The most iconic, widely known, widely used, and most referenced virus in the entire Resident Evil series was the Tyrant Virus, or t-Virus (sometimes capitalized as "T-Virus"; also referred to as the "Cannibal Disease" by the media of Raccoon City). The t-Virus revolutionized modern warfare in the same fashion gunpowder did. While viruses such as T-JCCC203, "t-Wesker", and t-Veronica were technically t-Viruses, this analysis focuses on the Umbrella Corporation's primary t-Virus first developed at the Umbrella Executive Training School, and later refined at the Arklay research facility.
Each aspect of the t-Virus and its mutated hosts are covered below in the following parts, in this order:
Part One:
This is part two of Virus Analysis: Tyrant.
Each aspect of the t-Virus and its mutated hosts are covered below in the following parts, in this order:
Part One:
- Overview (History and Effects)
- Zombies (Humans)
- Zombie Animals (Mammalian and Aves)
- Evolved Zombies (Crimson Heads, Lickers, etc.)
- Tyrants
- Arthropods (Spiders and Insects)
- Annelids (Worms)
- Chordates (Reptiles, Fish, Amphibians, and Tunicate)
- Plants
- Hybrids (Hunters, Chimeras, etc.)
- Super Humans (Sergei and Mary Grey)
- Miscellaneous (Undertakers, Nyx, etc.)
- t-Virus Countermeasures
This is part two of Virus Analysis: Tyrant.
Mutants by Phylum
The t-Virus affects different types of hosts in different ways. In the early days of t-Virus development, Umbrella performed many virus-administration experiments on various types of animals, to both weaken the virus and to narrow down test subjects that could serve as efficient B.O.W.s. Many other animals became infected by the virus as a result of accidental leaks of the virus. This next section covers groups of monsters according to the phylum, class, or kingdom that the host species belongs to. As covered before, mammals and aves will transform into Zombies and Tyrants following t-Virus infection.
While creatures infected and transformed by the t-Virus as a result of accidental infection ("irregular mutants") were not official B.O.W.s, they were often still given names by Umbrella, who gathered data on them in case they displayed attributes that could contribute to the development of actual B.O.W.s. The secretive unit known as the "Monitors" was tasked with gathering data on such creatures.
While creatures infected and transformed by the t-Virus as a result of accidental infection ("irregular mutants") were not official B.O.W.s, they were often still given names by Umbrella, who gathered data on them in case they displayed attributes that could contribute to the development of actual B.O.W.s. The secretive unit known as the "Monitors" was tasked with gathering data on such creatures.
Arthropoda is a phylum of creatures featuring an exoskeleton, and includes insects, spiders, crustaceans, and centipedes. Arthropods make up 80% of all animals on Earth, and many arthropod mutants were created as a result of t-Virus outbreaks. Their primitive biology and higher adaptability to the virus made them promising and easy B.O.W.s to create in the early days of Umbrella, but their lack of intelligence and means of control eventually made Umbrella move on to more complex organisms.
The necrosis seen in Zombie hosts is not seen in arthropods, although they still experience heightened aggression, with omnivorous and herbivorous creatures becoming strictly carnivorous after infection. While intelligence is not damaged, it is also rarely enhanced. While Zombies and Tyrants are infertile, arthropod hosts tend to experience an increase in breeding capacity and speed. This explosive increase in reproduction makes them a dangerous biohazard risk. The way in which infected arthropods breed also often changes following mutation, affected their overall biology and behavior in surprising ways.
Physical mutation in arthropod hosts is usually limited due to many arthropods already reaching an evolutionary impasse in ancient times, with their simple yet effective biology making the potential for improvements limited. Despite this, almost all arthropods infected with the t-Virus experience an extreme increase in size due to an abnormal increase in the secretion of growth hormone. While this symptom is common in all hosts, it is much more dramatic in arthropods. Size increases range not only from species to species, but from individual to individual. As they grow, many infected arthropods exuviate and shed their skin many times. While creatures with the body frame of insects should not be able to support such large sizes, virus activity causes strengthened muscle fibers to develop which not only support the enlarged hosts but maintain their impressive mobility. The large bodies of infected arthropods make them require larger amounts of energy to function, which contributes to their overall aggression towards potential sources of food. Due to their increase in size, arthropods commonly become capable of making audible screeching noises
Many poisonous hosts like spiders and wasps experience mutations making their toxins even more dangerous, and venom is capable of carrying and transmitting the virus. Other, non-venomous creatures infected by the virus can sometimes actually develop the ability to create poison. The poison carried by infected arthropods is always lethal to humans. It usually takes a period of time for poison to trigger a fatal response, but it will steadily wear down the energy of victims. Various kinds of antidotes can still cure these poisons - in particular, the Blue Herbs native to the Arklay Mountains, and Antidotes synthesized from Green Herbs, are consistently capable of treating these poisons in all but the most extreme cases.
Interestingly, many mutant arthropods retain a weakness to insecticides.
Spider - Spiders were among the first creatures experimented on for B.O.W. development due to their mobility, reproductive capabilities, and incredible ability to adapt to and thrive in any environment. The common name for B.O.W.s produced by injecting and genetically modifying spiders with the t-Virus is "Web Spinner", while most spiders created through secondary infection were generally called "Giant Spiders". These early experiments helped stabilize the virus in arthropod hosts, and helped weaken the t-Virus (creating the Alpha strain, which made "leaps and bounds" in research) so that it could be used on more advanced animals such as chordates. Web Spinners showed promising combat abilities and adaptability, but did not satisfy all the requirements for B.O.W. production (namely, having the intelligence to follow commands), and practicality was not expected by researchers. This made Web Spinners an example to Umbrella that arthropods were not a satisfying base for B.O.W. development. Despite this, some researchers still considered Web Spinners for use as intermediary weapons, and although research was terminated several Web Spinners were still kept for the purpose of acquiring more data. Web Spinners were envisioned as specializing in virus dispersal, due to their mobility allowing them to reach hidden areas and to ambush survivors in outbreak zones.
During the Mansion Incident, the few Web Spinners still kept at the laboratory escaped confinement and bred in the wild. They preyed on animals in the Arklay woods and within the Mansion grounds. Giant Spiders were often seen in zones where the t-Virus was leaked due to the universal presence of spiders on Earth, such as the outbreaks in Raccoon City and Sheena Island. During its financial troubles Umbrella seemed to have reevaluated and approved Web Spinners for mass production due to their presence at the Caucasus Facility. The fear aspect of fighting giant spiders (with their appearance causing most people to panic) and their simple, extremely cheap means of production lead to their continued use by bioterrorists as late as at least 2010, when an American mall was attacked using many Web Spinners. They were particularly popular among criminal organizations that could not use formal armed forces.
Spiders prosper in environments everywhere, from deserts to jungles to cold regions. This is due to their biological variety - there are almost 50,000 recorded species of spider, which developed due to their extraordinary prowess in environmental adaption. Spiders infected by the t-Virus showed the same capacity for adaption, which is one of the primary reasons Umbrella researched them. At first, only some spiders could withstand the rapid rewriting of DNA caused by the t-Virus, but after the virus was stabilized in successful spider hosts, more and more individuals would be able to withstand and show favorable results following infection.
The Web Spinner B.O.W. was based on a species of large, poisonous tarantula species, brought in from Central or South America. Many Spiders that became infected in urban outbreak zones developed the appearance of tarantulas as well. This is either due to pet tarantulas kept by local residents becoming infecting and breeding in the wild, or due to the fact that the t-Virus was stabilized with tarantula DNA. In the case of the latter, it is possible that Spiders belonging to various different species would develop tarantula-like traits, such as being covered in hair, due to their cells being rewritten using the tarantula genes in the virus.
Infected spiders were most easily characterized by their incredible size, with a high level of variability between individuals. Web Spinners and Giant Spiders could be anywhere from 60 to 116 centimeters high (2 to 3.8 feet) and 2-5 meters long (6 to 16 feet, with the higher end being extremely rare), with a typical weight of 98 pounds. Large tissue growths would commonly develop along infected spider bodies, although the extent of them were often obscured by Spiders being covered in urticating hairs. The number, shape, and color of Spider eyes alternated greatly from individual to individual. The overall form and characteristics of infected spiders did not change very much due to the ancient biology of spiders already being ideal from an evolutionary standpoint. Regardless of what attempts Umbrella made to improve them, no serious changes could be made to their biology. The main differences between different individual infected Spiders were owing to species variation, which accounted for differences in size, in hair color and patterns, and in eye development.
During the Mansion Incident, the few Web Spinners still kept at the laboratory escaped confinement and bred in the wild. They preyed on animals in the Arklay woods and within the Mansion grounds. Giant Spiders were often seen in zones where the t-Virus was leaked due to the universal presence of spiders on Earth, such as the outbreaks in Raccoon City and Sheena Island. During its financial troubles Umbrella seemed to have reevaluated and approved Web Spinners for mass production due to their presence at the Caucasus Facility. The fear aspect of fighting giant spiders (with their appearance causing most people to panic) and their simple, extremely cheap means of production lead to their continued use by bioterrorists as late as at least 2010, when an American mall was attacked using many Web Spinners. They were particularly popular among criminal organizations that could not use formal armed forces.
Spiders prosper in environments everywhere, from deserts to jungles to cold regions. This is due to their biological variety - there are almost 50,000 recorded species of spider, which developed due to their extraordinary prowess in environmental adaption. Spiders infected by the t-Virus showed the same capacity for adaption, which is one of the primary reasons Umbrella researched them. At first, only some spiders could withstand the rapid rewriting of DNA caused by the t-Virus, but after the virus was stabilized in successful spider hosts, more and more individuals would be able to withstand and show favorable results following infection.
The Web Spinner B.O.W. was based on a species of large, poisonous tarantula species, brought in from Central or South America. Many Spiders that became infected in urban outbreak zones developed the appearance of tarantulas as well. This is either due to pet tarantulas kept by local residents becoming infecting and breeding in the wild, or due to the fact that the t-Virus was stabilized with tarantula DNA. In the case of the latter, it is possible that Spiders belonging to various different species would develop tarantula-like traits, such as being covered in hair, due to their cells being rewritten using the tarantula genes in the virus.
Infected spiders were most easily characterized by their incredible size, with a high level of variability between individuals. Web Spinners and Giant Spiders could be anywhere from 60 to 116 centimeters high (2 to 3.8 feet) and 2-5 meters long (6 to 16 feet, with the higher end being extremely rare), with a typical weight of 98 pounds. Large tissue growths would commonly develop along infected spider bodies, although the extent of them were often obscured by Spiders being covered in urticating hairs. The number, shape, and color of Spider eyes alternated greatly from individual to individual. The overall form and characteristics of infected spiders did not change very much due to the ancient biology of spiders already being ideal from an evolutionary standpoint. Regardless of what attempts Umbrella made to improve them, no serious changes could be made to their biology. The main differences between different individual infected Spiders were owing to species variation, which accounted for differences in size, in hair color and patterns, and in eye development.
Web Spinners/Giant Spiders had to supplement their diets to support their large bodies by hunting large animals. To accomplish this, they developed considerable combat abilities. Their enlarged fangs were sharp enough to harm human prey, and the strengthened poison within their venom was highly dangerous. Some Spiders had a single claw at the end of each of their legs (tarantulas possess two claws on each leg normally, suggesting one was lost when infected tarantulas grew). These claws could be pushed into the bodies of prey as the Spiders climbed on top of them, to keep them stationary as the Spiders fed on them; or Spiders could bash their claws into prey as a weapon. Their size and strengthened muscle tissue made them difficult to kill, even by humans using firearms. They were especially weak to fire-based attacks however, due to the fur covering their bodies.
Like human Zombies and some normal spiders, infected Spiders could vomit strong digestive fluids as an airborne projectile, which they used as a primary means of attack. This acid could be fired as a small ball-like projectile at medium ranges, or as a concentrated spray at short ranges. This projectile acid was unique in that in carried the Spiders' venom inside of it, making it especially deadly. The acid could burn off the skin of prey, allowing the venom it carried to enter the bloodstream through the open wounds, circumventing the need for normal spiders to inject their venom into prey via biting. This was an especially dangerous attack due to their venom carrying the t-Virus.
Spider speed and agility were intact, and they excelled at ambushing prey from different angles, using both their venomous bile spit and their jumping skills, which enabled use a wide range of attacks. Web Spinners, when running, could reach a max speed of 24 miles per hour. Spiders would both wander environments looking for prey, and remain stationary in their nests, patiently waiting to ambush any prey that encroached on their territory. Spiders waiting in ambush would often choose dark corners to hide in, and could slowly creep up to prey in total silence, with their size belying their stealthiness. When they were directly overhead prey, they could drop on top of them. When attacking prey while on the ground, Spiders would either attack by lunging at prey, or by raising their frontal legs and running at relatively high speeds, using their body weight to knock prey over and pin them to the ground. Spiders would often use their poison acid spit to weaken prey before attacking them directly, both wearing down their prey's resistance and making them easier to consume.
It is unknown if infected Spiders were capable of devouring solid flesh, as ordinary spiders can only digest liquid. It is possible that the Spiders' evolved digestive systems and increased size made direct consumption of solids possible. It is also possible that infected Spiders would need to use their digestive acid spray to liquify the meat of their prey before consumption (a method used by ordinary spiders).
While they had strong instincts, the behavioral patterns of infected Spiders were often no more complicated than those of normal spiders, and external control was impossible. Instead, users of Web Spinners would simply release them into a field of operations, and utilize their strong appetites against enemy combatants, spreading the t-Virus as a dangerous medium in the process. It is possible that a user could potentially inject a spider with the t-Virus and release it into enemy territory before it grows, allowing it to transform and breed behind enemy lines. Spiders would operate efficiently in almost any environment, but situations where the virus could be spread indiscriminately is where their effectiveness was maximized for users.
During development, Web Spinners commonly lost their ability to spin silk due to their spinnerets ("spinning glands") not growing in proportion to the rest of their bodies. This was ironic, considering their name. Web Spinners would rely more on direct hunting as a result. Some spiders infected in the wild during outbreaks retained the ability to spin webs, possibly due to different species having unique reactions to the virus. These webs would be used primarily to capture and store the bodies of human prey for later consumption - first a Giant Spider would poison a human, then capture them and carry them away to safe location where they could entangle the bodies, living or dead. Nests made up of webs were present in certain locations occupied by Giant Spiders, such as certain areas of Saint Michael's Clocktower in Raccoon City.
Like human Zombies and some normal spiders, infected Spiders could vomit strong digestive fluids as an airborne projectile, which they used as a primary means of attack. This acid could be fired as a small ball-like projectile at medium ranges, or as a concentrated spray at short ranges. This projectile acid was unique in that in carried the Spiders' venom inside of it, making it especially deadly. The acid could burn off the skin of prey, allowing the venom it carried to enter the bloodstream through the open wounds, circumventing the need for normal spiders to inject their venom into prey via biting. This was an especially dangerous attack due to their venom carrying the t-Virus.
Spider speed and agility were intact, and they excelled at ambushing prey from different angles, using both their venomous bile spit and their jumping skills, which enabled use a wide range of attacks. Web Spinners, when running, could reach a max speed of 24 miles per hour. Spiders would both wander environments looking for prey, and remain stationary in their nests, patiently waiting to ambush any prey that encroached on their territory. Spiders waiting in ambush would often choose dark corners to hide in, and could slowly creep up to prey in total silence, with their size belying their stealthiness. When they were directly overhead prey, they could drop on top of them. When attacking prey while on the ground, Spiders would either attack by lunging at prey, or by raising their frontal legs and running at relatively high speeds, using their body weight to knock prey over and pin them to the ground. Spiders would often use their poison acid spit to weaken prey before attacking them directly, both wearing down their prey's resistance and making them easier to consume.
It is unknown if infected Spiders were capable of devouring solid flesh, as ordinary spiders can only digest liquid. It is possible that the Spiders' evolved digestive systems and increased size made direct consumption of solids possible. It is also possible that infected Spiders would need to use their digestive acid spray to liquify the meat of their prey before consumption (a method used by ordinary spiders).
While they had strong instincts, the behavioral patterns of infected Spiders were often no more complicated than those of normal spiders, and external control was impossible. Instead, users of Web Spinners would simply release them into a field of operations, and utilize their strong appetites against enemy combatants, spreading the t-Virus as a dangerous medium in the process. It is possible that a user could potentially inject a spider with the t-Virus and release it into enemy territory before it grows, allowing it to transform and breed behind enemy lines. Spiders would operate efficiently in almost any environment, but situations where the virus could be spread indiscriminately is where their effectiveness was maximized for users.
During development, Web Spinners commonly lost their ability to spin silk due to their spinnerets ("spinning glands") not growing in proportion to the rest of their bodies. This was ironic, considering their name. Web Spinners would rely more on direct hunting as a result. Some spiders infected in the wild during outbreaks retained the ability to spin webs, possibly due to different species having unique reactions to the virus. These webs would be used primarily to capture and store the bodies of human prey for later consumption - first a Giant Spider would poison a human, then capture them and carry them away to safe location where they could entangle the bodies, living or dead. Nests made up of webs were present in certain locations occupied by Giant Spiders, such as certain areas of Saint Michael's Clocktower in Raccoon City.
Infected Spiders retained their reproductive capabilities, which were actually enhanced, with spiderlings developing at an enhanced speed than normal. This contributed to Web Spinner usefulness as a medium for spreading the virus.
Normal spider mothers will usually lay eggs and wrap them in egg sacks, which are then attached to a web or to the spider mother's back. A female Spider infected with the t-Virus would instead carry egg sacks inside of her womb, with live offspring being born directly from the body of the mother. This makes Infected Spiders ovoviviparous/lecithotrophic viviparous: their young develop within eggs without placental nourishment like normal egg-layers, but they hatch while still inside the mother's body. A Spider mother could contain "countless" offspring inside of it, with them "clogging up" its abdomen.
The offspring of Web Spinners/Giant Spiders were referred to as Baby Spiders, Spiderlets, and Little Spiders. Baby Spiders were pink and hairless, and emerged from their mothers the size of normal, adult tarantulas. The process of birthing would probably be fatal to a mother Spider, as spiders are not supposed to give live birth. When a mother Spider's abdomen was ruptured by gunfire, if the mother was killed, or presumably if Baby Spider maturation was complete, Baby Spiders would instinctively break through their mother's belly, jump outside of her body, and immediately begin looking for food, regardless of size. While they were weak enough that a human could stomp them to death with their feet, Baby Spiders could swarm humans in large numbers, covering their bodies and biting them simultaneously.
Most of the Giant Spiders inhabiting the sewers of Raccoon City and Sheena Island, which became infected with the t-Virus as a result of contaminated sewage from Umbrella's pharmaceutical factories, did not contain Baby Spiders. This is because most of the spiders in these location were presumed to be males. It is possible that female Giant Spiders will live separately from males after impregnation, with the females migrating to the surface. It is also possible that the males are the ones to migrate, returning to sewer tunnels from which they first developed, in order to avoid being eaten by their female mates. The Giant Spiders in the sewers were also said to be affected by chemicals in the waste, which could have potentially made any female spiders barren for any number of reasons.
While rupturing the abdomen of female Spiders would often led to Baby Spiders emerging, this also sometimes led to Spiders releasing their high amounts of stomach acid. This acid would squirt out of the belly in jets, making it capable of harming anything in proximity. Acid released this way also carried venom, which creates the implication that venom in infected Spiders is not produced or stored in venom glands near the face, or that they simply release their venom into their own abdomens for storage.
Normal spider mothers will usually lay eggs and wrap them in egg sacks, which are then attached to a web or to the spider mother's back. A female Spider infected with the t-Virus would instead carry egg sacks inside of her womb, with live offspring being born directly from the body of the mother. This makes Infected Spiders ovoviviparous/lecithotrophic viviparous: their young develop within eggs without placental nourishment like normal egg-layers, but they hatch while still inside the mother's body. A Spider mother could contain "countless" offspring inside of it, with them "clogging up" its abdomen.
The offspring of Web Spinners/Giant Spiders were referred to as Baby Spiders, Spiderlets, and Little Spiders. Baby Spiders were pink and hairless, and emerged from their mothers the size of normal, adult tarantulas. The process of birthing would probably be fatal to a mother Spider, as spiders are not supposed to give live birth. When a mother Spider's abdomen was ruptured by gunfire, if the mother was killed, or presumably if Baby Spider maturation was complete, Baby Spiders would instinctively break through their mother's belly, jump outside of her body, and immediately begin looking for food, regardless of size. While they were weak enough that a human could stomp them to death with their feet, Baby Spiders could swarm humans in large numbers, covering their bodies and biting them simultaneously.
Most of the Giant Spiders inhabiting the sewers of Raccoon City and Sheena Island, which became infected with the t-Virus as a result of contaminated sewage from Umbrella's pharmaceutical factories, did not contain Baby Spiders. This is because most of the spiders in these location were presumed to be males. It is possible that female Giant Spiders will live separately from males after impregnation, with the females migrating to the surface. It is also possible that the males are the ones to migrate, returning to sewer tunnels from which they first developed, in order to avoid being eaten by their female mates. The Giant Spiders in the sewers were also said to be affected by chemicals in the waste, which could have potentially made any female spiders barren for any number of reasons.
While rupturing the abdomen of female Spiders would often led to Baby Spiders emerging, this also sometimes led to Spiders releasing their high amounts of stomach acid. This acid would squirt out of the belly in jets, making it capable of harming anything in proximity. Acid released this way also carried venom, which creates the implication that venom in infected Spiders is not produced or stored in venom glands near the face, or that they simply release their venom into their own abdomens for storage.
When Web Spinner research was initially terminated, most specimens were disposed of save for a few. One of the Spiders sent to be disposed of (or several, if the Nightmare scenario of The Umbrella Chronicles is to be believed) survived and escaped into the underground caverns of the Arklay Facility, underneath the courtyard of the adjacent mansion. This specimen(s) mutated and quietly continued to grow into a unique creature. After its(their) development reached a certain point, it(they) began to prey on researchers that approached its(their) nest in a number of incidents before the Mansion Incident even began. The staff nicknamed this species "Black Tiger", due to it having darker fur and as a sign of their great fear of it(them). Any Black Tigers at the Mansion were eventually destroyed by members of S.T.A.R.S. Other Black Tigers also appeared on Sheena Island.
Black Tigers began development as normal Web Spinners/Giant Spiders, but eventually grew to two to three times the size of a typical Web Spinner. The reason they grew to such a size was unknown by Umbrella due to them being unable to acquire an adequate amount of data on the new species, and its potential performance as a weapon was not investigated properly before all specimens were destroyed. But Black Tiger development could have been due to:
Black Tiger aggression was especially high, their vitality doubled following their growth. Their ramming-attack was more dangerous than that of normal infected Spiders, due to their colossal size. A Black Tiger's venom was also more lethal, and they were capable of launching three projectiles at once. They retained the same Spider weakness to fire due to their fur.
As a Black Tiger developed, its ability to spin webs was restored. This may have been due to its spinneret finally growing in proportion with the rest of its body. Black Tigers were capable of spinning webs in proportion to their gigantic bodies, easily covering large spaces such as the basement area of the Arklay Mansion. They used their webs to not only store food for later consumption, but to weaken and constrict the movements of large animals by spraying them over a large distance. Aside from utilizing this new hunting technique and them being somewhat more aggressive, Black Tiger behavioral patterns remained largely the same as those of other Web Spinners.
At least one of the Black Tigers living in Arklay was a female and was capable of reproduction. Like Web Spinners and Giant Spiders, it carried Baby Spiders within its body which would spill out when the abdomen was torn. These Baby Spiders were identical to those produced by other infected Spiders, but a Black Tiger could carry many more at a time.
Ordinary Web Spinners also resided in the Arklay nest created by Black Tigers. These individuals could have been Black Tiger offspring (which would imply that they can give birth to Baby Spiders without dying), or unrelated Web Spinners that instinctually made their way to the Black Tiger nest (which would imply that Spiders develop some kind of social instincts).
