Albert Wesker

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Albert Wesker
Resident Evil character
Albert Wesker.png
Albert Wesker in Resident Evil 5
First appearanceResident Evil (1996)
Created byKenichi Iwao
Designed byIsao Ohishi and Jun Takeuchi (Resident Evil)[1]
Portrayed byEric Pirius (Resident Evil live-action cutscenes)
Jason O'Mara (Extinction)[2]
Shawn Roberts (Afterlife, Retribution, The Final Chapter)[3]
Tom Hopper (Welcome to Raccoon City)
Lance Reddick (TV series)[4]
Voiced byEnglish
Pablo Kuntz (Resident Evil)[5]
Richard Waugh (Code: Veronica, Resident Evil 0, Resident Evil 4, Wesker's Report)[6]
Peter Jessop (Resident Evil remake)[6]
D. C. Douglas (The Umbrella Chronicles, Resident Evil 5, The Darkside Chronicles, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Revelations 2, Resident Evil Zero HD Remaster,[a] Umbrella Corps, Teppen)[6][7]
Japanese
Jōji Nakata (Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3,[6] Resident Evil HD Remaster,[8] Resident Evil Zero HD Remaster, Teppen)[9]
Fumihiko Tachiki (Extinction)
Motion captureKen Lally (Resident Evil 5)
Ilram Choi (Resident Evil 5)
Yoshio Iizuka (Resident Evil 5)
Junichi Kawamoto (Resident Evil remake)
In-universe information
ChildrenJake Muller (son)

Albert Wesker (アルバート・ウェスカー, Arubāto Wesukā) is a fictional character in Capcom's Resident Evil series (Biohazard in Japan). He is first introduced in the original Resident Evil game, in which he is the captain of U.S. police team S.T.A.R.S. His character is further explored in subsequent installments, which greatly expand his role in the series' extensive narrative.

Introduced in the first game, Wesker has been one of the main antagonists throughout the series, where he usually manipulates story events behind-the-scenes. Wesker seeks to replace humanity through mass extinction and forced evolution, believing it to be an evolutionary dead end. To this end, he is affiliated with the Umbrella Corporation as one of its most promising researchers, and at the same time participates in illicit activities by going undercover as a S.T.A.R.S captain in Raccoon City. Through the course of much betrayal of his allies to further his own plans, Wesker fakes his death, gains superhuman abilities from an experimental variant of the Progenitor virus, and works with both Umbrella's mysterious rival company and their successors in the field of biological weapons development, TRICELL, until his ultimate defeat by Chris Redfield in Resident Evil 5.

Appearances[]

In Resident Evil games[]

Wesker made his first appearance as a non-playable character in the original Resident Evil game. In that game, he is the commanding officer of Alpha team of the Special Tactics And Rescue Service (STARS), where he initially helps the player by leaving supplies and useful information. Wesker is eventually revealed to be a double agent working for the Umbrella Corporation; ordered by his superiors to lure the STARS into the Spencer mansion to be used as test subjects against the mutated creatures to gather battle data, although he later implies that this was itself a cover for his own agenda regarding stealing Umbrella's research.[10][11][12] Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine and the others come to learn of Wesker's true motive, but after releasing the Tyrant monster, Wesker is seemingly killed.[13][14] The Sega Saturn port of Resident Evil features a Battle Mode minigame where the player can fight a zombified version of Wesker.[15]

