Summary
- HUNK's untold stories would make him a compelling protagonist.
- Ashley's survival story could provide a fresh and intense gameplay experience.
- Josh Stone's independent storyline would diversify Resident Evil 5's narrative.
Though the Resident Evil franchise has produced some of the most iconic protagonists in gaming, there have also been plenty of interesting side characters who felt like they could take the leading role instead. Whether it's because they receive a lot of development throughout their respective games, or because they are simply skilled enough to take on any mutants or zombies that are thrown their way, there are several reasons why someone could seem fitting to become a protagonist.
Considering Capcom doesn't usually bring back characters who only appear once, it's fun for fans to theorize what the story could end up being like if they were in the driver's seat. With that being said, it's time to take a look at the Resident Evil side characters who would make great protagonists if they got the opportunity.
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8 HUNK
The Grim Reaper Has Plenty Of Fascinating Stories To Tell
Resident Evil 2
- Released
- January 21, 1998
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- First Appearance: Resident Evil 2 (1998)
HUNK feels like somewhat of a bogeyman within the Resident Evil universe. The Umbrella agent is mentioned many times over the course of the series, but only appears handful of times. The truth is, though, HUNK is one of the most experienced and dangerous humans in Resident Evil. He earned his nickname from having embarked on several suicide missions and made it out of all of them alive.
It would be an absolute joy for longtime fans to be able to experience some of these stories for themselves if HUNK were ever to play the role of protagonist. He is popular enough to warrant a standalone game, and even 20 years after his introduction, he is still begging to be explored in greater depth.
7 Ashley Graham
Without Leon, Ashley Would Have Had To Embark On A Terrifying Solo Escape
Resident Evil 4
- Released
- January 11, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- First Appearance: Resident Evil 4 (2005)
After Ashley, the president's daughter, is kidnapped by an insidious cult known as the Los Illuminados, it's up to special agent Leon S. Kennedy to rescue her. However, both Resident Evil 4 and its remake feature a single level where players are able to control Ashley as she navigates her way through Salazar's Castle. It's hard not to wonder what the game could have been like if she was the main focus rather than Leon.
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Of course, Ashley is severely unprepared to take on any of the monsters that Leon took down throughout the game. But this would make the game even more intense and slower paced, which is never a bad thing. Having Ashley as a protagonist would also give fans a deeper insight into her emotional journey and character arc, seeing her go from timid, naive prisoner to a hardened survivor.
6 Josh Stone
Josh Is Charismatic Enough To Carry A Lead Role
Resident Evil 5
- Released
- March 5, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- First Appearance: Resident Evil 5 (2009)
Josh Stone doesn't show up until near the halfway point of Resident Evil 5's story, though he proves to be a big help for Chris and Sheva in their journey through the nightmarish Kijuju. As Sheva's former mentor, Josh is more than capable of holding his own in a fight, though the Majini and B.O.Ws he comes up against still take him by surprise, considering he could never have known about them during his training.
Josh sort of jumps in and out of the story to help out when he can. While he does have a brief expansion DLC alongside Jill, he would still make a great main protagonist. Having Josh be a solo act, who would be tasked with rescuing people across the Uroboros-infested Kijuju, would make for a drastically different story from the one in the original Resident Evil 5.
5 Zoe Baker
The Baker Who Managed To Retain Her Sanity, Despite It All
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Released
- January 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Psychological Horror, First-Person
- First Appearance: Resident Evil 7 (2017)
While the Baker family all slowly become corrupted and have their minds warped after they take in Evelyn, Zoe manages to fend off her control for as long as possible. By the time Ethan reaches the estate, Zoe is cooped up in a trailer in front, seemingly having survived for several months while evading her family and Evelyn.
Being able to play as Zoe during this period would be a great way to see a few different interactions with the Baker family, and also how Zoe managed to retain her sanity after everything she went through. The Bakers may be over and done with for now, but if Ethan hadn't been chosen as the star of the show, Zoe could have been a good fit instead.
4 Mikhail Victor
The Legendary Soldier Who Got Caught Up In The Raccoon City Incident
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
- Released
- November 10, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- First Appearance: Resident Evil 3 (1999)
While Jill and Mikhail may not be the best of friends when they first meet up, the former STARS agent soon realizes that Mikhail isn't as bad as she initially thought. Though he may be working for Umbrella, Mikhail tried to rescue as many civilians as possible when the outbreak started. This is how he eventually got injured and was forced to reside in the train for much of Resident Evil 3. As one of the rare examples of a character in the series who puts others before themselves, he would be worthy of being a protagonist.
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Not only that, Mikhail is a highly trained soldier, meaning he could play pretty much the same as many of the other protagonists, like Chris and Leon. Unfortunately, Mikhail never made it out of Raccoon City due to the Nemesis catching up with him. But of the several side characters who are introduced in that game, he feels like a top pick if any of them were to become a protagonist.
3 Mia Winters
It Would Be Great To See Mia Pick Up Where Her Husband Left Off
- First Appearance: Resident Evil 7 (2017)
Ethan goes on a horrific adventure after he stumbles into the Baker estate in Resident Evil 7. He would then, not long after, be forced to take on Mother Miranda and the Four Lords in Village. While he does, unfortunately, lose his life at the end of the game, his wife Mia is still alive alongside his daughter Rose.
Other than a very brief section in Resident Evil 7, Mia has never been a playable character, despite being so important to the modern storyline. She may not be much of a fighter, but Mia has gained more than enough experience to protect herself if she's forced to. If she became a main character, it could result in an interesting spin-off or mainline entry.
2 Elena Lupu
Fans Could Witness The Fall Of The Village In Real Time
Resident Evil Village
- Released
- May 7, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- First Appearance: Resident Evil Village (2021)
Fans might remember Elena as the woman that Ethan helps near the beginning of Resident Evil Village. However, she only sticks around for a few minutes before she and the other villagers are killed after her father causes chaos by turning into a werewolf. As someone who has seemingly been living in the village for many years, Elena would make an interesting protagonist, since it would give players a chance to witness the village's downfall as it happened.
There would also be some real emotional weight to this story considering Elena's father eventually gets infected, which would add tension between her and her ragtag group of survivors. She may have barely any screen time, but Elena still proves to be an interesting character.
1 Robert Kendo
Kendo's Journey Through Raccoon City Is Only Partially Shown In The Games
- First Appearance: Resident Evil 2 (1998)
Once Leon and Jill find themselves in the zombie-infected Raccoon City, there are barely any humans still alive for them to talk to. But there's one gun shop owner who helps them out, and that's Kendo. Though there's not too much known about this hardened survivor, what is clear is that he had a daughter who was at one point bitten and gradually turned into a zombie, which took a massive toll on Kendo's mental state.
Seeing the Raccoon City outbreak unfold from Kendo's perspective would provide a fresh way for players to return to the iconic area without having to play as Leon, Claire, or Jill, whose stories have already been told many times over. Kendo as the protagonist also makes for a much more emotional and potentially darker story considering all he goes through.
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