T-JCCC203 was a t-Virus variant developed by the Umbrella Corporation. It was unique in that it was, at least ostensibly, developed for use in medicine. It was responsible for a small outbreak in the Arklay Woods separate from the Mansion Incident and the Raccoon City Destruction Incident, although it did coincide with them both.
Background
Albert "Al" Lester was the administrator of a private hospital located deep in the Arklay Forest, just outside of Raccoon City. Al was in collusion with the Umbrella Corporation and used the hospital's patients as test subjects without their consent for experimental drugs unapproved by the FDA. The drugs were provided to the hospital by Umbrella through two or three dummy corporations, with no trail that could be used to incriminate Umbrella. The progress data acquired from the illegal drug trials were sent back to Umbrella, which used them for medical research and weapons development. The staff of the hospital were paid large amounts of money in return, although Al's motivation was actually to use the research from the test drugs in a desperate attempt to save his terminally ill wife, Dorothy Lester. No other treatments were successful in reviving Dorothy, and Al felt forced to try and heal her with illegal drug treatments instead. He placed her within the program to be used as a test subject. It is unknown if Dorothy became ill before or after Al began working with Umbrella.
Some of the test drugs supplied by Umbrella were extremely toxic, and some of the doctors would later become terminally ill as a result of second-hand exposure to them. This included a doctor named Alan Eldert. At least one of these test drugs was actually a variant strain of the t-Virus strain called "T-JCCC203", which was meant to treat deadly aliments. T-JCCC203 was used on at least two test subjects, including Al's wife Dorothy, under the supervision of Eldert. Both subjects improved at first, but they eventually displayed symptoms common to the t-Virus.
Some of the test drugs supplied by Umbrella were extremely toxic, and some of the doctors would later become terminally ill as a result of second-hand exposure to them. This included a doctor named Alan Eldert. At least one of these test drugs was actually a variant strain of the t-Virus strain called "T-JCCC203", which was meant to treat deadly aliments. T-JCCC203 was used on at least two test subjects, including Al's wife Dorothy, under the supervision of Eldert. Both subjects improved at first, but they eventually displayed symptoms common to the t-Virus.
Al and Dorothy Lester
Due to the high number of inpatient deaths at the hospital, the details of which weren't released to the public, a reporter named Kurt attempted to uncover who was involved with the establishment, suspecting Umbrella. A certain "tipster", likely Kurt, informed the police of foreign drug trading being performed at the hospital, but Umbrella intervened and used their influence in Raccoon City to have any investigation quietly swept under the rug. After exhausting his options, Kurt visited the hospital one day. During this visit, Dorothy attacked Kurt due to her condition deteriorating as a result of T-JCCC203. She bit Kurt and started a viral outbreak that presumably encompassed most of the hospital.
While Umbrella swiftly covered up the incident, the hospital gained the attention of the media following Kurt's death. Umbrella closed down the hospital to bury the truth, although Dorothy's corpse was left behind at the hospital. Over time, plants from the surrounding forest began growing within the building and came into contact with Dorothy's body. A plant both became infected with T-JCCC203 this way and fused with the corpse. It mutated into a monster by 1998.
While Umbrella swiftly covered up the incident, the hospital gained the attention of the media following Kurt's death. Umbrella closed down the hospital to bury the truth, although Dorothy's corpse was left behind at the hospital. Over time, plants from the surrounding forest began growing within the building and came into contact with Dorothy's body. A plant both became infected with T-JCCC203 this way and fused with the corpse. It mutated into a monster by 1998.
Al Lester moved to a cabin in the area and returned to the hospital periodically over the years to visit the site of his wife's death. In 1998, he eventually came into contact with the plant infected by Dorothy. Al began to consider the plant a reincarnation of his wife. Around this time Al also contracted T-JCCC203 and became a mutant himself. Al fed the plant humans and animals throughout the same year. Other organisms in the vicinity also became infected with T-JCCC203 and became savage creatures.
When the Raccoon City Destruction Incident occurred in September, a group of survivors from the city fled to the woods. This group became embroiled in the T-JCCC203 outbreak after being lured into the hospital by Al. The survivors eventually managed to destroy the Dorothy Plant, Al, and the hospital itself. Any other traces of T-JCCC203 or the monsters it created were destroyed when Raccoon City was bombed.
When the Raccoon City Destruction Incident occurred in September, a group of survivors from the city fled to the woods. This group became embroiled in the T-JCCC203 outbreak after being lured into the hospital by Al. The survivors eventually managed to destroy the Dorothy Plant, Al, and the hospital itself. Any other traces of T-JCCC203 or the monsters it created were destroyed when Raccoon City was bombed.
Effects
T-JCCC203 was able to treat terminal cancer and possibly other diseases. As first noted in The Biology of Evil, it was presumably an oncolytic virus - a virus that targets and destroys cancer cells without harming healthy ones, removing any tumors in the process. This is supported by Doug Frost, a 68-year-old cancer patient who was treated with T-JCCC203 on March 14, 1993. The virus completely eradicated his tumors after only 32 and a half hours, and the day after his overall condition was considered "good", showing that the virus not only eliminated cancer cells but strengthened and restored his normal cells.
34-year-old Dorothy Lester was afflicted with a disease that sent her into a coma. While her illness was never specified, several forms of cancer can lead to a comatose state. On May 20, 1993, she was injected with T-JCCC203. After a single day her blood pressure and heart rate returned to normal levels. Shortly thereafter she began to breathe by herself, and so no longer required assisted ventilation. Her brain waves then returned to normal, and she regained consciousness.
While T-JCCC203 was a cure for cancer, the effects of the virus itself were worse than the ailments it was supposed to treat. Around a day following virus injection, both Frost and Dorothy began to experience an increase in appetite due to the effects of the t-Virus on metabolism, an early symptom of Zombification. Dorothy began to experience periodic abnormalities in her brain wave patterns and regressed to a state of reduced activity once more. These symptoms were either a result of her transforming into a Zombie or were indicative of her recovery being temporary. Regardless, both subjects eventually experienced fatal symptoms, with at least Dorothy transforming into a Zombie.