However, this is part of an even bigger plan. In the special giveaway fictional documentary titled Wesker's Report (rewritten in 2003 to include details from Resident Evil 0 and the Resident Evil remake[16]), Wesker reveals that he planned to sell the Tyrant to Umbrella's rival company in the B.O.W. field as a means to buy his way into a high position, and he deployed the elite STARS against it in order to obtain combat data to prove the Tyrant's effectiveness to the company. However, his plan was ruined after the Tyrant was destroyed by his former subordinates, and he survived his apparent death in the first game by injecting himself beforehand with an experimental variant of the T-virus, provided by his former Umbrella colleague William Birkin, that revived and augmented him with superhuman strength, speed and regeneration, but at the expense of his humanity. Wesker returned in Resident Evil – Code: Veronica, augmented with superhuman powers and working as an agent for "H.C.F." (Hive/Host Capture Force), a Special Forces unit of the rival company opposed to Umbrella. He orchestrates a raid on Rockfort Island in order to capture Alexia Ashford, creator of the T-Veronica virus who now holds the only remaining sample of the virus within her body. When Chris Redfield knocks his sunglasses off during a brief struggle, Wesker's orange, almost reptilian eyes are seen for the first time. He confronts both Chris and Alexia and he took the corpse of Steve Burnside in order to extract the T-Veronica virus. In the expanded release, Code: Veronica X, he briefly confronts Chris's younger sister Claire and nearly kills her in order to torment Chris, but is called away by his associates and thus chooses to spare her life.[13][14]

Wesker then appeared alongside William Birkin in Resident Evil Zero, a prequel to the original game where it is revealed that he attended the Umbrella Executive Training School as a prospective executive, and later in Resident Evil 4 as a conspirator manipulating events from behind the scenes, where he would issue orders to Ada Wong. He is also unlockable in "The Mercenaries" scenario. He is also the protagonist of Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles and a playable character in several of the game's scenarios, expanding upon events alluded to in early games, as well as his involvement in Umbrella's downfall after the events of Code: Veronica and his development in Resident Evil 4. In the end he kills Sergei Vladimir, a loyal Umbrella executive.[13] Wesker also very briefly appears in Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, as he at one point is seen by Jack Krauser. He also gave Javier a sample of the virus within Steve Burnside.

Wesker returns in Resident Evil 5 conspiring with the pharmaceutical division of the TRICELL conglomerate as a means to create the "Uroboros virus", an enhanced virus derived from the Progenitor virus, with which he ultimately plans to release into the Earth's atmosphere. Before being killed by Wesker, Oswell Spencer reveals that Wesker was the survivor of a Progenitor virus variant administration experiment—the "Wesker Project." (It is stated in the RE5 downloadable content "Lost in Nightmares" that another Wesker, Alex, survived as well). He would eventually enact a plot to transform the human race into powerful superhumans like himself, and be a god to rule over them in a new age. Chris and Sheva Alomar prevent the worldwide infection and ultimately kill Wesker inside a volcano at the end of the game. Masachika Kawata, the game's producer, confirmed that Wesker perished in the game's finale.[17] Some concept artwork for Resident Evil 5 also indicated that Wesker was to have been in his human form while in lava and then blasted with missiles from an F-16 Fighting Falcon, before eventually being shot in the head on the landing platform by Chris and Sheva.[18]

Wesker appears in the spin-off title Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D as a playable character along with various other Resident Evil characters.[19][20] His voice is heard on the 15th anniversary special video narrating the events.[21] He has a son named Jake Muller who is introduced in Resident Evil 6. D. C. Douglas, Wesker's voice actor, had a cameo voice role in Umbrella Corps, which takes place after the events of Resident Evil 6.[22] When asked if Wesker's character would return in future Resident Evil games, Douglas responded, "We have no idea. And we wouldn't. We're only working on this game."[22]

Wesker is also featured in Resident Evil: Revelations 2 as a playable character in Raid Mode, presented in-universe as a virtual simulator. The primary antagonist of the main game is Alex Wesker, the only other survivor out of the Wesker children. Albert is briefly shown in the main story in a portrait with Alex. He also received an indirect mention in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, where it was revealed that his H.C.F. group was involved in the creation of Eveline during the 2000s.

In Resident Evil films[]

Jason O'Mara portrayed Albert Wesker in Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)

Wesker's character was adapted for the 2007 live-action film Resident Evil: Extinction. Played by Jason O'Mara, this version of Wesker is the head of the Umbrella Corporation, as opposed to Wesker's role in the games as a renegade high-ranking Umbrella researcher. He runs Umbrella's operations from behind the scenes, holding meetings via hologram with his underground board of directors in Tokyo. Originally, Wesker's character was not intended to be in the film, with his role and lines in the script being given by Commander Okamoto.[23]

Shawn Roberts took over the role of Wesker in 2010's Resident Evil: Afterlife as a main antagonist of the film,[24] where the character is closer to his Code Veronica and especially his Resident Evil 5 incarnations, complete with superhuman strength, speed, healing and glowing red eyes; he even wears the same outfit as in the latter game. Wesker says some of his lines from the game as well, and the fight between Wesker and Chris and Claire Redfield in the film is an almost shot-for-shot remake of a fight between Wesker and Chris and Sheva in Resident Evil 5.

