With Resident Evil Village having now been out for a number of weeks, fans have thoroughly explored everything there is to know about the survival-horror game. But now, with Resident Evil Village in the rearview, fans are busy wondering what the future of Resident Evil has in store. While Resident Evil 9 is most likely a long way away, Capcom seems as though it has already dropped hints about the plot of RE 9.
Following the death of Mother Miranda and Ethan Winters, it may be difficult to imagine how Resident Evil 9 will carry on the Winters storyline. It is expected that Resident Evil 9 will follow on from the events of Resident Evil 8, but exactly what threat the player will be faced with is unclear. However, fans may have already been introduced to the antagonist of the next game, in what would be a heavily foreshadowed twist.
Rose Is The Resident Evil 9 Antagonist
In a post-credit scene in Resident Evil Village, Rose is inferred to have powers similar to those possessed by Ethan, but she alludes to the fact that she may be more powerful than even the organization knows. This makes her quite the intimidating foe for anybody brave enough to oppose her, but who might this opposition be? The mere fact that Rose has power doesn't mean that she will become corrupted by it, but Resident Evil Village seems to suggest that she's well on her way to becoming Resident Evil 9's main antagonist.
What is perhaps most concerning for the future of humanity in Resident Evil is Rose's pent-up anger. She is clearly aggravated by her situation, as is shown not only by her act of rebellion in fleeing from the organization to visit her father's grave, but also her apparent inability to control that aggravation. When Rose is compared to Eveline, she reacts violently, forcing the unnamed agent against the side of the car, and indirectly threatening him with her abilities. The agent responds with surprise, assuring her that he was joking, before saying "Stand down. I can handle it, she's just a kid" into his earpiece.
What is concerning about this act of aggression is not the aggression in itself, as Rose is right to be frustrated about her situation, but rather what follows. Rose mutters "way to keep it together" to herself, appearing utterly dejected by her display of anger, suggesting it isn't the first time she's done something like this. Rose's great power combined with her short temper could result in disastrous consequences down the line, making her a strong candidate to be Resident Evil 9's antagonist.
Will Ethan Winters Be In Resident Evil 9?
While the ending of Resident Evil Village appears to show Ethan meeting his ultimate fate, there exists some hope among RE fans that his restorative abilities may see him survive. These hopes aren't entirely unfounded, as a photo-mode mod shows Ethan's character model walking towards Rose's vehicle at the end of Village's post-credits scene. Ethan blocking the road could be seen as a way to reunite with Rose, or alternatively, it could be a signal that he is set to be an obstacle for Rose in RE9.
Ethan has seen firsthand just how harmful the virus can be, and he has experience fighting both Eveline and a loved one in Mia. The chances are that if Ethan has somehow survived the ending of Resident Evil Village, and Rose had become the biggest threat to humanity, Chris Redfield would consider Ethan to be a good option. Rose also clearly thinks very highly of Ethan, disobeying her handlers to visit his grave and letting off a wry smile when told she is a lot like him. It's possible that Ethan could attempt to appeal to the good in Rose as he did in RE7 when Mia was fighting off infection.
Beyond Ethan's character model appearing in the post-credits scene, it does appear that he has seen his last involvement in the series. Resident Evil Village's post-credits scene ends with a blurb that says "The father's story is done," which makes it seem unlikely that he will return. As for his character model, that could be explained away as a stand-in for who it was truly intended to represent, but for now, fans can only speculate.
Resident Evil Village is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.