Once Dorothy became a Zombie, her bites caused her victims to also become Zombies. This would indicate that the virus reverted to a normal t-Virus-like state, with the Zombification symptom happening immediately following infection. The variety of animals infected by T-JCCC203 that were encountered in 1998 were also typical of t-Virus-infected, with extreme aggression and an increase in growth hormone being the primary symptoms. It is unknown if the unique mutations it caused in plants and Al Lester were the result of it having unique properties, random mutation, or other factors.
In short, T-JCCC203 would at first strengthen hosts and fight disease, before turning into a typical t-Virus after several days.
34-year-old Dorothy Lester was afflicted with a disease that sent her into a coma. While her illness was never specified, several forms of cancer can lead to a comatose state. On May 20, 1993, she was injected with T-JCCC203. After a single day her blood pressure and heart rate returned to normal levels. Shortly thereafter she began to breathe by herself, and so no longer required assisted ventilation. Her brain waves then returned to normal, and she regained consciousness.
While T-JCCC203 was a cure for cancer, the effects of the virus itself were worse than the ailments it was supposed to treat. Around a day following virus injection, both Frost and Dorothy began to experience an increase in appetite due to the effects of the t-Virus on metabolism, an early symptom of Zombification. Dorothy began to experience periodic abnormalities in her brain wave patterns and regressed to a state of reduced activity once more. These symptoms were either a result of her transforming into a Zombie or were indicative of her recovery being temporary. Regardless, both subjects eventually experienced fatal symptoms, with at least Dorothy transforming into a Zombie.
Once Dorothy became a Zombie, her bites caused her victims to also become Zombies. This would indicate that the virus reverted to a normal t-Virus-like state, with the Zombification symptom happening immediately following infection. The variety of animals infected by T-JCCC203 that were encountered in 1998 were also typical of t-Virus-infected, with extreme aggression and an increase in growth hormone being the primary symptoms. It is unknown if the unique mutations it caused in plants and Al Lester were the result of it having unique properties, random mutation, or other factors.
In short, T-JCCC203 would at first strengthen hosts and fight disease, before turning into a typical t-Virus after several days.
True Nature of T-JCCC203
The "T" in T-JCCC203 means that it was probably an offshoot of the t-Virus, and it carrying the Zombie symptom means it was certainly based on some Progenitor Virus strain. It is unknown if T-JCCC203 was directly related to the main t-Virus developed by Marcus, Birkin and Wesker, or if it was only created as a result of the t-Virus project (which encompassed all Progenitor strains developed by Umbrella, excluding the G-Virus). The "JCCC203" in its name would imply that it was one in a long line of strains: it may be that the other test drugs used at the hospital were actually other virus strains in the JCCC line (for example, "T-JCCC200", "T-JCCC201", etc.)
As Al was in contact with Umbrella researcher Greg Mueller at some point, he may have actually been involved in the creation of T-JCCC203. It is also possible that Greg Mueller was only used as a means for Umbrella to contact Al, or that he was involved in erasing the memories of Alyssa Ashcroft on behalf of Umbrella and the hospital.
The t-Virus was used for medical purposes on other occasions, such as with Hilda Hidalgo and Mary Grey. This is actually implied to be how Umbrella became the world's leading pharmaceutical company in the first place, as it specialized in viral treatments. The capacity to cure virtually any known illness is an inherent trait of the t-Virus, and potentially any virus based on the Progenitor Virus. T-JCCC203 was presumably just a strain that was supposed to magnify or unlock this quality, isolating it from any other symptoms of the t-Virus. If the trials involved the use of other "JCCC" strains, then the purpose of the various tests may have been to find a strain that best succeeded in de-weaponizing the t-Virus. Since hosts to T-JCCC203 would eventually degenerate into Zombies, this would imply that it was a failure.
After five years of remaining active in the wild, T-JCCC203 would have mutated and acquired new traits. As so many of the transmission vectors for T-JCCC203 were plants, it would have likely gained plant genes as a result of recombination, altering its effects and potentially weakening its necrotic symptoms.
As Al was in contact with Umbrella researcher Greg Mueller at some point, he may have actually been involved in the creation of T-JCCC203. It is also possible that Greg Mueller was only used as a means for Umbrella to contact Al, or that he was involved in erasing the memories of Alyssa Ashcroft on behalf of Umbrella and the hospital.
The t-Virus was used for medical purposes on other occasions, such as with Hilda Hidalgo and Mary Grey. This is actually implied to be how Umbrella became the world's leading pharmaceutical company in the first place, as it specialized in viral treatments. The capacity to cure virtually any known illness is an inherent trait of the t-Virus, and potentially any virus based on the Progenitor Virus. T-JCCC203 was presumably just a strain that was supposed to magnify or unlock this quality, isolating it from any other symptoms of the t-Virus. If the trials involved the use of other "JCCC" strains, then the purpose of the various tests may have been to find a strain that best succeeded in de-weaponizing the t-Virus. Since hosts to T-JCCC203 would eventually degenerate into Zombies, this would imply that it was a failure.
After five years of remaining active in the wild, T-JCCC203 would have mutated and acquired new traits. As so many of the transmission vectors for T-JCCC203 were plants, it would have likely gained plant genes as a result of recombination, altering its effects and potentially weakening its necrotic symptoms.
It is possible that the plant traits in T-JCCC203 were owing to Umbrella's modifications, not to wild recombination. While plants can have cancer, they are much more adaptable than humans, and are able to prevent it from spreading throughout their bodies. They can even possess natural mechanisms to protect and repair their DNA when they are exposed to cancer-causing radiation. This is why plants could survive in Chernobyl far sooner than any animals could following the radioactive disaster there. It may be that Umbrella hoped to give these advantages to humans using T-JCCC203 as a retroviral vector. This is supported by the appearance of Dorothy when she became a Zombie - her skin was tinged green, as if she contained chlorophyll. This could have also helped support the fusion of Doroty with the Huge Plant. The overabundance of monster plant life in the area could have been due to T-JCCC203 being especially adaptable to vegetation, like the t-Veronica Virus.