Black Tigers began development as normal Web Spinners/Giant Spiders, but eventually grew to two to three times the size of a typical Web Spinner. The reason they grew to such a size was unknown by Umbrella due to them being unable to acquire an adequate amount of data on the new species, and its potential performance as a weapon was not investigated properly before all specimens were destroyed. But Black Tiger development could have been due to:
- Environmental adaption. This is possibly supported by them being said to be "constantly evolving in the wild". See "Giant Black Widow" below for more information.
- Age, or more specifically, time spent infected. This is supported by Web Spinners being said to grow "endlessly huge".
- The species of host. This could account for Black Tigers having darker fur, and even for their ability to still spin webs, like Giant Spiders.
- A random mutation.
Black Tiger aggression was especially high, their vitality doubled following their growth. Their ramming-attack was more dangerous than that of normal infected Spiders, due to their colossal size. A Black Tiger's venom was also more lethal, and they were capable of launching three projectiles at once. They retained the same Spider weakness to fire due to their fur.
As a Black Tiger developed, its ability to spin webs was restored. This may have been due to its spinneret finally growing in proportion with the rest of its body. Black Tigers were capable of spinning webs in proportion to their gigantic bodies, easily covering large spaces such as the basement area of the Arklay Mansion. They used their webs to not only store food for later consumption, but to weaken and constrict the movements of large animals by spraying them over a large distance. Aside from utilizing this new hunting technique and them being somewhat more aggressive, Black Tiger behavioral patterns remained largely the same as those of other Web Spinners.
At least one of the Black Tigers living in Arklay was a female and was capable of reproduction. Like Web Spinners and Giant Spiders, it carried Baby Spiders within its body which would spill out when the abdomen was torn. These Baby Spiders were identical to those produced by other infected Spiders, but a Black Tiger could carry many more at a time.
Ordinary Web Spinners also resided in the Arklay nest created by Black Tigers. These individuals could have been Black Tiger offspring (which would imply that they can give birth to Baby Spiders without dying), or unrelated Web Spinners that instinctually made their way to the Black Tiger nest (which would imply that Spiders develop some kind of social instincts).
After Giant Spiders infested Raccoon City in 1998, Umbrella gathered data on their combat abilities using their intel-gathering organization, the Monitors. Umbrella was inspired by the performance of these Spiders to create a new B.O.W. based on a species with deadlier venom, while incorporating improvements based on the combat data from Raccoon. Umbrella used black widow spiders as a base to create a new version of Web Spinner, simply called "Black Widows" (also called "Medium Spider"). Black Widows were finished by December of 1998 and were sent to Umbrella's Antarctic Facility in order to be distributed to various locations owned by various Umbrella branches using the aircraft hangar there. Some specimens were also sent to Rockfort Island both to train Umbrella's special forces, and to gather live combat data on these new B.O.W.s. Due to outbreaks in both of these locations, the Widows escaped confinement. They rapidly reproduced and attacked human survivors. with many specimens killed by Chris and Claire Redfield and the harsh conditions of the Antarctic. It is unknown if all of the Widows were destroyed, and if Umbrella ever mass-produced them later. It is also unknown if they were even considered a success, as tarantula-based Web Spinners were shown to be mass produced instead at a later date.
Due to the change in species, Black Widows were slightly smaller than infected tarantulas. Their hunting behavior was slightly different as a result - instead of knocking prey over, Black Widows would grab onto prey and bind them using their long, thin limbs, and then bite into them. Their smaller size also allowed them to utilize small spaces such as ventilation ducts to move across indoor areas. Black Widows did not develop hair, revealing just how heavily altered infected Spider skin could be. The Widows no longer carried their iconic hourglass shape on their abdomens and became a green and purple color.
Black Widow venom was even more lethal, due to the host species carrying particularly powerful neurotoxins, such as alpha-latrotoxin (which hijacks the nervous system of prey). Presumably due to further enhancements made by Umbrella using the data from previous infected Spiders, Black Widows had "phenomenal vitality unseen in conventional models". They could even survive having their entire abdomen destroyed. Widows with a destroyed abdomen would probably die over time due to them losing their digestive system, but they still sought to attack and devour prey, with their movements becoming faster due to the loss of weight. Like their tarantula cousins, female Black Widows could also release many Baby Spiders (with Black Widow offspring also called "Small Spiders") once their abdomens were destroyed. Black Widow spinning glands were intact and grew in proper proportion with their bodies, allowing them to spin webs.
Due to the change in species, Black Widows were slightly smaller than infected tarantulas. Their hunting behavior was slightly different as a result - instead of knocking prey over, Black Widows would grab onto prey and bind them using their long, thin limbs, and then bite into them. Their smaller size also allowed them to utilize small spaces such as ventilation ducts to move across indoor areas. Black Widows did not develop hair, revealing just how heavily altered infected Spider skin could be. The Widows no longer carried their iconic hourglass shape on their abdomens and became a green and purple color.
Black Widow venom was even more lethal, due to the host species carrying particularly powerful neurotoxins, such as alpha-latrotoxin (which hijacks the nervous system of prey). Presumably due to further enhancements made by Umbrella using the data from previous infected Spiders, Black Widows had "phenomenal vitality unseen in conventional models". They could even survive having their entire abdomen destroyed. Widows with a destroyed abdomen would probably die over time due to them losing their digestive system, but they still sought to attack and devour prey, with their movements becoming faster due to the loss of weight. Like their tarantula cousins, female Black Widows could also release many Baby Spiders (with Black Widow offspring also called "Small Spiders") once their abdomens were destroyed. Black Widow spinning glands were intact and grew in proper proportion with their bodies, allowing them to spin webs.
In the Antarctic Base, Anti-B.O.W. gas leaked into the room housing the Black Widows. Later, freezing water flooded the area. Both of these circumstances killed the vast majority of the Widows in the area. One Widow survived by mutating, due to the impressive environmental adaption abilities present in spiders, which was improved much more thanks to the evolutionary potential of the t-Virus. It is unknown exactly what environmental factor was the trigger for this mutation - the gas, the cold water, or both. All that is known for certain is that its mutation was in response to "changes in the environment" (BIOHAZARD CODE:Veronica Official Website). This Widow transformed into the "Giant Black Widow" (also called a "Large Spider"). This Widow was trapped underwater when the surface of the water froze over but was freed when a crane breached the ice. It was afterwards possibly killed by Chris Redfield.
The Giant Black Widow grew much larger in the span of only several hours. It was possibly the Widow equivalent of a Black Tiger, with the speed of its transformation necessitated by the extremely harsh environment. With its increase in size came greater vitality and strength (it was capable of completely destroying a metal control compartment for a crane with thrusts from its body), but its abilities and behavior were otherwise identical to standard Widows. The surface of its skin had pulsating yellow growths that appeared to be reptilian eyeballs, which is a common mutation-tendency in Progenitor Virus hosts. It was a female, as it had the potential to release offspring (which were higher in number than the ones released by ordinary Black Widows).
Claire Redfield had a dream of Giant Black Widows later on. This version of the Widow was extremely agile, and it could leap into the sky.
The Giant Black Widow grew much larger in the span of only several hours. It was possibly the Widow equivalent of a Black Tiger, with the speed of its transformation necessitated by the extremely harsh environment. With its increase in size came greater vitality and strength (it was capable of completely destroying a metal control compartment for a crane with thrusts from its body), but its abilities and behavior were otherwise identical to standard Widows. The surface of its skin had pulsating yellow growths that appeared to be reptilian eyeballs, which is a common mutation-tendency in Progenitor Virus hosts. It was a female, as it had the potential to release offspring (which were higher in number than the ones released by ordinary Black Widows).
Claire Redfield had a dream of Giant Black Widows later on. This version of the Widow was extremely agile, and it could leap into the sky.
Credit to Ridley and Project Umbrella for the Black Widow Art
Umbrella continued developing Web Spinners based on alternative species of spider after the Black Widows. One such Web Spinner variant was based on South American Jumping Spiders and were called "Jumping Maneaters". Maneaters were purchased by Javier Hidalgo and eventually released into the village of Mixcóatl . They were encountered by Leon S. Kennedy and Jack Krauser during Operation: Javier.
The purpose of Jumping Maneaters as B.O.W.s was to be a cheap variant that was optimized for hot and humid environments. Due to the host species that was used, they had impressive leaping abilities in addition to all of the abilities of typical Web Spinners. Their appearance was almost the same as the host species, with very little variation aside from their size and behavior.
They were named after Goliath Birdeaters, the largest species of natural spider in the world (at least going by body length and mass). This is in spite of the fact that, while Birdeaters are native to South America, Maneaters were not actually being based on Birdeaters. Their name was instead supposed to reflect that Maneaters were "even stronger" than Birdeaters, making them the apex spiders of the continent.
The purpose of Jumping Maneaters as B.O.W.s was to be a cheap variant that was optimized for hot and humid environments. Due to the host species that was used, they had impressive leaping abilities in addition to all of the abilities of typical Web Spinners. Their appearance was almost the same as the host species, with very little variation aside from their size and behavior.
They were named after Goliath Birdeaters, the largest species of natural spider in the world (at least going by body length and mass). This is in spite of the fact that, while Birdeaters are native to South America, Maneaters were not actually being based on Birdeaters. Their name was instead supposed to reflect that Maneaters were "even stronger" than Birdeaters, making them the apex spiders of the continent.
Scorpion - The Stinger was a scorpion B.O.W. fought and killed aboard the Ecliptic Express on the 23rd of July, 1998. It was being transported by the Second Investigation Team aboard the train when an outbreak happened, causing the scorpion to escape.
Scorpions are arachnids, the same class spiders belong to, with pincers and poison-filled stingers (which is of course where the name "Stinger" comes from). Like mutant Spiders, the Stinger grew dozens of times its original size after repeatedly practicing ecdysis at an incredible speed. The Stinger's torso ended up being approximately 3 meters long (4 meters with its tail), 2.4 meters tall, and 2.5 meters wide (including its claws), making it slightly larger than a typical Web Spinner.
The Stinger's exoskeleton was hardened to the point that it could absorb almost any shock from gunfire. Its tail's poison gland degenerated and failed to produce venom, and it is unknown if toxicity was even considered when the host species was chosen, and whether or not the lack of poison was a design choice or the result of a negative mutation detoxifying it. Despite this, it used its raw strength as a more than adequate replacement, with its claws being capable of easily slicing through steel plating. It attacked using its tail, its claws, and by ramming with its body. As scorpions are predatory creatures, with some species even preying on small vertebrates, the Stinger likely attacked humans in order to devour them.
The Stinger had a number of faults. Its exoskeleton did not grow in perfect proportion with its body due to its rapid growth, which resulted in a gap appearing that left soft tissue on its head exposed, creating a fatal weak-point on its otherwise bulletproof body. Gunfire could easily break through the exterior of its head, causing it to bleed yellow-green blood and forcing it to move backwards due to the pain. Its intelligence, like Web Spinners, did not improve, making it incapable of following orders. Its mobility was limited and slow due to its size and hardened shell (although it seemed to have considerable jumping or climbing abilities, as it managed to make its way to the top of the train), especially when compared to the advanced mobility of Web Spinners. All of these factors made the Stinger's practicality on the battlefield low, making it inadequate for B.O.W. development.
Scorpions are arachnids, the same class spiders belong to, with pincers and poison-filled stingers (which is of course where the name "Stinger" comes from). Like mutant Spiders, the Stinger grew dozens of times its original size after repeatedly practicing ecdysis at an incredible speed. The Stinger's torso ended up being approximately 3 meters long (4 meters with its tail), 2.4 meters tall, and 2.5 meters wide (including its claws), making it slightly larger than a typical Web Spinner.
The Stinger's exoskeleton was hardened to the point that it could absorb almost any shock from gunfire. Its tail's poison gland degenerated and failed to produce venom, and it is unknown if toxicity was even considered when the host species was chosen, and whether or not the lack of poison was a design choice or the result of a negative mutation detoxifying it. Despite this, it used its raw strength as a more than adequate replacement, with its claws being capable of easily slicing through steel plating. It attacked using its tail, its claws, and by ramming with its body. As scorpions are predatory creatures, with some species even preying on small vertebrates, the Stinger likely attacked humans in order to devour them.
The Stinger had a number of faults. Its exoskeleton did not grow in perfect proportion with its body due to its rapid growth, which resulted in a gap appearing that left soft tissue on its head exposed, creating a fatal weak-point on its otherwise bulletproof body. Gunfire could easily break through the exterior of its head, causing it to bleed yellow-green blood and forcing it to move backwards due to the pain. Its intelligence, like Web Spinners, did not improve, making it incapable of following orders. Its mobility was limited and slow due to its size and hardened shell (although it seemed to have considerable jumping or climbing abilities, as it managed to make its way to the top of the train), especially when compared to the advanced mobility of Web Spinners. All of these factors made the Stinger's practicality on the battlefield low, making it inadequate for B.O.W. development.
Crustacean – The only known t-Virus-infected creature which was based on a host from the crustacea subphylum (crabs, lobsters, shrimp, barnacles, etc.) was Type-y139. The exact animal Type-y139 was based on is unknown.
The extent of the effects of the t-Virus on crustacean hosts was largely unknown by Umbrella at the time of Type-y139's development (Summer of 1998) - it was only known that, like other arthropods, crustacean hosts grew enormous, became remarkably strong, developed enhanced internal toxins, and even developed some degree of intelligence, with a high degree of variation depending on species and the environment used during cultivation. Like the Stinger, crustacean carapaces grew too quickly, leading to the section covering the head becoming very weak.
Type-y139 was an attempt to control how crustaceans developed following infection with the t-Virus, to test their practicality as weapons. Research was put on hold while it was still in the prototype stage when its creators were ordered to reopen Umbrella's Executive Training Facility. Its creators hoped to find research at the Training Facility's laboratory that could provide inspiration for their own experiments. These researchers were killed aboard the Ecliptic Express, possibly preventing Type-y139's completion.
The extent of the effects of the t-Virus on crustacean hosts was largely unknown by Umbrella at the time of Type-y139's development (Summer of 1998) - it was only known that, like other arthropods, crustacean hosts grew enormous, became remarkably strong, developed enhanced internal toxins, and even developed some degree of intelligence, with a high degree of variation depending on species and the environment used during cultivation. Like the Stinger, crustacean carapaces grew too quickly, leading to the section covering the head becoming very weak.
Type-y139 was an attempt to control how crustaceans developed following infection with the t-Virus, to test their practicality as weapons. Research was put on hold while it was still in the prototype stage when its creators were ordered to reopen Umbrella's Executive Training Facility. Its creators hoped to find research at the Training Facility's laboratory that could provide inspiration for their own experiments. These researchers were killed aboard the Ecliptic Express, possibly preventing Type-y139's completion.
Bees and Wasps - Interestingly, bees infected with the t-Virus would mutate into a new species called "Wasps", which take on the appearance of wasp-like insects. This is owing to the evolutionary potential of the virus - the Progenitor Virus, on which the t-Virus is based, was responsible for evolution, and created the original wasp and bee species in nature. Therefore, the t-Virus can change one species into another. This is also related to how the t-Virus turns its hosts into predatory creatures - wasps are generally rely more on predation and parasitization than bees, although both are often omnivores.
The Pseudo-Wasp creatures didn't grow as large as many other arthropod hosts. Their size was still impressively large, with the smallest Wasps being 10 times larger than the host species. They were comparable in size to small birds, much like some insects that lived during the Carboniferous period. Their smaller size was actually to their advantage, as they retained the ability of flight, along with the same level of mobility and speed. They were much weaker than larger infected arthropods and could be knocked to the ground or killed from a single shot from a small-caliber handgun, but their speed and size made them difficult to hit and to avoid.
The Pseudo-Wasp creatures didn't grow as large as many other arthropod hosts. Their size was still impressively large, with the smallest Wasps being 10 times larger than the host species. They were comparable in size to small birds, much like some insects that lived during the Carboniferous period. Their smaller size was actually to their advantage, as they retained the ability of flight, along with the same level of mobility and speed. They were much weaker than larger infected arthropods and could be knocked to the ground or killed from a single shot from a small-caliber handgun, but their speed and size made them difficult to hit and to avoid.
Their strengthened venom (containing the t-Virus) was several times more toxic, and their stingers carried larger doses of venom due to their size. While Wasps were individually weak, they had a tendency to fight in swarms due to them retaining their societal instincts. They would ferociously pounce onto those who encroached onto their territory, relentlessly stabbing their sharp stingers into the bodies of intruders. When stung, the virus/venom cocktail they injected into victims would wear them down over time, but when multiple Wasps injected a person simultaneously, they could quickly induce anaphylaxis in their targets, leading to death. A protective suit could potentially protect a human being from these stings.
Wasp reproductive capabilities were explosive, due to their enhanced fertility and their short lifecycles. They could construct monstrously-sized hives/nests in an extremely short period of time, and while they preferred to form these nests in narrow spaces, their hives could spread to the point that they completely encapsulated an environment. They were dangerous transmitters of the virus due to their size and mobility, posing a risk comparable to that of mosquitos (which are the deadliest animals on the planet to humans due to them being carriers of lethal diseases). However, Wasp behavior towards humans seemed to be strictly defensive - while they were so aggressive as to attack on sight, they normally only did so when a human was near their hive. The greatest risk of Wasps was their retaining the bee instinct of pollinating plants, with them spreading the virus to new ecosystems this way. This combined with their large numbers when breeding made them an extremely dangerous risk for widespread contamination with the t-Virus. This demonstrates how a single monster created by the t-Virus can indirectly affect all flora and fauna associated with it.
Wasp reproductive capabilities were explosive, due to their enhanced fertility and their short lifecycles. They could construct monstrously-sized hives/nests in an extremely short period of time, and while they preferred to form these nests in narrow spaces, their hives could spread to the point that they completely encapsulated an environment. They were dangerous transmitters of the virus due to their size and mobility, posing a risk comparable to that of mosquitos (which are the deadliest animals on the planet to humans due to them being carriers of lethal diseases). However, Wasp behavior towards humans seemed to be strictly defensive - while they were so aggressive as to attack on sight, they normally only did so when a human was near their hive. The greatest risk of Wasps was their retaining the bee instinct of pollinating plants, with them spreading the virus to new ecosystems this way. This combined with their large numbers when breeding made them an extremely dangerous risk for widespread contamination with the t-Virus. This demonstrates how a single monster created by the t-Virus can indirectly affect all flora and fauna associated with it.
Texture of a human killed by mutant Wasp venom.
During the Mansion Incident, Wasp mutants appeared after insects from a carnivorous species of honeybee became infected with the t-Virus. These bees contracted the virus by feeding on pollen from Plant 42, other insects infected with the t-Virus, and the flesh of Zombies. They established a giant hive in a corner of the Mansion's dormitory, in close proximity to Plant 42, likely so that they could have easy access to its pollen and bred flourishingly. The bees in this colony transformed into creatures resembling yellow-jacket wasps. They were 10 inches long, weighted 12 ounces, and could fly at a maximum speed of 19 miles-per-hour. They were 10 times the size of the host species, and 7.3 inches taller than the largest living species of natural wasp, the tarantula wasp.
Two totally unique Wasps also appeared at the mansion:
During the outbreak in Raccoon City several months later, larger versions of Wasps appeared in several locations, such in the upper levels of the exhaust tower at Raccoon University, where they constructed a hive of unprecedented proportions. These creatures were based on actual wasps (likely yellow jacket wasps in particular), not bees, which were being raised at the university prior to the outbreak in the city for the purpose of cultivating "V-Poison", a compound derived from their venom. V-Poison was an essential ingredient in the Daylight Vaccine. Giant specimens also appeared around the Dorothy plant in the forests adjacent to the city, which were presumably also based on actual wasps. They were likely mutated by the T-JCCC203 strain of the t-Virus after feeding on the plant's pollen.
The creatures based on true wasps were the size of humans (or "nearly a hundred times [their] original size"). The reason these creatures grew so large was almost certainly due to the host species reacting differently to the t-Virus. They were all comparable in size to the single, massive Wasp that appeared at the Mansion (the possible Queen). They were individually harder to deter, but their numbers were not quite as overwhelming as their smaller cousins.
Infected bees were also described as having beehives in trees in Raccoon City, as well as in a room in a local church (BIO HAZARD DRAMA ALBUM The Doomed Raccoon City Vol.3).
Two totally unique Wasps also appeared at the mansion:
- One of these insects, located in a researcher's private room, appeared to be dead and mounted on a wall before suddenly springing to life. This individual had increased vitality and "killing power", although its size and appearance was the same as the other Wasps. This Wasp may have actually been an experiment, making it a result of primary infection, which would explain its location (which was isolated from all of the other Wasps). It may have been created by the surviving researchers after being inspired by the presence of the other Wasps in the dormitory. This individual may have been subjected to some kind of genetic modifications to make it stronger, and may have been drugged, making it appear to be dead.
- Another Wasp grew to an especially large size and was followed by smaller Wasps. It had an increased level of "killing power". This individual may have been a Queen Wasp.
During the outbreak in Raccoon City several months later, larger versions of Wasps appeared in several locations, such in the upper levels of the exhaust tower at Raccoon University, where they constructed a hive of unprecedented proportions. These creatures were based on actual wasps (likely yellow jacket wasps in particular), not bees, which were being raised at the university prior to the outbreak in the city for the purpose of cultivating "V-Poison", a compound derived from their venom. V-Poison was an essential ingredient in the Daylight Vaccine. Giant specimens also appeared around the Dorothy plant in the forests adjacent to the city, which were presumably also based on actual wasps. They were likely mutated by the T-JCCC203 strain of the t-Virus after feeding on the plant's pollen.
The creatures based on true wasps were the size of humans (or "nearly a hundred times [their] original size"). The reason these creatures grew so large was almost certainly due to the host species reacting differently to the t-Virus. They were all comparable in size to the single, massive Wasp that appeared at the Mansion (the possible Queen). They were individually harder to deter, but their numbers were not quite as overwhelming as their smaller cousins.
Infected bees were also described as having beehives in trees in Raccoon City, as well as in a room in a local church (BIO HAZARD DRAMA ALBUM The Doomed Raccoon City Vol.3).
Larger Wasp creatures based on actual wasps, not honeybees
Umbrella developed a B.O.W. prototype based on what appeared to be a bee or wasp queen. This creature was at some point named "Halbert". It was seemingly designated a failure, and was sent to be disposed of. It was transported to a waste disposal facility on an island in the Atlantic Ocean. Due to mismanagement by the head of the facility, Morpheus Duvall, many failed B.O.W.s escaped confinement, including the Halbert. The Halbert was studied by researchers who were sent by the company to study ecosystemic changes (mutations and behavioral changes in response to new environments) to B.O.W.s that lived in the wild. The Halbert was eventually destroyed by Bruce McGivern.
The ecosystemic researchers noted that Halbert had an ecology "similar to ants and bees", although the appearance of its abdomen and offspring made it seem to be bee-based. Its upper body resembled the body of a horseshoe crab (an ancient arthropod covered in a hard carapace) combined with the body of a cockroach. While this appearance could be a coincidence, it is likely that Halbert was actually a hybrid organism. It may have been artificially formed using genetic material from bees, cockroaches, and horseshoe crabs, creating a Wasp-like creature with enhanced durability as a result. That could potentially make Halbert a better fit for the "Hybrids" section of this analysis, in part 3.
Halbert was larger than an adult human. Its horseshoe crab-like exoskeleton gave the it a resistance to gunfire, and its enhanced cockroach-like vitality made it difficult to kill. Despite this, Halbert had limited combat and movement capabilities. Its wings were incapable of lifting its oversized body, making it impossible to fly. Its upper half was raised at all times when Bruce encountered it, and the positioning of its legs made it impossible for it to crawl in this position. It may be that the Halbert could crawl on the ground if it so chose, explaining how it moved. It dropped from an elevated area at one point, which could imply it could scale surfaces.
