The many Drs.Frankenstein in Resident Evil [RE and Frankenstein Series, Text 2]

This is the #2 entry in the Resident Evil and Frankenstein series on the blog and contains spoilers to all Resident Evil lore and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; Or, the Modern Prometheus.

In the first text of this series, which I recommend you to read before this one, I explained how Resident Evil holds a lot from Frankenstein with its creatures and experiments violating the rules of nature. Scientists obsessed with their destructive creations and victory over death are the cornerstone of the devastation in both narratives, so it is possible to think that Resident Evil has, after all, several Doctors Frankenstein. Today we’re going to talk a little about each of them.

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Monster Creators – Victor Frankenstein’s View of Science in Resident Evil [RE and Frankenstein Series, Text 1]

This is the #1 entry in the Resident Evil and Frankenstein series on the blog and contains spoilers to all Resident Evil lore and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; Or, the Modern Prometheus.

“Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world. A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me”. P.40.

Ozwell E. Spencer wanted to create a new “race” of human beings, forcing the evolution of the species through viruses. In his view these beings would be superior to others; they would be stronger and more intelligent – and should see him as their leader, a god of the new species. It wasn’t him, however, who said the above-quoted words. It was none other than Victor Frankenstein in the brilliant work that inaugurated the sci-fi genre, one of which Resident Evil belongs to.

Ozwell Spencer, artworkfrom Resident Evil 5: Lost in Nightmares.

Frankenstein; Or, the Modern Prometheus, first published by English writer Mary Shelley in 1818 and reedited in 1831, influences science fiction still to this day. And, albeit indirectly, Resident Evil was not left out. The franchise has an immense number of ‘mad’ scientists with objectives similar to Victor’s – almost all of them, by the way.

And since I love both Frankenstein and Resident Evil, this text, which was going to be a standalone, will be the first in the Resident Evil and Frankenstein series that will discuss various aspects of how we can connect the two stories.

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Penamstan and real-life wars – Analysing Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, part 2

This text contains spoilers from Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness.

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness’ plot has a wide variety of historical references and not exactly subtle political parallels from real life. Even though these elements have been explored superficially by the final product, I believe it’s much enriching to explore them in order to deepen what the show itself didn’t.

This is a text with sensitive themes that may possibly generate controversy, but debate here must be done with respect both to the debaters and to the groups being discussed. Any comments demonstrating prejudice against Arabs, Afghans, Chinese, Muslims or any other cultural group will be summarily deleted.

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The United States hegemony and the global order Derek Simmons wanted to preserve

At a certain moment of Leon’s campaign in Resident Evil 6, Derek Simmons justifies his motivation for assassinating President Adam Benford. According to him, had the truth about Raccoon City had been disclosed, the United States would have lost its authority and the global political order would have collapsed. This global order is, for him, the position of leadership of the United States towards the rest of the world, something that Resident Evil took directly from our reality.

Let’s talk about the constitution of this global order and how it relates to the rest of the franchise, then?

Simmons’ interest in maintaining the global order is, of course, related to the power he himself possesses at this juncture. He shouts, “He [Benford] was leading my country, and this world, into complete chaos!” in a reference to the US not only as his home country, but also as the country he dominates. As Ada had already said in the catacombs: “We are up against the people who really run this country, in a very dangerous game.”

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