Resident Evil has plenty of recurring characters, but there are characters who have only been in one game so far that deserve another chance to return in RE9 or beyond. It's even more of a shame that characters brimming with potential and interesting stories have been relegated to appearing in spin-off games, and are never seen again. If Rose Winters continues to be the lead past RE8 DLC, then it would be the perfect time to include other characters who haven't gotten their chance to appear since their debut.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Resident Evil series.]
Resident Evil is a franchise of survival-horror and action games that center around viruses that range from the T-Virus to the Mold. The games take place in various locations, with the most iconic among them being Raccoon City and Spencer Mansion. As the games progressed, they turned towards action and lost the elements that drew in players, but RE7 and Resident Evil Village returned to survival horror and revitalized the franchise.
There have been games released throughout the life of the franchise that aren't part of the mainline games, but they have characters who could fit into the main plots without issue. A perfect example is Manuela from Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles because she is part of Leon's history with Kra. Additionally, she, like Sherry, is successfully living as a human despite being infected by a virus. Even some of the mainline games have characters that show up in one game and could fit in later games, such as Sheva and Carlos, but they are left behind and forgotten.
Carlos Oliveira Has A Grudge Against Umbrella RE9 Could Resolve
Carlos Oliveira in Resident Evil 3 helps Jill survive being infected by the T-Virus in Raccoon City as it's being overrun by zombies. He works for Umbrella Corps at the time that Raccoon City is in chaos, but he's unaware of the fact that Umbrella is the reason that the outbreak happened. During the course of RE3, Carlos learns the truth about Umbrella, and this begins a grudge that he holds long after Raccoon City is destroyed.
After the events of RE3, the official story is that Carlos goes to live in South America. Considering he's still angry about the actions of Umbrella, he could have decided to an organization like the BSAA or Terrasave to help fight against the work of Umbrella that other groups have continued. Since they've already worked together, it could be fun for Capcom to have both Carlos and Jill Valentine return in Resident Evil 9.
Resident Evil Revelations 2's Natalia Korda Could Return As A Villain
Natalia pairs up with Barry Burton in Resident Evil Revelations 2 as he searches for his daughter, Moira. After being traumatized by the bioterrorist attack on Terragrigia, where Natalia lived at the time, she was no longer able to feel fear. For this reason, she was taken as an experiment along with ten Terrasave employees to test which among them is the best suited to become a superhuman. Because Natalia is deemed to be the most suitable superhuman candidate, she's put into a coma to undergo a process that will transfer Alex Wesker's memories into her.
After the events of the game, Natalia is adopted by Barry Burton. It isn't clear if Alex's memories will take over, or if Natalia will be able to hold onto her own identity. However, the possibility of Alex's consciousness taking over makes it possible that Natalia could become a villain. If Rose is the protagonist of Resident Evil 9, then the time skip gives Natalia plenty of time to grow up as well.
Manuela Hidalgo From RE: The Darkside Chronicles Could Mentor Rose
Before the events of Resident Evil 4, Leon S. Kennedy is sent on Operation Javier and works with Kra to complete it. While searching for Javier, they come across his daughter, Manuela. Javier infected Manuela with the T-Veronica Virus to save her from the incurable illness that killed her mother, but she needs regular organ transplants as the virus ravages her body. Manuela is able to keep control over her mind and retain her humanity through willpower.
After Javier's death, Manuela is taken into custody by the US government. It's likely that her life has followed a similar path to Sherry's, where she is tested on by the government and eventually works for them in some capacity. If that's the case, then it could be interesting for Capcom to bring Manuela back as a mentor for Rose Winters in Resident Evil 9 because both of them have unique abilities that come from being mutated.
RE5's Sheva Alomar Deserves A Comeback In Resident Evil 9
Despite its flaws, Resident Evil 5 has a fun co-op system, with the second player taking control of Sheva Alomar. Her home was destroyed by an outbreak caused by Umbrella experimenting on their employees, but Sheva survived and ed the BSAA when she grew up. She's chosen as Chris Redfield's partner when he investigates an outbreak in West Africa. However, her presence is largely overshadowed by Chris, and she feels more like she's tagging along on his journey to find Jill and stop Wesker.
Depending on the direction Capcom takes with Resident Evil 9, they could put Sheva in a leading role if it chooses to not use Rose and set the game in West Africa in a style similar to RE Village. Sheva has a tumultuous past, but she overcame the obstacles she faced and works to save others from the fate that befell her home. RE5 might not be one of the best Resident Evil games, but that doesn't mean that Sheva shouldn't get another chance to appear in RE9 and continue to help those who need it.
The long life of the Resident Evil franchise means that there is an abundance of characters who appear in the games, whether they show up once or several times. However, many of the characters who are in only one game deserve another chance to appear in Resident Evil 9 because they are interesting, and some of the recurring characters could use a break to make room for a new set of heroes and villains. Other characters who appear only once have stories that end up being unresolved because they are never seen again in the franchise. Instead of bringing in Chris Redfield again for RE9, Capcom needs to branch out and include a more diverse set of characters from Resident Evil's past.