The Halbert continuously birthed smaller creatures, known as "Sentries", "guards", or simply "Halberts" (with the mother being referred to as the "Queen Halbert"). These creatures emerged from their mother's abdomen live, which seemingly implies that they developed a reproductive cycle comparable to that of Web Spinners/Giant Spiders, with them hatching from their eggs while still inside of their mother. Halbert appeared to be asexual, making it a biological factory for the mass-production of Sentries. Halbert could birth tens of thousands of Sentries in its lifetime.
Newborn Sentries were not larvae, but were rather born with adult bodies. Sentries functioned in the exact same manner as Wasps, and had the same vitality, behavioral patterns, and combat abilities. They also were the same size, had the same appearance, and made the same buzzing noises as the Arklay Wasps. The only noticeable difference in their biology was the shape of their stingers, which seemed to be forked. They attacked anything on sight in groups, likely in an effort to protect their queen's territory
It may be that Halbert was based on combat data recorded by researchers during the Mansion Incident, with the Wasp irregular mutant serving as inspiration for it. In this sense, the Halbert could have been the B.O.W. equivalent of Wasps. The Wasps were noted to be an extremely effective medium for virus dispersal due to their size and enhanced breeding potential, and the Halbert may have been an attempt to monopolize on this trait. It having no combat abilities itself supports this idea, with it potentially serving as both a factory and a transport for the Sentries, which would be the true weapons.
Halberts were named after the halbert/halberd weapon, a pole weapon from the Middle Ages. This name was possibly in reference to their stingers.
The ecosystemic researchers noted that Halbert had an ecology "similar to ants and bees", although the appearance of its abdomen and offspring made it seem to be bee-based. Its upper body resembled the body of a horseshoe crab (an ancient arthropod covered in a hard carapace) combined with the body of a cockroach. While this appearance could be a coincidence, it is likely that Halbert was actually a hybrid organism. It may have been artificially formed using genetic material from bees, cockroaches, and horseshoe crabs, creating a Wasp-like creature with enhanced durability as a result. That could potentially make Halbert a better fit for the "Hybrids" section of this analysis, in part 3.
Halbert was larger than an adult human. Its horseshoe crab-like exoskeleton gave the it a resistance to gunfire, and its enhanced cockroach-like vitality made it difficult to kill. Despite this, Halbert had limited combat and movement capabilities. Its wings were incapable of lifting its oversized body, making it impossible to fly. Its upper half was raised at all times when Bruce encountered it, and the positioning of its legs made it impossible for it to crawl in this position. It may be that the Halbert could crawl on the ground if it so chose, explaining how it moved. It dropped from an elevated area at one point, which could imply it could scale surfaces.
The Halbert continuously birthed smaller creatures, known as "Sentries", "guards", or simply "Halberts" (with the mother being referred to as the "Queen Halbert"). These creatures emerged from their mother's abdomen live, which seemingly implies that they developed a reproductive cycle comparable to that of Web Spinners/Giant Spiders, with them hatching from their eggs while still inside of their mother. Halbert appeared to be asexual, making it a biological factory for the mass-production of Sentries. Halbert could birth tens of thousands of Sentries in its lifetime.
Newborn Sentries were not larvae, but were rather born with adult bodies. Sentries functioned in the exact same manner as Wasps, and had the same vitality, behavioral patterns, and combat abilities. They also were the same size, had the same appearance, and made the same buzzing noises as the Arklay Wasps. The only noticeable difference in their biology was the shape of their stingers, which seemed to be forked. They attacked anything on sight in groups, likely in an effort to protect their queen's territory
It may be that Halbert was based on combat data recorded by researchers during the Mansion Incident, with the Wasp irregular mutant serving as inspiration for it. In this sense, the Halbert could have been the B.O.W. equivalent of Wasps. The Wasps were noted to be an extremely effective medium for virus dispersal due to their size and enhanced breeding potential, and the Halbert may have been an attempt to monopolize on this trait. It having no combat abilities itself supports this idea, with it potentially serving as both a factory and a transport for the Sentries, which would be the true weapons.
Halberts were named after the halbert/halberd weapon, a pole weapon from the Middle Ages. This name was possibly in reference to their stingers.
Fly - During the outbreak in Raccoon City, small, infected flies were present at the Terrarium Dome in the Raccoon Zoo. These "Flying Bugs" (they were called "Swarm" by localization) were lured by the stench of an infected Rafflesia plant. This smell fully occupied the Flying Bugs' attention, making them ignore nearby humans, although they were highly defensive of the plant. When the Rafflesia was destroyed, the Flying Bugs went into a frenzy, attacking any humans in the area.
As pointed out by USS Command, Flying Bugs seemed to have an appearance that most greatly resemble cicadas, either by coincidence or due to the host crossing an evolutionary border. The flies could have contracted the t-Virus from the Rafflesia, or after being attracted to the rotting flesh of Zombies. Upon becoming the Flying Bugs, the flies did not seem to grow much, making them a peculiarity for infected insects. It is possible that they were only recently infected when encountered by humans, and just did not have time to grow to a gigantic size. As flies, Flying Bugs made loud buzzing sounds and were attracted to the smell of rotting flesh, which could be used to distract them.
Flying Bugs would "sting" humans (it is likely they simply bit them) in groups when they "sensed danger". It is unknown if their behavior was only defensive, or if they would attempt to feed on living animals. It may be the Flying Bugs were only attracted to dead creatures, like many normal flies. Some flies do in fact feed on blood from living humans, however.
While their attacks did little immediate damage, they could spread a poisonous venom (and probably the t-Virus) to other animals, making them function in much the same way as the Wasps at the Arklay Mansion, albeit harder to kill due to their size. Their venom was highly toxic, and would gradually rob their victims of strength, eventually killing them if not treated.
Flies carrying poison is uncommon, but some, like assassin flies, actually do use venomous saliva to prey on other insects. Even if the Flying Bugs were not based on a venomous species, there is still an evolutionary precedence for them to acquire this trait. The development of venomous capabilities is actually an effect of the t-Virus in arthropod hosts on multiple occasions. It is also possible that the Rafflesia developed poisonous pollen following infection (something there is also a precedence for), which the Flying Bugs became coated in and spread as they came into contact with humans.
As pointed out by USS Command, Flying Bugs seemed to have an appearance that most greatly resemble cicadas, either by coincidence or due to the host crossing an evolutionary border. The flies could have contracted the t-Virus from the Rafflesia, or after being attracted to the rotting flesh of Zombies. Upon becoming the Flying Bugs, the flies did not seem to grow much, making them a peculiarity for infected insects. It is possible that they were only recently infected when encountered by humans, and just did not have time to grow to a gigantic size. As flies, Flying Bugs made loud buzzing sounds and were attracted to the smell of rotting flesh, which could be used to distract them.
Flying Bugs would "sting" humans (it is likely they simply bit them) in groups when they "sensed danger". It is unknown if their behavior was only defensive, or if they would attempt to feed on living animals. It may be the Flying Bugs were only attracted to dead creatures, like many normal flies. Some flies do in fact feed on blood from living humans, however.
While their attacks did little immediate damage, they could spread a poisonous venom (and probably the t-Virus) to other animals, making them function in much the same way as the Wasps at the Arklay Mansion, albeit harder to kill due to their size. Their venom was highly toxic, and would gradually rob their victims of strength, eventually killing them if not treated.
Flies carrying poison is uncommon, but some, like assassin flies, actually do use venomous saliva to prey on other insects. Even if the Flying Bugs were not based on a venomous species, there is still an evolutionary precedence for them to acquire this trait. The development of venomous capabilities is actually an effect of the t-Virus in arthropod hosts on multiple occasions. It is also possible that the Rafflesia developed poisonous pollen following infection (something there is also a precedence for), which the Flying Bugs became coated in and spread as they came into contact with humans.
Ant - Umbrella, at some point, performed t-Virus administration experiments on ants. They were extremely attractive for the company as a potential B.O.W. base due to their "high breeding potential, superior environmental adaptability and aggressiveness towards other creatures". However, like most infected arthropods, their intelligence did not increase to a level that would allow them to be controlled. Ant B.O.W.s posed a high risk even to their handlers due to their explosive reproduction and inability to be given commands, and so their development was shelved (source: Inside of Biohazard The Darkside Chronicles). Considering the extreme similarities between ants and bees, this is likely the same reason the Halbert was considered a failure.
Ant B.O.W. development continued under Alexia Ashford, who found a way to establish a means of control using the t-Veronica Virus (covered in Virus Analysis: t-Veronica).
Ant B.O.W. development continued under Alexia Ashford, who found a way to establish a means of control using the t-Veronica Virus (covered in Virus Analysis: t-Veronica).
Cockroach - Shortly before the Raccoon City Destruction Incident, the roaches in the city's sewers became infected and grew in size and ferocity. These creatures were known as "Large Roaches". While they, like Wasps, did not grow much (they were around 30-40 centimeters long, 8 times their original size), their breeding capacity was unmatched by other mutants. They entered a turf war with the infected rats in an intense competition for food, and won due to their numbers (being Zombies, the rats likely could not reproduce). This led to the remaining rats fleeing the sewers, which drove them into the city's water supply. Roaches therefore indirectly contributed greatly to the onset of the Incident. Other Large Roaches also developed in the sewers of Sheena Island.
Cockroaches are extraordinarily hardy creatures, which would presumably lead to them not changing their form much following infection, as room for improvement would be limited (although the "Reaper" creature created by the Uroboros Virus proves that there is potential for evolution in roaches). Their vitality did contribute to their enhanced breeding capacity, however. While individually weak, Roaches would attack prey in large swarms, indicating they retained their social instincts. Despite this, once the Zombie Rats were driven from the sewers, their large numbers and increased hunger made food become scarce, leading to a tendency for Large Roaches to practice cannibalism.
While cockroaches are omnivores, Large Roaches were primarily, if not exclusively, flesh-eaters. Large Roach swarms could cover areas like a blanket, with them filling up certain areas of the sewers. When attacking prey, they focused on chewing soft, fleshy parts of the body. With humans, they particularly aimed for the carotid, which could potentially result in a lethal loss of blood in prey. There were reports of attacks where Large Roaches would leap onto a human's face in large numbers, suffocating them. They retained the ability of flight.
In Resident Evil 2 Reimagined, Large Roaches were much more passive towards humans, at least while in small numbers. In this depiction, some of the Roaches were found inside of mortuary refrigerator drawers, underneath the RPD. These Roaches could have become trapped here after being drawn by the scent of corpses.
Moth - Moths were experimented on by Umbrella on several separate occasions. In each instance, Umbrella kept and bred the moths in captivity, until they escaped confinement during outbreaks in the facilities they were housed in. The creatures created using these moths were based on two different species, and they developed into creatures with different traits.
Several gypsy moths were kept as test subjects at NEST (labs underneath Raccoon City) in 1998. They were transformed into experimental B.O.W.s called "Giant Moths" using both the t-Virus and chemical substances created by Umbrella. During the Raccoon City Destruction Incident, these moths escaped confinement and began breeding at an incredible rate. They hunted human survivors who passed through the labs, and it is implied one of them attacked Monica and caused the G-Embryo she was carrying to escape. They were eventually destroyed by the facility's self-destruct sequence.
More Giant Moths identical to the Raccoon ones were created at Sheena Island, which were also bred at the facilities there and transformed using both the t-Virus and chemicals. The Sheena Giant Moths also escaped captivity, and were destroyed along with the rest of the island.
As their name would imply, Giant Moths were around 1-2 meters long. It is implied Giant Moths did not grow much at first following infection. After they escaped and began breeding, each generation of offspring grew larger and larger after emerging from a cocoon. This is due to the t-Virus speeding up their evolution, although the chemicals used when developing the Giant Moths also contributed to this. Thanks to their strengthened reproductive capabilities, Giant Moth generations reached a maximum size in the course of mere days, or possibly even hours.
The appearance of Giant Moths was largely the same as that of normal gypsy moths, aside from the size differences. They retained the ability to produce silk, and they were strong enough to lift adult humans with their legs.
In Resident Evil 2, the bodies of the Giant Moths did not develop correctly due to their rapid growth. Their wings in particular did not grow large enough to support their weight, limiting their flying abilities significantly. They were only capable of flying a few feet off the ground for very short periods of time, but they could hop with their abdomens and use their wings to glide. When their wings were destroyed, Giant Moths could also crawl slowly on the ground.
More Giant Moths identical to the Raccoon ones were created at Sheena Island, which were also bred at the facilities there and transformed using both the t-Virus and chemicals. The Sheena Giant Moths also escaped captivity, and were destroyed along with the rest of the island.
As their name would imply, Giant Moths were around 1-2 meters long. It is implied Giant Moths did not grow much at first following infection. After they escaped and began breeding, each generation of offspring grew larger and larger after emerging from a cocoon. This is due to the t-Virus speeding up their evolution, although the chemicals used when developing the Giant Moths also contributed to this. Thanks to their strengthened reproductive capabilities, Giant Moth generations reached a maximum size in the course of mere days, or possibly even hours.
The appearance of Giant Moths was largely the same as that of normal gypsy moths, aside from the size differences. They retained the ability to produce silk, and they were strong enough to lift adult humans with their legs.
In Resident Evil 2, the bodies of the Giant Moths did not develop correctly due to their rapid growth. Their wings in particular did not grow large enough to support their weight, limiting their flying abilities significantly. They were only capable of flying a few feet off the ground for very short periods of time, but they could hop with their abdomens and use their wings to glide. When their wings were destroyed, Giant Moths could also crawl slowly on the ground.
Conversely, in Outbreak and The Darkside Chronicles, Giant Moth wings were shown to grow in proper proportion with the rest of their bodies, and they were still capable of flight. The reason for this could be:
The flying version of Giant Moths primarily hunted humans in the main shaft of the laboratory, where they could rest on vertical surfaces above the walkway used by staff and wait to ambush them. The flightless version of Giant Moths remained at their nest.
Giant Moths gained the ability to drop poison-tinged powder from their wings. While normal moths drop a powder comprised of scales from their wings, it is not toxic. Some caterpillars (moth larvae) have poison bristles used to deter predators, and this poison in rare cases can cause hemorrhaging in humans. Gypsy moth caterpillars also produce a toxin that can cause rashes in humans. It is possible Giant Moths retained, amplified, and repurposed this attribute. The poison could also simply be the result of a new mutation (the development of poison is a common symptom in t-Virus-infected arthropods), or of a modification purposefully made by Umbrella researchers. Some sources describe moth scales as "phosphorus powder", the "toxicity" of which is "amplified" following their growth. While normal moths do not possess phosphorus, it is possible that the chemicals Umbrella used during Giant Moth development included phosphoric acid (as pointed out by News Bot), which the moths could have incorporated into their own biology.
Giant Moves usually attacked by ramming their large bodies at targets. They would shower their targets with their scales in the process, and targets that inhaled these scales would be subjected to their poison. Their large bodies were somewhat resistant to gunfire, although they were weak to fire (particularly their wings, which were highly flammable). They were abnormally resistant to cold temperatures, and when the facility was subjected to below-freezing temperatures, they remained active even as creatures such as Hunters were forced into hibernation.
- Degradation as the Moths continued to breed. The flightless Giant Moths were encountered at a later date than the flying ones, and so the Giant Moths could have eventually lost their larger wings in a new generation. This is supported by other areas in which Giant Moth reproduction seemed to be unstable (see below).
- Species variation. Different species will react differently to the t-Virus, and it may be that the Giant Moths developed more or less successfully depending on the type of moth used. This is supported by the Outbreak moths having a darker coloration than the Resident Evil 2 ones, and by the Antarctic moths (see below), which appeared to be a different species, developing very differently as well. This explanation only works if Umbrella performed experiments with multiple species of moths, with both species escaping confinement and sharing the same nest.
- Gender, or some other biological difference in certain individuals. Female gypsy moths are actually flightless, and so it may be that the Giant Moths in Resident Evil 2 did not fail to grow wings - they actually grew small wings in the place of none at all. This is supported by the Giant Moths with small wings being found in the heart of their nest, while the flying ones ventured elsewhere.
- Random mutation.
The flying version of Giant Moths primarily hunted humans in the main shaft of the laboratory, where they could rest on vertical surfaces above the walkway used by staff and wait to ambush them. The flightless version of Giant Moths remained at their nest.
Giant Moths gained the ability to drop poison-tinged powder from their wings. While normal moths drop a powder comprised of scales from their wings, it is not toxic. Some caterpillars (moth larvae) have poison bristles used to deter predators, and this poison in rare cases can cause hemorrhaging in humans. Gypsy moth caterpillars also produce a toxin that can cause rashes in humans. It is possible Giant Moths retained, amplified, and repurposed this attribute. The poison could also simply be the result of a new mutation (the development of poison is a common symptom in t-Virus-infected arthropods), or of a modification purposefully made by Umbrella researchers. Some sources describe moth scales as "phosphorus powder", the "toxicity" of which is "amplified" following their growth. While normal moths do not possess phosphorus, it is possible that the chemicals Umbrella used during Giant Moth development included phosphoric acid (as pointed out by News Bot), which the moths could have incorporated into their own biology.
Giant Moves usually attacked by ramming their large bodies at targets. They would shower their targets with their scales in the process, and targets that inhaled these scales would be subjected to their poison. Their large bodies were somewhat resistant to gunfire, although they were weak to fire (particularly their wings, which were highly flammable). They were abnormally resistant to cold temperatures, and when the facility was subjected to below-freezing temperatures, they remained active even as creatures such as Hunters were forced into hibernation.
The Giant Moths at NEST developed a silk nest in the B5F Computer Room of the facility, and in the hallway just outside of it. The nest was also covered in what appeared to be a yellow-brown mucus. The Giant Moths at Sheena Island developed a nest underneath the island's prison. A Giant Moth nest housed many mutant caterpillars, which were called "Baby Moths". Babies were around 30-40 centimeters in length, making them the same in size as the Large Roach creatures.
Normal adult moths are only capable of feeding on nectar, and it is unknown if the Giant Moth's possessed a proboscis capable of harming humans. Normal caterpillars, however, are capable of using their mouth parts to feed on vegetation, cloth, and even insects. As such, Baby Moths would attempt to feed on humans. They were attracted to sources of heat, like warm-blooded animals such as humans, and even computer technology (which may be why the NEST Giant Moths made their nest in a computer room, and why Baby Moths were seen lying on a console). They may have ignored Zombies for this reason, as they would possibly have had colder bodies than "living" humans. Baby Moths normally stuck to surfaces such as walls and the ceiling, but when a Baby Moth sensed prey, it used its body like a spring and threw itself at the potential source of food. When on the ground, a Baby Moth could only crawl slowly. While their attack power was relatively weak, they could spit venom-filled mucus at small animals and humans, which could poison and even eventually kill their prey. Once their prey stopped moving, they would then proceed to feed on them. Their bodies were fragile, and so they relied on their small size and numbers when attacking.
While normal caterpillars dedicate their time to eating, adult moths prioritize reproduction instead. Adult gypsy moths actually lack a digestive system, and only live for about a week. This may hold true for Giant Moths as well. In this case, adult Giant Moths may only attack humans in order to protect their nests, or to provide food for their larvae. This may also suggest that the t-Virus gave them new social instincts. Giant Moths even captured live prey (including adult humans) on some occasions, which they would then stick to the silk of their hive for Baby Moths to feed on. It is also possible that Giant Moths evolved the ability to feed on animals, allowing them to survive for a much longer period of time.
The number of adults was small when compared to the number of eggs and Baby Moths, as the success rate for emergence and development was lessened over time due to their enlargement. The number of adults seen in Resident Evil 2 was much smaller than the number of seen in Outbreak, implying their success rate continued to drop over time.
Normal adult moths are only capable of feeding on nectar, and it is unknown if the Giant Moth's possessed a proboscis capable of harming humans. Normal caterpillars, however, are capable of using their mouth parts to feed on vegetation, cloth, and even insects. As such, Baby Moths would attempt to feed on humans. They were attracted to sources of heat, like warm-blooded animals such as humans, and even computer technology (which may be why the NEST Giant Moths made their nest in a computer room, and why Baby Moths were seen lying on a console). They may have ignored Zombies for this reason, as they would possibly have had colder bodies than "living" humans. Baby Moths normally stuck to surfaces such as walls and the ceiling, but when a Baby Moth sensed prey, it used its body like a spring and threw itself at the potential source of food. When on the ground, a Baby Moth could only crawl slowly. While their attack power was relatively weak, they could spit venom-filled mucus at small animals and humans, which could poison and even eventually kill their prey. Once their prey stopped moving, they would then proceed to feed on them. Their bodies were fragile, and so they relied on their small size and numbers when attacking.
While normal caterpillars dedicate their time to eating, adult moths prioritize reproduction instead. Adult gypsy moths actually lack a digestive system, and only live for about a week. This may hold true for Giant Moths as well. In this case, adult Giant Moths may only attack humans in order to protect their nests, or to provide food for their larvae. This may also suggest that the t-Virus gave them new social instincts. Giant Moths even captured live prey (including adult humans) on some occasions, which they would then stick to the silk of their hive for Baby Moths to feed on. It is also possible that Giant Moths evolved the ability to feed on animals, allowing them to survive for a much longer period of time.
The number of adults was small when compared to the number of eggs and Baby Moths, as the success rate for emergence and development was lessened over time due to their enlargement. The number of adults seen in Resident Evil 2 was much smaller than the number of seen in Outbreak, implying their success rate continued to drop over time.
"Baby Moth" image scanned by Lunar Indie Studios, and edited by Reen Hearst.
At Umbrella's Antarctic Facility, moth B.O.W. experiments separate from the ones that created Giant Moths. These moths appeared to be of another species. Some moth test subjects bred for use in these experiments escaped confinement in December of 1998. The moths were infected by the t-Virus accidentally brought to the facility by evacuees from Rockfort Island. They quickly transformed into irregular mutants only known as "Moths".
Moths had the appearance of moon moths, which may have been the base species. While gigantic when compared to their original size, they did not grow quite as large as the Giant Moths at NEST and Sheena Island. This could be due to the time they spent infected (as Giant Moths only grew as large as they did over several generations), them lacking the chemical supplements used during Giant Moth development, or owing entirely to their species reacting differently to the t-Virus. Their bodies and wings grew in perfect proportionate to each other, which allowed them to fully retain the ability of flight. In concept art, Moths were also depicted as having an abnormally large opening on the ends of their bodies for depositing eggs.
Moths, like Giant Moths, also dropped toxic scales ("poison-tinged phosphorus powder") over prey, which were toxic to humans if inhaled. As they lacked the same weight advantage that Giant Moths possessed, they did not ram into their targets, and their lack of claws, fangs, stingers, etc. made attacking prey head-on impossible. Instead, they typically just flew over prey, dropping their scales over the area like an aircraft making a bombing run.
They had incredible maneuverability, but were much more fragile than Giant Moths. They could be knocked to the ground or killed with a hit from any weapon. In some rare cases they could survive this hit, but they would have difficulty regaining flight once knocked over. They could crawl on the ground, but could be easily killed by a human stomping them to death in this state.
The Moths in Antarctica also retained the ability to produce silk, and they used it to developed a large nest in a corridor during the local outbreak. This nest seemed to lack the brown-yellow mucus covering the nest in Raccoon City, but its walls were still lined with human corpses attached to the silk. This would imply that Moths were capable of lifting humans, although judging by their size, multiple Moths would most likely have to cooperate in order to lift a single body. Moths did not seem to venture beyond their nest, and their attacks against humans seemed due to a strict combination of their protecting and providing food for the offspring in their lair, possibly like the Giant Moths. Moon moths, like gypsy moths, lack the ability to eat, and so the same could extend to the Moths in Antarctica.
