zeno would have been the ultimate big bad of Resident Evil. A clone of a fan favorite villain, with all the strengths and few of the weaknesses, driven by a personal motivation that reflects the original while making it his own, all seem like the setup for a potential new baddie. It’s the kind of twist that Resident Evil has done before with Wesker himself, with games like Resident Evil: Code Veronica turning the reveal of Wesker into a big turn for the narrative. While Zeno’s place in the Connections helps cement them as a true heir to the Umbrella Corporation as an overarching threat in the series, Zeno himself turns out to be a bit of a red herring, a subversion of the kind of trope that players might have been expecting from the game.

As with most of the game, Resident Evil Requiem is rooted in paying tribute to the past villains of the series, with plenty of fan favorite bosses and classic enemies making a return. Zeno allows Resident Evil to bring back Wesker in some form, while also making it clear that the series is still moving along and away from the character. It’s one of the best twists in Resident Evil Requiem, and hints that the future of the series is going to be content with moving away from one of their most iconic villains once and for all.