The data for T-JCCC203 and other drugs was actually used by Umbrella for weapons development. It may be that curing disease was only a pretense, with T-JCCC203 actually being an experimental bioweapon. As a large corporation that derived a large source of its income from treating illness, curing terminal illnesses would not earn the same amount of profit as forcing terminal patients to pay for constant treatments. If this was the case, then in what way T-JCCC203 differed from the normal t-Virus is unknown. It may even be that T-JCCC203 was the (at the time) standard version of the t-Virus, with "T-JCCC203" only being a coverup name used for the sake of the doctors, who were unaware of the nature of the virus. T-JCCC203 could have even been the name of an intermediary strain in between the βII and Ɛ strains. Progress towards using βII to develop Ɛ began in 1991, after all, and was only finished by 1998.
It is also possible that the virus that created the various monsters encountered in the area, including the Dorothy plant, was actually the Epsilon strain of the t-Virus, which leaked from the Arklay Mansion facility that same year. However, Alan Eldert noted that the plants were likely infected by the "test drugs" used in 1993, and the Huge Plant was affected by cells mutated by an "illegal trial drug".
The data for T-JCCC203 and other drugs was actually used by Umbrella for weapons development. It may be that curing disease was only a pretense, with T-JCCC203 actually being an experimental bioweapon. As a large corporation that derived a large source of its income from treating illness, curing terminal illnesses would not earn the same amount of profit as forcing terminal patients to pay for constant treatments. If this was the case, then in what way T-JCCC203 differed from the normal t-Virus is unknown. It may even be that T-JCCC203 was the (at the time) standard version of the t-Virus, with "T-JCCC203" only being a coverup name used for the sake of the doctors, who were unaware of the nature of the virus. T-JCCC203 could have even been the name of an intermediary strain in between the βII and Ɛ strains. Progress towards using βII to develop Ɛ began in 1991, after all, and was only finished by 1998.
It is also possible that the virus that created the various monsters encountered in the area, including the Dorothy plant, was actually the Epsilon strain of the t-Virus, which leaked from the Arklay Mansion facility that same year. However, Alan Eldert noted that the plants were likely infected by the "test drugs" used in 1993, and the Huge Plant was affected by cells mutated by an "illegal trial drug".
Dorothy Plant
Dorothy was a gigantic plant named by Al Lester at the abandoned hospital. It was a mutant organism infected with T-JCCC203. The plant species it was based on is totally unknown. It was either a potted plant used as decoration, a wild plant from the forest that began to invade the building with its growth, or a plant kept at the hospital for use in experimentation, such as a poisonous species of nightshade (see "Evil Shade" below). It was a hybrid, in that it fused with human cells.
The plant had numerous parts that operated like individual organisms, and each part had an official name. Each part is covered below:
The plant had numerous parts that operated like individual organisms, and each part had an official name. Each part is covered below:
Huge Plant
The main body of the Dorothy plant was officially called the "Huge Plant". In some cases the names "Huge Plant" and "Dorothy plant" are here used interchangeably - but in general, "Huge Plant" refers to the main bulk of the body while "Dorothy" refers to the body and its extended parts.
The Huge Plant was comprised of many vines or roots attached to a bulb-like cluster surrounded by an outer shell. The bulb was the source of its growth, and rested in the basement of the Arklay hospital, in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). Many vines and a gigantic stem grew from the top of the bulb, shooting upwards into the building above.
Within the center of the Huge Plant's bulb was the desiccated corpse of the real Dorothy Lester, who had previously transformed into a Zombie and was subsequently disposed of. The plant was likely infected with T-JCCC203 by coming into contact with her contaminated corpse. The plant fused with her mutated cells, causing the Huge Plant to develop some animal traits. Genetic recombination between plant and animal cells is an inherent attribute of the Progenitor Virus. When the plant was destroyed, Dorothy's corpse fell out of it.
When Al began to feed the Huge Plant/"Dorothy" animal corpses like dogs and birds, its growth accelerated and became unprecedented. After a single week, the Huge Plant already stretched beyond the basement. Once Al began feeding it human beings, its growth increased to unprecedented levels. It grew vines and/or roots which extended throughout the entire hospital. The plant and crumbling infrastructure became so entwined that the vines became the main support for the various floors. The building in a certain sense became Dorothy. The size of the plant exceeded that of other t-Series plants like Plant 42. This is likely due to the Huge Plant having a steady supply of humans and animals for a longer period of time, the Huge Plant fusing with Dorothy Lester's cells, or due to the nature of T-JCCC203 itself. Plant 42's growth was accentuated by various chemicals used as medicine ingredients that the plant absorbed - as the Huge Plant was located in a hospital, it is not unreasonable to assume it could have had a similar reaction after absorbing chemicals kept in the building. As the Huge Plant grew, so too did its appetite, forcing Al to feed it more and more. The plant likely only fed on the blood of its victims, much like other plants infected with the t-Virus.
Within the center of the Huge Plant's bulb was the desiccated corpse of the real Dorothy Lester, who had previously transformed into a Zombie and was subsequently disposed of. The plant was likely infected with T-JCCC203 by coming into contact with her contaminated corpse. The plant fused with her mutated cells, causing the Huge Plant to develop some animal traits. Genetic recombination between plant and animal cells is an inherent attribute of the Progenitor Virus. When the plant was destroyed, Dorothy's corpse fell out of it.
When Al began to feed the Huge Plant/"Dorothy" animal corpses like dogs and birds, its growth accelerated and became unprecedented. After a single week, the Huge Plant already stretched beyond the basement. Once Al began feeding it human beings, its growth increased to unprecedented levels. It grew vines and/or roots which extended throughout the entire hospital. The plant and crumbling infrastructure became so entwined that the vines became the main support for the various floors. The building in a certain sense became Dorothy. The size of the plant exceeded that of other t-Series plants like Plant 42. This is likely due to the Huge Plant having a steady supply of humans and animals for a longer period of time, the Huge Plant fusing with Dorothy Lester's cells, or due to the nature of T-JCCC203 itself. Plant 42's growth was accentuated by various chemicals used as medicine ingredients that the plant absorbed - as the Huge Plant was located in a hospital, it is not unreasonable to assume it could have had a similar reaction after absorbing chemicals kept in the building. As the Huge Plant grew, so too did its appetite, forcing Al to feed it more and more. The plant likely only fed on the blood of its victims, much like other plants infected with the t-Virus.