Moths had the appearance of moon moths, which may have been the base species. While gigantic when compared to their original size, they did not grow quite as large as the Giant Moths at NEST and Sheena Island. This could be due to the time they spent infected (as Giant Moths only grew as large as they did over several generations), them lacking the chemical supplements used during Giant Moth development, or owing entirely to their species reacting differently to the t-Virus. Their bodies and wings grew in perfect proportionate to each other, which allowed them to fully retain the ability of flight. In concept art, Moths were also depicted as having an abnormally large opening on the ends of their bodies for depositing eggs.
Moths, like Giant Moths, also dropped toxic scales ("poison-tinged phosphorus powder") over prey, which were toxic to humans if inhaled. As they lacked the same weight advantage that Giant Moths possessed, they did not ram into their targets, and their lack of claws, fangs, stingers, etc. made attacking prey head-on impossible. Instead, they typically just flew over prey, dropping their scales over the area like an aircraft making a bombing run.
They had incredible maneuverability, but were much more fragile than Giant Moths. They could be knocked to the ground or killed with a hit from any weapon. In some rare cases they could survive this hit, but they would have difficulty regaining flight once knocked over. They could crawl on the ground, but could be easily killed by a human stomping them to death in this state.
The Moths in Antarctica also retained the ability to produce silk, and they used it to developed a large nest in a corridor during the local outbreak. This nest seemed to lack the brown-yellow mucus covering the nest in Raccoon City, but its walls were still lined with human corpses attached to the silk. This would imply that Moths were capable of lifting humans, although judging by their size, multiple Moths would most likely have to cooperate in order to lift a single body. Moths did not seem to venture beyond their nest, and their attacks against humans seemed due to a strict combination of their protecting and providing food for the offspring in their lair, possibly like the Giant Moths. Moon moths, like gypsy moths, lack the ability to eat, and so the same could extend to the Moths in Antarctica.
While the Antarctic Moth offspring fed on animals and attacked humans like Baby Moths, they were parasitic instead of predatory. As such they were called “Parasites”. They needed to parasitize the bodies of large animals in order to feed and fuel their growth.
While Giant Moths, Baby Moths, and Moths all retained most of the features of normal, uninfected moths, Parasites developed a radically different appearance than normal caterpillars. Most noticeably, they developed six, long limbs. The two frontal limbs were extremely large, with joints that made them resemble arms. These "arms" were tipped with hook-like claws. Parasites had enlarged eyeballs, potentially giving them sensory abilities greater than the simple heat-detection used by Baby Moths. Them not relying on body heat to detect prey could have made them more aggressive towards creatures such as Zombies as well. They also seemed to have mouth parts capable of feeding on human flesh. Their mouths could also transmit dangerous poisons.
Parasites would begin their lifecycle as eggs carried by Moths. Moths would seek to lay their eggs on other organisms, and it is likely that this is why they captured human bodies and stuck them to their nest. Moths could otherwise latch onto humans that invaded their territory, and attach their eggs onto the humans' backs with their silk. After an extremely short period of time, the eggs would hatch and a Parasite would emerge, which would immediately begin feeding on the human.
The Parasites used their "arms" to latch onto the backs of prey while they bit into their flesh. Their poison would eventually kill prey, although a Parasite at this time could be forcefully removed by the host. This may be why Moths preferred to trap the bodies in silk, preventing them from hurting the Parasite. Once a host succumbed to the poison, a parasite would burrow its way into the host body. The Parasite would then nourish itself on the host's dead flesh from the inside. As Zombies put up less of a resistance to Parasites, they could burrow their way into a Zombie's body without killing it. The Zombie could actually continue activity without even noticing the Parasite inside of them, thanks to their enhanced vitality and inactive pain receptors.
When a Parasite grew to a sufficient enough size, it could burst from corpses and active Zombies and move on its own. They were capable of leaping large distances, and would seek to latch onto new hosts that passed by them. Humans combating Zombies containing Parasites were exposed to the risk of suddenly and unexpectedly being attacked by the Parasites within them. They would continue to parasitize multiple different bodies until they were ready to become adult Moths.
While Parasites could easily be killed by humans, their vitality was still enhanced to the point that they could survive in the frigid conditions of the Antarctic Base (normal moon moth larvae prefer humid environments). They may have sought to inhabit the bodies of warm-blooded hosts for this reason as well.
While Giant Moths, Baby Moths, and Moths all retained most of the features of normal, uninfected moths, Parasites developed a radically different appearance than normal caterpillars. Most noticeably, they developed six, long limbs. The two frontal limbs were extremely large, with joints that made them resemble arms. These "arms" were tipped with hook-like claws. Parasites had enlarged eyeballs, potentially giving them sensory abilities greater than the simple heat-detection used by Baby Moths. Them not relying on body heat to detect prey could have made them more aggressive towards creatures such as Zombies as well. They also seemed to have mouth parts capable of feeding on human flesh. Their mouths could also transmit dangerous poisons.
Parasites would begin their lifecycle as eggs carried by Moths. Moths would seek to lay their eggs on other organisms, and it is likely that this is why they captured human bodies and stuck them to their nest. Moths could otherwise latch onto humans that invaded their territory, and attach their eggs onto the humans' backs with their silk. After an extremely short period of time, the eggs would hatch and a Parasite would emerge, which would immediately begin feeding on the human.
The Parasites used their "arms" to latch onto the backs of prey while they bit into their flesh. Their poison would eventually kill prey, although a Parasite at this time could be forcefully removed by the host. This may be why Moths preferred to trap the bodies in silk, preventing them from hurting the Parasite. Once a host succumbed to the poison, a parasite would burrow its way into the host body. The Parasite would then nourish itself on the host's dead flesh from the inside. As Zombies put up less of a resistance to Parasites, they could burrow their way into a Zombie's body without killing it. The Zombie could actually continue activity without even noticing the Parasite inside of them, thanks to their enhanced vitality and inactive pain receptors.
When a Parasite grew to a sufficient enough size, it could burst from corpses and active Zombies and move on its own. They were capable of leaping large distances, and would seek to latch onto new hosts that passed by them. Humans combating Zombies containing Parasites were exposed to the risk of suddenly and unexpectedly being attacked by the Parasites within them. They would continue to parasitize multiple different bodies until they were ready to become adult Moths.
While Parasites could easily be killed by humans, their vitality was still enhanced to the point that they could survive in the frigid conditions of the Antarctic Base (normal moon moth larvae prefer humid environments). They may have sought to inhabit the bodies of warm-blooded hosts for this reason as well.
Earwig - Some insects became infected with the t-Virus and transformed into monsters as a result of a viral leak in the western, mountainous area of Arklay, just outside of Raccoon City. Several more were either created within the city, or migrated there during the chaos of the outbreak, attracted by the corpses. These creatures were called Scissor Tails due to the scissor-like pincers at the end of their abdomens. These pincers, along with the general appearance of the creatures, suggested that Scissor Tails were based on earwigs. The common/European earwig was first introduced to North America in 1907, and is a common household pest. Earwigs can survive in a large number of environments.
Scissor Tails were either created as a result of the 1993 outbreak at a hospital in Arklay, or were more recently-created creatures that were born as a result of the Mansion Incident. They were active in the woods at least as early as September 11, 1998, where numerous sightings of Scissor Tails were made and communicated through the media. Raccoon Today referred to the Scissor Tail species as an "UMA" ("Unidentified Mysterious/Monstrous Animal"). The paper reported that two or three Scissor Tails were seen near the tents of campers. Another report claimed a Scissor Tail harmed a pet dog (although it did not kill it, with it sustaining injuries requiring two weeks of recovery). An assistant professor of biology at Raccoon University, Graham Barrows, who was familiar with the ecology of insects, denied the possibility of insects of their reported size existing, claiming snakes or weasels were being mistaken for bugs.
Scissor Tails were over 2 meters long. Their wings failed to grow in proportion with their bodies, and apparently became vestigial. Earwig nymphs (juveniles) not only have underdeveloped wings, but they have a very similar appearance to adult earwigs; this could imply that Scissor Tails simply did not develop beyond the nymph stage of development, with their normal maturation replaced by extreme growth (similar to the Plague Crawlers). Because of their small wings, Scissor Tails could not fly, forcing them to crawl very slowly on the ground. They were, however, proficient diggers, and primarily moved around this way.
The predatory instincts of Scissor Tails were abnormally stimulated by the t-Virus, causing them to relentlessly pursue prey. Despite this, Scissor Tails practiced more caution than other infected creatures, which normally fight to the death: when damaged, Scissor Tails would quickly dig underground, escaping before they could be killed.
Scissor Tail pincers were effective weapons. They could use them like shears to cut and slice human prey. The shape of these pincers (which were straight and pointed outwards) could imply they were primarily female, as male earwigs typically have curved pincers. Scissor Tails could also tackle prey with their large bodies, and would use their mandibles to bite their targets after flooring them.
There were two types of Scissor Tails. It is possible that both types were based on different species of earwigs, were created by different strains of the virus in different time periods (one type created during the 1993 outbreak, the other created during the Mansion Incident in 1998), were different due to gender, or that they were simply subjected to different mutations over time. One type of Scissor Tail was brown, similar to the common earwig. The other type was blue, and somewhat smaller in size. The smaller version developed poisonous venom, despite earwigs not possessing this trait, due to a mutation brought about by the t-Virus.
Scissor Tails were either created as a result of the 1993 outbreak at a hospital in Arklay, or were more recently-created creatures that were born as a result of the Mansion Incident. They were active in the woods at least as early as September 11, 1998, where numerous sightings of Scissor Tails were made and communicated through the media. Raccoon Today referred to the Scissor Tail species as an "UMA" ("Unidentified Mysterious/Monstrous Animal"). The paper reported that two or three Scissor Tails were seen near the tents of campers. Another report claimed a Scissor Tail harmed a pet dog (although it did not kill it, with it sustaining injuries requiring two weeks of recovery). An assistant professor of biology at Raccoon University, Graham Barrows, who was familiar with the ecology of insects, denied the possibility of insects of their reported size existing, claiming snakes or weasels were being mistaken for bugs.
Scissor Tails were over 2 meters long. Their wings failed to grow in proportion with their bodies, and apparently became vestigial. Earwig nymphs (juveniles) not only have underdeveloped wings, but they have a very similar appearance to adult earwigs; this could imply that Scissor Tails simply did not develop beyond the nymph stage of development, with their normal maturation replaced by extreme growth (similar to the Plague Crawlers). Because of their small wings, Scissor Tails could not fly, forcing them to crawl very slowly on the ground. They were, however, proficient diggers, and primarily moved around this way.
The predatory instincts of Scissor Tails were abnormally stimulated by the t-Virus, causing them to relentlessly pursue prey. Despite this, Scissor Tails practiced more caution than other infected creatures, which normally fight to the death: when damaged, Scissor Tails would quickly dig underground, escaping before they could be killed.
Scissor Tail pincers were effective weapons. They could use them like shears to cut and slice human prey. The shape of these pincers (which were straight and pointed outwards) could imply they were primarily female, as male earwigs typically have curved pincers. Scissor Tails could also tackle prey with their large bodies, and would use their mandibles to bite their targets after flooring them.
There were two types of Scissor Tails. It is possible that both types were based on different species of earwigs, were created by different strains of the virus in different time periods (one type created during the 1993 outbreak, the other created during the Mansion Incident in 1998), were different due to gender, or that they were simply subjected to different mutations over time. One type of Scissor Tail was brown, similar to the common earwig. The other type was blue, and somewhat smaller in size. The smaller version developed poisonous venom, despite earwigs not possessing this trait, due to a mutation brought about by the t-Virus.
Flea - A large number of mutant parasitic fleas infested the Racoon City Subway System during the outbreak in 1998. In particular, they seemed to form a hive of sorts in the station underneath South Raccoon Street. It is possible they chose this location due to flea larvae preferring dark, damp locations. They were known as "Mega Bites". As Mega Bites were encountered as early as September 12, over ten days before the t-Virus leaked into the city's water supply, these creatures were likely a result of waste material overflow or of creatures migrating to the city from the Arklay Forest.
Mega Bites grew in size and adapted to primarily prey on humans (although it is possible that they were based on human fleas). They were around the size of human children. They were brown/red in color, and largely retained the appearance of the host species. They still possessed strong claws for clamping onto animals, and a mouth capable of quickly sucking blood. They also retained the hard exoskeletons of fleas, making them resistant to a significant amount of physical trauma. Being based on flightless insects, they lacked wings, but their jumping abilities more than made up for this. Fleas are the second highest jumpers in the world (relative to body size), second only to froghoppers, being capable of jumping 50 times their body length. Mega Bites retained much of the flea's jumping prowess, although the extent of this ability is unknown, as their habitat (the subway tunnels) would not permit them to jump 50 times their size anyway. The speed of their jumps was incredible, and it was extremely difficult for humans to outrun them. While they primarily moved by jumping, they could also crawl very slowly. It is implied that Mega Bites were crafty enough to use ventilation shafts, and they could even drag a human inside of an open vent. One human survivor seeking shelter in the subway, Amelia, was dragged through a vent and killed, presumably by Mega Bites
Mega Bites attempted to latch onto live, human prey for the purpose of draining them of blood, similar to their flea forebears. Due to their size, the amount of blood they drained was greater than that of a normal flea. They usually clamped onto the back or chest of human prey, and due to their size only two Mega Bites could attach to a single human at a time. A bite from a Mega Bite would swell and itch, much like bites from ordinary fleas. This is due to flea saliva being exposed to the bite wound. Mega Bite saliva would subsequently spread the t-Virus as well. In a manner identical to Scissor Tails, some blue Mega Bites appeared that developed the ability to transmit deadly poison as they fed. This "poison" was likely created as a result of their salivary glands mutating - flea saliva contains over 15 different substances that can trigger an allergic reaction in hosts. Blue Mega Bites would wear prey down this way, making it harder and harder for the target to ward them off.
They developed the ability to smell exposed blood, and would single out and hunt down animals that were actively bleeding. They could easily be distracted by blood packs (packaged blood used for patients at Raccoon General Hospital). Mega Bites could also cause severe bleeding in those they attacked. Humans subjected to Mega Bite attacks would attract more Mega Bites due to them bleeding.
Mega Bites grew in size and adapted to primarily prey on humans (although it is possible that they were based on human fleas). They were around the size of human children. They were brown/red in color, and largely retained the appearance of the host species. They still possessed strong claws for clamping onto animals, and a mouth capable of quickly sucking blood. They also retained the hard exoskeletons of fleas, making them resistant to a significant amount of physical trauma. Being based on flightless insects, they lacked wings, but their jumping abilities more than made up for this. Fleas are the second highest jumpers in the world (relative to body size), second only to froghoppers, being capable of jumping 50 times their body length. Mega Bites retained much of the flea's jumping prowess, although the extent of this ability is unknown, as their habitat (the subway tunnels) would not permit them to jump 50 times their size anyway. The speed of their jumps was incredible, and it was extremely difficult for humans to outrun them. While they primarily moved by jumping, they could also crawl very slowly. It is implied that Mega Bites were crafty enough to use ventilation shafts, and they could even drag a human inside of an open vent. One human survivor seeking shelter in the subway, Amelia, was dragged through a vent and killed, presumably by Mega Bites
Mega Bites attempted to latch onto live, human prey for the purpose of draining them of blood, similar to their flea forebears. Due to their size, the amount of blood they drained was greater than that of a normal flea. They usually clamped onto the back or chest of human prey, and due to their size only two Mega Bites could attach to a single human at a time. A bite from a Mega Bite would swell and itch, much like bites from ordinary fleas. This is due to flea saliva being exposed to the bite wound. Mega Bite saliva would subsequently spread the t-Virus as well. In a manner identical to Scissor Tails, some blue Mega Bites appeared that developed the ability to transmit deadly poison as they fed. This "poison" was likely created as a result of their salivary glands mutating - flea saliva contains over 15 different substances that can trigger an allergic reaction in hosts. Blue Mega Bites would wear prey down this way, making it harder and harder for the target to ward them off.
They developed the ability to smell exposed blood, and would single out and hunt down animals that were actively bleeding. They could easily be distracted by blood packs (packaged blood used for patients at Raccoon General Hospital). Mega Bites could also cause severe bleeding in those they attacked. Humans subjected to Mega Bite attacks would attract more Mega Bites due to them bleeding.
When a Mega Bite managed to drink enough human blood, either from a live human or from a blood pack, it would detach from its prey and immediately grow several times its size with unbelievable speed. Despite the speed of their transformation, their body parts grew in proper proportion with each other. Large Mega Bites (tentative) were taller than Giant Spiders. Blue Mega Bites seemed to be incapable of growing after feeding on blood.
Normal fleas go through four stage in their lifecycle - egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Mega Bites, based on their appearance, seemed to be adults, yet they still grew when consuming blood. This would seem to imply that flea development is altered by the t-Virus. By comparing them to normal fleas, Mega Bite development may have worked in one of the following ways:
Large Mega Bites were slightly slower than their smaller brethren due to their size, but the height at which they could jump did not seem to be impaired. They were too large to clamp onto prey, and so their behavior shifted from parasitic to predatory. Large Mega Bites would use the strong claws on their forelimbs as weapons. They would often use their weight against their prey, slamming their bodies into humans in order to harm them and knock them over. They even developed the ability to roll their bodies up like pill bugs, and roll into targets at high speeds like a bowling ball. Large Mega Bites would presumably seek to kill or incapacitate humans so that they could drink blood from their prone bodies.
Normal fleas go through four stage in their lifecycle - egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Mega Bites, based on their appearance, seemed to be adults, yet they still grew when consuming blood. This would seem to imply that flea development is altered by the t-Virus. By comparing them to normal fleas, Mega Bite development may have worked in one of the following ways:
- Flea larvae require blood to fuel their transformation into adults - it is possible that small Mega Bites (the unfed type) were actually larvae that only resembled adults. Since they were potentially born with adult characteristics, they would not need to go through a pupa stage, and could simply grow by feeding.
- Adult fleas will only fully mature after feeding on blood for the first time, but only in regards to their reproductive organs. This is to ensure that they have a steady supply of blood to raise offspring. It may be that Large Mega Bites are actually their reproductive stage. It may even be that Large Mega Bites are only a midway-point in reproductive development, judging by the Giga Bite (see below).
Large Mega Bites were slightly slower than their smaller brethren due to their size, but the height at which they could jump did not seem to be impaired. They were too large to clamp onto prey, and so their behavior shifted from parasitic to predatory. Large Mega Bites would use the strong claws on their forelimbs as weapons. They would often use their weight against their prey, slamming their bodies into humans in order to harm them and knock them over. They even developed the ability to roll their bodies up like pill bugs, and roll into targets at high speeds like a bowling ball. Large Mega Bites would presumably seek to kill or incapacitate humans so that they could drink blood from their prone bodies.
All of the Mega Bites were related, and were all the offspring of a single flea-based monster. This creature was known as the "Giga Bite". The Giga Bite seemed to be the only one of the fleas that actually used to be a normal flea. After it came into contact with the t-Virus in waste materials, it mutated and developed the ability to asexually reproduce. All the Mega Bites being its offspring explains why they all developed similar traits, and why none of them mutated as heavily as the Drain Deimos and Brain Sucker creatures (the Giga Bite being exposed to waste instead of feeding on infected blood explains why it did not change form as much as those creatures as well. See the sections on those creatures for more context).
The Giga Bite was even larger than the Mega Bites - around the size of a double-decker bus. This is due to how old it was in comparison, or due to reasons similar to those that made the Centurion and Grave Diggers grow so large. It seemed to be capable of crawling faster than its offspring, but it could not jump due to its body being crammed into its indoor location. It used its gigantic forelimbs to strike at prey, but it was also capable of grabbing adult humans and carrying them off with a single limb for feeding elsewhere.
The Giga Bite's habitat (a subway tunnel entrance) seemed to be covered in webbing or some kind of slime, potentially implying this a nest it created. This substance could also have been the remains of a pupa the Giga Bite could have emerged from. The Giga Bite seemed reluctant to leave this nest, and when humans intruded upon its domain, it would attempt to block off passage through the tunnel, strafing to the sides to cut off any chance of escape.
The Giga Bite was able to "control" the Mega Bites, holding a queen-like role. While fleas are not eusocial creatures, the t-Virus has been known to cause this trait to develop in certain parasitic animals. Large Mega Bites aided the Giga in combat, rolling through the tunnels in order to harm intruders as the Giga picked them off simultaneously.
The names "Mega Bite" and "Giga Bite" are a play on words. The names are in reference to megabytes and gigabytes, which are multiples of units of digital information (bytes). "Mega" is a multiplier for a million, while "Giga" is a multiplier for a billion. "Bite" is of course in reference to the infected fleas' primary means of attack.
The Giga Bite was even larger than the Mega Bites - around the size of a double-decker bus. This is due to how old it was in comparison, or due to reasons similar to those that made the Centurion and Grave Diggers grow so large. It seemed to be capable of crawling faster than its offspring, but it could not jump due to its body being crammed into its indoor location. It used its gigantic forelimbs to strike at prey, but it was also capable of grabbing adult humans and carrying them off with a single limb for feeding elsewhere.
The Giga Bite's habitat (a subway tunnel entrance) seemed to be covered in webbing or some kind of slime, potentially implying this a nest it created. This substance could also have been the remains of a pupa the Giga Bite could have emerged from. The Giga Bite seemed reluctant to leave this nest, and when humans intruded upon its domain, it would attempt to block off passage through the tunnel, strafing to the sides to cut off any chance of escape.
The Giga Bite was able to "control" the Mega Bites, holding a queen-like role. While fleas are not eusocial creatures, the t-Virus has been known to cause this trait to develop in certain parasitic animals. Large Mega Bites aided the Giga in combat, rolling through the tunnels in order to harm intruders as the Giga picked them off simultaneously.
The names "Mega Bite" and "Giga Bite" are a play on words. The names are in reference to megabytes and gigabytes, which are multiples of units of digital information (bytes). "Mega" is a multiplier for a million, while "Giga" is a multiplier for a billion. "Bite" is of course in reference to the infected fleas' primary means of attack.
Mega/Giga Bite "nests"
While Drain Deimos and Brain Suckers were also flea-like parasites encountered in Raccoon City, they are covered in part three of this analysis, under “Genetic Hybrids”.

Cave Cricket - A mutated Cave Cricket (Camel Cricket) was a proposed enemy for Resident Evil 2. This creature would have been capable of reproduction, although instead of laying eggs that hatched into nymphs, it appeared to give live birth to larval-like offspring. This is another demonstration of the virus' capability in promoting abnormal evolution.
Centipede - A single centipede transformed into the "Centurion" after being exposed to the t-Virus. It lived at Umbrella's abandoned Executive Training Facility. In July of 1998, it abducted S.T.A.R.S. member Rebecca Chambers, and was soon afterwards killed by Billy Coen.
As there was no documentation left behind by James Marcus (director of the Training Facility) suggesting that centipedes were used in B.O.W. experiments, the Centurion was presumably a result of secondary infection. It is suggested that rodents and spiders that were infected with t-Marcus as a result of a leak preyed on local centipedes, and that one centipede contracted the virus as a result of these attacks, survived, and mutated into the Centurion. It may have been a recently created creature, or it could have been as old as a decade. Only one Centurion was ever encountered, meaning that either infected centipedes failed to retain reproductive capabilities, or that only one centipede was ever exposed to the virus, with it lacking a mate to reproduce with.
The largest known centipede in the world, the Amazonian giant centipede/scolopendra gigantea, is 30 cm in length, and is capable of eating vertebrates ("a rare phenomenon with the food chain being in the opposite direction between insect and vertebrates" ). They can feed on rodents, birds, and lizards. The Centurion was approximately 33 times the size of Amazonian giant centipedes, with an incredible length of almost 10 meters. It is suggested that it reached this size as a result of its mutation not being "controlled by adjusting the virus' dosage", with it being "one of the worst examples where the t-Virus spreads to a great extent in an environment" (biohazard 0 Kaitai Shinsho). It is also possible that it simply grew due to being infected for a long period of time. As centipedes are "generalist predators", which devour anything soft-bodied that is in a reasonable size range, the Centurion's diet expanded to humans. Like most other mutants, it had a "terrible hunger".
