Characters who were infected and survived

Summary

• Characters like Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield, and Leon S. Kennedy were able to survive deadly viral infections in the Resident Evil series.

• Some characters avoided turning into monsters by managing fear levels or avoiding infected substances.

• Survival often came with side effects, such as regenerative power or sensitivity to control.

The Resident Evil the universe is full of all kinds of horrible viruses and diseases that can turn an ordinary person into a menacing monstrosity in no more than a few seconds. But not all viruses will work their magic so quickly, meaning that in very rare cases some characters have been able to survive the ordeal, but usually not without some nagging side effects lingering in their bodies afterwards.

Most of the main characters in Resident Evil has barely made it through a deadly infection, but there have also been some supporting characters, and even villains, who have been able to see through to the other side as well. At the same time as you become infected in the world of Resident Evil is usually a death sentence, these characters proved that it doesn't always have to be.

8

Jill Valentine

Jill would have been burned to a crisp with the rest of Raccoon City if Carlos hadn't cured her

During Jill's grand escape out of Raccoon City, just when it seems she might have a chance to get out, not only is she pursued by a mutant tyrant known as Nemesis, but she also becomes infected with the T-Virus. While she is able to remain conscious for a few minutes, Jill eventually collapses, prompting Carlos to go on an escapade through Raccoon City Hospital to find a vaccine.

If Jill had never met Carlos, it is highly likely that she would simply have become a mindless zombie who would have eventually been one of the millions wiped out by the nuclear explosion. Thankfully, Carlos' heroics ensured this wouldn't happen, allowing her to get back up to speed as she was ready to face Nemesis to end the nightmare for good.

7

Claire Redfield

Claire managed to keep her fear to a minimum to avoid becoming a mutant

Just a few minutes into the story of Revelations 2Claire and her TerraSave colleagues are kidnapped and taken to a mysterious island, only to later find out that they have all been infected with the T-Phobos virus as well. This is a fairly unique virus in the series as it only activates based on the host's stress levels. Low amounts of stress have the potential to turn someone into a superhuman, but if they feel genuine fear they will either die on the spot or become a bloodthirsty mutant.

Given the sheer amount of nightmarish adventures Claire had already been on up to that point, she was able to keep her fear to a minimum, allowing her to escape the island without succumbing to its effects. Although it was left unclear whether or not Claire still has the virus, it seems likely that it won't be too much of a problem for Claire in the future.

6

Albert Wesker

Wesker was able to gain superhuman powers by injecting himself with an experimental virus

Outside of the first game, Wesker is always shown to be a sort of superhuman possessing incredible strength and speed. The reason he was able to become this way is because he injected himself with an unnamed virus that many fans have dubbed the “Experimental Virus”, at the very end of the first game. This not only revived Wesker, but it also gave him the powers that would convince him that he is a god-like being who deserves to rule over the inferior fools who occupy the world.

This is one of the very rare cases where a virus does not immediately kill the user when it enters their body. As a result, Wesker would live on just fine for many years after becoming superhuman, with his death instead from a rocket launcher, not the virus itself.

5

Mia Winters

Mia was one of several victims who succumbed to Eveline's mold

Resident Evil 7 opens with an eerie video message from Mia, begging Ethan, her husband, to stay away from her and the Louisiana estate she's trapped in. Ignoring the advice, Ethan embarks on a rescue mission, only to discover that his wife has turned into a crazed monster who seems more than happy to tear her own husband to shreds with any weapon she can get her hands on.

The truth is that Mia, along with the rest of the Baker family, became infected with the mold that began to spread after Eveline was brought into the house and given shelter. Thankfully, Ethan is able to conjure up a serum to dull the effects of the mold, allowing him and Mia to live happily ever after, at least for a little while anyway.

4

Zoe Baker

Zoe's reaction to Eveline's mold was a little different than her family's

While Zoe was infected at the same time as her family after they took in Eveline, she was able to avoid turning into a monster like the others through some specific methods. Zoe would never consume the contaminated food and water her family was forced into and also managed to hide in the trailer outside to avoid their influence.

Some fans have even theorized that Zoe may have microdosed herself with medication to slow the progression of the mold infection, although this is not directly confirmed in Resident Evil 7 one. Although her infection eventually creeps up on her, reaching the late stages, her uncle, Joe, manages to fight his way through a swamp full of monsters just to get a cure for his beloved niece, saving her life in the process.

3

Sherry Birkin

After surviving the G virus embryo, Sherry would have regenerative healing powers

Sherry was just a young girl when the Raccoon City incident occurred, where her parents, William and Annette, basically abandoned her during the entire fiasco. Worse, after her father mutated and began wreaking havoc on the city, he would infect Sherry with a G-Virus embryo due to her being the most compatible host.

Given her age, Sherry's body struggled to fend off the virus, causing her to remain unconscious for the second half of the game until Claire was finally able to save her. Despite the traumatic experience, it appears in Resident Evil 6 that Sherry actually acquired regenerative healing powers thanks to the G virus cells still in her body, so at least someone in this franchise benefited from being infected.

2

Ashley Graham

The Saddler's control over Ashley grows stronger as Las Plagas progresses

Saddler's big plan in Resident Evil 4 is to infect Ashley with Las Plagas, then have her sent back to America where she can then infect the President, crippling America's standing on the world stage. In the original game, it's implied that Saddler can subtly control Ashley as the plague progresses, but this is made much clearer in the remake where Ashley is basically brainwashed, even stabbing Leon's hand and taunting him at one point.

Saddler would use this technique to recapture Ashley several times throughout the match, but in the end, Leon was able to save her thanks to a tip from Luis. Speaking of Luis, he was also the one responsible for giving Leon and Ashley the medicine needed to ward off the plague before they reached his lab at the end of the game.

1

Leon S. Kennedy

The “big cheese” administers Las Plagas in Leon's body, making his mission much more complicated

It is not far into Leon's mission to save Ashley that he is eventually confronted by Mendez, the village chief, who knocks Leon out before injecting him with the parasite known as Las Plagas. While the special agent doesn't feel the effects for a little while, after he takes on Del Lago, Leon starts coughing up blood and having bizarre hallucinations of turning into one of the many Ganados he's been killing all along.

This parasite would make Leon's mission much more difficult, as he would now not only have to save Ashley, but also find a way to cure her and himself so they can return home safely. Like the chivalrous protagonist that he is, Leon was more than willing to let Ashley get cured first, but it's a good thing he also managed to pull it off himself since he was bordering on becoming one of Saddler's underlings by the end of the trip.