Despite how dark and dire the world of Resident Evil is, the beloved protagonists always seem to have time to crack a joke or two. RE characters (protagonists in particular) are known for their witty one-liners or clever quips they cook up, even in the face of danger. Aside from the beloved cast of characters, there are also some goofier mechanics in the games that perhaps don't make a ton of sense in a real-world context that fans roll with regardless.

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Capcom isn't the type to shy away from letting the otherwise serious world of RE have its sillier moments; frequently calling back to classic fan-favorite jokes or memeable moments throughout the series to keep fans happy and the atmosphere light. Here are some of the best running gags throughout the RE series.

8 Plant Power

Referenced In: RE2R

For whatever reason, the existence of magical herbs has been a staple in the RE universe. Whether it be Jill suffering from a small cut or Leon dragging his almost lifeless body to a save room after being treated like a zombie chew toy, a mixture of red and green herbs will do the trick and have them up and on their feet, energetic and spry once again.

While herbs appear in almost every RE game (with the introduction of some new colors like the yellow and blue herbs), RE2R was the one that poked fun at the ridiculousness of the longtime mechanic by featuring an ad for herb ice cream at the gas station Leon/Claire first arrives at. Apparently, herb healing properties aren't just plot armor for the protagonists, as the ice cream's slogan reads, "Herbs heal you"!

7 Ethan Needs A Hand

Referenced In: RE7, RE8

During Ethan Winters's short stay as a RE protagonist (starring in only two games), poor Ethan's hands have gotten cut, bitten, stabbed, pierced, hooked, and sliced right off. Fans now know that all of Ethan's suffering was vital to show off his mold powers that were revealed at the end of RE8, but since the game is entirely in first-person, the developers had no choice but to always go for Ethan's hands, as they were the only part of him that was on-screen for players to see. Fans have even made entire lists and lengthy compilations of every time poor Ethan's hands were harmed throughout his time in the series!

Perhaps Leon's famous line about Ramon Salazar's right hand "coming off" was foreshadowing Ethan's role as a protagonist all along.

6 Lifesaving Typewriters

Referenced In: RE1, RE1R, RE2, RE2R, RE3, RE3R RE4, RE4R RE7, RE8

The idea behind the typewriters in the original RE was that the S.T.A.R.S. members were jotting down the events at the Spencer mansion, in hopes that any survivors would find their notes and uncover what happened that night in the Arklay Mountains. While it makes sense thematically, the idea of Chris or Claire taking their time in the middle of a zombie apocalypse to sit down and type out a little diary entry or Ethan taking a breather to talk about his findings at the Baker house is a hilarious image.

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The safe room mechanic is often abused by players; letting them taunt enemies like vicious lickers or even the terrifying Mr. X, just to run to the closest typewriter room, forcing their enemies to turn back around and roam mindlessly once again as they know they cannot enter a safe room! It's so kind of Mr. X and Nemesis to patiently wait outside as Leon and Jill write down a log of their day for a quick checkpoint.

5 Magic Merchants

Referenced In: RE4, RE8, RE4R

RE4/RE4R and RE8 are the only games in the mainline series that offer players a merchant to buy and sell items from. While it makes sense practically, thematically, it seems a bit strange and awfully convenient. Although the Merchant from RE4/RE4R is simply another Ganado, he doesn't see Leon as a threat and only concerns himself about money, appearing any place Leon may need to empty his inventory. Meanwhile, Ethan's merchant, the Duke, is also seemingly just another villager, but acts friendly towards Ethan and even offers him help on a few occasions.

Surprisingly, Ethan (being the witty protagonist he is) never directly questions Duke about his ability to conveniently be wherever needed, but does point out that the Duke does indeed look suspicious.

4 Weirdly Intricate Architecture

Referenced In: RE5 (DLC), RE7

The Spencer mansion in RE1 had a ton of intricate architecture and overly complicated ways of unlocking doors/passageways, making for some great puzzles for players to solve. These puzzles then became a staple of the series down the road but never got the same contextual explanation that the Spencer mansion of RE1 did. Perhaps the RE2 police department did have an underground area for when it was an art museum, but why would that mean the building had secret passageways that were unlocked with special medallions?

Jill pokes a bit of fun at this running gag when inspecting the railway monument puzzle at the beginning area of the game, stating that she could the thing working, "whatever this thing is". However, the best line about the absurdity of RE architecture puzzles comes from Ethan after solving the "sky hunter" puzzle and wondering out loud "Who builds this ****?"

3 Master Of Unlocking

Referenced In: RE1, RE4R

The original RE had rather campy writing that the internet loved memeing on. Jill being referred to as the "master of unlocking" was one of the internet's favorite memes. Capcom didn't shy away from it, including it as a trophy/achievement in many following games; usually rewarded for unlocking every interactable lock.

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On top of referencing the iconic scene with achievements, Capcom decided to pay the amazing line tribute once again in the RE4 remake, giving Ashley her own "master of unlocking" line after unbarring a locked door for Leon by climbing over to the other side. Jill would be proud!

2 Boulder Killer Chris

Referenced In: RE5, RE8

While many fans found RE5 a bit too heavy on the action for a survival horror game, no one can deny that Chris's notorious boulder-punching scene at the end of his boss battle with longtime antagonist Wesker made the game worthwhile. The idea of a grown man attempting to punch a boulder out of the way (instead of simply trying to push it as any other reasonable human would do) is not only hilarious but also an irrefutable testament to Chris Redfield's raw strength.

This iconic scene was then referenced in RE8 during Ethan's boss battle with Heisenberg as he calls Ethan's buddy a "boulder punching-*******"! The only question that remains is who told Heisenberg about the events that happened in RE5?

1 Almost A Jill Sandwich

Referenced In: RE1, RE1R, RE:R2, RE4R

The "Jill Sandwich" line is one of RE's oldest (and most treasured) jokes, and it's a shame that the RE1 remake decided to rephrase the iconic line, having Barry state that Jill "would have fit nicely into a sandwich" instead. However, after seeing the audience's reaction, Capcom decided to bring the classic line back in RE:R2, this time with longtime protagonist Claire stating that she was one second away from being a "Claire sandwich".

Fast-forward to 2023, and Leon Kennedy gets his turn to reference the gag, putting his own twist on it. After evading El Gigante's collapsing body, he states that he was "almost a pancake". RE fans loved Jill as a sandwich, so there's no doubt fans would still love Leon as a pancake too.

Resident Evil

Creation Year

1996

Developer(s)

Capcom

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Summary

Capcom's survival horror franchise.