Centipedes can have anywhere from 30 to 354 legs, with a single pair of legs for each segment on their bodies. The Centurion had 32 legs, comprising 16 pairs. This is an oddity, as centipedes always have an odd number of pairs of legs. The Centurion retained its forcipules (modified forelegs that function as pincers, which cover the mandibles. Forcipules are found in no arthropods other than centipedes). While centipede forcipules often carry the potential to inject venom into prey, the Centurion seemed to fail to develop any kind of poison, like the Stinger. It could use still use its forcipules for their other purpose - capturing and holding prey. The Centurion used its forcipules to grab Rebecca Chambers, and transported her to its other legs. This allowed it to hold her as it used its other limbs to run, while freeing its forcipules to allow it to use them to attack Billy Coen. Its mobility was impressive, but it was somewhat limited while carrying human prey.
The Centurion preferred to grab and devour its prey live over attacking and killing them first. When it abducted Rebecca, it carried her off, seeking to avoid confrontation with Billy so that it could focus on devouring her first. It only actively attacked Billy when he was directly in front of the creature. When Billy approached the beast from the sides, its legs could inflict minor damage on him. The Centurion's shell was generally very resistant to damage, and capable of withstanding multiple direct hits from a shotgun.
The Centurion initially emerged from a drainage vent in a drained pool in the Training Facility. Centipedes have problems with water regulation, and are usually found in moist environments. It is possible that the Centurion either made its home in the moist pipes running beneath the pool, or that the host centipede that transformed into the Centurion lived in these pipes.
The name "Centurion" was used to refer officers in the Roman legion, who were commanders of large groups of soldiers. A centurion was a commander of a "Centuria" (hence the name of their office), a word stemming from "centum", which means 100. The Centurion creature may have been named this due to the name of the host species, "centipede", which literally means "100 feet". In a sense, its name could symbolically be meant to refer to the creature being superior to normal centipedes.
As there was no documentation left behind by James Marcus (director of the Training Facility) suggesting that centipedes were used in B.O.W. experiments, the Centurion was presumably a result of secondary infection. It is suggested that rodents and spiders that were infected with t-Marcus as a result of a leak preyed on local centipedes, and that one centipede contracted the virus as a result of these attacks, survived, and mutated into the Centurion. It may have been a recently created creature, or it could have been as old as a decade. Only one Centurion was ever encountered, meaning that either infected centipedes failed to retain reproductive capabilities, or that only one centipede was ever exposed to the virus, with it lacking a mate to reproduce with.
The largest known centipede in the world, the Amazonian giant centipede/scolopendra gigantea, is 30 cm in length, and is capable of eating vertebrates ("a rare phenomenon with the food chain being in the opposite direction between insect and vertebrates" ). They can feed on rodents, birds, and lizards. The Centurion was approximately 33 times the size of Amazonian giant centipedes, with an incredible length of almost 10 meters. It is suggested that it reached this size as a result of its mutation not being "controlled by adjusting the virus' dosage", with it being "one of the worst examples where the t-Virus spreads to a great extent in an environment" (biohazard 0 Kaitai Shinsho). It is also possible that it simply grew due to being infected for a long period of time. As centipedes are "generalist predators", which devour anything soft-bodied that is in a reasonable size range, the Centurion's diet expanded to humans. Like most other mutants, it had a "terrible hunger".
Centipedes can have anywhere from 30 to 354 legs, with a single pair of legs for each segment on their bodies. The Centurion had 32 legs, comprising 16 pairs. This is an oddity, as centipedes always have an odd number of pairs of legs. The Centurion retained its forcipules (modified forelegs that function as pincers, which cover the mandibles. Forcipules are found in no arthropods other than centipedes). While centipede forcipules often carry the potential to inject venom into prey, the Centurion seemed to fail to develop any kind of poison, like the Stinger. It could use still use its forcipules for their other purpose - capturing and holding prey. The Centurion used its forcipules to grab Rebecca Chambers, and transported her to its other legs. This allowed it to hold her as it used its other limbs to run, while freeing its forcipules to allow it to use them to attack Billy Coen. Its mobility was impressive, but it was somewhat limited while carrying human prey.
The Centurion preferred to grab and devour its prey live over attacking and killing them first. When it abducted Rebecca, it carried her off, seeking to avoid confrontation with Billy so that it could focus on devouring her first. It only actively attacked Billy when he was directly in front of the creature. When Billy approached the beast from the sides, its legs could inflict minor damage on him. The Centurion's shell was generally very resistant to damage, and capable of withstanding multiple direct hits from a shotgun.
The Centurion initially emerged from a drainage vent in a drained pool in the Training Facility. Centipedes have problems with water regulation, and are usually found in moist environments. It is possible that the Centurion either made its home in the moist pipes running beneath the pool, or that the host centipede that transformed into the Centurion lived in these pipes.
The name "Centurion" was used to refer officers in the Roman legion, who were commanders of large groups of soldiers. A centurion was a commander of a "Centuria" (hence the name of their office), a word stemming from "centum", which means 100. The Centurion creature may have been named this due to the name of the host species, "centipede", which literally means "100 feet". In a sense, its name could symbolically be meant to refer to the creature being superior to normal centipedes.
Millipede - Umbrella's Incineration Disposal Plant P-12A, in Raccoon City, was dedicated to disposing of waste materials and failed test subjects from the nearby laboratories. In the latter half of 1998, prior to the outbreak, an abnormal amount of waste and contaminated materials were sent to the plant, due to both the amount of experiments going on at the time and due to William Birkin purposefully sabotaging the plant. The facility could not keep up with the intake of waste being sent there, which resulted in contamination failures. Waste steadily began to leak over a long period of time and penetrated deep into the soil around the city. Waste containing a mutated strain of the t-Virus infected an unspecified, millipede-like arthropod species inhabiting the soil with the virus. As a result, by the time the outbreak in Raccoon City was in full-swing, these arthropods transformed into a new, mutated species of creature. Two adult specimens were encountered by Jill Valentine, with her managing to kill the second one. The second specimen encountered by Jill was found feeding on corpses at the cemetery adjoining Raccoon Park. This behavior was observed by Umbrella's Monitors, who for this reason named the creatures "Grave Diggers". They were later listed as "T115652xx" in the "B.O.W. Genomic Database" in Umbrella's archived data.
The host species for the Grave Digger was small, with a worm-like body flanked by many legs. It lived in the ground, and was presumably a burrowing creature. While the host species was considered millipede-like, it was impossible for anyone to ascertain if that was actually the host species. This is because Grave Diggers experienced a great degree of abnormal evolution following infection, to the point that they no longer resembled their original form.
Grave Diggers were among the largest of any creatures created by the t-Virus. This, as well as their highly altered form, is said to be because the host species' underground habitat was constantly contaminated by the t-Virus over a long period of time. A Grave Digger would go through ecdysis multiple times before reaching its maximum size, which could be as long as 10 meters. The full extent of the length of their bodies was usually unseen due to them living underground.
The legs on Grave Diggers did not grow in proportion with their bodies, leaving them completely vestigial. This led to the creatures greatly resembling earthworms, despite them actually being arthropods. Their mobility was not hindered by this - if anything, their overall speed was vastly improved, allowing them to move faster than one would think possible. Their agility was even more impressive, and a Grave Digger in The Umbrella Chronicles was actually capable of jumping into the sky.
Grave Diggers were talented diggers, and could swiftly move in any direction underground. They had four large, abnormally-developed mandibles capable of clawing through concrete with ease. These mandibles were each tipped with huge fangs, while their mouths were surrounded on all sides by many rows of sharp teeth. Their mandibles were fully retractable. When digging, Grave Digger mandibles would join together and point outwards, like a drill. Their digging prowess and speed allowed them to quickly form a vast tunnel network under Raccoon City, and they could pursue even fast-moving above-ground prey while digging.
In order to maintain their colossal bodies and due to the energy they expended while digging, Grave Diggers always experienced a severe feeling of starvation, leading them to attack any animals they could. When within range of a potential victim, a Grave Digger would grab them with its mandibles and proceed to swallow them. Its advanced digestive system would allow it to digest an adult human whole. Originally, the designer for the Grave Digger creature envisioned that it could also sprout tentacles from its mouth, which could grab the guns from the hands of prey (while this idea was not implemented, a similar idea was used for the "Giant Leech". The models for these tentacles were reused for Sliding Worms, which are covered below).
Grave Digger skin was extremely resistant, allowing them to withstand an incredible amount of trauma from firearms and even explosives. The inside of their mouths was softer and more vulnerable to damage, however. A Grave Digger could be killed using sustained, high-voltage electricity. A Grave Digger that recently shed its skin (like the first adult specimen encountered by Jill Valentine) was more sensitive to physical damage, with its skin presumably hardening over time.
While they were based on primitive creatures, it seems that Grave Diggers had greater intelligence following infection. This was observable in how adaptable they were on the battlefield. When a Grave Digger sensed prey moving above-ground, it would rush towards the surface to take its prey by surprise (although their movements would cause the ground to shake, as if an earthquake was occurring). They engaged in hit-and-run tactics on armed prey, and even retreated when injured. In The Umbrella Chronicles, a Grave Digger was shown to be capable of using tools to some extent - it would lift large vehicles with its mandibles, then throw them towards targets with impressive accuracy. It would also leap into the air and attempt to crush prey as it landed in this depiction.
The host species for the Grave Digger was small, with a worm-like body flanked by many legs. It lived in the ground, and was presumably a burrowing creature. While the host species was considered millipede-like, it was impossible for anyone to ascertain if that was actually the host species. This is because Grave Diggers experienced a great degree of abnormal evolution following infection, to the point that they no longer resembled their original form.
Grave Diggers were among the largest of any creatures created by the t-Virus. This, as well as their highly altered form, is said to be because the host species' underground habitat was constantly contaminated by the t-Virus over a long period of time. A Grave Digger would go through ecdysis multiple times before reaching its maximum size, which could be as long as 10 meters. The full extent of the length of their bodies was usually unseen due to them living underground.
The legs on Grave Diggers did not grow in proportion with their bodies, leaving them completely vestigial. This led to the creatures greatly resembling earthworms, despite them actually being arthropods. Their mobility was not hindered by this - if anything, their overall speed was vastly improved, allowing them to move faster than one would think possible. Their agility was even more impressive, and a Grave Digger in The Umbrella Chronicles was actually capable of jumping into the sky.
Grave Diggers were talented diggers, and could swiftly move in any direction underground. They had four large, abnormally-developed mandibles capable of clawing through concrete with ease. These mandibles were each tipped with huge fangs, while their mouths were surrounded on all sides by many rows of sharp teeth. Their mandibles were fully retractable. When digging, Grave Digger mandibles would join together and point outwards, like a drill. Their digging prowess and speed allowed them to quickly form a vast tunnel network under Raccoon City, and they could pursue even fast-moving above-ground prey while digging.
In order to maintain their colossal bodies and due to the energy they expended while digging, Grave Diggers always experienced a severe feeling of starvation, leading them to attack any animals they could. When within range of a potential victim, a Grave Digger would grab them with its mandibles and proceed to swallow them. Its advanced digestive system would allow it to digest an adult human whole. Originally, the designer for the Grave Digger creature envisioned that it could also sprout tentacles from its mouth, which could grab the guns from the hands of prey (while this idea was not implemented, a similar idea was used for the "Giant Leech". The models for these tentacles were reused for Sliding Worms, which are covered below).
Grave Digger skin was extremely resistant, allowing them to withstand an incredible amount of trauma from firearms and even explosives. The inside of their mouths was softer and more vulnerable to damage, however. A Grave Digger could be killed using sustained, high-voltage electricity. A Grave Digger that recently shed its skin (like the first adult specimen encountered by Jill Valentine) was more sensitive to physical damage, with its skin presumably hardening over time.
While they were based on primitive creatures, it seems that Grave Diggers had greater intelligence following infection. This was observable in how adaptable they were on the battlefield. When a Grave Digger sensed prey moving above-ground, it would rush towards the surface to take its prey by surprise (although their movements would cause the ground to shake, as if an earthquake was occurring). They engaged in hit-and-run tactics on armed prey, and even retreated when injured. In The Umbrella Chronicles, a Grave Digger was shown to be capable of using tools to some extent - it would lift large vehicles with its mandibles, then throw them towards targets with impressive accuracy. It would also leap into the air and attempt to crush prey as it landed in this depiction.
Grave Diggers, like most other infected arthropods, were capable of extremely rapid reproduction. Due to them developing many other worm-like traits, it is likely that they were asexual. This would explain there being multiple Grave Diggers with identical traits, despite them being the result of a unique, potentially one-of-a-kind mutation.
Adult Grave Diggers would lay hundreds of eggs in the the soil, the city sewers (which their tunnels would often breach), and in waterfronts. Due to these eggs being laid in "excessively cruel environments", Grave Digger development was sped up in order for them to survive. The eggs would hatch after only two hours, and the larvae that emerged could grow into adult Grave Diggers after repeatedly molting in as little as a single week. Had the outbreak in Raccoon City gone on for a longer period of time without the area being sterilized, the risk of Grave Diggers breeding and spreading at an uncontrollable level would be very high. With their ability to evade detection by digging deep underground at rapid speeds, it would become impossible at a certain point to eliminate all of them, with them eventually becoming a new, "natural" species. This made Grave Diggers the worst example of the t-Virus contaminating an environment to an extreme level, with their presence having the potential to forever change the ecology of the planet.
Grave Digger offspring were called Sliding Worms. They were about one meter in length, and had bright green skin. Sliding Worms, as the second part of their name implies, were completely worm-like, even more-so than adult Grave Diggers. They lacked any legs whatsoever, and moved around by sliding their bodies (hence the first part of their names). They could move on land and in water with equal skill. Their bodies were very "bouncy" due to their elasticity, allowing them to jump into the air and leap at potential prey (an attribute which an adult Grave Digger could possibly retain, going by The Umbrella Chronicles). They had the same fangs that tipped the mandibles of adult Grave Diggers, which were the same shape and extremely sharp, albeit smaller. When killed, they lost greenish blood and shriveled up into colorless husks, which would imply that their coloration came from their blood showing through their thin skin.
Sliding Worms preferred dark, damp environments, like sewers and the fountains and pools at the Raccoon Park.
Sliding Worms developed leech-like behavior, and their diet primarily consisted of blood. They would attach themselves to human prey with their sharp fangs, drill a hole into their skin, and quickly drain them of blood. A single Sliding Worm could drain as much as a liter of blood from prey at once, approximately 1/5 of a human adult's blood supply. The loss of this much blood at once is just enough to potentially send a person into hemorrhage shock, and losing this amount twice in a row is enough to potentially be deadly. Fed Sliding Worms expanded and turned slightly red due to their being filled with blood and their thin skin. As feeding this way was the primary way for Sliding Worms to obtain energy, a Worm would only develop into an adult Grave Digger if it managed to absorb enough blood.
These creatures would greedily attack prey in swarms, although this may be due to them competing for sustenance, rather than being an indication of them having social instincts. While they had relatively weak bodies and could be killed with several small-caliber handgun bullets, due to the amount of blood they could suck at once and their numbers they were nonetheless extremely deadly. When a human was attacked by a swarm, they would die immediately from excessive blood loss.
Sliding Worms, in desperation for feeding due to the chaotic situation of their environment and intense competition for blood from their peers, migrated outside of their preferred habitats, emerging onto the surface to hunt. In particular, some Sliding Worms made their way to Raccoon General Hospital, likely due to the high presence of blood there (like the leeches that comprised the Leech Man did before them). As Zombie blood is coagulated, it likely did not carry the nutrition that Sliding Worms needed, forcing them to seek out other sources of food, like humans or potentially other mutated animals.
Adult Grave Diggers would lay hundreds of eggs in the the soil, the city sewers (which their tunnels would often breach), and in waterfronts. Due to these eggs being laid in "excessively cruel environments", Grave Digger development was sped up in order for them to survive. The eggs would hatch after only two hours, and the larvae that emerged could grow into adult Grave Diggers after repeatedly molting in as little as a single week. Had the outbreak in Raccoon City gone on for a longer period of time without the area being sterilized, the risk of Grave Diggers breeding and spreading at an uncontrollable level would be very high. With their ability to evade detection by digging deep underground at rapid speeds, it would become impossible at a certain point to eliminate all of them, with them eventually becoming a new, "natural" species. This made Grave Diggers the worst example of the t-Virus contaminating an environment to an extreme level, with their presence having the potential to forever change the ecology of the planet.
Grave Digger offspring were called Sliding Worms. They were about one meter in length, and had bright green skin. Sliding Worms, as the second part of their name implies, were completely worm-like, even more-so than adult Grave Diggers. They lacked any legs whatsoever, and moved around by sliding their bodies (hence the first part of their names). They could move on land and in water with equal skill. Their bodies were very "bouncy" due to their elasticity, allowing them to jump into the air and leap at potential prey (an attribute which an adult Grave Digger could possibly retain, going by The Umbrella Chronicles). They had the same fangs that tipped the mandibles of adult Grave Diggers, which were the same shape and extremely sharp, albeit smaller. When killed, they lost greenish blood and shriveled up into colorless husks, which would imply that their coloration came from their blood showing through their thin skin.
Sliding Worms preferred dark, damp environments, like sewers and the fountains and pools at the Raccoon Park.
Sliding Worms developed leech-like behavior, and their diet primarily consisted of blood. They would attach themselves to human prey with their sharp fangs, drill a hole into their skin, and quickly drain them of blood. A single Sliding Worm could drain as much as a liter of blood from prey at once, approximately 1/5 of a human adult's blood supply. The loss of this much blood at once is just enough to potentially send a person into hemorrhage shock, and losing this amount twice in a row is enough to potentially be deadly. Fed Sliding Worms expanded and turned slightly red due to their being filled with blood and their thin skin. As feeding this way was the primary way for Sliding Worms to obtain energy, a Worm would only develop into an adult Grave Digger if it managed to absorb enough blood.
These creatures would greedily attack prey in swarms, although this may be due to them competing for sustenance, rather than being an indication of them having social instincts. While they had relatively weak bodies and could be killed with several small-caliber handgun bullets, due to the amount of blood they could suck at once and their numbers they were nonetheless extremely deadly. When a human was attacked by a swarm, they would die immediately from excessive blood loss.
Sliding Worms, in desperation for feeding due to the chaotic situation of their environment and intense competition for blood from their peers, migrated outside of their preferred habitats, emerging onto the surface to hunt. In particular, some Sliding Worms made their way to Raccoon General Hospital, likely due to the high presence of blood there (like the leeches that comprised the Leech Man did before them). As Zombie blood is coagulated, it likely did not carry the nutrition that Sliding Worms needed, forcing them to seek out other sources of food, like humans or potentially other mutated animals.
Despite Grave Diggers/Sliding Worms being based on Millipede-like arthropods, Millipede offspring do not lack legs. Millipedes are also not asexual. Sliding Worms lacking legs, potentially being born from asexual reproduction, and their leech-like behavior is more suggestive of an annelid (worm) than an arthropod. Even the name "Sliding Worm" and the fact the true earthworm-based B.O.W. Gulp Worm was based on Grave Digger data supports them having more in common with worms. The reason Sliding Worms and Grave Diggers developed this way can be attributed to any number of potential reasons, or any combination of these reasons:
- It may be that Sliding Worms only resembled annelids in earlier stages of development. Some arthropod larvae do have a very worm-like appearance, before they develop legs and other arthropod traits. It may be that Sliding Worms would eventually grow legs as they molted and grew in size. There could potentially have even been a mid-way stage between Sliding Worms and Grave Diggers, a form which could possibly have had fully formed, functioning legs. When this mid-way stage continued to grow explosively large, its legs could have eventually become vestigial, with adult Grave Diggers no longer having need of them. In this scenario, Sliding Worms could only feed on blood due to their underdeveloped digestive systems not being capable of breaking down solid foods.
- It is possible that the original Grave Digger host was actually an insect, which was still in the larval stage of development, making it appear worm-like. In this case, it may be that the host failed to finish its natural development due to the sudden mutations brought about by the t-Virus, causing it to abnormally grow in size while keeping it in a state where it still appeared to be a larva. This is supported by Plague Crawler adults also being "stuck" in their adolescent-stage bodies (see "Genetic Hybrids" section in part 3 of this analysis).
- It is also possible that Grave Digger offspring evolved after a single generation thanks to the t-Virus. They could have jumped from one phylum (arthropod) to another (annelid). The base of the t-Virus, the Progenitor Virus, did create the original lifeforms from which both arthropods and annelids developed, after all. In short, it may be that the offspring of the millipede-like hosts were actual worms, due to the capacity of the virus to create and recreate life.
- It could even be that when the initial Grave Digger specimen was created, it acquired worm traits due to recombination, making it a genetic hybrid. The habitat of the host species could have also been home to earthworms, which the virus would also infect when leaked into the soil. If new strains of the virus passed from one host to the next in this habitat, a single creature with traits from multiple species could potentially develop.
- Finally, it may be that Sliding Worms developed into leech-like organisms due to the leech DNA used to create the t-Virus.
Annelida is a phylum consisting of many kinds of worm species, such as earthworms and leeches. They are primitive invertebrates with soft bodies, and lack limbs. Annelids can commonly found in a wide variety of environments, both aquatic and terrestrial.
The t-Virus seems to affect annelids in much the same way it affects arthropods, with an increase in size and reproductive capacity being the most notable mutations. This is because organisms belonging to both classes are characterized by their small size and simple - yet effective - biology.
Earthworm - Umbrella gathered combat and genomic data on the annelid-like Grave Digger, which showed promise as a weapon due to its ability to stealthily attack prey from below, and possibly due to its extreme destructive power and increased intelligence. Umbrella was unable to discover what animal the Grave Digger was created from, and so they instead used the organism it most closely resembled as a B.O.W. base - earthworms. By improving the genes of an earthworm and then injecting it with the t-Virus, the gigantic Gulp Worm B.O.W. was created. Gulp Worms were considered an "upgraded" form of the Grave Diggers.
Several of Gulp Worm prototypes were created in the later days of 1998. One of them was sent to the training center at Rockfort Island to engage in mock battles against UBCS trainees, in order to gather combat data on the worm so that the B.O.W.'s viability as a weapon could be tested and its abilities potentially improved. This specimen went through multiple combat tests against trainees before an outbreak overcame the island. It was unleashed by Alfred Ashford (who referred to it as his "pet") to attack Claire Redfield, and although she failed to kill the creature she did manage to evade it. Later, the Gulp Worm killed Rodrigo Juan Ravel, and it was soon afterwards destroyed by Chris Redfield. It is unknown if the remaining Gulp Worms ever left the experimental stage, or if they were ever mass-produced and sold on the black market.
While Grave Diggers developed into such large, powerful predators due to extreme, prolonged environmental contamination, Gulp Worms achieved similar results due to Umbrella improving the genetic structure of the host species. As they were true annelids, they lacked any sort of legs, vestigial or otherwise. Instead of four-sided mandibles tipped in fangs like the Grave Digger, Gulp Worms had six-sided mandibles with no fangs. Their mouths and the inside of their mandibles were covered in countless teeth. Their mandibles did not seem to be retractable.
Gulp Worms were smaller than Grave Diggers, at least in regards to width, which may have been an intentional design point in order to make storage and transportation easier. They were still larger than most other mutants, and could still devour human adults whole. Gulp Worms were carnivorous creatures, as befits "living weapons". While their digestive organs were impressive, it took some time for them to fully break down human bodies. When a Gulp Worm vomited up Rodrigo a short time after eating him, he was still alive and his body was relatively intact, although he died moments thereafter. This means that humans that were consumed whole by Gulp Worms were left alive and aware for some time as digestive acids slowly broke them down, a fate worse than most.
