Is Chris Redfield Really a Villain in Resident Evil Village?
No, hardened BSAA Captain Chris Redfield does not turn evil over the course of Resident Evil: Village. Early in the game Chris assaults Ethan Winters‘ home, seemingly kills wife Mia, and kidnaps baby daughter Rose in a shocking scene that casts Chris in a villainous light. However, later reveals prove Chris remains firmly one of the good guys working to take down the real antagonists – Mother Miranda and her team of grotesque Bio Organic Weapons (B.O.W.s).
While Chris‘ aggressive infiltration of Ethan‘s home and violent abduction of Rose appear potentially villainous out of context, analysis of Chris‘ history in battling bioterrorism contradicts this surface interpretation. With over 15 years serving in the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance‘s (BSAA) Special Operations Unit, Chris has dedicated his life to eradicating illegal bio-weapons – including taking down Umbrella Corporation co-founder Albert Wesker. Chris‘ combat expertise and insider knowledge of bioterrorism ultimately make him a crucial ally helping Ethan uncover and defeat the shape-shifting Mother Miranda.
Deciphering Chris‘s Complex Motivations
Upon reuniting with Chris later in the game, Ethan rightfully confronts him demanding an explanation for the shocking home invasion and kidnapping. Chris reveals he has been secretly investigating a web of connections between Ethan‘s wife Mia who worked for a bioterrorism group called The Connections, the deadly Eveline bioweapon from Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, and Mother Miranda‘s century-spanning plot to revive daughter Eva by implanting her consciousness into Rose‘s body.
Chris took extreme measures by forcibly separating Ethan from Miranda, who had been impersonating Mia to spy on the family. With Ethan and Mia having previously been infected by Eveline in RE7, Chris may have feared they could be vulnerable to re-infection and saw aggressively relocating them as the only option. While the trauma Chris inflicted can‘t be justified, deeper analysis adds nuance and complexity to cursory assumptions Chris suddenly turned evil.
Mother Miranda and Her Lords Are the Real Enemies
The central antagonist of Resident Evil Village is Mother Miranda. An infectious disease specialist from the late 16th century, Miranda seeks to revive her dead daughter Eva by implanting her consciousness into Rose‘s body, continuing her experiments in advanced viral gene manipulation. After infiltrating Ethan‘s life by impersonating his wife for over 3 years, Miranda unleashes her "Lords" – specially modified pathogens designed to defend her remote European village stronghold upon her scheme being threatened. It‘s these monsters like the 9‘6" Lady Alcina Dimitrescu and haunted doll Angie who oppose Ethan, not Chris.
Analyzing Mother Miranda and her distinct Lords reveals Chris targeted the real enemies by extracting Ethan and Rose from her clutches. He then provides critical intel and firepower to defeat them. Here‘s an overview of each Lord‘s monstrous traits that posed a grave threat had Chris not interceded:
| Lord | Key Traits | Threat Level |
|---|---|---|
| Lady Dimitrescu | Vampiric mutant towering 9‘6"; razor-sharp claws | Extremely High |
| Donna Beneviento | Haunted dollmaker wielding hallucinogens | High |
| Salvatore Moreau | Mutated fish-like creature wielding swarming insect attacks | Very High |
Given Lady Dimitrescu‘s extensive viral enhancements granting supersized stature, talon-like claws, and blood-sucking vampirism, leaving Ethan‘s daughter Rose anywhere near her castle would have been catastrophic. Thus, while working for someone with Chris’s morally grey history rightfully raises suspicions, analysis confirms Chris remained a lawful good ally, while Miranda and her Lords posed the real threat.
Final Verdict: Chris is Not a Villain
In conclusion, while Chris Redfield’s aggressive methods created an initial perception that he converted to the dark side in Resident Evil Village, investigation into his motives and history exonerate him from villain status. By forcibly extracting Ethan and Rose from ground zero of Mother Miranda’s body-snatching plot, Chris strategically targeted the real antagonists and later provided invaluable assistance against them directly.
Could Chris have shared intelligence on his investigation into The Connections with Ethan earlier or adopted less traumatic methods? Perhaps, but with billions at stake, Chris’ decisive actions protected Ethan’s family from true evil, cementing Resident Evil Village as another chapter of Redfield heroism.