He later appears in Resident Evil: Retribution as a defector from Umbrella, who sends Ada Wong to rescue Alice from an underground Russian Umbrella outpost run by the Red Queen who has taken over the rest of Umbrella. Wesker returns in the sixth film, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, having betrayed Alice and killed everyone at the White House. Guided by the Red Queen, Alice returns to the Hive where Umbrella has developed a potent antivirus. In a confrontation in the Hive, Alicia Marcus fires Wesker, enabling the Red Queen to crush his legs with a blast door, trapping Wesker. Before leaving to chase Doctor Alexander Isaacs, Alice primes the detonator for the explosives she planted around the Hive and leaves it in Wesker's hand. Wesker eventually dies of blood loss, causing him to lose his grip on the detonator. Without Wesker holding the detonator, Alice's explosives destroy the Hive, killing everyone within including Alicia Marcus, the Umbrella High Command and thousands of others held in stasis.[25]

In the reboot film Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021), Wesker will be played by Tom Hopper.[26]

In Resident Evil TV series[]

Lance Reddick will play Wesker in the upcoming live action Resident Evil series from Netflix.[4]

Other appearances[]

Albert Wesker appears in the crossover fighting game Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds as a playable character and a key character in the game's plot, in which he joins forces with Doctor Doom as the two build an army of supervillains, attempting to merge the two dimensions in the hopes of conquering both.[27] During the final battle, if Wesker is not one of the playable characters, he will also be revealed to be one of Galactus's heralds along with Doom, the Marvel villain Dormammu, and a fellow Capcom villain Akuma. He also makes a guest appearance as an unlockable character skin in Lost Planet 2. An action figure of Wesker was released by Palisades Toys in 2002.[28] Two more were released by Hot Toys in 2009.[29][30] In 2016, D. C. Douglas reprised the role in Jim Sterling's short comedy horror film JimSAW.[31] Wesker appears as a Spirit in the Nintendo crossover video game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.[32]

Reception[]

The character of Albert Wesker has been well received by video game publications. In 2006, IGN ranked Wesker number three on their list of most memorable villains, claiming that "Res Evil fans know that whenever Wesker shows up, trouble isn't far behind,"[33] and also ranked him as the 14th-best video game villain in 2010.[34] In 2008, GamePro ranked Wesker as the 40th-most diabolical video game villain of all time.[35] An IGN article from March 2010 titled "Big Boss of the Day: Resident Evil's Albert Wesker" discussed his appearances across the franchise, comparing him with other video game villains including Bowser and Sephiroth as well commenting it is strange to have a Resident Evil without him.[36] GameSpot featured him in the "All-Time Greatest Game Villains" poll, where Wesker lost to Ganondorf from The Legend of Zelda.[37] In 2009, GamesRadar listed Wesker as one of the top seven characters who never stay dead, describing him as the "proverbial man behind the curtain" in the Resident Evil series.[38] Similarly, 1UP.com also placed him number eight in their article "They is Risen" in response to his apparent resurrection in the Resident Evil series.[39] GamesRadar gave praise to Wesker's death in Resident Evil 5 as it showed the character's strength due to the requirements to defeat him while D. C. Douglas's performance as the character also received positive comments during the self-bloopers from the series.[40] According to PlayStation Universe, "From his perpetual shades, stoic persona and swanky haircut, Wesker has all the makings of an iconic—albeit somewhat stereotypical—videogame villain." The same source also compares Wesker's role in Resident Evil 4 to that of James Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld.[14] In the January 2010 issue, Nintendo Power named Wesker the ninth best villain in Nintendo history.[41] GamesRadar also praised Wesker's role as an antagonist, putting him in their 2013 list of the best villains in video game history at number 13.[42] In 2013, GamesRadar staff included him among the 30 best characters in the three decades of Capcom's history and wrote that with his appearance as a playable character in Marvel vs. Capcom 3, "even after his death in RE5, Albert Wesker shows no signs of stopping, which is just the way we like it."[43] GamesRadar staff described Albert Wesker as the best villain in video games, stating that "Wesker is known for a scarred psyche, superhuman strength and speed, and a sexy pair of sunglasses."[44]

