After making it out of Resident Evil 7’s Main House, Ethan finds himself in the outer yard and unfortunately still stuck on the Baker Estate. Worse, Ethan’s already been infected by the mold at this point – his only chance of survival being a serum he doesn't have the pieces for. Thankfully, Zoe – the Baker daughter – offers to lend Ethan a hand, guiding him via telephone once he explores her trailer for the first time.
In order to cure the Molded infection in Resident Evil 7, players must first find the D-Series Arm to combine with Zoe’s D-Series Head – which is easier said than done. The Main House is just the beginning as far as Resident Evil 7 is concerned and as Mutated Marguerite’s fight in the Greenhouse makes clear, things are only going to get harder from here on out.
Players can start their hunt for the D-Series Arm as soon as Mutated Marguerite has been defeated and her Lantern has been obtained. The Arm is hidden within the Old House, luring Ethan deep into one of Resident Evil 7’s tensenst areas. While the path to the D-Series Arm is uneventful, the way back is rife with danger.
Inventory Prep
One of the biggest mistakes players can make on their way to the D-Series Arm is not taking the time to prep accordingly. While there aren’t any Molded to confront on the way to the room where the D-Series Arm is stationed, the way back pits players up against three Molded on a Normal playthrough.
Considering Ethan will have just dealt with Mutated Marguerite at this point, it’s very likely players will be running on fumes with little ammo to spare. Now’s a particularly good time to expend any Burner Fuel, so bring along the Burner to quick stun any Molded.
Similarly, the Shotgun can drop all three Molded in a single shot each so long as players fire point blank. Make sure to bring at least 1 First Aid Med for good measure and any Handgun bullets in the Item Box. Keep the Grenade Launcher tucked away for the time being and descend deeper into the Old House.
Finding The D-Series Arm
The last stretch of the Old House starts out as a purely atmospheric set piece meant to prey on the player’s sanity while building tension for the eventual confrontation with the three Molded lurking inside. There’s absolutely no reason to waste ammo until after the D-Series Arm, so just walk through the house carefully and slowly.
Ethan will see and hear a little girl running around the Old House who will lead him deeper into the home. At one point, Ethan’s flashlight will even cut out and she’ll tell him to leave, but keep pressing through – she can’t hurt you (yet). Make note of the fact that Ethan passes through a Kid’s Room, a small hall, a completed molded room, and a long hallway before reaching the Detention Room. It helps familiarize yourself with the area beforehand.
Once ready, head into the Detention Room and examine the Dollhouse in the corner of the room. There’s a drawing inside that when turned shows players a secret passage in the room. Examine the wall directly behind the bed and a small passageway will open that can be crawled into. Rip the D-Series Arm off the mummified corpse and prepare for a tense walk back.
Molded Warfare
The safest way to deal with Molded on the way back to Zoe’s Trailer is to simply shoot them in the face with the Shotgun. When fired at point blank range, a Shotgun blast drops most Molded flat. The Burner won’t be burning through all three Molded, but it can briefly stun them – buying Ethan time to reposition and shoot or simply run away. Since players never need to return here, it’s advisable to avoid the Molded if possible. That said, the tight nature of the level design makes this difficult.
There will be one Molded will be right behind the door exiting the Detention Room. A second Molded will drop from the ceiling in the moldy room between the Detention Room and Kid’s Room. The last Molded will be stumbling around outside of the Kid’s Room behind a room divider. For anyone desperately low on ammo, trying to walk past the Molded while holding guard isn’t a terrible strategy. In some cases it can even get Ethan out of the Old House with more health than if players stood their ground and fought back.
Returning To Zoe’s Trailer
With Ethan safely out of the Old House and the D-Series Arm on hand, it’s finally time to get back to Zoe’s Trailer, meet her, and create some serum. Upon making it back to the trailer, however, Zoe is nowhere in sight. Worse, Lucas – the Baker family son – calls Ethan up to let him know that he’s kidnapped Mia and Zoe (in turn taking the D-Series Head with him). Taunting Ethan with an officer’s mutilated head in Zoe’s fridge, Lucas challenges players with one of Resident Evil 7’s most sadistic moments.