Chris Redfield is rumoured to star in Resident Evil 9. At the same time, it was also suggested that he might die, but that would be a big mistake…

For the first time in a long time, we feel like the Resident Evil franchise can go anywhere and do pretty much anything. With the Ethan Winters saga coming to an end in Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 9 is essentially given free rein. Almost any location, any enemy faction, and any playable protagonist can be considered. But that hasn’t stopped the rumours from setting pretty firm boundaries, foreshadowing the possible appearance of Chris Redfield…

While all rumours and leaks should always be treated with caution, there has been heavy speculation for some time now that Chris Redfield will be the main playable protagonist of Resident Evil 9, and given the end of the Village, it would make a lot of sense.

A story centring on Redfield investigating the former BSAA organization for its use of BOWs. It sounds like a great premise on paper, and would be a good base for Resident Evil 9 right from the start. However, there is one plot point that Capcom should refrain from, and that is Redfield’s possible death.

Could Redfield be the perfect protagonist in the next RE game?

With the recent Resident Evil remakes being so successful, the franchise’s legacy characters have never been more popular. Thus, Chris Redfield is one of the most likely personalities for the protagonist of Resident Evil 9. A completely original protagonist would be great. But there’s no denying that a legacy character like him is guaranteed to grab the attention of longtime fans.

Having Chris Redfield as the main playable protagonist of Resident Evil 9 would be an enjoyable way to close out the franchise.

She was the first protagonist of the entire Resident Evil franchise, alongside Jill Valentine. So, carrying on that legacy in the latest mainline entry could be a nice wrap-up for nostalgic fans. In addition, Capcom seems to be planning the next version of Resident Evil 5. Since Redfield is one of the main characters in that game, it would be an excellent synergy for the franchise if he was also the main character in Resident Evil 9 around the same time.

Why shouldn’t Capcom kill off Chris Redfield in Resident Evil 9?

However, there is one particular plot point that Capcom should avoid like the plague: the character’s death. While it may seem shocking on paper, many fans already know that the franchise is long overdue for a major character death. Right now, all fingers are pointing to Chris Redfield.

But precisely because many fans were already expecting this ending in Resident Evil 9, Chris’ eventual death would thus seem entirely predictable, which could make the moment significantly cheaper.

Killing off Redfield in Resident Evil 9 would also be a big disappointment to fans who are still hoping to see him in meaningful interactions with the other heirs. Aside from the CG films, characters in the Resident Evil legacy rarely interacted with each other on screen. Fan-favourite character Leon Kennedy, for example, only met Chris Redfield once on screen. Moreover, only in a very short cutscene in Resident Evil 6. Killing Chris in Resident Evil 9 would also end the character’s future interactions.

Source: GamingBible