The stem running along the outside of the hospital had flowers sprouting from it which were larger than any natural species (see "Evil Shades" below). Moss would also tend to grow around its vines. Many of the vines in both the interior and exterior of the hospital were immobile, but some were capable of moving, grabbing, and assaulting prey (see "Vines" below). It is likely that the Huge Plant used sensory organs on these vines to perceive prey and the environment, like Plant 42 did.
The Huge Plant had a will and displayed some degree of intelligence. It would use its vines across the hospital to would cooperate with Al in capturing and killing human prey: when humans were lured to the hospital by Al, the Huge Plant would use its vines to intentionally block off passageways or hold onto doorknobs, preventing escape while Al hunted them. The evolutionary jump the plant made in acquiring animal behavior could have been solely owing to the "abnormal evolution" attribute of the t-Virus, or due to it inheriting human DNA from Dorothy Lester.
There were several cracks in the ceiling of the ICU that allowed some sunlight (and potentially rain) to reach the main bulb of the Huge Plant.
The Huge Plant had a will and displayed some degree of intelligence. It would use its vines across the hospital to would cooperate with Al in capturing and killing human prey: when humans were lured to the hospital by Al, the Huge Plant would use its vines to intentionally block off passageways or hold onto doorknobs, preventing escape while Al hunted them. The evolutionary jump the plant made in acquiring animal behavior could have been solely owing to the "abnormal evolution" attribute of the t-Virus, or due to it inheriting human DNA from Dorothy Lester.
There were several cracks in the ceiling of the ICU that allowed some sunlight (and potentially rain) to reach the main bulb of the Huge Plant.
Like plants mutated by other strains of the virus, the Huge Plant's tissue was highly resistant to shock from firearms and other weapons, so much so that its bulb and its vines could not be destroyed via conventional means. While its interior tissue was much softer and more vulnerable, an assailant would have to first penetrate its thick skin in order to harm it. However, some of its appendages had a weakness in the form of orange, throbbing, "knob-like protrusions". The outer tissue of these growths was softer than that of the rest of the plant. Furthermore, by injecting specific chemicals into the growths with a syringe, toxins could be transported into the rest of the surrounding tissue, which would both cause the local vines to wilt and weaken the bulb of the plant to a small degree. The fact the toxins were carried by these beating organs directly to the core of the plant could mean they were circulatory organs, like a heart. Normal plants do not have pump-like organs for their circulatory systems, but the Huge Plant may have developed them as a result of human DNA and random mutation. The circulation of fluids is likely how the Huge Plant managed to move its limbs as well, much like Plant 42 or Ivy B.O.W.s.
When various parts of the Huge Plant's extended body were weakened by injecting chemicals into their organs, the shell around its main bulb began to split open. As noted by Doctor Wunderbar, the bulb's inner tissue may have grown too rapidly as a result of abnormal regeneration, causing its skin to rip open. The visible infill within the crack, explained Wunderbar, appeared to be something like suberin deposits or callus growths, which are indicative of a healing response. This crack proved to be a vital weak-point for the main bulb: a group of survivors managed to kill the bulb (and the Huge Plant/"Dorothy" as a whole) by first widening the crack with solvents from the hospital's pharmacy, then shooting directly inside of it. While the exposed tissue was more vulnerable than the rest of the bulb, it still withstood a severe amount of damage before it eventually succumbed to its wounds. When the group of survivors battled the plant, rocks and debris would fall from the ceiling - this was either due to the foundations of the building destabilizing as the plant was damaged, or the Huge Plant was actually knocking parts of the building down on top of the group intentionally.
When the Huge Plant's bulb was damaged, it bled a clear fluid. When the plant finally died, the infill within the crack on its bulb split open, causing a large amount of this liquid to spill from the perforated tissue. The corpse of the real Dorothy was carried out in the liquid. The corpse appeared drained of blood and desiccated, allowing it to retain skin despite being five years old. With the death of its main bulb, all of the Dorothy plant's extended parts quickly withered and decayed, and the hospital, unable to sustain itself without the help of the plant, collapsed.
When various parts of the Huge Plant's extended body were weakened by injecting chemicals into their organs, the shell around its main bulb began to split open. As noted by Doctor Wunderbar, the bulb's inner tissue may have grown too rapidly as a result of abnormal regeneration, causing its skin to rip open. The visible infill within the crack, explained Wunderbar, appeared to be something like suberin deposits or callus growths, which are indicative of a healing response. This crack proved to be a vital weak-point for the main bulb: a group of survivors managed to kill the bulb (and the Huge Plant/"Dorothy" as a whole) by first widening the crack with solvents from the hospital's pharmacy, then shooting directly inside of it. While the exposed tissue was more vulnerable than the rest of the bulb, it still withstood a severe amount of damage before it eventually succumbed to its wounds. When the group of survivors battled the plant, rocks and debris would fall from the ceiling - this was either due to the foundations of the building destabilizing as the plant was damaged, or the Huge Plant was actually knocking parts of the building down on top of the group intentionally.
When the Huge Plant's bulb was damaged, it bled a clear fluid. When the plant finally died, the infill within the crack on its bulb split open, causing a large amount of this liquid to spill from the perforated tissue. The corpse of the real Dorothy was carried out in the liquid. The corpse appeared drained of blood and desiccated, allowing it to retain skin despite being five years old. With the death of its main bulb, all of the Dorothy plant's extended parts quickly withered and decayed, and the hospital, unable to sustain itself without the help of the plant, collapsed.
Textures of Dorothy Lester, first as a living human and then as the 5-year-old corpse of a Zombie.
Vines
The tentacle-like appendages used by the Dorothy plant were called vines. Vine-like tentacles are a very common, almost universal trait in t-Series plants. The animated vines used by Dorothy operated independently, as if they were separate organisms. Indeed, it is possible that some of the vines belonged to separate plants that coexisted with Dorothy.
While all of the vines were immune to being damaged by conventional weapons, they all reacted to being hit. Some of the vines would even recoil in response to being shot at. This could imply that they developed pain receptors as a result of abnormal evolution or due to animal genes in the virus.