Their mobility and digging abilities seemed to be greater than those of Grave Diggers, with them being able to move even faster underground and jump into the air. They were specifically designed as weapons that could infiltrate enemy territory undetected by digging underneath fortifications, at which point they could then launch surprise attacks from below. Their sense of smell was powerful and sensitive enough to accurately detect prey while underground, allowing them to hunt down and target prey while they themselves were hidden from view.
In The Darkside Chronicles, it is suggested that they were smart enough to be trained and controlled, which could mean that Gulp Worm intelligence was enhanced, as seemed to be the case with the Grave Diggers. This is an impressive feat, considering the simplicity of an earthworm's central nervous system. They had a tendency to circle their prey in a "drinking motion" while close to the surface, in order to prevent their prey from escaping an area. When attacking, they would suddenly and forcefully spring out from deep underground and bash their heads into targets, or even swallow them whole (earning them the "Gulp" part of their name). They practiced caution, and avoided being out in the open for long periods of time. They would also throw objects such as explosive barrels at prey.
Like Grave Diggers, Gulp Worms had incredible vitality and a resistance to gunfire, although the insides of their open mouths were just as much of a weak-point. It is possible that they could survive multiple combat encounters due to regenerating, thanks to both the virus and the already impressive healing abilities of earthworms. When killed, a Gulp Worm would vomit up the contents of its stomach.
It is unknown if Gulp Worms were capable of reproduction, as no offspring or eggs were seen on Rockfort Island. It may be that Umbrella intentionally made them sterile, as the threat posed by such large creatures reproducing in large numbers would be undesirable for both sides in a conflict, especially since offspring would lack any sort of training.
In concept art, a Gulp Worm is also referred to as "Elephantiasis Sand Worm". This could be a mere description of it, a scrapped title, or even its "scientific" name. "Elephantiasis" is a medical term referring to the abnormal enlargement of tissue. "Sand Worm" is likely in reference to the Sand Worm creatures from Dune, which Gulp Worms greatly resemble. Sandworm is also an alternate name for Lugworms and King Ragworms. It is unlikely that Gulp Worms are actually based on these species, as they are specifically stated to be based on earthworms, which are clitellates, while Lugworms and King Ragworms are polychaetas.
Several of Gulp Worm prototypes were created in the later days of 1998. One of them was sent to the training center at Rockfort Island to engage in mock battles against UBCS trainees, in order to gather combat data on the worm so that the B.O.W.'s viability as a weapon could be tested and its abilities potentially improved. This specimen went through multiple combat tests against trainees before an outbreak overcame the island. It was unleashed by Alfred Ashford (who referred to it as his "pet") to attack Claire Redfield, and although she failed to kill the creature she did manage to evade it. Later, the Gulp Worm killed Rodrigo Juan Ravel, and it was soon afterwards destroyed by Chris Redfield. It is unknown if the remaining Gulp Worms ever left the experimental stage, or if they were ever mass-produced and sold on the black market.
While Grave Diggers developed into such large, powerful predators due to extreme, prolonged environmental contamination, Gulp Worms achieved similar results due to Umbrella improving the genetic structure of the host species. As they were true annelids, they lacked any sort of legs, vestigial or otherwise. Instead of four-sided mandibles tipped in fangs like the Grave Digger, Gulp Worms had six-sided mandibles with no fangs. Their mouths and the inside of their mandibles were covered in countless teeth. Their mandibles did not seem to be retractable.
Gulp Worms were smaller than Grave Diggers, at least in regards to width, which may have been an intentional design point in order to make storage and transportation easier. They were still larger than most other mutants, and could still devour human adults whole. Gulp Worms were carnivorous creatures, as befits "living weapons". While their digestive organs were impressive, it took some time for them to fully break down human bodies. When a Gulp Worm vomited up Rodrigo a short time after eating him, he was still alive and his body was relatively intact, although he died moments thereafter. This means that humans that were consumed whole by Gulp Worms were left alive and aware for some time as digestive acids slowly broke them down, a fate worse than most.
Their mobility and digging abilities seemed to be greater than those of Grave Diggers, with them being able to move even faster underground and jump into the air. They were specifically designed as weapons that could infiltrate enemy territory undetected by digging underneath fortifications, at which point they could then launch surprise attacks from below. Their sense of smell was powerful and sensitive enough to accurately detect prey while underground, allowing them to hunt down and target prey while they themselves were hidden from view.
In The Darkside Chronicles, it is suggested that they were smart enough to be trained and controlled, which could mean that Gulp Worm intelligence was enhanced, as seemed to be the case with the Grave Diggers. This is an impressive feat, considering the simplicity of an earthworm's central nervous system. They had a tendency to circle their prey in a "drinking motion" while close to the surface, in order to prevent their prey from escaping an area. When attacking, they would suddenly and forcefully spring out from deep underground and bash their heads into targets, or even swallow them whole (earning them the "Gulp" part of their name). They practiced caution, and avoided being out in the open for long periods of time. They would also throw objects such as explosive barrels at prey.
Like Grave Diggers, Gulp Worms had incredible vitality and a resistance to gunfire, although the insides of their open mouths were just as much of a weak-point. It is possible that they could survive multiple combat encounters due to regenerating, thanks to both the virus and the already impressive healing abilities of earthworms. When killed, a Gulp Worm would vomit up the contents of its stomach.
It is unknown if Gulp Worms were capable of reproduction, as no offspring or eggs were seen on Rockfort Island. It may be that Umbrella intentionally made them sterile, as the threat posed by such large creatures reproducing in large numbers would be undesirable for both sides in a conflict, especially since offspring would lack any sort of training.
In concept art, a Gulp Worm is also referred to as "Elephantiasis Sand Worm". This could be a mere description of it, a scrapped title, or even its "scientific" name. "Elephantiasis" is a medical term referring to the abnormal enlargement of tissue. "Sand Worm" is likely in reference to the Sand Worm creatures from Dune, which Gulp Worms greatly resemble. Sandworm is also an alternate name for Lugworms and King Ragworms. It is unlikely that Gulp Worms are actually based on these species, as they are specifically stated to be based on earthworms, which are clitellates, while Lugworms and King Ragworms are polychaetas.
Leech - Leeches were highly compatible with the Progenitor Virus itself, while most other modern creatures were killed by it. In experiments performed by James Marcus, leeches were found to evolve into an entirely new species, and in their bodies the virus transformed into the first strain of the t-Virus, known as "t-Marcus". Progenitor-infected Leeches had advanced intelligence, social skills, and mimicry abilities, in addition to some enlargement, enhanced reproductive capabilities, and an increase in aggression and overall combat abilities. Even though these evolved creatures contained the t-Virus, their initial transformation was caused by Progenitor itself, and so they are not covered in this analysis. The Queen Leech, which was created by t-Marcus, is also not covered here, as the virus it was transformed by was only different in that it contained leech genes (which the host species of course already had). These creatures are instead covered in Virus Analysis: Progenitor.
In 1998, aquatic, blood-sucking leeches in the sewers connected to Raccoon General Hospital became infected with the t-Virus. While one might assume that these leeches were native to the sewers and merely contaminated by excessive waste materials or by infected rodents, they were actually test subjects that were directly administered the t-Virus and escaped captivity. Their creation was probably inspired by the Marcus Leeches observed by Birkin and Umbrella during the Ecliptic Express Incident, much like how Plant 42 and Wasps observed during the Mansion Incident likely inspired the creation of the Ivy and Halbert, and how the Grave Diggers inspired the creation of the Gulp Worms. These leeches mutated into a species that are here tentatively called "t-Leeches".
t-Leeches shared a great number of traits with Marcus Leeches:
Despite these similarities, t-Leeches were still distinct from the Marcus Leeches. This may have been due to them being intentionally engineered in a different way, their virus being a more heavily modified, weakened strain, how long the leeches were active (the Marcus Leeches were allowed to mutate in the wild for 10-20 years), and the species of leech they were based on.
t-Leeches alternated greatly in size and shape, which is possibly due to how old or well-fed they were. They generally retained the form of leeches, and did not change shape or develop new organs like Marcus Leeches did. They moved very slowly on the ground, but could leap at potential sources of blood with surprising agility. They developed the ability to smell exposed blood, thanks to the emergence of blood-sensing organs. They had an extreme reaction in the presence of blood, and focused on humans that were bleeding over uninjured prey (very much like Mega Bites). While they would attack living humans and fresh corpses, they likely were not attracted to the coagulated blood of Zombies, causing the leeches to ignore them. They also possibly became attracted to light or electronic humming, as several were laying on a control terminal for the hospital elevators.
While they consumed a greater amount of blood from humans than normal leeches due to their enlarged bodies and enhanced appetites, their smaller size still prevented them from devouring as much blood as Sliding Worms, and they did not develop large teeth for tearing flesh like the Marcus Leeches did. Because of this, their attacks only caused a relatively minimal amount of damage to living prey. However, their bites could result in excessive blood loss in humans, which continued even after a Leech was removed. This could have been due to the anticoagulant enzyme called hirudin, which normal leeches secrete into the bloodstream of their victims in order to prevent blood clotting and therefore make them easier to drink from. The t-Leeches may have secreted a larger amount of hirudin, or a stronger alternative. This bleeding not only weakened their prey, making them less able to resist the t-Leech attacking them, but if the Leech was pulled off it could immediately find the person again by the scent of their blood and reattach itself. The blood loss could potentially attract other t-Leeches too, which could help the original Leech subdue the victim. They could almost certainly spread the virus with their bites as well.
t-Leeches shared a great number of traits with Marcus Leeches:
- They only grew somewhat in size.
- They were individually extremely fragile, and could be destroyed by being stepped on by humans.
- They had a weakness to extreme heat and fire, and disliked areas with high temperatures.
- Their reproductive capabilities were explosive.
- They would latch onto human prey and attempt to consume their blood.
- They had enhanced intelligence and social instincts.
Despite these similarities, t-Leeches were still distinct from the Marcus Leeches. This may have been due to them being intentionally engineered in a different way, their virus being a more heavily modified, weakened strain, how long the leeches were active (the Marcus Leeches were allowed to mutate in the wild for 10-20 years), and the species of leech they were based on.
t-Leeches alternated greatly in size and shape, which is possibly due to how old or well-fed they were. They generally retained the form of leeches, and did not change shape or develop new organs like Marcus Leeches did. They moved very slowly on the ground, but could leap at potential sources of blood with surprising agility. They developed the ability to smell exposed blood, thanks to the emergence of blood-sensing organs. They had an extreme reaction in the presence of blood, and focused on humans that were bleeding over uninjured prey (very much like Mega Bites). While they would attack living humans and fresh corpses, they likely were not attracted to the coagulated blood of Zombies, causing the leeches to ignore them. They also possibly became attracted to light or electronic humming, as several were laying on a control terminal for the hospital elevators.
While they consumed a greater amount of blood from humans than normal leeches due to their enlarged bodies and enhanced appetites, their smaller size still prevented them from devouring as much blood as Sliding Worms, and they did not develop large teeth for tearing flesh like the Marcus Leeches did. Because of this, their attacks only caused a relatively minimal amount of damage to living prey. However, their bites could result in excessive blood loss in humans, which continued even after a Leech was removed. This could have been due to the anticoagulant enzyme called hirudin, which normal leeches secrete into the bloodstream of their victims in order to prevent blood clotting and therefore make them easier to drink from. The t-Leeches may have secreted a larger amount of hirudin, or a stronger alternative. This bleeding not only weakened their prey, making them less able to resist the t-Leech attacking them, but if the Leech was pulled off it could immediately find the person again by the scent of their blood and reattach itself. The blood loss could potentially attract other t-Leeches too, which could help the original Leech subdue the victim. They could almost certainly spread the virus with their bites as well.
While t-Leeches lacked the ability to mimic humans like Marcus Leeches, they developed an equivalent capability that was just as unprecedented. When a large number of t-Leeches coalesced, they formed a mass that behaved as a single organism. This mass could swarm over and latch onto a human corpse, after which it could reanimate and take control of the body, forming a Leech Man. It may be that this is the reason t-Leeches caused uncontrollable bleeding in those they attacked - to attract other t-Leeches to their position in order to gather the numbers necessary to control a body. This ability could be compared to that of the Queen Leech, which was able to fuse itself to and control the corpse of James Marcus. As the Queen Leech was also created by the t-Virus, t-Leeches having this trait instead of the Progenitor-created mimicry ability actually makes sense. It may be the t-Leeches would eventually fuse perfectly with the host corpse, creating a new Queen Leech. This could also imply the Queen Leech used to be a Leech Man, and only evolved into its final, perfected form after ten years of continued fusion. Leech Men are otherwise best explained by the general tendency of leech hosts to adapt in response to the virus and gain entirely new traits not seen in natural organisms. Their abilities were influenced by specific genetic modifications made by Umbrella as well.
The head, torso, and arms of Leech Men were completely covered in countless t-Leeches, while their legs and feet were uncovered, allowing them to walk. They seemed to lack any higher intelligence, and their inability to even open doors like some Zombies would indicate that they had no real intelligence beyond that of the t-Leeches controlling them. The t-Leeches likely did not integrate the knowledge of the host corpse like the Queen Leech did, although this could be due to them being in the early stage of fusion. If all of the t-Leeches covering the corpse were destroyed, Leech Men would revert back to normal corpses. This, combined with their clumsy movements and lack of intelligence would seem to imply that Leech Men were not truly alive or even undead - they were simply being used like puppets.
A potential host for a Leech Man needed to die first for the Leeches to gain control of the body. Leech Men limbs were possibly controlled by the t-Leeches penetrating their bodies and latching onto their central nervous systems. t-Leeches may have pulled on muscles via this connection in order to force the corpses to move in a manner similar to marionettes, which would explain the sometimes-bizarre movements of Leech Men. The purpose of using a corpse in this way was likely in order to increase the combat abilities and overall movement speed of the t-Leeches, making it easier for them to find and feed on more sources of blood. They may have continued to feed on the body of a Leech Man as well, sucking the blood from the corpse until they were no longer capable of moving, then finding a new corpse. This is supported by an instance where one Leech Man appeared to transfer its Leeches to a new host.
While Leech Men walked irregularly and clumsily, their bodies could actually be manipulated with great dexterity. They could crawl through small spaces or flip their bodies around while dropping from a ledge, landing on their feet. Their typical movement speed was faster than that of a Zombie, but slower than that of a running human. While they were unable to use doors, they were intelligent enough to use ventilation systems, or to open cabinets that humans were hiding inside of.
The hands of Leech Men were normally uncovered, but the t-Leeches could stretch their bodies over the hands in order to use themselves like weapons. Their combined, stretched bodies resembled tentacles, which they could use to lash out at human prey like whips. Leech Men would often walk with their arms outstretched, possibly to prepare for this attack. Their Leech-hand-tentacles could also be used like grappling hooks, allowing a Leech Man to pull itself upward or lower itself gracefully.
When in proximity to a human, a Leech Man would use its arms to grab them and bite into their flesh with its head in a manner similar to that of a Zombie, but only in order to drain them of blood. It is unknown if these bites utilized the mouth and teeth of the human host, with the blood it consumed being afterwards drained from the stomach by the t-Leeches, or if the t-Leeches covering a Leech Man's face were the ones performing any bites. Wounds created by any attacks from a Leech Man would often fail to clot, leading to severe bleeding (if a Leech Man used its teeth to bite victims, it may be that the Leech Man host itself carried hirudin).
The t-Leeches covering Leech Men still hunted by the scent of blood, which Leech Men could smell from great distances. In the presence of exposed blood, Leech Men would go into a sort of frenzy, running with surprising speed and ferocity, comparable to sharks in a feeding frenzy. In this excited state, Leech Men could move much faster, and could endlessly track and pursue prey. When no blood was in range of their senses, they defaulted to slowly searching for and attacking human prey indiscriminately. Due to their low intelligence, Leech Men could easily be lured into traps or kept at bay by distracting them with blood packets. When consuming blood spilled from a blood packet onto the floor, they would fall on their knees and let the Leeches along their bodies slurp up the blood.
Individuals Leeches would sometimes fall off of a Leech Man, either by accident or if the number of Leeches on the corpse became excessive. These Leeches functioned well as traps for Leech Men, as they could cause humans entering Leech Men territory to bleed, alerting Leech Men to their presence.
Leech Men were extremely resilient, to the point that weapons, both close-ranged and ballistic, had no effect on them. The reason for this can only be assumed. Attacks against their bodies would at best only succeed in knocking them over for a brief moment. The only way to destroy a Leech Man was to kill all of the t-Leeches covering its body. This was impossible to achieve through direct combat, possibly due to the ability of the -tLeeches to rapidly reproduce within their mobile, humanoid "hive". However, the weakness of t-Leeches to high temperatures could be used against them to kill a Leech Man. By exposing a Leech Man to intense heat for a long period of time, every Leech surrounding it would be simultaneously killed, causing the t-Leeches to drop from its body and the body itself to cease activity.
The head, torso, and arms of Leech Men were completely covered in countless t-Leeches, while their legs and feet were uncovered, allowing them to walk. They seemed to lack any higher intelligence, and their inability to even open doors like some Zombies would indicate that they had no real intelligence beyond that of the t-Leeches controlling them. The t-Leeches likely did not integrate the knowledge of the host corpse like the Queen Leech did, although this could be due to them being in the early stage of fusion. If all of the t-Leeches covering the corpse were destroyed, Leech Men would revert back to normal corpses. This, combined with their clumsy movements and lack of intelligence would seem to imply that Leech Men were not truly alive or even undead - they were simply being used like puppets.
A potential host for a Leech Man needed to die first for the Leeches to gain control of the body. Leech Men limbs were possibly controlled by the t-Leeches penetrating their bodies and latching onto their central nervous systems. t-Leeches may have pulled on muscles via this connection in order to force the corpses to move in a manner similar to marionettes, which would explain the sometimes-bizarre movements of Leech Men. The purpose of using a corpse in this way was likely in order to increase the combat abilities and overall movement speed of the t-Leeches, making it easier for them to find and feed on more sources of blood. They may have continued to feed on the body of a Leech Man as well, sucking the blood from the corpse until they were no longer capable of moving, then finding a new corpse. This is supported by an instance where one Leech Man appeared to transfer its Leeches to a new host.
While Leech Men walked irregularly and clumsily, their bodies could actually be manipulated with great dexterity. They could crawl through small spaces or flip their bodies around while dropping from a ledge, landing on their feet. Their typical movement speed was faster than that of a Zombie, but slower than that of a running human. While they were unable to use doors, they were intelligent enough to use ventilation systems, or to open cabinets that humans were hiding inside of.
The hands of Leech Men were normally uncovered, but the t-Leeches could stretch their bodies over the hands in order to use themselves like weapons. Their combined, stretched bodies resembled tentacles, which they could use to lash out at human prey like whips. Leech Men would often walk with their arms outstretched, possibly to prepare for this attack. Their Leech-hand-tentacles could also be used like grappling hooks, allowing a Leech Man to pull itself upward or lower itself gracefully.
When in proximity to a human, a Leech Man would use its arms to grab them and bite into their flesh with its head in a manner similar to that of a Zombie, but only in order to drain them of blood. It is unknown if these bites utilized the mouth and teeth of the human host, with the blood it consumed being afterwards drained from the stomach by the t-Leeches, or if the t-Leeches covering a Leech Man's face were the ones performing any bites. Wounds created by any attacks from a Leech Man would often fail to clot, leading to severe bleeding (if a Leech Man used its teeth to bite victims, it may be that the Leech Man host itself carried hirudin).
The t-Leeches covering Leech Men still hunted by the scent of blood, which Leech Men could smell from great distances. In the presence of exposed blood, Leech Men would go into a sort of frenzy, running with surprising speed and ferocity, comparable to sharks in a feeding frenzy. In this excited state, Leech Men could move much faster, and could endlessly track and pursue prey. When no blood was in range of their senses, they defaulted to slowly searching for and attacking human prey indiscriminately. Due to their low intelligence, Leech Men could easily be lured into traps or kept at bay by distracting them with blood packets. When consuming blood spilled from a blood packet onto the floor, they would fall on their knees and let the Leeches along their bodies slurp up the blood.
Individuals Leeches would sometimes fall off of a Leech Man, either by accident or if the number of Leeches on the corpse became excessive. These Leeches functioned well as traps for Leech Men, as they could cause humans entering Leech Men territory to bleed, alerting Leech Men to their presence.
Leech Men were extremely resilient, to the point that weapons, both close-ranged and ballistic, had no effect on them. The reason for this can only be assumed. Attacks against their bodies would at best only succeed in knocking them over for a brief moment. The only way to destroy a Leech Man was to kill all of the t-Leeches covering its body. This was impossible to achieve through direct combat, possibly due to the ability of the -tLeeches to rapidly reproduce within their mobile, humanoid "hive". However, the weakness of t-Leeches to high temperatures could be used against them to kill a Leech Man. By exposing a Leech Man to intense heat for a long period of time, every Leech surrounding it would be simultaneously killed, causing the t-Leeches to drop from its body and the body itself to cease activity.
Like Marcus Leeches, t-Leeches seemed to have a hive mentality. Aside from their unified behavior when controlling Leech Men, they also clamped together into a mound made up of seemingly hundreds or even thousands of their kind, in what appeared to be a nest. This is supported by the name of the scenario they appeared in: "The Hive". This "hive" could suggest that the t-Leeches were all related, resulting in a small level of diversity between individuals (especially if they were the result of asexual reproduction, with a single parent that escaped captivity conceiving the others). The mound of t-Leeches which made up this hive was large enough to block off access to a sewer tunnel. They made their hive near the sewer entrance to Raccoon General Hospital.
Some researchers who worked on behalf of Umbrella at the hospital discovered the t-Leeches in the sewers. They did not recognize the creatures, meaning they likely were not created within the hospital. It is more likely that they were created at Birkin's lab, and escaped captivity during the Raccoon City Incident. As the temperature control for the lab had been sabotaged, plunging the facility into below-zero temperatures, the Leeches may have fled from the lab into the sewers, which they were attracted to due to their aquatic nature. The Leeches may have then moved towards the hospital to make their nest, being drawn by the smell of blood emanating from the high number of injured patients being brought there in the midst of the t-Virus outbreak. A large amount of blood used for transfusions was also kept in the building.
The hospital staff who discovered the t-Leeches managed to capture some, and brought them above into the hospital. These Leeches managed to form a Leech Man, which escaped from a sealed body bag. It hunted and killed the humans remaining in the hospital, including someone named Roberts. The last surviving staff member, Dr. Hersh, was eventually hunted down by the Leech Man, which went into a frenzy after smelling blood from a wound on his hand. The Leech Man seemingly transferred its t-Leeches to Hersh, turning him into another Leech Man that stalked a group of civilians that took refuge in the hospital. The group managed to lure Leech Hersh into a fixed temperature room, where they managed to kill it by manipulating the room's temperature control.
The group of survivors afterwards made their way to the sewers beneath the hospital, and ran a boat into the t-Leech nest, causing a fire that destroyed the mound of Leeches. At this point, a unique t-Leech appeared and attacked the survivors - the Giant Leech - which the group managed to destroy.
Some researchers who worked on behalf of Umbrella at the hospital discovered the t-Leeches in the sewers. They did not recognize the creatures, meaning they likely were not created within the hospital. It is more likely that they were created at Birkin's lab, and escaped captivity during the Raccoon City Incident. As the temperature control for the lab had been sabotaged, plunging the facility into below-zero temperatures, the Leeches may have fled from the lab into the sewers, which they were attracted to due to their aquatic nature. The Leeches may have then moved towards the hospital to make their nest, being drawn by the smell of blood emanating from the high number of injured patients being brought there in the midst of the t-Virus outbreak. A large amount of blood used for transfusions was also kept in the building.
