Companies Mentioned
Why It Matters
Understanding how bad luck drives narrative stakes reveals why Resident Evil remains compelling and informs future game design, such as the upcoming Requiem title.
Key Takeaways
- •Ethan Winters faces repeated, fatal setbacks across two main titles
- •Chris Redfield loses multiple teammates, reinforcing his lone‑wolf image
- •Sherry Birkin’s trauma stems from Raccoon City’s lasting fallout
- •New game Resident Evil Requiem introduces FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft
- •Unlucky arcs enhance horror tension and character depth
Pulse Analysis
Resident Evil’s longevity hinges on more than monsters; it thrives on the relentless misfortune that befalls its cast. When protagonists like Ethan Winters or Chris Redfield repeatedly lose allies or confront impossible odds, players experience heightened empathy and suspense. This narrative device transforms standard survival horror mechanics into emotionally charged journeys, encouraging fans to discuss theories, share fan art, and remain invested across multiple releases. The franchise’s willingness to subject its heroes to relentless adversity has become a hallmark of Capcom’s storytelling strategy.
The article’s seven‑character ranking showcases how bad luck operates as a storytelling engine. Ethan’s perpetual brush with death, Sherry Birkin’s lingering Raccoon City trauma, and Chris Redfield’s decimated squads each illustrate a pattern: adversity amplifies character growth while reinforcing the series’ bleak atmosphere. Even antagonists such as Ramon Salazar and Bitores Mendez suffer ironic reversals, underscoring that no one is immune to the series’ unforgiving world. These arcs not only deepen lore but also provide designers with built‑in tension points that translate into memorable set‑pieces and gameplay challenges.
Looking forward, Resident Evil Requiem’s introduction of Grace Ashcroft signals a fresh take on the unlucky protagonist trope. As an FBI analyst thrust into a new nightmare, Grace may inherit the franchise’s tradition of ill‑fated heroes, offering opportunities for innovative narrative twists and player‑driven decision making. Industry observers note that leveraging established misfortune motifs while injecting novel character perspectives can rejuvenate long‑running IPs. By blending familiar thematic elements with fresh gameplay mechanics, Capcom aims to keep both veteran fans and newcomers engaged in the evolving horror landscape.
The Unluckiest Resident Evil Characters
By Ewan Lewis and Mark Sammut · Published Feb 19, 2026, 9:15 PM EST
Some Resident Evil characters have the worst luck in the horror genre, a statement not made lightly. The likes of Leon, Claire, and Jill always seem to find themselves in the middle of absurd situations, jumping from one crisis to the next as they deal with zombies, B.O.W.s, and Albert Wesker. The shocking thing is that these heroes have better luck than many of their peers or enemies; heck, in some cases, they are the harbingers of doom.
Resident Evil Requiem is nearly here, and the upcoming game will introduce a brand‑new protagonist: Grace Ashcroft. Going by what we know so far, the FBI analyst likely has a rough future ahead of her, but it remains to be seen whether her life is just a series of unfortunate events. In the meantime, let’s glance through the franchise’s history to pick out the Resident Evil heroes and villains who are cursed with horrendous luck.
7 Ramon Salazar
None of Salazar’s traps or schemes succeed in slowing down Leon
Game Appearances: Resident Evil 4 / Resident Evil 4 Remake
When Leon first steps into Salazar’s castle at about the midpoint of Resident Evil 4, the noble comes across as extremely cocky and arrogant, believing that the special agent will have no chance of making it through alive. Despite the entire castle being littered with an unbelievable number of booby traps—including a walking statue, collapsing ceilings, and even a lava room—Leon manages to take down every one of them single‑handedly.
6 Chris Redfield
It’s hard to recall the number of squadmates Chris has lost along his many adventures
Game Appearances: Resident Evil / Resident Evil: Code Veronica / Resident Evil 5 / Resident Evil 6 / Resident Evil 7 / Resident Evil Village
Chris Redfield just cannot catch a break. It’s almost become a running meme in the community that any time Chris tries to get back on his feet and rally a team, he inevitably loses almost all of them in some sort of accident. This is most evident in Resident Evil 6, where, one by one, each of his team members is taken from him, causing Chris to lash out and question why this keeps happening. By the time fans see Chris return in Village, he’s a worn‑down, solemn shadow of his former self, still desperately trying to do what’s right even though those around him tend to be the ones who bite the dust. He even fails to rescue Ethan at the end of that game, and while it wasn’t his own fault, it’s bizarre how often Chris is struck with such bad luck.
5 Steve Burnside
The sins of Steve’s father ultimately ruin the young man’s life
Game Appearance: Resident Evil: Code Veronica
After being thrown into Rockfort prison because his father was caught selling Umbrella’s data, Steve is forced to gun down his zombified father and is constantly mocked by Claire, whom it is implied he has feelings for. Unlucky for Steve, he isn’t even able to live out his dreams of getting with Claire; he mutates late in the story and ends up losing his life, all because of his dad’s misdeeds.
4 Ricardo Irving
Transforming into a B.O.W. is always a gamble, but Irving may have gotten the worst draw of them all
Game Appearance: Resident Evil 5
Ricardo Irving is an arms dealer who makes a few brief appearances throughout Resident Evil 5. While he is continuously mocked and berated by a mysterious figure later revealed as Jill, Irving’s luck really runs out during his transformation sequence.
3 Sherry Birkin
Ever since the Raccoon City incident, Sherry has been plagued with bad luck
Game Appearances: Resident Evil 2 / Resident Evil 2 Remake / Resident Evil 6
As a result of the Raccoon City disaster, Sherry constantly has a target on her back and suffers a pretty abysmal level of luck throughout her life. Even when she finally seems to have found purpose as a federal agent, she learns that her guardian, Simmons, was an evil mastermind all along—just when things couldn’t get any worse.
2 Bitores Mendez
Mendez’s dreams were crushed due to one unlucky encounter
Game Appearances: Resident Evil 4 / Resident Evil 4 Remake
After becoming the head of the village, things looked promising for Mendez. Singing, dancing, and new education initiatives gave the community hope. Soon after, a mysterious group of hooded figures entered the village, turning everyone—including Mendez—into mindless Ganado. Just when everything seemed hopeful, Mendez’s dreams were tarnished by a single unlucky encounter.
1 Ethan Winters
It’s almost like Capcom just enjoys playing cruel and twisted jokes on Ethan
Game Appearances: Resident Evil 7 / Resident Evil Village
Already down on his luck, Ethan wanders into a creepy lycan‑infested village to rescue his daughter, Rose. Just moments before reuniting with her, Ethan learns the haunting reality that he is, in fact, dead. The mold that infested his body had been keeping him going this entire time, but whenever Ethan manages to get close to finally being at peace and seeing his family again, it’s ripped away from him time and time again, completely outside his control.
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