The Resident Evil 4 remake is finally getting closer to its set release date. Following in the footsteps of Resident Evil 2 and 3, both of which received high-budget remakes in recent years, Resident Evil 4 perhaps has the most to live up to. Capcom has assured longtime fans that it won't deviate too drastically from the original, but rather that it will expand upon and enhance the story to create a more robust experience.
For a character like Albert Wesker, who has a small but pivotal role in Resident Evil 4, the promise of expanded narrative could prove fruitful. Yet, it might also rob the character of his shadowy reputation. Either way, there are some areas that Wesker could be explored more in depth based on his original appearance.
Wesker's Main Goal is to Bring About Extinction
Wesker appears in the very first Resident Evil. Originally a member of the S.T.A.R.S. (Raccoon Police Department's Special Tactics and Rescue Service) program, he was later revealed to be a double agent that sought to weaponize the T-Virus and bring about an extinction event. His goal extends through to Resident Evil 4, where he's tasked by Umbrella with infiltrating the Spanish cult Los Illuminados in order to retrieve a sample of a virus that the locals call Las Plagas. Unlike the other T-Virus variants, it allows its host to retain their consciousness alongside physical augmentations.
In previous Resident Evil games, Wesker's intentions were somewhat muddled outside a profane desire for human extinction born of his obsession with the virus. He has a personal investment, but also a fiscal and political one through the Umbrella Corporation, and it's never certain which of those is the priority. In Resident Evil 4, Wesker furthers his position as a shadowy and powerful figure, orchestrating his work from a distance rather than participating in it.
Wesker is Resident Evil's Man Behind the Curtain
Wesker's mission is executed through the proxies of Ada Wong and Jack Krauser, to which he issues directives from the comfort of a darkly lit command room. Leon's involvement independent of that - he's tasked with rescuing the President's daughter, Ashley Graham - is an inconvenience at best. Wesker uses Leon as a distraction for the larger target of the Los Illuminados, and finds ways to maneuver these various players on the board against each other.
Ada shifts between loyalty to her mission (which, in the end, proves paramount) and her on-and-off rapport with Leon, which means she makes decisions that aren't always in-line with Wesker's. Meanwhile, Jack Krauser shares a hunger for power with Wesker, and his obsession with Las Plagas is a personal interest in amplifying his own physical prowess. He is revealed to be behind the kidnapping of Ashley in order to gain the trust of Los Illuminados, which results in a showdown with Leon. With or without him, Wesker is still able to further his own mission.
Resident Evil 4 also features The Mercenaries, a mode that allows for single player and couch co-op combat. The goal is to kill the most enemies, with higher points allocated for stronger opponents. Wesker is playable in this mode, and while not necessarily canon to the main game, this offers players a small glimpse of a man who played a more action-oriented role in the earlier games - and who would play one again in Resident Evil 5.
The remake of Resident Evil 4 is certain to shake things up, and modernized character designs are only a taste of the changes to come. Perhaps Wesker's role will be more pronounced, featuring more heavily into cutscenes now that the franchise has four other entries from which to pull lore. It can be more explorative, planting seeds for future Resident Evil games like an RE5 remake if that arrives next.
Resident Evil 4 Remake releases March 23, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