The hospital staff who discovered the t-Leeches managed to capture some, and brought them above into the hospital. These Leeches managed to form a Leech Man, which escaped from a sealed body bag. It hunted and killed the humans remaining in the hospital, including someone named Roberts. The last surviving staff member, Dr. Hersh, was eventually hunted down by the Leech Man, which went into a frenzy after smelling blood from a wound on his hand. The Leech Man seemingly transferred its t-Leeches to Hersh, turning him into another Leech Man that stalked a group of civilians that took refuge in the hospital. The group managed to lure Leech Hersh into a fixed temperature room, where they managed to kill it by manipulating the room's temperature control.
The group of survivors afterwards made their way to the sewers beneath the hospital, and ran a boat into the t-Leech nest, causing a fire that destroyed the mound of Leeches. At this point, a unique t-Leech appeared and attacked the survivors - the Giant Leech - which the group managed to destroy.
The Giant Leech was much larger than the other t-Leeches, with its length being greater than that of a human. Its body shape was mostly the same as an ordinary leech, but it seemed to develop multiple tails. It had an enlarged crop, the central organ used by leeches to store blood.
The Giant Leech had an enlarged, retractable proboscis, which it used as a weapon. Many predatory leeches (which comprise 1/4th of all leeches) often have a proboscis that they use to spear their prey or to eat them whole. The t-Leeches were not predatory, and instead drank blood, and the Giant Leech was no different. The proboscis appeared to instead have been an adaption made by the Giant Leech's body, so that it could attack and kill larger prey on its own. Some blood-sucking leeches do possess a proboscis, however.
The Giant Leech's proboscis was filled with many rows of sharp teeth, likely for ripping apart prey and quickly absorbing their blood to fuel its large body. It could vomit digestive acid (also called "poison") at prey from its proboscis, and even developed tentacle-like appendages that could sprout from its proboscis like tongues. These tentacles could be used as weapons at close or long ranges, with both strength and elasticity.
It moved its body slowly, and partially underwater. While humans could easily outrun it, it could move the tentacles from its proboscis under the water in front of it to attack prey standing in the leg-deep water. While it had unnatural vitality, it was weaker than other mutants in its size range due to its soft skin.
While the Giant Leech relied on human prey, its attraction to blood was less than that of other t-Leeches. Its behavior was instead primarily defensive, with it prioritizing its attacks against intruders to its territory. It lurked in the sewers simply waiting for food to come to it. It only attacked the group of survivors that fought it once its hive was destroyed. It may also have simply been enraged by the fire engulfing the hive, as it disliked high temperatures as much as the smaller Leeches did. It would stop pursuing human prey that moved a certain distance away from it, either indicating that it had weaker senses, or supporting the idea that its behavior was mostly defensive.
The Giant Leech had an enlarged, retractable proboscis, which it used as a weapon. Many predatory leeches (which comprise 1/4th of all leeches) often have a proboscis that they use to spear their prey or to eat them whole. The t-Leeches were not predatory, and instead drank blood, and the Giant Leech was no different. The proboscis appeared to instead have been an adaption made by the Giant Leech's body, so that it could attack and kill larger prey on its own. Some blood-sucking leeches do possess a proboscis, however.
The Giant Leech's proboscis was filled with many rows of sharp teeth, likely for ripping apart prey and quickly absorbing their blood to fuel its large body. It could vomit digestive acid (also called "poison") at prey from its proboscis, and even developed tentacle-like appendages that could sprout from its proboscis like tongues. These tentacles could be used as weapons at close or long ranges, with both strength and elasticity.
It moved its body slowly, and partially underwater. While humans could easily outrun it, it could move the tentacles from its proboscis under the water in front of it to attack prey standing in the leg-deep water. While it had unnatural vitality, it was weaker than other mutants in its size range due to its soft skin.
While the Giant Leech relied on human prey, its attraction to blood was less than that of other t-Leeches. Its behavior was instead primarily defensive, with it prioritizing its attacks against intruders to its territory. It lurked in the sewers simply waiting for food to come to it. It only attacked the group of survivors that fought it once its hive was destroyed. It may also have simply been enraged by the fire engulfing the hive, as it disliked high temperatures as much as the smaller Leeches did. It would stop pursuing human prey that moved a certain distance away from it, either indicating that it had weaker senses, or supporting the idea that its behavior was mostly defensive.
While it has been theorized that the Giant Leech was the parent of the smaller t-Leeches (and suggested in the RACCOON ESCAPE MANUAL and Perfect Capture Guide for Outbreak), according to the BIOHAZARD OUTBREAK FILE 2 OFFICIAL GUIDE BOOK it was actually the result of a wild leech ingesting blood from a creature infected with the t-Virus and becoming infected itself. This means that the Giant Leech was actually an unplanned, irregular mutant, and not an engineered one like the small t-Leeches. It may be that it displayed such different symptoms from the other Leeches for this very reason - the other leeches were engineered to imitate the Marcus ones, while the Giant Leech was conceived by totally random mutation. Its massive size could have been due to unregulated virus exposure, like with the Grave Diggers and the Centurion.
As the Giant Leech had much in common with the Queen Leech (the Queen also turned into a giant creature and could eject digestive fluids as a projectile) and acted in defense of the t-Leech hive, it could have served a leadership role in the leeches' society. While it was a different kind of creature and not biologically related to the other leeches, the same went for the Queen Leech and Marcus Leeches it controlled. The Giant Leech could have essentially "adopted" its smaller cousins, thanks to newly developed social instincts.
As the Giant Leech had much in common with the Queen Leech (the Queen also turned into a giant creature and could eject digestive fluids as a projectile) and acted in defense of the t-Leech hive, it could have served a leadership role in the leeches' society. While it was a different kind of creature and not biologically related to the other leeches, the same went for the Queen Leech and Marcus Leeches it controlled. The Giant Leech could have essentially "adopted" its smaller cousins, thanks to newly developed social instincts.
The following creatures belong to the Chordata Phylum, and most are Vertebrata. Mammals and Aves are chordates as well, although they typically transform into Zombies when infected with the t-Virus, and are therefore covered in the Zombie Animals section in part 1 of this analysis. While there are significant differences in each of the following creatures, all experience an increase in size, aggression, and vitality. Their mutations are usually less dramatic than those in arthropod and annelid hosts, and they show less practicality as weapons than mammalian hosts. Chordate mutants are split into each class they belong to: reptiles, fish, amphibians, and tunicates.
Reptilia
Reptiles are air-breathing, cold-blooded, egg-laying vertebrates that are often covered in scales. Reptiles commonly have sharp teeth, claws, and natural armor that give them an edge in combat. They are either four-legged or limbless, like snakes. Many modern scientists also categorize birds as reptiles.
Reptilian animals infected with the t-Virus display very minor changes post-infection, relatively speaking. They, like arthropods and annelids, suffer no necrosis, which could be due to reptiles generally having a slower metabolism than that of mammals. As reptiles are mostly carnivorous or insectivorous, they naturally have the ability to kill prey and digest meat. This means their need to mutate to gain weapon-like traits is low, potentially leading to a lack of improvements made by the virus. They often do not grow much in size, and some reptile mutants are even indistinguishable from their uninfected counterparts, with the main difference being an increase in aggression and vitality.
Snake - During the Mansion Incident, Cerberus packs escaped confinement and hunted in the courtyard of the mansion. Small, venomous snakes native to the Arklay forests lived near the courtyard. These snakes entered a "competition for survival" with the infected dogs. While some of the snakes died due to the Cerberuses eating all of their available food, some of them managed to survive by consuming the flesh of dead Cerberuses, contracting the t-Virus and transforming into mutants in the process. Snakes are incapable of chewing meat or sucking blood, and can only consume prey whole. As the Cerberuses were much larger than the snakes, it is unknown how they would manage to prey on their flesh. The most likely scenario is that after the Cerberuses began eating all of the snake's natural prey, the snakes were forced to devour pieces of flesh dropped off of the Cerberuses' rotting bodies.
The snakes which became infected after feeding on Cerberus meat were simply referred to as "Adders". Their form did not change much, with them being easily mistakable for normal snakes. They were five feet long, could move at a maximum speed of five miles-per-hour, and weighed a whopping 17 pounds. Their strength was enhanced by the virus, allowing them to leap farther distances with greater speed. Their vitality was slightly greater, although they were generally much weaker than most mutants.
Due to their relatively small size, Adders were incapable of devouring larger animals like humans. Their diet would have had to consisted of rodents, fish, amphibians, insects, birds, and even other snakes. However, their aggression was much higher than normal, and they would still attack humans if they invaded their territory. Their aggression was exasperated by the intense competition for prey in the area: Adders would have had to learn to attack and kill any larger animals (including humans) that invaded their hunting grounds, to stop them from stealing potential food. They attacked both by lunging at targets with their fangs (often coiling their bodies immediately before doing so) and by wrapping themselves around the ankles of humans, constricting the humans' movements with the Adders' enhanced strength.
Much like infected arthropods, the venom and reproductive capabilities of Adders were both enhanced by the virus. Their hemorrhagic poison became lethal even to humans if it wasn't treated. As their venom was also capable of transmitting the t-Virus, they were in some respects "even more frightening than a B.O.W.". Adders bred explosively, with countless individuals swarming their habitats. Their numbers post-infection and tendency to fight in swarms are what allowed them to compete with Cerberuses. Their abiltiy to quickly replenish their numbers made them almost impossible to wipe out entirely, with the complete destruction of their habitats being the only effective countermeasure against them. After the Adders' numbers continued to grow over time, a variant species with red-brown skin began to appear, which had even more potent venom. The appearance of this subspecies after repeated breeding is similar to the appearance of poisonous, colored variants of Scissor Tails and Mega Bites over time (these creatures also reproduced wildly over an extended period of time).
Adders preferred damp environments, like the mansion courtyard (which was host to a waterfall, a fountain, and a large pool) or submerged sections of caves underneath the area. Their affinity for these areas prevented them from migrating far, mitigating the fact that they were an extremely dangerous transmission vector for the virus. Adders preferred to remain in high areas, such as tree branches or walls, where they would be able to sleep safely. They had the ability to detect heat from warm-blooded animals such as humans, and when they sensed heat beneath them, they would drop onto the ground and ambush any prey or intruders in their territory. Adders could even pursue prey in water, and they were adept swimmers.
The exact host species that the Adders belonged to is never stated, although a good degree of evidence exists to support them almost certainly being belonging to the pit viper subfamily. The name "adder" can be used to describe a wide assortment of viper species, and pit vipers are the only subfamily of vipers native to North America. Pit vipers are unique in that they have a heat-sensing organ capable of allowing them to sense warm-blooded prey like rodents, a trait possessed by the mutant Adders. Pit vipers are also ambush predators, like Adders.
Among the pit viper subfamily, the species most likely to be the one Adders were based on is the Agkistrodon piscivorus, also known as the cottonmouth snake (a conclusion also reached much earlier by former Project Umbrella staff member Neptune). There are only 21 venomous snake species in the United States, and cottonmouths have the most in common with Adders. Cottonmouth bodies are covered in dark crossbands, which greatly resemble the markings on the bodies of Adders. Adder venom was said to be potent and hemorrhagic even before infection with the t-Virus, and cottonmouth venom is both of these things. Cottonmouth venom is rich with cytotoxins that can cause necrosis, and their bites are even potentially fatal in humans. Cottonmouths are the only semiaquatic species of viper in the world, and the only venomous water snake in North America. Like Adders, they prefer living in or near water despite not actually being actual marine animals like sea snakes, and are strong swimmers.
While male cottonmouth adults are commonly 31-35 inches long (over two feet shorter than Adders), some specimens can exceed 71 inches (nearly a foot longer than Adders). Depending on which size the hosts were, this would mean that Adders either grew following infection, or did not grow at all (which would make them a peculiarity among t-Virus mutants). Adders weighed over 13 times more than typical cottonmouths, but the larger, 71-inch cottonmouths can actually have a weight that is only 5 pounds lighter than Adders.
The snakes which became infected after feeding on Cerberus meat were simply referred to as "Adders". Their form did not change much, with them being easily mistakable for normal snakes. They were five feet long, could move at a maximum speed of five miles-per-hour, and weighed a whopping 17 pounds. Their strength was enhanced by the virus, allowing them to leap farther distances with greater speed. Their vitality was slightly greater, although they were generally much weaker than most mutants.
Due to their relatively small size, Adders were incapable of devouring larger animals like humans. Their diet would have had to consisted of rodents, fish, amphibians, insects, birds, and even other snakes. However, their aggression was much higher than normal, and they would still attack humans if they invaded their territory. Their aggression was exasperated by the intense competition for prey in the area: Adders would have had to learn to attack and kill any larger animals (including humans) that invaded their hunting grounds, to stop them from stealing potential food. They attacked both by lunging at targets with their fangs (often coiling their bodies immediately before doing so) and by wrapping themselves around the ankles of humans, constricting the humans' movements with the Adders' enhanced strength.
Much like infected arthropods, the venom and reproductive capabilities of Adders were both enhanced by the virus. Their hemorrhagic poison became lethal even to humans if it wasn't treated. As their venom was also capable of transmitting the t-Virus, they were in some respects "even more frightening than a B.O.W.". Adders bred explosively, with countless individuals swarming their habitats. Their numbers post-infection and tendency to fight in swarms are what allowed them to compete with Cerberuses. Their abiltiy to quickly replenish their numbers made them almost impossible to wipe out entirely, with the complete destruction of their habitats being the only effective countermeasure against them. After the Adders' numbers continued to grow over time, a variant species with red-brown skin began to appear, which had even more potent venom. The appearance of this subspecies after repeated breeding is similar to the appearance of poisonous, colored variants of Scissor Tails and Mega Bites over time (these creatures also reproduced wildly over an extended period of time).
Adders preferred damp environments, like the mansion courtyard (which was host to a waterfall, a fountain, and a large pool) or submerged sections of caves underneath the area. Their affinity for these areas prevented them from migrating far, mitigating the fact that they were an extremely dangerous transmission vector for the virus. Adders preferred to remain in high areas, such as tree branches or walls, where they would be able to sleep safely. They had the ability to detect heat from warm-blooded animals such as humans, and when they sensed heat beneath them, they would drop onto the ground and ambush any prey or intruders in their territory. Adders could even pursue prey in water, and they were adept swimmers.
The exact host species that the Adders belonged to is never stated, although a good degree of evidence exists to support them almost certainly being belonging to the pit viper subfamily. The name "adder" can be used to describe a wide assortment of viper species, and pit vipers are the only subfamily of vipers native to North America. Pit vipers are unique in that they have a heat-sensing organ capable of allowing them to sense warm-blooded prey like rodents, a trait possessed by the mutant Adders. Pit vipers are also ambush predators, like Adders.
Among the pit viper subfamily, the species most likely to be the one Adders were based on is the Agkistrodon piscivorus, also known as the cottonmouth snake (a conclusion also reached much earlier by former Project Umbrella staff member Neptune). There are only 21 venomous snake species in the United States, and cottonmouths have the most in common with Adders. Cottonmouth bodies are covered in dark crossbands, which greatly resemble the markings on the bodies of Adders. Adder venom was said to be potent and hemorrhagic even before infection with the t-Virus, and cottonmouth venom is both of these things. Cottonmouth venom is rich with cytotoxins that can cause necrosis, and their bites are even potentially fatal in humans. Cottonmouths are the only semiaquatic species of viper in the world, and the only venomous water snake in North America. Like Adders, they prefer living in or near water despite not actually being actual marine animals like sea snakes, and are strong swimmers.
While male cottonmouth adults are commonly 31-35 inches long (over two feet shorter than Adders), some specimens can exceed 71 inches (nearly a foot longer than Adders). Depending on which size the hosts were, this would mean that Adders either grew following infection, or did not grow at all (which would make them a peculiarity among t-Virus mutants). Adders weighed over 13 times more than typical cottonmouths, but the larger, 71-inch cottonmouths can actually have a weight that is only 5 pounds lighter than Adders.
Credit ReenHearst for editing Adder and Yawn images
Before the Mansion Incident, the Arklay staff were planning on performing experiments using the t-Virus along with gene manipulation on reptiles, presumably to test the viability of reptiles as B.O.W.s. A snake specifically bred to be used as a test subject was genetically modified in preparation for injection with the t-Virus, but it escaped confinement. During the Mansion Incident it became infected with the virus as a result of secondary infection and transformed into a monster. This snake experienced far more dramatic mutations than the Adders that were born around the same time. The snake was named Yawn by the surviving researchers, after its tendency to open its mouth extremely wide before attacking, as if it were yawning.
The most striking change in the Yawn following infection was a massive increase in size. While the small size of Adders prevented them from actually preying on humans, since snakes can only devour prey whole, the size of Yawn allowed it to consume human adults with a single gulp. As a result, its diet consisted primarily of the researchers still remaining in the mansion, many of whom it killed and devoured. It quickly made the Arklay Mansion its home, and used the attic and the second-floor library as its dens. It moved stealthily through the halls, crawlspaces, fireplaces, and holes in the building with agility and grace as it hunted its prey. Its malformed body was covered in growths, and its scale-covered skin was slimy.
After the remaining researchers finally died off, Yawn remained in the mansion until S.T.A.R.S. entered its domain. It was driven off by the police officers on at least three separate occasions, before it finally succumbed to its wounds and died.
The most striking change in the Yawn following infection was a massive increase in size. While the small size of Adders prevented them from actually preying on humans, since snakes can only devour prey whole, the size of Yawn allowed it to consume human adults with a single gulp. As a result, its diet consisted primarily of the researchers still remaining in the mansion, many of whom it killed and devoured. It quickly made the Arklay Mansion its home, and used the attic and the second-floor library as its dens. It moved stealthily through the halls, crawlspaces, fireplaces, and holes in the building with agility and grace as it hunted its prey. Its malformed body was covered in growths, and its scale-covered skin was slimy.
After the remaining researchers finally died off, Yawn remained in the mansion until S.T.A.R.S. entered its domain. It was driven off by the police officers on at least three separate occasions, before it finally succumbed to its wounds and died.
Yawn had incredible mobility, unhindered by its size. When attacking, it first opened its mouth wide in preparation for biting (this behavior could also be to intimidate prey), and then lunged its head at its target with great speed. Its jaw was powerful enough to tear into the internal organs of humans in a single bite. It also practiced constrictor behavior, wrapping its body around prey to trap, suffocate, and even crush them.
If Yawn's prey somehow survived being bitten by the monster (which was a rarity), they would soon afterwards be killed by its powerful venom anyway, Yawn venom would first immobilize prey by clouding their consciousness. After only several minutes, the victim would begin to experience symptoms of shock, which were almost immediately fatal. This venom was too powerful to be treated by Blue Herbs, unlike all other t-Virus-affected venoms, and could only be treated by using a powerful serum kept in the mansion's chemical storage room.
Yawn had excellent hunting instincts and a high degree of intelligence. This seemingly suggests that the virus managed to increase the mental capacity of the host snake, making training a possibility. Yawn expertly stalked and cornered its prey. It practiced self-preservation, fleeing an area when it was damaged.
Yawn's hide was strong enough to resist a great deal of gunfire. Most living things (including t-Virus-created monsters) are weak to fire damage, but Yawn's body was highly resistant to it. This resistance was balanced by Yawn's weakness to certain chemical agents, like sulfuric acid. The inside of Yawn's massive mouth was also soft enough to serve as a weak point, but this weakness could only be exploited by armed humans when the creature "yawned"; a risky strategy, as Yawn opening its mouth immediately preceded it attacking with its deadly jaws. An armed human cold bait Yawn into attacking, and then, if timed correctly, could halt its attack before it struck by shooting into its mouth, causing it to flinch and receive damage.
Yawn was especially deadly due to its newly developed, unique ability to secrete a special mucus that aided in regeneration. This mucus was possibly secreted by newly developed exocrine glands. The mucus either affected the cells of the snake, repairing damaged tissue, or it affected the virus inside Yawn itself, like how Nemesis secretions increased the activity of the virus and sped up regeneration in Tyrants. This mucus allowed Yawn to heal from extensive damage, so long as it managed to flee combat and spend time in isolation. The growths along Yawn's skin may have been a result of this excessive regeneration, if not simply being due to its irregular growth in general.
In the original Resident Evil, Yawn was based on a large, constricting snake from the python genus. Umbrella likely used a python due to its size making it capable of preying on humans, and the size made the resulting mutant creature much larger than the viper-based Adders. In this depiction, Yawn was a little less than 40 feet long, making it around 2 meters longer than Grave Diggers. This made Yawn the largest known non-plant t-mutant by length. It could move at a maximum speed of 9 miles-per-hour, and weighed an incredible 26,500 pounds. As a constrictor snake, the host species lacked long fangs or poison glands, and in their place had two rows of teeth on the upper jaw for gripping prey. Yawn developed the ability to secrete venom regardless, similar to how some t-Virus-infected insects that were not originally poisonous would develop this capability, like Mega Bites and Scissor Tails.
The original depiction of Yawn was also said to develop amphibian characteristics. This was attributed to the genetic manipulation Umbrella performed on the snake host, which suggests that Umbrella fused the snake with genes from other animals. Amphibian genes were likely chosen to attempt to give the snake prowess in aquatic environments. If the t-Virus was used to make these genetic modifications possible, then that would mean Yawn was infected with two strains of the t-Virus - one administered by researchers to modify its genes, the other (the Epsilon strain) the result of the Mansion Leak, making the chimera snake grow in size. The combination of a snake and amphibian genes may have been preferable for Umbrella's experiments due to the close biological relationship between amphibians and reptiles. These amphibian traits could account for the regenerative mucus secreted by Yawn's skin - many amphibians have mucous glands which they use to sustain the level of moisture they need, in addition to performing many other functions.
This version of Yawn also seemed to melt after dying. As noted by USS Command:
The original depiction of Yawn was also said to develop amphibian characteristics. This was attributed to the genetic manipulation Umbrella performed on the snake host, which suggests that Umbrella fused the snake with genes from other animals. Amphibian genes were likely chosen to attempt to give the snake prowess in aquatic environments. If the t-Virus was used to make these genetic modifications possible, then that would mean Yawn was infected with two strains of the t-Virus - one administered by researchers to modify its genes, the other (the Epsilon strain) the result of the Mansion Leak, making the chimera snake grow in size. The combination of a snake and amphibian genes may have been preferable for Umbrella's experiments due to the close biological relationship between amphibians and reptiles. These amphibian traits could account for the regenerative mucus secreted by Yawn's skin - many amphibians have mucous glands which they use to sustain the level of moisture they need, in addition to performing many other functions.
This version of Yawn also seemed to melt after dying. As noted by USS Command:
"My long running theory has been either the cells aren't that stable and they break down causing the melting process or the natural bacteria and other organisms that break organic waste starts going into overdrive and the melting is it being broken down really fast. Kinda like how watching time-lapse videos of things rotting looks like its melting."
In the remake of Resident Evil, Yawn was based on a poisonous viper instead of a python, like the Adders were. It still grew to an enormous size (which may have been another benefit of the genetic manipulation performed on the host snake, with it being modified to respond to the virus in a way that maximized its potential; age or random mutation are other potential factors), although its length was shorter. Its width was the same as it was in the original depiction, which made its length disproportionate to its width. This imbalance is likely due the speed at which its body was irregularly enlarged. Aside from its size, its appearance in this depiction seemed to be much more "normal", with growths along its skin being the only thing setting its appearance apart from other snakes. As a viper, the poison of Yawn was the same as the host species, which simply grew in power in proportion with its size. It had two enormous solenoglyphous fangs, AKA erectile teeth, which were capable of retracting when it closed its mouth. Solenoglypous snakes also tend to be capable of opening their mouths at nearly 180 degrees, an agility shared by Yawn.
As the reptile experiments were interrupted by the outbreak, and Yawn's development into a monster went out of control, the full extent of its abilities were unknown to Umbrella. Despite this, the company noted that its size and quick movement made its potential use as a powerful B.O.W. promising. It is unknown if Umbrella ever managed to replicate Yawn, let alone if it was afterwards considered an adequate weapon worth mass producing.

