Resident Evil is one of the most well-known video game franchises, one which has defined the term "survival horror." While the series strayed quite some ways off from its roots in titles like Resident Evil 6, the franchise returned to its former glory with 2017's Resident Evil 7.
The follow-up, Resident Evil Village, has a satisficed a lot of fans of the series. In addition to garnering critical and commercial acclaim, Resident Evil Village tells one of the weirdest storylines in the series, filled with many twists and turns. Many fans are curious to know about Ethan's immortality in the game, and there's certainly a lot to unpack. MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD.
Why Ethan Winters Can't Die
Resident Evil 7 protagonist Ethan Winters has recently become an internet sensation alongside the gargantuan Lady Dimitrescu, owing to his godly strength and abilities to rejoin his severely injured arms time after time again. While it may seem that such a thing is par for the course of playing a Resident Evil game, it is later revealed that Ethan has a dark secret that allows him to perform such feats.
It turns out that the actual Ethan Winters died all the way back in Resident Evil 7, after succumbing to a punch and kick by Jack Baker. However, his exposure to the mold gave him incredible regenerative powers. Eveline, the main antagonist of Resident Evil 7, reveals to Ethan in a vision that his body is entirely comprised of mold. Due to this revelation, Ethan is able to live even when his heart is ripped apart from his body by Miranda. This might certainly be a shock for fans, but leaves a lot of room for interesting speculation regarding the game's ending.
Resident Evil Village's Ending Mysteries
After rescuing her daughter Rose from the clutches of Miranda, Ethan Winters finally succumbs to his injuries and asks Chis Redfield to take her daughter to her wife Mia. One of the ending shots reveals Ethan pulling the trigger of a bomb that blows the village "sky high," following which things cut to the future. The final shot of Rose going off into the distance reveals a strange figure walking down the road. Using a camera unlock mod, fans are able to confirm that the man in question is indeed Ethan Winters.
How Ethan Winters managed to retain his sanity after being exposed to the mold for so long remains a question, and whether or not he dies in the explosion is another mystery. It's possible that this strange appearance might just be Rose's imagination, but there's also a possibility that Ethan might have gotten himself back up together after the explosion and went to visit his grave on his birthday. Regardless, the game's closing statement "The Father's story ends here" does imply that future adventures might focus on Rosemary Winters, which is plausible given she is now working with Chris in B.S.A.A.
Resident Evil Village is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
