Resident Evil Village is a continuation of the new direction set up in RE7. Ethan Winters takes a starring role in both games functioning as the eyes through which the player experiences the world. Much of what makes Resident Evil Village, as well as RE7, dissimilar to the rest of the series comes from the involvement of Ethan Winters, who is markedly different from many of Resident Evil's previous protagonists. Resident Evil embraces Ethan Winter's differences, however, suggesting the possibility for future games to follow in the footsteps of the more recent entries. MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD.
While the ending of Resident Evil Village seemingly spells an end to Ethan's direct involvement in the franchise, his legacy may well still live on. The success of Resident Evil Village suggests a keen amount of interest from fans in Resident Evil's new look and fanciful storyline, and the ending adds to the speculation that RE Village was not the final chapter in the Winters family's storyline. Much is left up to the player's imagination by RE Village, but the prevailing idea among fans is that Capcom isn't finished with its latest evolution of the Resident Evil series, an evolution set in motion by Ethan Winters.
Ethan Winters: A Different Resident Evil Protagonist
While over the course of the two recent games much has been revealed about who Ethan Winters is, mystery seems to shroud the man. Ethan was just a regular guy before his world was flipped upside down by the events of Resident Evil 7. He was a systems engineer from California and was unaware of his wife's true profession. Ethan's down-to-earth character flies in the face of the franchise's usual militarily trained protagonists, making him slightly more relatable to the average player. In previous entries in the franchise, the protagonist is seeking to put an end to the events unfolding before them, whereas Ethan is just looking to escape with his life and his family. Resident Evil's shift in protagonist has also seen a shift in style, with a first-person camera angle removing the disassociative quality upheld by previous third-person entries.
Resident Evil Village's twist typifies Ethan Winters' average Joe persona. While he certainly holds his own throughout his two-game stint, Ethan wasn't made for the world of Resident Evil and ultimately falls victim to it. The first-person camera angle contributes to the feeling that Ethan is just like the player. He isn't some combat-hardened agent sent in to wreak havoc, and he has a vulnerability about him that is enhanced by the choice of perspective. This vulnerability is new to the franchise, as the likes of Chris Redfield and Leon Kennedy were out of their depth, but always retained an air of self-assurance. Ethan, in comparison, seems to stumble his way to success through a mixture of dumb luck and determination.
The ending of Resident Evil Village leaves a lot to the imagination, but it does make some suggestions about the future of the franchise. It seems as though the ninth mainline Resident Evil title will continue on from Ethan's escapades, potentially making use of Rose, Ethan's daughter. The game shows a now all-grown-up Rose being corralled by an agent from an unknown organization, and ultimately told she is a lot like her father. It seems as though Ethan has left his mark on his daughter in more ways than one.
Ethan Winters' Superhuman Abilities
One of the prevailing questions surrounding Resident Evil Village concerns what's going on with Ethan Winters' hands. They have taken an absolute beating across the previous two Resident Evils, yet have somehow managed to remain relatively intact, and it seems the secret to Ethans hands' survival lies in his regenerative abilities gained in RE7. As it turns out, Ethan is actually one of the infected, and as such, so long as he is able to regather any missing limbs, he can effectively put himself back together. Ethan's regenerative ability opened up the door to a whole new plain of body horror. Ethan suffered two amputated hands over the course of the two games, yet managed to finish Resident Evil 8 with both. Ethan's apparent invincibility also allowed the series to include a number of increasingly improbable to survive action sequences, an inclusion that is unlikely to end with Village.
Although Ethan Winters may have seen his last Resident Evil game, there is a good chance that Resident Evil 9 could feature Rose. This bodes well for the idea of a continuation of the superhuman abilities plot-point, as Rose hints in the post-credits scene that she has inherited her father's powers. That combined with the fact that a nameless corporation, headed by Chris Redfield, is putting her through tests, is likely to mean that Ethans' abilities will be harnessed to combat the ever-expanding list of monster-creating viruses. Despite Ethan Winters' bumbling persona in the Resident Evil series, his presence has irreversibly changed its story. Fans of the series can probably expect to see an increasing amount of human-virus hybrids going forward, as humanity seeks to find a solution to the viruses that have plagued its world.
 Resident Evil Village is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia.
