14 years ago, a Resident Evil character made her debut in the series, only to be never seen again. At this point, it's unlikely she will be coming back anytime soon, as she's part of an unfortunate trend in the Resident Evil series.
Even looking beyond Resident Evil mainstays like Leon and Chris, the franchise has seen many of its main protagonists return in some shape or form in later games or spin-off media, though some have had to wait longer than others. For example, Claire Redfield returned in Resident Evil: Revelations 2, Ada Wong has been in a number of games, and Rebecca Chambers has recently been in the movie Resident Evil: Death Island. However, not every character is so lucky, including this one.
Helena Harper is MIA
Helena Harper was an agent introduced in Resident Evil 6, and just as quickly as she appeared, she vanished from the franchise. Resident Evil 6 came out in 2012, and featured stories following numerous playable characters, including Leon Kennedy, Chris Redfield, Ada Wong, and Sherry Birkin, as well as brand-new characters like Helena, Piers Nivans, and Jake Muller. Except for Ada, the returning protagonists were each paired with a newcomer to the franchise, which made it seem like the series might be introducing new protagonists to follow into the future as the original cast continued aging. However, 14 years later, Helena is nowhere to be seen.
Resident Evil 6 had a rougher reception than most of the games in the series, which may be part of the reason why she hasn't returned. However, it would make sense to bring her back at some point. Though her story's motivations of finding her sister and dealing with the culprit behind the President's death came to an end at the conclusion of Resident Evil 6, she was also an experienced federal law agent that could keep up with Leon. Given her experience with a major bioterrorism outbreak, she could be a good pick to see in another game, even if she weren't a playable character this time around.
Helena Isn't the Only Missing Person
Unfortunately, the absence of Helena is a problem that many characters in the Resident Evil franchise have experienced over the years, including her fellow surviving Resident Evil 6 co-star Jake Muller. It's far from limited to Resident Evil 6 characters, either. For example, secondary playable characters like Billy Coen from Resident Evil 0 and Sheva Alomar from Resident Evil 5 have been absent from the main franchise since their original appearances. Side characters that could plausibly return are missing as well, like Resident Evil Revelations' Parker Luciani or Resident Evil 5's Josh Stone.
Some Absent Resident Evil Characters Could Return Soon
While characters like Helena haven't returned in other Resident Evil games, that could change in the near future. Resident Evil Requiem already shook up the mold by re-introducing a little-known character in the form of Alyssa Ashcroft, who originally appeared in the Resident Evil Outbreak games. Additionally, a breakdown of the Resident Evil Requiem trailer shown at The Game Awards suggests that Sherry Birkin could be coming back to Resident Evil, who hasn't otherwise been seen outside of Resident Evil 6 and the Resident Evil 2 Remake. Given that she and Leon both have considerable history tied up in Raccoon City, which the game will take players back to, it stands to reason for them to both appear in the title. That could also open the door for characters like Carlos, Ada, Jill, or Claire to show up, too.
Helena is less likely to appear in Resident Evil Requiem, though it's possible that she could still have some ties to Leon that could at least open up a cameo for her. However, it's more likely that if she returns, it will be by way of the non-canon Resident Evil Survival Unit, a mobile spin-off game that came out in late 2025. That game has already brought back some familiar faces that haven't been in the main games for a while, including Jill Valentine and Carlos Oliveira. However, the game may focus on more popular characters, so Helena could remain absent.
While the fate of Helena and the other missing characters remain hanging in the balance, players don't have long to learn if she or anyone else returns in the newest game. Resident Evil Requiem launches in late February, and a Resident Evil showcase on January 15 may provide more answers prior to that.
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