On the other hand, Play listed such fight as the third-worst boss fight in the PlayStation 3 games, emphasizing how many times the player had to fight him until he is defeated.[45] 1UP.com also ranked him as the top thing in the series that Resident Evil 5 "could do without" prior to its release.[46] The PlayStation Official Magazine shared this opinion and ranked Wesker as the ninth-worst PlayStation boss fight ever.[47] In 2012, Complex ranked him as the "second-douchiest" video game character, stating, "Wesker has a following, yes, but there's something very Agent Smith about him that makes us shake our heads."[48]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Archive voice in Wesker mode.

References[]

  1. ^ "Resident Evil (1996) PlayStation credits". MobyGames. 1996-03-30. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  2. ^ "Jason O'Mara Profile". Metacritic. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  3. ^ Ryan Turek (2010-01-27). "Shawn Roberts Talks Wesker in Resident Evil: Afterlife". Shock Till You Drop. Archived from the original on 2010-01-29. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Otterson, Joe (2021-06-11). "'Resident Evil' Netflix Live-Action Series Sets Lance Reddick as Albert Wesker, Adds Five More to Cast". Variety. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  5. ^ "Original Resident Evil Cast – Where Are They Now?". NowGamer. 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Characters – Voice Of Albert Wesker". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  7. ^ "Con Booking Form: D.C. Douglas as a guest – comic con / anime con". dcdouglas.com. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  8. ^ "New Addition to Japanese "Biohazard HD Remaster" Voice Cast! And Latest PV Released!". Famitsu (in Japanese). September 1, 2014. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  9. ^ ""Biohazard 0 HD Remaster" Release Date Set for 1/21/2016". Famitsu (in Japanese). September 1, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  10. ^ Resident Evil Jill scenario, PlayStation (1996)
    Wesker: "I think you misunderstand me, Jill. To me, the monsters you mention mean nothing. I'm going to burn all of them together, with this entire laboratory. I must complete my mission, as ordered by Umbrella. // Jill: So you're planning something else? // Wesker: If you succeeded in developing the world's most powerful biological weapon, what would you do? What if you were in charge?
  11. ^ Resident Evil Jill scenario (Barry dies); GameCube (2002)
    Wesker: Smart girl... but I think you misunderstand me. The things you mention are nothing. I'll burn all of them along with this entire laboratory. That’ll be the end of my connection with Umbrella. // Jill: What? What are you planning? // Wesker: I'm going to show you something.
  12. ^ Resident Evil Jill scenario [Barry lives]; GameCube (2002)
    Wesker: Umbrella... well, I used some carrots and sticks to cow him, but it had nothing to do with Umbrella. I just used Barry for my personal interests. Though both you and Barry seemed to think I was following Umbrella’s orders. // Jill: What? What are you planning?! // Wesker: I guess it’s time for show-and-tell.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Celebrating 15 Years of Resident Evil – Albert Wesker's Best Bits – PlayStation Universe". Psu.com. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b c "In the Spotlight: Albert Wesker – PlayStation Universe". Psu.com. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  15. ^ Mike Harradence, The History of Resident Evil: The Beginning, PlayStation Universe, March 17, 2009
  16. ^ BIOHAZARD COLLECTOR'S BOX – Wesker's Report File
  17. ^ Goldstein, Hilary (2009-07-23). "SDCC 09: Resident Evil's Wesker Gone for Good". IGN. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  18. ^ "Residentevilcenter.net". Residentevilcenter.net. Archived from the original on 2014-05-22. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  19. ^ "Latest Resident Evil 3D Trailer Shows Off Jill, Wesker". GameFocus. 2011-03-10. Archived from the original on 2011-10-04. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  20. ^ "Jill Valentine and Albert Wesker Both on Mercenary Duties". 2011-03-25. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