Dorothy's vines were highly specialized, and came in three categories that were named based on their role and appearance (credit to BSAArklay for translating information on the following creatures):
While all of the vines were immune to being damaged by conventional weapons, they all reacted to being hit. Some of the vines would even recoil in response to being shot at. This could imply that they developed pain receptors as a result of abnormal evolution or due to animal genes in the virus.
Dorothy's vines were highly specialized, and came in three categories that were named based on their role and appearance (credit to BSAArklay for translating information on the following creatures):
"Ivy" (not to be confused with the Ivy B.O.W. created by Umbrella) were the smallest of Dorothy's vines. They lacked strong attack capabilities but were capable of grabbing onto prey by the legs to constrain them, making the prey vulnerable to attacks from other creatures. They would remain dormant when no humans were around, and could blend in with surrounding vegetation, only to spring to life when they sensed prey. Other ivies existed in the forest and in the terrarium at the Raccoon Zoo, but these had no relationship with Dorothy and were instead created by the primary t-Virus. The ivy not connected to the Dorothy Plant likely attacked humans to absorb their blood, like the Monster Plant they resembled.
"Drainers" were a specialized variant of ivy located in the ICU with the main bulb of the Dorothy plant. Some Drainers hung from the ceiling, while some were attached to the front of the Dorothy plant's bulb. Drainers were distinguishable by the suction cup-like organs hanging from their ends. As their name suggests, these organs were used to drain the bodies of living things of their blood, which would then be transported to the main bulb. This was Dorothy/the Huge Plant's primary, if not only, means of feeding. Various human corpses were strung up on the walls of the ICU - these were likely the remains of corpses sucked dry of blood.
If and when the ICU was invaded by threats to the bulb, the Drainers could also be used to defend the plant. When a person stood underneath a Drainer it could reach down and use its suction cup to stick onto the head of the target. It was strong enough to then lift them into the air, keeping them immobilized and blinded as it drained them of their "physical strength". A person captured this way would eventually die either from suffocation or from having their blood drained. Drainers could also transmit poison to grasped prey - while escape from a Drainer's grasp was possible, the poison would continue to wear down the defenses of a target. Like other vines, they were extremely durable.
If and when the ICU was invaded by threats to the bulb, the Drainers could also be used to defend the plant. When a person stood underneath a Drainer it could reach down and use its suction cup to stick onto the head of the target. It was strong enough to then lift them into the air, keeping them immobilized and blinded as it drained them of their "physical strength". A person captured this way would eventually die either from suffocation or from having their blood drained. Drainers could also transmit poison to grasped prey - while escape from a Drainer's grasp was possible, the poison would continue to wear down the defenses of a target. Like other vines, they were extremely durable.
Drainer art edited by reanbean
"Twist Upper" was the name of a type of vine that, as the name suggests, grew upwards. They were located outside, underneath the suspension bridge leading to the hospital. They were the longest and thickest of the vines. Twist Uppers were used in a very direct, offensive way: the vines could push and twist upwards and into anyone who passed the bridge above them, using both their strength and the sharp ivy that tipped to harm humans. They were used by the Dorothy plant to guard the hospital or to weaken prey. As they were invulnerable to normal gunfire, the only way to avoid them while passing the bridge was to run across before they could strike.
Twist Upper art edited by reanbean
Evil Shade
"Evil Shades" were flowers grown from the gigantic, exterior stem of the Dorothy Plant. They were located on the top and sides of the hospital. No Evil Shades grew inside of the hospital, meaning they likely could only grow in areas with direct exposure to the sun. Evil Shades varied greatly in size, with some of them smaller than humans and others far larger than any natural species of flower.
Evil Shades of the smaller variety were capable of releasing a visible yellow mist containing pollen. They released this mist in regular, constant intervals, likely in order to reproduce. This would make Evil Shades the reproductive organs of the Dorothy plant. The pollen of the Shades contained poisons that were fatal to humans that inhaled them. The toxins (and apparently the spores themselves) could be safely purged from the body with the use of the blue herbs growing in the Arklay region. These spores were capable of spreading the t-Virus to humans and other organisms, making them extremely dangerous transmission vectors.
While the main purpose of the Evil Shades was almost certainly reproduction, they also seemed to function as sentries. They were incapable of movement, but they guarded choke points such as a ladder. As they were incapable of sensing living things or changing their behavior, it is unknown if they were used in this matter intentionally. Small Evil Shades could be damaged by normal weapons, but excessive force would only cause them to "deflate", and they could regenerate and reform in under a minute later. The solvent used to weaken. the Dorothy plant could destroy them permanently. Otherwise, the only way to destroy them was to separate them from their stems with an axe.
An especially large Evil Shade was located at the very top of the hospital. This specimen did not seem to emit spores, but was protected by mutant Wasps. These Wasps likely fed on pollen from the Evil Shade, and were therefore protective of it. The giant Evil Shade was even more resilient than the smaller ones, and could only be destroyed by injecting solvent into its orange organs, of which it had at least three. Destroying the giant Evil Shade had the effect of weakening the main body of the Dorothy plant.
Evil Shades of the smaller variety were capable of releasing a visible yellow mist containing pollen. They released this mist in regular, constant intervals, likely in order to reproduce. This would make Evil Shades the reproductive organs of the Dorothy plant. The pollen of the Shades contained poisons that were fatal to humans that inhaled them. The toxins (and apparently the spores themselves) could be safely purged from the body with the use of the blue herbs growing in the Arklay region. These spores were capable of spreading the t-Virus to humans and other organisms, making them extremely dangerous transmission vectors.
While the main purpose of the Evil Shades was almost certainly reproduction, they also seemed to function as sentries. They were incapable of movement, but they guarded choke points such as a ladder. As they were incapable of sensing living things or changing their behavior, it is unknown if they were used in this matter intentionally. Small Evil Shades could be damaged by normal weapons, but excessive force would only cause them to "deflate", and they could regenerate and reform in under a minute later. The solvent used to weaken. the Dorothy plant could destroy them permanently. Otherwise, the only way to destroy them was to separate them from their stems with an axe.
An especially large Evil Shade was located at the very top of the hospital. This specimen did not seem to emit spores, but was protected by mutant Wasps. These Wasps likely fed on pollen from the Evil Shade, and were therefore protective of it. The giant Evil Shade was even more resilient than the smaller ones, and could only be destroyed by injecting solvent into its orange organs, of which it had at least three. Destroying the giant Evil Shade had the effect of weakening the main body of the Dorothy plant.
