With the Shadows of Rose DLC just around the corner, now would be as good a time as any to delve into the expansion's connections with Resident Evil Village. While Resident Evil Village tells the story of Ethan Winters' quest to save his infant daughter, Shadows of Rose follows Rosemary in her teenage years.
Despite her wishes, Rosemary is anything but ordinary. From the strange circumstances of her birth to her unnatural powers, Rosemary's unique condition has put her on the radar of the world's most powerful people. While she treats most of the people around her with disdain, Rosemary still feels fondly for the father she never knew. Spoilers for Resident Evil Village ahead.
Rosemary's Unique Birth
Rosemary was born on August 2, 2020 to Ethan and Mia Winters while under the protection of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA). Both her parents were involved in the Baker family incident in Louisiana, and thus exposed to Eveline's unique brand of biological terrorism. Unbeknownst to them, Ethan and Mia's conditions led to Rosemary inheriting powers similar to Eveline. She can control the Mold - a type of fungus that can influence humans, regenerate lost limbs, and even come back to life. It is unknown what other powers Rosemary possesses, but those that have been confirmed make her a potentially dangerous individual.
Since there was a high probability that Rosemary would possess the powers Eveline once used on innocents, Chris Redfield and the BSAA kept a close eye on her and her parents. Despite their protection, Rosemary was captured by Mother Miranda and almost used as a sacrifice to bring her dead daughter back to life. Ethan saved Rosemary from Miranda in an act that ultimately cost him his life.
The BSAA Wasn't Friendly Toward Rose
After becoming part of another bioterrorist incident and having her powers manifest, Rose was taken from her mother by Chris Redfield and put under protective custody by the BSAA. Rose spent her formative years with the organization, whose high-ranking members treated her as they would a dangerous creature or lab experiment.
This is the main reason Rose doesn't think fondly of the BSAA. The organization robbed her of a normal childhood in favor of running experiments and tests; very rarely did the BSAA treat her like a human being. A concrete example of this is shown when a full combat team is dispatched to look for Rose after she escapes to visit Ethan's grave. An agent even stoops so low as to call her "Eveline" due to the similarities between the two women. Rosemary retaliates at this, but smiles when she is told she's very much like her father.
Ethan As a Father Even In Death
It can be hard to decipher why Rosemary thinks fondly of Ethan despite not knowing him personally. She never got to talk to him or experience anything that she would recall in her adult years. All she has to remember him by is his jacket, which Rosemary can be seen wearing all the time.
Yet, Ethan's memory lives through Rose. It hasn't been specified if her powers allow her to see others' memories, but Rose was likely told about Ethan's escapades by someone in the BSAA. Learning that someone gave their life for yours can drastically change a person's viewpoint, leading to the martyr being seen as selfless and brave - qualities that a child would be proud to see their parents have. Ethan may not have been there to see Rosemary grow up, but his sacrifice ensured that she would have a life to live.
This is why Rosemary wants to rid herself of her powers in the upcoming Shadows of Rose DLC. Being a teenager, Rose's desire to fit in with other kids her age will also be a factor. She just wants to be treated like a normal person - something Ethan and Mia did while they raised her. Only time will tell if Rosemary manages to obtain the life her father wanted for her, but at the very least she knows that the love he felt was real.
Resident Evil Village: Gold Edition will release on October 28 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.