Leon is undoubtedly one of the most popular characters from the beloved Resident Evil video game series, but it seems that every time Capcom brings him back, he's always at least a little different from his previous iteration. While his backstory of being a rookie cop who got caught up in the horrific Raccoon City incident has always remained the same, along with his iconic hairstyle, Capcom have taken some creative liberties with the rest of his character, resulting in some drastically different portrayals.

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It's clear that the developers were still figuring out what sort of character they wanted Leon to be in the earlier games, and while he's definitely been more consistent and realistic in the remakes, there are still some clear differences between how he's been presented on-screen for every title he's in. While the majority of these portrayals were home-runs, sometimes, it felt like Capcom completely missed the mark on what makes Leon such a fun and captivating protagonist in the first place.

6 Resident Evil 6

This More Mature Version Of Leon Felt A Little Jaded And Bland Compared To What Fans Are Used To

As is the case with the majority of the returning cast in Resident Evil 6, it felt as though Capcom couldn't decide what role they wanted Leon to play in this enormous entry. While there's definitely still a few traces of the brash and cocky attitude that a lot of fans loved in Resident Evil 4, it's almost completely overshadowed by Leon's much more stoic, and admittedly pretty bland personality which he never manages to shake off for the entire game.

He also seems to have no personal initiative in this game, especially near the beginning where he simply follows Helena, despite knowing nothing about her and being forced to lie for her sake. It was definitely a fun experiment to see what a slightly older and more mature iteration of Leon would look like, but it felt like his charm and personality in general were needlessly dumbed down for unknown reasons.

5 Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles

Darkside Chronicles Dropped Some Subtle Hints As To How Raccoon City had Mentally Impacted Leon

Darkside Chronicles sheds a lot of light on what happened to Leon between his escape from Raccoon City and his appointment as a U.S special agent. Not only does this on-rails shooter chronicle Leon's fight for survival in Resident Evil 2, it also adds a brand-new campaign in the form of "Operation Javier," which follows Leon and Krauser's attempt to intercept a notorious South American drug lord. He has an incredibly detailed design this time around, especially in the "Memories of a Lost City" story, which essentially just adds a massive visual update to his classic RPD design from the original Resident Evil 2.

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In terms of personality, Leon's noticeably a lot more introverted and moody than his other iterations, which does make sense considering the horrors he faced not long before in Raccoon City. While there are, unfortunately, only a few conversations shared between him and Krauser, they do still prove that he's just as steadfast and passionate as ever about clearing the world of bioterrorism.

4 Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4's Outgoing And Wise-Cracking Version Of Leon Was Very Different, But A Lot Of Fun

While each major version of Leon feels like a slight alteration to the one before, his iteration in Resident Evil 4 feels almost like an entirely different person to the rookie cop of old. Rather than trembling at the sight of a single zombie, this Leon was vaulting out of windows, suplexing evil monks, and jumping across giant chandeliers to scale entire buildings. It's clear that Shinji Mikami and the team at Capcom went all in with the "action hero" character template when designing Leon for this game, and while it's incredibly entertaining, it can be just a little too much at times.

Even when Leon's on the brink of death due to the Plagas spreading throughout his body, he still manages to throw out one-liners and jokes which can seem a little tone-deaf, but it's also made for an incredibly memorable version of the character. Leon's outlandish personality in Resident Evil 4 is definitely an acquired taste, but a lot of people have come to love this badass and wisecracking iteration of the character.

3 Resident Evil 2

His Dedication To Protecting Others As Part Of His Role Makes This Leon A Lovable Protagonist

Despite it being his debut, Leon instantly became a fan-favorite after appearing in the original Resident Evil 2, primarily because of just how intriguing his character was. Being a rookie cop, he feels as though he has a duty to protect others, and this is on full display after he meets Ada, who he constantly goes out of his way to help, even if she seems to be working against him. Leon also didn't have a typically large frame either, which would be expected for a stereotypical police officer. Instead, he was much smaller and felt like a regular civilian, which made him more relatable and realistic in the eyes of many.

It's clear that he tries to put on as much of a tough-guy front as possible throughout the game, which is completely understandable given his occupation, but there are also times when he shows a slightly goofier side too, such as when he complains that nobody listens to him when he tells them to wait for him. He doesn't get quite enough lines of dialogue to fully flesh out his character, but Capcom still managed to strike gold when developing Leon as one of their main characters.

2 Resident Evil 2 Remake

Leon Becomes Much More Grounded And Realistic In The Remake

Capcom took all the qualities that made Leon so beloved as a character in Resident Evil 2, and simply expanded upon them in the remake to create one of the most endearing and believable protagonists the series has seen to date. While his bravery is still on full display, Leon shows a lot more hesitancy in the remake, often speaking to himself when alone in the RPD hallways to try and boost his confidence. He also seems to be much more passionate about finding out what started the outbreak in the first place, and while his complex relationship with Ada has also been carried over, it feels a lot more real since Leon shows more reluctance to go along with everything she says.

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It definitely would have been nice to see some of the extra interactions between Leona and Claire that were in the original, but this more naive and innocent version of Leon was still executed extremely well in the Resident Evil 2 Remake. Capcom even managed to squeeze in a few snarky lines into his dialogue too, which was also a nice addition to lead into the version that comes after.

1 Resident Evil 4 Remake

Capcom Managed To Perfectly Merge Leon's Goofy And Serious Side Into One Version

After the announcement of Resident Evil 4 Remake, a lot of fans were sure that Capcom would decide to make Leon a much more moody and introverted character as opposed to his more cocky iteration, but they actually managed to perfectly merge both versions into one. While his experiences in Raccoon City have clearly made him a lot more cold and dismissive, Leon also has just the right amount of sharp-tongued charisma that makes him an absolute joy to be around. The clever one-liners are still here, but there are also plenty of scenes showcasing Leon's more emotional side, such as when he kills his old comrade Krauser, or even just reuniting with Ada Wong after so many years.

Leon's core values really shine through in this remake, especially his dedication to protecting others. Capcom really focused in on the grief and loss that effected Leon after Raccoon City, and as a result of that, he feels dedicated to save anyone he can, as a way to ease his conscience about all those that were lost in the horrific incident six years ago. This portrayal of Leon is charming, emotional, and so intriguing as a protagonist, and it's without a doubt his best version to date.

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