Credit to News Bot for the Evil Shade concept art from the Outbreak Grand Bible.
The name "Evil Shade" is likely a reference to nightshade. Nightshade is a plant family (Solanaceae) that includes vines and herbs. Like Dorothy and Evil Shades, nightshades are flowering plants. They are sometimes poisonous (like Atropa belladonna, which Evil Shades vaguely resembled), and are other times used in medicine. It may be Evil Shades were only named after nightshade due to their appearance and poison, but it is also likely that they were actually based on poison nightshade kept at the hospital for medical research. Some nightshades are alkaloids, which can induce hallucinations in humans, which could account for the symptoms seen in Al Lester. If Evil Shades were indeed nightshade, then it is likely so was the Dorothy plant. The creature could have even been created if Al placed flowers on Dorothy Lester's contaminated corpse during his routine visits to the hospital.
Pitcher Plant
Gigantic Pitcher plants were conceptualized as T-JCCC203 mutants, but were never implemented into Outbreak aside from concept art. Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants that trick insects into falling inside of their pitcher-like leaves, where they are trapped, melted down by acids, and digested by the plant. The ones mutated by T-JCCC203 were large enough to trap and digest adult humans, although it is unknown how they would have captured them.
Animal-Based Monsters
A number of other, non-plant organisms exposed to T-JCCC203 became monsters over time, such as humans and insects.
The initial T-JCCC203 outbreak in 1993 only created Zombies; but most if not all of the T-JCCC203 creatures created in 1998 were infected by the Dorothy plant and developed a mutually beneficial relationship with it despite not being part of it. Many monsters seemed to actively protect the sensitive parts of the plant from intruders, and would aid Dorothy in wearing down and killing captured humans. Dorothy essentially became the center of a thriving t-Virus ecosystem in the abandoned hospital, much like Plant 42 with the ecosystem in the Spencer mansion's dormitory.
Due to their proximity to the hospital (they hunted along the mountain path leading to the hospital's entrance), Scissor Tails may have been created by T-JCCC203. As the Wasp mutants created by Evil Shade pollen developed the same traits as Wasps created by the "normal" t-Virus, it may be that insects exposed to T-JCCC203 reacted the same way as they would to other strains of the virus, including the earwigs that became Scissor Tails. Scissor Tails and Wasps are covered fully in part two of Virus Analysis: Tyrant. The other creatures created by T-JCCC203 in 1998 are covered below:
The initial T-JCCC203 outbreak in 1993 only created Zombies; but most if not all of the T-JCCC203 creatures created in 1998 were infected by the Dorothy plant and developed a mutually beneficial relationship with it despite not being part of it. Many monsters seemed to actively protect the sensitive parts of the plant from intruders, and would aid Dorothy in wearing down and killing captured humans. Dorothy essentially became the center of a thriving t-Virus ecosystem in the abandoned hospital, much like Plant 42 with the ecosystem in the Spencer mansion's dormitory.
Due to their proximity to the hospital (they hunted along the mountain path leading to the hospital's entrance), Scissor Tails may have been created by T-JCCC203. As the Wasp mutants created by Evil Shade pollen developed the same traits as Wasps created by the "normal" t-Virus, it may be that insects exposed to T-JCCC203 reacted the same way as they would to other strains of the virus, including the earwigs that became Scissor Tails. Scissor Tails and Wasps are covered fully in part two of Virus Analysis: Tyrant. The other creatures created by T-JCCC203 in 1998 are covered below:
Green Zombie
Organisms altered by the t-Virus are highly adaptive and will often form complex behaviors and ecosystems unheard of in the natural world. "Green Zombies" (also called "Flower Zombies" in concept art) were mutated humans that wandered the abandoned hospital and the woods surrounding it in 1998. Green Zombies were very much the same as typical Zombies created by the standard t-Virus, except that they assimilated with mutant plants that grew on their bodies.
Green Zombies had a single, orange, blooming flower resembling the Evil Shade growing from their heads, with other, smaller buds across their bodies. The roots of the flowers grew inside of the Zombies' body so that the flowers could potentially feed on their blood or even the contents of the Zombies' stomachs (allowing the Zombies and the plants to share "meals"). The plants were surrounded by green vines or roots that stretched upwards and hung down, surrounding the Zombies' bodies.
The virally-enhanced vitality of Green Zombies allowed them to remain active in spite of the aggressive parasitization, and they still sought out living things to kill and consume. Instead of impeding their hunting skills, the plants actually improved them: whenever the plants were "spooked" (typically by the Zombie being damaged), the flowers released a cloud of pollen (called "pollen vapor" in concept art; thanks to Nora for translating) that were poisonous to anyone that inhaled them. In this way, the plants and Zombies had more of a symbiotic relationship than a parasitic one. Any human that came into contact with Green Zombie pollen became infected with both the virus and the plants (although the latter could probably be purged with Blue Herbs), leading to the creation of new Green Zombies. Green Zombie bites and scratches spread the virus, but not the poisonous pollen.
Green Zombies had a single, orange, blooming flower resembling the Evil Shade growing from their heads, with other, smaller buds across their bodies. The roots of the flowers grew inside of the Zombies' body so that the flowers could potentially feed on their blood or even the contents of the Zombies' stomachs (allowing the Zombies and the plants to share "meals"). The plants were surrounded by green vines or roots that stretched upwards and hung down, surrounding the Zombies' bodies.
The virally-enhanced vitality of Green Zombies allowed them to remain active in spite of the aggressive parasitization, and they still sought out living things to kill and consume. Instead of impeding their hunting skills, the plants actually improved them: whenever the plants were "spooked" (typically by the Zombie being damaged), the flowers released a cloud of pollen (called "pollen vapor" in concept art; thanks to Nora for translating) that were poisonous to anyone that inhaled them. In this way, the plants and Zombies had more of a symbiotic relationship than a parasitic one. Any human that came into contact with Green Zombie pollen became infected with both the virus and the plants (although the latter could probably be purged with Blue Herbs), leading to the creation of new Green Zombies. Green Zombie bites and scratches spread the virus, but not the poisonous pollen.
