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Most people probably have heard of Resident Evil, from the games to the movies, it is a very massive franchise. But do you know what actually causes the main threat in the series, zombies, to appear as they do? This article will go over four of the many viruses(and parasites) found in the Resident Evil franchise. They are the most important part of Resident Evil. Without them, there would be no story.

The first virus we will discuss is also one of the most important ones in the series, the progenitor virus. This virus has its origins way back in the Neolithic period, where a tribe in Africa came in contact with an underground plant they came to call “The Stairway To The Sun”. According to “The Resident Evil Podcast” (The RE podcast) the progenitor virus is “an ancient RNA retrovirus capable of trans-species infection and the ability to infect an absolute variety of complex organisms. It parasitizes its host on a cellular level, and is able to reinforce certain characteristics by recombining the host’s genes. Under special circumstances it is also known to cause spontaneous mutation thanks to its ability to mix genetic information.” This virus would be harvested by the Umbrella corporation, and eventually produce a strand known as the T-virus.

The T-virus or the Tyrant-virus are the most recognizable viruses in the franchise; this is because they are the viruses that make zombies. T-virus is the general name given to variant strands of the progenitor virus that are successful in what the researchers were aiming to make. Most of the time the researchers were attempting to create useful B.O.W.s (Bio-Organic Weaponry), some successful examples of this include the lizard like hunters, the T-00 tyrant(Mr.X), the undead doberman Cerberus’s, and so on. The most well known outcome of the T-virus however, is zombies. The T-virus can infect any animal, not just humans. This can create some of the most dangerous and terrifying zombies to fight in the games.

This next germ is not a virus, but a parasite known as Las Plagas. Las Plagas is a million years old parasite that was found by a cult known as Los Illuminados. This cult was quickly infected and overtaken once they came in contact with the parasite, but were also discovered by the Salazzar family, who ruled over the vicinity, and the cult was exterminated. Eventually a cultist named Osmund Saddler persuaded the current castellan Ramon Salazzar into excavating the dormant parasite beneath his castle. He then infected the area with this parasite, as he was able to control all who were infected with his dominant strand of Plaga. Las Plagas takes hold of its host by placing itself between the lungs and the heart of a victim. The parasite gradually grows, eventually taking control of the victim’s nervous system. The victim will lose most of its intelligence, but will be able to carry out daily tasks that they did before infection, and will also be able to follow the directions of those with a dominant strand of the parasite. Some variants of the infected include dogs who have oversized fangs, salamanders who have grown to be over 20 meters in length, and massive bloodthirsty humans. All in all, Las Plagas is an extremely dangerous parasite that has the potential to take over the entire Resident Evil world.

The final germ is a species of fungal mold known as Mutamycete. This mold is black and oily in appearance, and will take control over a host’s body and mind. The potential value seen by different corporations was that it could be used to turn enemies into allies. The only test subject who came close to being successful was E-001 or Eveline. Eveline was a young girl tested on by a mysterious criminal network known as The Connections. The reason Eveline was not fully successful was because, due to her isolated upbringing, she had an unstable desire to be in a family. This eventually led to the events of Resident Evil 7; the boat where she was being confined in was capsized during a typhoon and washed up in the bayous of Louisiana. She infected the fimaily who rescued her.

All in all these are incredibly dangerous viruses, mold, and parasites. It is quite amazing how well developed Capcom made these. This series holds terrifying moments that wouldn’t be possible without these germs. Play this game if you really want to experience a fright with a scientific framework.