  21. ^ "Celebrate 15 Years of Resident Evil With This Special Trailer". 2011-04-05. Retrieved 2011-04-05.[permanent dead link]
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b Klepek, Patrick (2016-06-29). "The Case For And Against Albert Wesker Coming Back In Resident Evil 7". Kotaku. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  23. ^ "Resident-Evil-Extinction.pdf" (PDF). Screenplay Explorer. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-12-31. Retrieved 2015-07-12.
  24. ^ Schedeen, Jesse (2009-10-13). "What We Want: Resident Evil: Afterlife". IGN. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  25. ^ Michael Harradence (13 October 2014). "Resident Evil TV series to air after Resi 6 film". PlayStation Universe. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014.
  26. ^ Amanda N'Duka; Anthony D'Alessandro (2020-10-06). "'Resident Evil' Reboot: Kaya Scodelario, Robbie Amell, Hannah John-Kamen, Neal McDonough & More To Star In Origin Story Adaptation". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  27. ^ Gamestop (2010-09-18). "Spider-Man, Wesker join MvC3 roster". Gamestop. Archived from the original on 21 September 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
  28. ^ "Wesker & Hunter – Action Figure Gallery". Figurerealm.com. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  29. ^ "Albert Wesker – Action Figure Gallery". Figurerealm.com. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  30. ^ "Albert Wesker (S.T.A.R.S.) – Action Figure Gallery". Figurerealm.com. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  31. ^ Sterling, Jim (October 31, 2016). "JimSAW (The Jimquisition)". YouTube. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  32. ^ @NintendoVS (26 November 2019). "Conquer the looming fear! For 5 days starting 11/29, Chris, Leon, Wesker, and Jill will appear on the Spirit Board in Super #SmashBrosUltimate! Check it out!" (Tweet). Retrieved June 6, 2020 – via Twitter.
  33. ^ "Top 10 Tuesday: Most Memorable Villains". IGN. 2006-03-07. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  34. ^ "Albert Wesker is number 14". Archived from the original on June 29, 2010.
  35. ^ "The 47 Most Diabolical Video-Game Villains of All Time — PC World". Pcworld.idg.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  36. ^ Schedeen, Jeese (2010-03-10). "Big Boss of the Day: Resident Evil's Albert Wesker". IGN. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  37. ^ "All Time Greatest Game Villains". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2010-09-19. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
  38. ^ "The Top 7… villains that never stay dead". GamesRadar. 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  39. ^ Sharkey, Scott (April 8, 2007). "They is Risen: Top 10 Videogame Deaths That Didn't Stick". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
  40. ^ Cundy, Matt (February 1, 2011). "Fed up with your pathetic human DNA? Albert Wesker makes a convincing argument for injecting Uroboros". GamesRadar. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
  41. ^ Our Favorite Villains (PDF). 250. Future US. January 2010. pp. 42, 47. Archived from the original (Magazine) on 2009-12-29. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
  42. ^ GamesRadar Staff (May 17, 2013). "100 best villains in video games". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on June 24, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  43. ^ "The 30 best Capcom characters of the last 30 years". GamesRadar. 2013-06-25. Retrieved 2014-04-12.
  44. ^ February 2018, GamesRadar Staff 10 (February 10, 2018). "The best villains in video games". gamesradar.
  45. ^ King, Ryan (February 1, 2011). "7 Worst Bosses On PS3". Play. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  46. ^ "Top 5 Least Scary Things About Resident Evil from". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 2013-12-20. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  47. ^ "The 10 worst PlayStation boss fights ever". PlayStation Official Magazine. 2012-05-24. Archived from the original on 2013-12-19. Retrieved 2013-04-13.
  48. ^ "The 25 Douchiest Video Game Characters". Complex. 2012-04-18. Retrieved 2014-05-22.

External links[]

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