The pollen attack used by Green Zombies had the same name and function as that used by Evil Shades: "Poison Spore". This combined with the appearance of the flowers and the fact Green Zombie pollen could create new Green Zombies implies that the first Green Zombies were created by the pollen released by Evil Shades. In this way, Green Zombie plants would actually be the offspring of the Dorothy plant. It is likely that Green Zombies were created by preexisting Zombies coming into contact with spores.
It may also be that Green Zombies were created when the Dorothy plant drained human corpses of blood: the Drainers used by the plant to feed also inflicted poison status on victims, which likely meant they released the same Poison Spores. As Zombies do not need blood, Dorothy could drain them before allowing both the virus and spores to reanimate them. The Green Zombies created this way could then spread the pollen/spores of Dorothy themselves to other locations. There is a precedence for this: the Ivy seen in Resident Evil 2 Reimagined also acted as "mobile fruit" for a giant plant after they were drained of blood.
It may also be that Green Zombies were created when the Dorothy plant drained human corpses of blood: the Drainers used by the plant to feed also inflicted poison status on victims, which likely meant they released the same Poison Spores. As Zombies do not need blood, Dorothy could drain them before allowing both the virus and spores to reanimate them. The Green Zombies created this way could then spread the pollen/spores of Dorothy themselves to other locations. There is a precedence for this: the Ivy seen in Resident Evil 2 Reimagined also acted as "mobile fruit" for a giant plant after they were drained of blood.
Green Zombies appeared to have been men wearing lab coats prior to infection, which could imply that they used to be the doctors that ran the hospital when it was operational. If this was the case, then it is unlikely they were active for the whole five years since the hospital was shut down, as they would have been discovered, spread the virus outside of the area, or rotted/starved away. Rather, their strain of the virus (a mutated form of T-JCCC203) may have developed the ability to reanimate the corpses of the staff left behind, or they were reanimated by the plants inhabiting their bodies themselves. The Zombies could have also been former staff that returned to the area, like Alan Eldert did. Alternatively, Green Zombies could have been independent botanists that were studying the bizarre plants growing around the hospital (such as the author of the "Botanist's Notebook" and his friend Rick). They could even have been employees of the Umbrella Corporation who were sent to recover research from the hospital, or to observe the creatures living within it.
It is possible that the plants on Green Zombies were not simply growing on their bodies, but were bonded with them on the cellular level, like how the Huge Plant fused with the cells of Dorothy Lester. This would make them chimeras, rather than symbiotes.
It is possible that the plants on Green Zombies were not simply growing on their bodies, but were bonded with them on the cellular level, like how the Huge Plant fused with the cells of Dorothy Lester. This would make them chimeras, rather than symbiotes.
Credit to News Bot for the Green Zombie concept art from the Outbreak Grand Bible.
Axe Man
At some point after discovering the Dorothy plant in 1998, Al Lester became infected with T-JCCC203 and began to show symptoms of mutation. Instead of becoming a Zombie, Lester gained superhuman abilities without losing his human form or intelligence. This may imply he was a "t-Human" - a human host that adapts to the t-Virus, gaining many of its benefits while avoiding most negative symptoms - comparable to Albert Wesker, Sergei Vladimir, or Mary Gray.
Lester continued to stay in his cabin near the hospital in the Arklay woods and took advantage of his human appearance to lure lost hikers and other people to the hospital. After Dorothy trapped the people inside of the building, Al would don a mask similar to the stereotypical executioner hood and stalk his victims in the halls of the hospital. He used an axe to kill them, which earned him his nickname: "Axe Man". While the existence of the Axe Man was largely unknown to the rest of the world, his presence was beginning to be discovered by September:
Lester continued to stay in his cabin near the hospital in the Arklay woods and took advantage of his human appearance to lure lost hikers and other people to the hospital. After Dorothy trapped the people inside of the building, Al would don a mask similar to the stereotypical executioner hood and stalk his victims in the halls of the hospital. He used an axe to kill them, which earned him his nickname: "Axe Man". While the existence of the Axe Man was largely unknown to the rest of the world, his presence was beginning to be discovered by September:
RACCOON TODAY
September 6, 1998
A GHOST? MYSTERIOUS MASKED MAN WANDERS THE FOREST
According to the tales of local residents, it is said that sightings around the northwestern Arklay Mountains region of a suspicious figure, a man wearing a mask, have occurred one after another.
In addition, bloodstains believed to be those of stray dogs or crows were discovered in abundance on the forest path along the river and the area has begun to be wrapped in an unsettling air.
The increasingly uneasy residents claim the person is the spirit of a deceased patient of the hospital that closed five years ago.
With the memory of the bizarre murder cases still fresh, is another bloody case going to happen?
t-Humans normally develop when a host possesses genes or antibodies that are able to protect them from the harmful effects of the t-Virus, like necrosis and brain cell deterioration. While it is possible that Al had a compatible biology, no t-Virus prior to 1998 had ever created a superhuman, as most strains were far too lethal. Even Tyrants, which did not retain their human appearance, were considered a revolutionary success for their resisting the other negative symptoms of the virus.
Instead, it is more likely that T-JCCC203 was severely weakened by the time it entered the body of Al, to the point that his body was able to adapt to it. This would be due to the mutations and recombination with plants T-JCCC203 would have undergone in the wild. The t-Virus Project involved Umbrella intentionally weakening the virus over time by injecting it into a variety of different organisms and allowing it to recombine with their genes: T-JCCC203 would be weakened this way, while also having the benefit of being able to adapt and change in response to environmental pressures in the wild. T-JCCC203 may have also been naturally weaker than other strains of the t-Virus due to the fact it was supposedly supposed to avoid the Zombification symptom while curing disease. It may even be that creating t-Humans was the true purpose of T-JCCC203 development.
