The Resident Evil franchise appears to be throwing fans yet another curveball with Resident Evil: Village. Much like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, the trailers and promotional material do not show a lot relating to the overarching narrative except for Chris Redfield.
Only once gamers play the title on May 7th, 2021 will we know how the setting and villains connect to the rest of the Resident Evil games. Until then, all we can do is sort out the information we have gathered from the trailers and playable demo, Maiden, and ponder the burning questions we have. This list will focus on the enigmatic villains presented to us thus far.
10 Know: They Drink Blood
In the Maiden demo provided by Capcom, you can observe a tea cup in the main room of the castle. Look inside it to reveal a giant red stain on the bottom of the cup. It does not take a lot to realize this is blood. As disgusting as this is, drinking blood is par for the course when it comes to Resident Evil. No one would have batted an eye if the Bakers from the seventh game did the same thing.
9 Burning Question: Why Are There No Men?
The trailers make a couple of references to man blood, making us think it is rare for Ethan, a man, to be in the castle. Additionally, a letter in the Maiden demo questions why men are completely absent from the estate. Why is this, and how does the family line continue with no men? Perhaps this idea is at the core of the villains' motivations. Maybe they bring in the next generation with a sacrifice or ceremony.
8 Know: They Make Wine
In the room before finishing the demo, there is a note detailing how the castle makes wine, and has been doing so since the 15th century. The note mentions a secret process in creating the family's signature brand. It does not look like many grapes are being used. It makes us wonder how the family makes and distributes the product without investigations or inspections.
7 Burning Question: Is It Really Supernatural?
The environments presented in Resident Evil: Village's trailers scream gothic horror. One is reminded of the Wolfman and Dracula when looking at some of the enemies and rooms in the castle.
This has us wondering; is the explanation for all of these terrors supernatural? Knowing Resident Evil, an explanation regarding diseases, parasites, or experiments gone wrong will reveal everything. Until then, we cannot be certain it is not the result of a supernatural phenomenon.
6 Know: They Want Ethan's Daughter
Ethan Winters comes to the village and castle to rescue his kidnapped daughter. The trailers imply Chris Redfield took Ethan's child and killed Mia. Perhaps this is a red herring, but we will not know until playing the game. What we do know is the Villains have some reason for wanting Ethan's infant child. Saving a baby certainly raises the stakes and makes the journey more personal for Ethan Winters.
5 Burning Question: What Is Their Relationship To Ethan
One of the weirder aspects of the recent story trailer is how everyone appears to already know Ethan Winters. One has to wonder if they knew the protagonist for a longtime beforehand, or if they know his name just from all the noise he has been making throughout his current journey in Resident Evil: Village. It makes us question if Ethan is just an everyman hero or if there is something more special about him. Maybe they only know his exploits in Resident Evil 7.
4 Know: Names
The giant vampire lady is named Lady Dimitrescu, and has quickly become an Internet sensation. We know she has a brother, who may be named Heisenberg. Additionally, she answers to somebody dubbed Mother Miranda.
The Dimitrescu family has inhabited the castle for centuries, though we do not know if they have been this twisted for as long. A murderous aristocratic family in a European castle brings to mind historical monsters like Countess Elizabeth Bathory from Hungary.
3 Burning Question: Why Is Lady Dimitrescu So Big?
The Internet has already put its detective skills to work to deduce that Lady Dimitrescu is a staggering eight feet tall. How did this woman end up becoming so large? Was she born like this or did something transform her? Perhaps this woman was not born at all, but created. Was there once a kinder, less sadistic Lady Dimitrescu or was she always like this? The Bakers, for example, were not a murderous family before the unfortunate accident mutated them.
2 Know: They Kill Maidens
While the exact reason for their murderous ways is unknown, the Maiden demo reveals that Lady Dimitrescu and her minions - who may or may not be related - imprison and kill the workers in the castle. The titular maiden of the demo unfortunately does not escape the castle, getting killed right as she opens the door to the courtyard. Are there still workers imprisoned in the castle by the time Ethan Winters arrives?
1 Burning Question: Is Lady Dimitrescu A Tyrant?
At the end of the demo, Lady Dimitrescu unsheathes extremely long claws from her fingernails and kills the player character. These nails remind longtime fans of the Tyrant from the first Resident Evil. While this beast could not talk, the aesthetic similarities make us wonder if Lady Dimitrescu is also a Tyrant. The grey tinted skin also feels reminiscent of the Tyrant. If she is not directly one, perhaps whatever got into her is related to the T-Virus.