Leon Stands Tall at 5 Feet 11 Inches in Resident Evil 2 Remake
Let‘s kick things off with the key fact – iconic hero Leon S. Kennedy measures 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm) tall in Capcom‘s 2019 Resident Evil 2 remake. The Raccoon City rookie turned government agent maintains his imposing stature from the 1998 PlayStation original.
As we‘ll explore in this deep dive into Leon‘s background, his above-average height is integral to his character design across his 20+ year Resident Evil legacy.
How Leon‘s Height Stacks Up to Other Key Characters
First, let‘s see how Agent Kennedy‘s 5‘11" frame measures up against other core Survivors in the never-ending war against bioterrorism:
- Chris Redfield: 6’1” (185 cm)
- Jill Valentine: 5’5” (165 cm)
- Claire Redfield: 5‘6" (168 cm)
- Rebecca Chambers: 5′4′′ (163 cm)
So Leon definitively stands among the tallest of the classic S.T.A.R.S crew. His height advantage over Rebecca and Claire is noticeable. Only Chris ekes out a slight edge.
And remarkably, Leon‘s 5‘11" stature remains consistent even as technology has evolved to translate character models into stunning new graphics:
| Character | Height in Original RE2 | Height in RE2 Remake |
|---|---|---|
| Leon | 5‘11" | 5‘11" |
Capcom has taken care over the years to preserve his imposing physical presence. That noscious attention to detail must be appreciated!
Now let‘s explore how Leon‘s strong frame has shaped his hero‘s journey since arriving in Raccoon City as a fresh-faced rookie cop on that fateful September 29th, 1998 night…
How Leon‘s Fit Physique Reflects His Background
Hailing from the American midwest, Kennedy grew up active and athletic. He played football in high school and stayed trim and fit during his police training.
Standing 5‘11" with broad shoulders and a muscular 180 lb frame, Leon cultivates an imposing physical presence that serves him well across the rollercoaster events of Resident Evil 2 and beyond.
Let‘s consider how Kennedy‘s strong build assists him against various foes:
Zombies – A sturdy 5‘11" gives Leon a height advantage against the undead. His strength helps him push them back. And he can outmaneuver their grabs and lunges.
Tyrant (Mr. X) – While giving up both height and muscle to this hulking bio-weapon, Leon can use agility and environments to his advantage. His police training prepared him well!
Ganados – The parasitic Los Plagas hosts faced in RE 4 may be more tactical, but Leon still overpowers most in one-on-one melee confrontations.
So while Leon relies more on tenacity and his trusty weapons than brute force, his above-average stature and lean-muscular frame undoubtedly gives him an edge in numerous battles with infected foes across the series.
Next let‘s examine how Leon‘s appearance evolved across his early career…
Tracing Leon‘s Iconic Look Across the Series
Debuting in Resident Evil 2, Leon Kennedy‘s dressed himself in the standard RPD uniform – a blue shirt and trousers with black tactical vest. Perfectly appropriate attire for his first day on the force!
But after escaping Raccoon City, Leon evolved from eager rookie cop into a grizzled veteran agent involved in President Graham’s security detail. By Resident Evil 4, set six years later, heSuits him nicely!
Let‘s trace Leon‘s changing styles as his experience grew:
- Resident Evil 2 (1998) – Traditional RPD police uniform
- Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (2010) – Olive shirt and slacks under a brown leather jacket
- Resident Evil: Damnation (2012) – Fitted black shirt with military pants and boots
- Resident Evil: Vendetta (2017) – Tactical dark navy zip-up shirt with hidden body armor
While Leon‘s outfits become more combat-ready across his covert missions, he retains several signature looks:
- The perfectly tousled brown hair
- Steely blue eyes
- A muscular frame stretching his shirts
And even as his fashion evolves, Leon‘s rugged 5‘11" height persists – he simply wouldn‘t look the same as a shorter or less imposing character.
Next let‘s speculate on some of Leon‘s fitness and combat tactics…
How Leon Stays Mission-Ready
Now 32 years old by Resident Evil: Vendetta, Leon has likely adopted a strict fitness regimen to maintain his peak physical prowess across hundreds of unspeakable horrors.
As a government agent granted access to top-secret facilities, we can imagine Kennedy making use of state-of-the-art equipment between missions:
- Daily weight training to preserve his 155 lb lean muscle weight
- Regular cardio sessions to keep his stamina and agility razor-sharp
- Combat drills with advanced free weights, reactive targets, and obstacle courses
- Sparring rounds against fellow agents to stay sharp
This training, along with a clean high-protein diet, fuels Leon’s on-going battle against the spread of bio-weapons globally.
His dedication pays dividends in fluid hand-to-hand takedowns, rapid weapon draws, and parkour-esque environment navigation. All quintessential Leon!
And given his recurring encounters with Louisiana native Ada Wong, perhaps Kennedy picked up some of her Crescent Kick martial arts moves as well!
Conclusion: An Iconic Hero Anchored By His Height
For over 20 years spanning Raccoon City to Eastern Slav Republic, Leon S. Kennedy has etched his name into gaming lore by taking the fight to Umbrella Corp’s undead hordes and mutant bio-weapons.
While his looks evolved across harrowing trials from rookie cop to grizzled veteran agent, Leon’s defining physical traits persist: penetrating blue eyes under tousled brown hair, a muscular frame stretching any shirt, and a towering height of 5 feet 11 inches.
Leon Kennedy simply wouldn‘t present the same domineering effect if he stood just an average 5‘8". His imposing stature complements his presence as an action hero able to camera backflip away from danger or pull off hand-to-hand takedowns of aggressive foes.
So the next time you dive back into the perpetually remade Resident Evil 2 or await the 2023 launch of Resident Evil 4, pause for a moment to appreciate Leon‘s consistently heroic height holding strong at 5‘11" since 1998‘s dramatic RPD entrance!
Over 20 years later, Kennedy still stands tall when confronting the nightmares of bioterror. And that won‘t change anytime soon with re-imaginings and future sequels guaranteed to come!