Instead, it is more likely that T-JCCC203 was severely weakened by the time it entered the body of Al, to the point that his body was able to adapt to it. This would be due to the mutations and recombination with plants T-JCCC203 would have undergone in the wild. The t-Virus Project involved Umbrella intentionally weakening the virus over time by injecting it into a variety of different organisms and allowing it to recombine with their genes: T-JCCC203 would be weakened this way, while also having the benefit of being able to adapt and change in response to environmental pressures in the wild. T-JCCC203 may have also been naturally weaker than other strains of the t-Virus due to the fact it was supposedly supposed to avoid the Zombification symptom while curing disease. It may even be that creating t-Humans was the true purpose of T-JCCC203 development.
Al was highly delusional, believing the Dorothy plant to be the reincarnation of his wife and murdering numerous people in order to feed it. He could hear the voice of his wife "echo in his head" when he was in the presence of the plant. He claimed that she was crying and in pain when he failed to acquire food for it, and that he could hear her laughter when he did feed it. He was also motivated by a hatred of other people, a consequence of his growing cynicism following the death of his wife. He felt the lives of others were well spent if they were able to provide sustenance for his wife.
While his madness could have been a result of his intense grief and PTSD (he himself said "If I convince myself that Dorothy's wish has come true, maybe my own burden of sadness will be lightened"), it could also have been a symptom of the virus. Insanity is one of the symptoms preceding Zombification in other strains of the t-Virus. As Dorothy Lester and Doug Frost both recovered from their diseases and gained a strengthened vitality before degenerating into Zombies, it may be that Al's Zombification symptom was merely delayed by the weakened nature of the virus, and that over time he too would eventually become a Zombie. In that case, Al would essentially be in his "Itchy Tasty" stage of infection.
The main change in Al's biology following infection was that his vitality far exceeded that of a normal human. His tissue was strengthened to the point that he could withstand multiple point-blank shotgun blasts to his body, and it is likely that his powers of regeneration were higher. He no longer felt temperature and had a lessened sense of pain, which in combination with his insanity could imply some damage to his nervous symptom. This supports the idea he was slowly becoming a Zombie. Interestingly, Al also no longer felt hunger, which could indicate his metabolism was actually slowed. Al cherished these changes, as it allowed him to better protect Dorothy. He still lacked the vitality of a Tyrant or some other t-Humans, and when injured would retreat from combat, likely to heal.
Al had a body which was slightly larger than average, which could have been a result of the virus' relationship with growth hormone. The only other visible change to Al following infection was the development of a green patch of skin on one side of his belly. This discolored, rash-like skin was likely green because of chlorophyll, the pigment that makes plants green. This likely suggests he inherited plant traits from the virus after it recombined in the Dorothy Plant. It may also be that, like Green Zombies, Al was parasitized by a plant after breathing in pollen. If this is the case, then he may have been strengthened by the plant sapling, which had greater effects in a live, non-drained body (in contrast to Green Zombies). If the Dorothy plant used its offspring to control the Green Zombies, it may have done the same thing to control the Axe Man. Plants communicate with each other using chemical signals. When Al claimed he could tell the plant was distressed it is possible that he was not delusional at all but was actually communicating with it this way. His feeding it did in fact contribute to its growth, after all. It may even be the plant released hallucinogens that made Al feel love towards it, causing him to associate it with his wife and serve it. If such a control mechanism was common in infected plants, this could even be related to Alexia Ashford's choice in fusing plant genes with the t-Veronica Virus. Considering the plant actually did fuse with Dorothy's cells and contained her body, and that genetic memories likely exist in the universe of Resident Evil, the Dorothy plant could have even inherited aspects of Dorothy Lester's mind, like the Queen Leech did with James Marcus. It may be that Al was not delusional at all, and the Huge Plant was indeed a reincarnated form of Dorothy Lester...
While his madness could have been a result of his intense grief and PTSD (he himself said "If I convince myself that Dorothy's wish has come true, maybe my own burden of sadness will be lightened"), it could also have been a symptom of the virus. Insanity is one of the symptoms preceding Zombification in other strains of the t-Virus. As Dorothy Lester and Doug Frost both recovered from their diseases and gained a strengthened vitality before degenerating into Zombies, it may be that Al's Zombification symptom was merely delayed by the weakened nature of the virus, and that over time he too would eventually become a Zombie. In that case, Al would essentially be in his "Itchy Tasty" stage of infection.
The main change in Al's biology following infection was that his vitality far exceeded that of a normal human. His tissue was strengthened to the point that he could withstand multiple point-blank shotgun blasts to his body, and it is likely that his powers of regeneration were higher. He no longer felt temperature and had a lessened sense of pain, which in combination with his insanity could imply some damage to his nervous symptom. This supports the idea he was slowly becoming a Zombie. Interestingly, Al also no longer felt hunger, which could indicate his metabolism was actually slowed. Al cherished these changes, as it allowed him to better protect Dorothy. He still lacked the vitality of a Tyrant or some other t-Humans, and when injured would retreat from combat, likely to heal.
Al had a body which was slightly larger than average, which could have been a result of the virus' relationship with growth hormone. The only other visible change to Al following infection was the development of a green patch of skin on one side of his belly. This discolored, rash-like skin was likely green because of chlorophyll, the pigment that makes plants green. This likely suggests he inherited plant traits from the virus after it recombined in the Dorothy Plant. It may also be that, like Green Zombies, Al was parasitized by a plant after breathing in pollen. If this is the case, then he may have been strengthened by the plant sapling, which had greater effects in a live, non-drained body (in contrast to Green Zombies). If the Dorothy plant used its offspring to control the Green Zombies, it may have done the same thing to control the Axe Man. Plants communicate with each other using chemical signals. When Al claimed he could tell the plant was distressed it is possible that he was not delusional at all but was actually communicating with it this way. His feeding it did in fact contribute to its growth, after all. It may even be the plant released hallucinogens that made Al feel love towards it, causing him to associate it with his wife and serve it. If such a control mechanism was common in infected plants, this could even be related to Alexia Ashford's choice in fusing plant genes with the t-Veronica Virus. Considering the plant actually did fuse with Dorothy's cells and contained her body, and that genetic memories likely exist in the universe of Resident Evil, the Dorothy plant could have even inherited aspects of Dorothy Lester's mind, like the Queen Leech did with James Marcus. It may be that Al was not delusional at all, and the Huge Plant was indeed a reincarnated form of Dorothy Lester...
Credit to News Bot for the Axe Man concept art from the Outbreak Grand Bible.