The remake of Resident Evil was at one point going to have a Sea Snake enemy as well. It appeared to develop Grave Digger-like mandibles and human-like eyes. It was similar in size to Yawn. It was capable of attacking underwater as well as on land - this would either mean that the Sea Snake evolved to survive and move on land due to the effects of the t-Virus, or that it was based on the semiaquatic Sea Krait. If it was based on the latter, then it would have to have been an escaped test subject, as Sea Kraits are not native to North America. Special thanks to Nóra, The Somniloquist.
Alligator - A baby alligator kept as a pet in a home in Raccoon City became a burden to its owner as it grew. It was eventually released into an irrigation canal, and it made its home in a garbage dump in the city sewers, where food was most available to it. Waste fluids containing the t-Virus leaked into the sewers at an early stage (prior to September 22, 1998), and contaminated the alligator's food and water. The alligator became infected and grew into a massive creature in a short period of time. This beast was unnamed, save for "Alligator" (henceforth referred to tentatively as "Giant Alligator"), likely due to it not being witnessed by any of Umbrella's Monitors. It was eventually killed by Leon S. Kennedy and/or Claire Redfield.
Corpses of Giant Alligators were seen in the Incineration Disposal Plant in the city (credit: Raccoon Citizen), which could mean that Umbrella recently performed experiments on alligators to test their viability as weapons (however, it was stated at one point that "there have been no reports of alligator-based creatures in Umbrella before or since"). Two other, living Giant Alligators were present in the sewers of Sheena Island during the outbreak incident there, which were possibly killed by Ark Thompson.
Giant Alligators were about 10 meters long, like the Grave Diggers and the Centurion. This is over double the size of the largest known alligator ever measured: the Alabama Alligator discovered in 2014 was 4.8 meters long. There are stories of even larger alligators, with one presumably being over 5.8 meters, but these accounts are unconfirmed. Saltwater crocodiles can reach a length of 7 meters.
The Giant Alligators typically looked very much the same as normal American alligators, aside from their enlargement. They sometimes developed large growths across their skin, like Yawn did, as a consequence of their rapid growth. They were comparable to Cretaceous dinosaurs. In the reimagining of Resident Evil 2, the appearance of the Giant Gator was even more dinosaur-like. Animals in the order Crocodilia (including alligators) are the only living descendants of the pseudosuchians (which were animals from the Triassic period) and have not changed much over time. While not directly related to dinosaurs, they did coexist with them at one point. Giant Alligators resembling dinosaurs could be seen as a holdout from the Progenitor Virus, which formed the animals of the primal world in the first place.
Normal alligators are normally not hostile towards humans, but due to the irregular size and increased aggression of the Giant Alligators, they actively attempted to kill and consume anyone who ventured into the sewers of Raccoon and Sheena. Their attacks were simplistic, but the size and power of their jaws allowed them to bite through anything (including iron) or swallow human prey whole with their gigantic mouths. Their bodies were so overwhelmingly strong that they could smash through thick walls of concrete with their bodies. They would obsessively pursue prey even in tight spaces but could be temporarily repelled if damaged enough.
As amphibious reptiles, Giant Alligators preferred damp environments and were capable swimming adeptly. As they could stay underwater for hours at a time, they could ambush prey who encroached on their territory by suddenly emerging from deep pools. They moved slowly on land due to their size but could lunge at prey with surprising speed.
The natural armor provided by an alligator's scutes (bony plates on the skin) was especially strong following mutation and enlargement, making Giant Alligators extremely resilient to damage. Like Yawn and other giant creatures, the unarmored tissue inside of their mouths was weaker.
Due to the Raccoon City gator living in a garbage dump filled with oversized trash such as refrigerators, it developed a habit of biting anything in front of it to check its hardness, shape, and whether or not it was a living creature. When it bit down onto a large fuel canister, a bullet caused it to explode in the Alligator's mouth, blowing off the top part of its head and instantly killing it.
The Giant Alligators typically looked very much the same as normal American alligators, aside from their enlargement. They sometimes developed large growths across their skin, like Yawn did, as a consequence of their rapid growth. They were comparable to Cretaceous dinosaurs. In the reimagining of Resident Evil 2, the appearance of the Giant Gator was even more dinosaur-like. Animals in the order Crocodilia (including alligators) are the only living descendants of the pseudosuchians (which were animals from the Triassic period) and have not changed much over time. While not directly related to dinosaurs, they did coexist with them at one point. Giant Alligators resembling dinosaurs could be seen as a holdout from the Progenitor Virus, which formed the animals of the primal world in the first place.
Normal alligators are normally not hostile towards humans, but due to the irregular size and increased aggression of the Giant Alligators, they actively attempted to kill and consume anyone who ventured into the sewers of Raccoon and Sheena. Their attacks were simplistic, but the size and power of their jaws allowed them to bite through anything (including iron) or swallow human prey whole with their gigantic mouths. Their bodies were so overwhelmingly strong that they could smash through thick walls of concrete with their bodies. They would obsessively pursue prey even in tight spaces but could be temporarily repelled if damaged enough.
As amphibious reptiles, Giant Alligators preferred damp environments and were capable swimming adeptly. As they could stay underwater for hours at a time, they could ambush prey who encroached on their territory by suddenly emerging from deep pools. They moved slowly on land due to their size but could lunge at prey with surprising speed.
The natural armor provided by an alligator's scutes (bony plates on the skin) was especially strong following mutation and enlargement, making Giant Alligators extremely resilient to damage. Like Yawn and other giant creatures, the unarmored tissue inside of their mouths was weaker.
Due to the Raccoon City gator living in a garbage dump filled with oversized trash such as refrigerators, it developed a habit of biting anything in front of it to check its hardness, shape, and whether or not it was a living creature. When it bit down onto a large fuel canister, a bullet caused it to explode in the Alligator's mouth, blowing off the top part of its head and instantly killing it.
Another type of mutated alligator also appeared at the swamp exhibit in the lakeside area of the Raccoon Zoo, during the Raccoon City Destruction Incident. This type was also not given an official name aside from "Alligator", although it was referred to as "Gnaw" by Outbreak File #2's localization. The Zoo gator became much more aggressive, agile, and durable following infection, but it did not grow nearly as much as the other infected gators. Its snout became narrow, like those of crocodiles, and its teeth were enlarged. Its overall form was somewhat serpent-like.
The Zoo gator did not leave its exhibit and remained in the water of its pond. It may be that it did not need to venture out as much as the other mutants inhabiting the Zoo due to it being a reptile (which have slower metabolisms). It is also possible that the Zoo gator lost the ability to walk on land. It indiscriminately attacked anyone that intruded on its territory.
The reason the Zoo gator did not grow as large as the Giant Gators can only be assumed:
- It may have been a result of it belonging to a different species. There are two living species of alligators - American and Chinese. American gators were almost certainly what the Giant Gators were based on. All of the other known animals at the Raccoon Zoo were exotic, and found in places other than North America, and so the Zoo gator was likely based on a Chinese gator. This explains its size difference very well - Chinese gators are less than half the size of American ones.
- The Giant Gators may have been larger simply because they were infected for a longer period of time, similar to how Black Tigers were older Web Spinners that grew larger over time. The Giant Gator in the sewers of Raccoon City was infected prior to September 22, while the Zoo gator was likely infected after that date.
- The strains of the t-Virus that leaked from the Incineration Disposal Plant were different than the one that contaminated most of the city. While this strain could have made the Giant Gator grow larger than the t-Birkin-infected Zoo gator, it would not account for the Giant Gators at Sheena Island.
- Environmental adaption, viral dosage, host compatibility, and amount of available food are all potential variables as well. There was also "no witness information regarding whether [the Giant Gator was] a unique example of infection" (Source: INSIDE OF BIOHAZARD THE DARKSIDE CHRONICLES).
Fish
Fish are sea creatures with spines that breath using gills. The only limbs they possess are fins, making it nearly impossible for them to move outside of water. They have advanced senses and a wide variety of diets and behaviors. "Fish" is not a true class, but an unscientific, paraphyletic grouping that is no longer used in systematic biology. A fish is essentially just any animal that is part of the subphylum vertebrata, without being a member of the Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves or Mammalia classes.
Fish, like reptiles, were barely affected by the t-Virus, and by most Progenitor-based viruses for that matter. The lack of improvements in infected fish along with their dependence on aquatic environments and their low intelligence making control impossible made them largely unsuitable for B.O.W. production. Fish also seemed to lose fertility following infection with the t-Virus, like Zombie hosts. Human/fish gene crossing also seemed to be difficult. However, some impressive mutations were still present, showcasing the ability of the virus to infect and adapt in all forms of life. Successful marine B.O.W.s and aquatic chimeras were eventually created with the t-Abyss Virus.
Fish are sea creatures with spines that breath using gills. The only limbs they possess are fins, making it nearly impossible for them to move outside of water. They have advanced senses and a wide variety of diets and behaviors. "Fish" is not a true class, but an unscientific, paraphyletic grouping that is no longer used in systematic biology. A fish is essentially just any animal that is part of the subphylum vertebrata, without being a member of the Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves or Mammalia classes.
Fish, like reptiles, were barely affected by the t-Virus, and by most Progenitor-based viruses for that matter. The lack of improvements in infected fish along with their dependence on aquatic environments and their low intelligence making control impossible made them largely unsuitable for B.O.W. production. Fish also seemed to lose fertility following infection with the t-Virus, like Zombie hosts. Human/fish gene crossing also seemed to be difficult. However, some impressive mutations were still present, showcasing the ability of the virus to infect and adapt in all forms of life. Successful marine B.O.W.s and aquatic chimeras were eventually created with the t-Abyss Virus.
Shark - Umbrella constructed a large aquarium called the Aqua Ring underneath the dormitory of the Arklay Mansion, where they performed experiments on Great White Sharks. As marine-type B.O.W.s were not considered to have potential for military application, Umbrella did not perform these tests for the sake of creating effective B.O.W.s. These experiments were instead intended to verify the adaptability of the t-Virus to marine animals, and the potential effects it could have on the genes of animals that were not terrestrial. The Alpha strain of the t-Virus was potentially stabilized in fish hosts as a result of these experiments.
The great white sharks were injected with the t-Virus and subjected to genetic remodeling, transforming them into B.O.W.s that were codenamed "FI-03" ("FI" likely standing for "Fish"). FI-03s had unrivaled combat abilities in water, which led to them being named "Neptune", after the Roman god of the sea. Neptunes experienced enlargement, improvements to their vitality, and increased aggression. They were nonetheless ineffective on land, and did not experience an increase in intelligence, making them untrainable. The t-Virus also had very little effect on their appearance and practicality as weapons. This is not only due to the inefficiency of the t-Virus in fish, but also because great whites were already large and ferocious creatures with a primitive-yet-effective biology, leaving no room for improvements to be made, similar to spider hosts. The immediate effects of the virus were meager on the sharks, with no more significant enhancements to survival functions expected to be made.
As a result of this, the final Neptune B.O.W. was considered incomplete and unrefined as a weapon. Neptune research stalled and the experiment was abandoned halfway through. All of the finished Neptunes were disposed of, except for a single specimen which was kept in the Aqua Ring for the purpose of monitoring any progress the shark made over time.
As a result of this, the final Neptune B.O.W. was considered incomplete and unrefined as a weapon. Neptune research stalled and the experiment was abandoned halfway through. All of the finished Neptunes were disposed of, except for a single specimen which was kept in the Aqua Ring for the purpose of monitoring any progress the shark made over time.
Great white sharks are the largest living macropredator fish still alive. While they are only the fourth largest cartilaginous fish, the larger species are docile filter-feeders that prefer small organisms. Great whites are among the four sharks species that are most deadly to humans (with the others being bull sharks, tiger sharks, and oceanic whitetip sharks). They have the greatest bite force (not by weight) of any other living animal on the planet. Each bite has a force of 4,000 PSI, which is roughly half that of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Great whites also have impressive self-healing capabilities and can avoid most age-related ailments, with some sharks living more than 70 years. These traits are all likely why Umbrella chose great white sharks as a base for Neptune.
Great white shark females are larger than males. In the original Resident Evil (1996), an adult, female Neptune was only 16 feet long, making it average in size. This is an example of the sharks not responding well to the t-Virus, as some natural great whites are capable of growing significantly larger than this (they can grow up to 20 feet long). The Neptunes did appear to grow in weight, like most other t-Virus-mutants - the average weight for female great whites is anywhere from 1,500 to 2,450 pounds, while Neptunes weighed 3,530 pounds. However, 20-foot-long great whites can weigh up to 5,000 pounds.
A Neptune in the original game could only swim at around 3.68 miles per hour at its maximum speed, while great whites can swim anywhere from 25 to 35 miles per hour in short bursts. This may have been due to how shallow the water was when the Neptunes were encountered in the original game. Otherwise, their speed was probably affected by their weight increase making them slow and clumsy.
In the Resident Evil remake (2002), adult Neptunes were depicted as being much larger in size than their base species. Their bodies were otherwise more unaltered-looking. This version of the Neptunes was large enough to swallow an adult human whole, with every attack from Neptune adults being lethal. The adult female Neptune encountered was covered in scars, a leftover from the rough mating practices of great white sharks.
While great white sharks are deadly and feared by humans due to the notoriety they gained from the depiction of a great white in the film Jaws, they are actually rarely hostile towards humans. Humans are not a preferred source of food to most sharks, but they are opportunistic feeders and so will attack when it is convenient for them. In a trend starting in roughly 2017, great whites actually have become more aggressive towards humans, largely due to the sharks moving closer to human-occupied waters. Neptunes were much more aggressive than great whites due to the effects of the t-Virus. They not only sought out and attacked humans as soon as they noticed them but would actually slam their bodies into glass or lean their mouths over land to bite them. Their agility allowed them to leap into the air, targeting prey with their mouths open. Their teeth were enlarged following infection, making their bites all the more dangerous. Aside from biting prey, they would also weaponize their own weight, ramming their heads into humans to injure or kill them.
Neptunes had enhanced vitality, with their bodies being resistant to gunfire, but they could still be killed by massive, prolonged doses of electricity. Great white sharks normally die quickly in captivity due to their strict dietary preferences, size, dependence on migratory behavior, and stress when confined. This makes keeping great whites outside of their natural habitats unfeasible. Because of the enhancements to vitality and changes to behavior in Neptunes, this problem was effectively solved. Neptunes could even survive for some time on land. While normal sharks would be crushed by their own weight on land due to them lacking ribcages, infected sharks did not have this issue, likely due to skeletal strengthening. Neptune attack capabilities and mobility dropped to almost nonexistence on land, but so long as a Neptune was partially submerged in water, it could still move and attack to some extent. As long as a Neptune was underwater, it was an invincible killing machine with ultimate capabilities.
Great white shark females are larger than males. In the original Resident Evil (1996), an adult, female Neptune was only 16 feet long, making it average in size. This is an example of the sharks not responding well to the t-Virus, as some natural great whites are capable of growing significantly larger than this (they can grow up to 20 feet long). The Neptunes did appear to grow in weight, like most other t-Virus-mutants - the average weight for female great whites is anywhere from 1,500 to 2,450 pounds, while Neptunes weighed 3,530 pounds. However, 20-foot-long great whites can weigh up to 5,000 pounds.
A Neptune in the original game could only swim at around 3.68 miles per hour at its maximum speed, while great whites can swim anywhere from 25 to 35 miles per hour in short bursts. This may have been due to how shallow the water was when the Neptunes were encountered in the original game. Otherwise, their speed was probably affected by their weight increase making them slow and clumsy.
In the Resident Evil remake (2002), adult Neptunes were depicted as being much larger in size than their base species. Their bodies were otherwise more unaltered-looking. This version of the Neptunes was large enough to swallow an adult human whole, with every attack from Neptune adults being lethal. The adult female Neptune encountered was covered in scars, a leftover from the rough mating practices of great white sharks.
While great white sharks are deadly and feared by humans due to the notoriety they gained from the depiction of a great white in the film Jaws, they are actually rarely hostile towards humans. Humans are not a preferred source of food to most sharks, but they are opportunistic feeders and so will attack when it is convenient for them. In a trend starting in roughly 2017, great whites actually have become more aggressive towards humans, largely due to the sharks moving closer to human-occupied waters. Neptunes were much more aggressive than great whites due to the effects of the t-Virus. They not only sought out and attacked humans as soon as they noticed them but would actually slam their bodies into glass or lean their mouths over land to bite them. Their agility allowed them to leap into the air, targeting prey with their mouths open. Their teeth were enlarged following infection, making their bites all the more dangerous. Aside from biting prey, they would also weaponize their own weight, ramming their heads into humans to injure or kill them.
Neptunes had enhanced vitality, with their bodies being resistant to gunfire, but they could still be killed by massive, prolonged doses of electricity. Great white sharks normally die quickly in captivity due to their strict dietary preferences, size, dependence on migratory behavior, and stress when confined. This makes keeping great whites outside of their natural habitats unfeasible. Because of the enhancements to vitality and changes to behavior in Neptunes, this problem was effectively solved. Neptunes could even survive for some time on land. While normal sharks would be crushed by their own weight on land due to them lacking ribcages, infected sharks did not have this issue, likely due to skeletal strengthening. Neptune attack capabilities and mobility dropped to almost nonexistence on land, but so long as a Neptune was partially submerged in water, it could still move and attack to some extent. As long as a Neptune was underwater, it was an invincible killing machine with ultimate capabilities.
In the original Resident Evil (1996), the Neptunes were covered in black scales that evolved from their natural placoid scales. These scales were thick and hard, and when combined with a water barrier, Neptunes were near-impossible to harm while submerged. In this same depiction, the Neptunes' gills were absorbed into an internal organ that functioned like lungs. This organ allowed them to diffuse oxygen from freshwater, seawater, and even from air, allowing them to survive in both types of water and on land. These unique traits were due to not only the virus itself, but also genetic modifications performed by Umbrella. It is possible that Umbrella incorporated the genes of reptiles into the sharks, which would not only explain their "lungs", but the slit pupils on their reptilian-like eyes as well. This could be supported by some versions of Inside of Biohazard listing the base organism for Neptune as "sharksnake" (the first edition only calls it "shark", and so it was more likely than not an error, however). However, since the t-Virus had minimal impact on fish cells, it may be that such genetic manipulation and hybridization was impossible to perform with Neptunes. In this case, their eyes could be a result of Progenitor-based viruses sometimes causing the development of reptilian eyes in a wide variety of hosts, from G-Birkin to Albert Wesker.
Comparison between a Great White and Neptune, scanned from BIO HAZARD Directors Cut Official Perfect Guide -Inside of BIO HAZARD- by BSAArklay
A single Neptune kept at the Aqua Ring for progress observation was surprisingly found to be pregnant, and she gave birth to pups (baby sharks). As sharks were implied to be left infertile following infection with the t-Virus, it was presumed that the Neptune was impregnated before she was captured and injected with the t-Virus. As great white females are only able to produce offspring at age 33, the Neptune mother had to have been at least this age. The gestation period for great whites can take as long as 11 months, and the Neptune would have to have been infected within that timeframe.
Great whites are oviparous, meaning their eggs hatch while inside of the uterus, and the offspring are birthed live after developing further. The Neptune pups were infected while still developing in their mother's womb, and so were forced to mutate at an early stage. The mother gave birth to "dozens" of off-spring - this is in spite of the fact that great whites typically only give birth to 2-10 pups at a time, with the largest known amount carried at a time being 17. Some egg-laying sharks are capable of carrying as many as 100 offspring, but not oviparous ones. Either "dozens" is an exaggeration, and only meant to mean "more than a dozen", or it may imply that for some reason the t-Virus affected the offspring in such a way as to make them split into more individuals at an early stage of development.
Almost all of the pups born from the Neptune were unable to tolerate the sudden changes in their bodies. The t-Virus mutated them too dramatically for their underdeveloped bodies to tolerate, killing them. Only two pups managed to survive early development, and transformed into Neptunes themselves. The Neptune pups had the same abilities and appearance as their mother. As they were not yet adults, they were smaller and weaker than their mother. Their size nonetheless allowed them to pursue and attack humans in waist-high water, and to bite at the legs of their prey as they attempted to run away.
By 1998, the juvenile Neptunes were still developing. It is unknown exactly when the sharks were first conceived - if their mother was one of the original Neptunes injected with the Alpha strain of the t-Virus, then the offspring would have been decades old by that time. Great white sharks develop at a slow rate, relatively speaking, and it is possible that the t-Virus caused their growth to be delayed to the point that they took even longer to reach adulthood. It is also possible that the mother was a recent addition to the Aqua Ring, and replaced the previous specimen kept for observation after it died.
The birthing of the pups caused Umbrella's interest in Neptunes to become reignited. While they were still considered unsuccessful as B.O.W.s, the pups gave Umbrella insight into second-generation t-mutants. Umbrella at this stage relied on cloning for B.O.W. reproduction, which allowed for cheap mass production. But B.O.W.s capable of self-reproducing would be even cheaper, and were something the company aspired to create. Spencer, Umbrella's president, would also have been interested in reproduction in viral mutants, as his true plans involved wiping out most of the human race and replacing them with a chosen few mutants. These evolved humans would have to be able to reproduce in order to repopulate the earth. Because of these goals, Umbrella considered any insight into the effects of the virus on developmental processes valuable, and the Neptune pups were used to gather data on the influence of the t-Virus on fetuses. While Marcus performed similar experiments with Eliminators born from the embryonic stage, the results of his research was not recovered by the rest of the company until 1988. Umbrella eventually did manage to create some self-reproducing weapons, such as the Chimera, and the G-Virus was capable of creating fertile mutants. Neptune data may have contributed to these achievements.
According to one source, the Neptune pups even had the potential to propagate as a result of them bonding with the virus early on, making them worth all the more in Umbrella's fertility experiments.
Great whites are oviparous, meaning their eggs hatch while inside of the uterus, and the offspring are birthed live after developing further. The Neptune pups were infected while still developing in their mother's womb, and so were forced to mutate at an early stage. The mother gave birth to "dozens" of off-spring - this is in spite of the fact that great whites typically only give birth to 2-10 pups at a time, with the largest known amount carried at a time being 17. Some egg-laying sharks are capable of carrying as many as 100 offspring, but not oviparous ones. Either "dozens" is an exaggeration, and only meant to mean "more than a dozen", or it may imply that for some reason the t-Virus affected the offspring in such a way as to make them split into more individuals at an early stage of development.
Almost all of the pups born from the Neptune were unable to tolerate the sudden changes in their bodies. The t-Virus mutated them too dramatically for their underdeveloped bodies to tolerate, killing them. Only two pups managed to survive early development, and transformed into Neptunes themselves. The Neptune pups had the same abilities and appearance as their mother. As they were not yet adults, they were smaller and weaker than their mother. Their size nonetheless allowed them to pursue and attack humans in waist-high water, and to bite at the legs of their prey as they attempted to run away.
By 1998, the juvenile Neptunes were still developing. It is unknown exactly when the sharks were first conceived - if their mother was one of the original Neptunes injected with the Alpha strain of the t-Virus, then the offspring would have been decades old by that time. Great white sharks develop at a slow rate, relatively speaking, and it is possible that the t-Virus caused their growth to be delayed to the point that they took even longer to reach adulthood. It is also possible that the mother was a recent addition to the Aqua Ring, and replaced the previous specimen kept for observation after it died.
The birthing of the pups caused Umbrella's interest in Neptunes to become reignited. While they were still considered unsuccessful as B.O.W.s, the pups gave Umbrella insight into second-generation t-mutants. Umbrella at this stage relied on cloning for B.O.W. reproduction, which allowed for cheap mass production. But B.O.W.s capable of self-reproducing would be even cheaper, and were something the company aspired to create. Spencer, Umbrella's president, would also have been interested in reproduction in viral mutants, as his true plans involved wiping out most of the human race and replacing them with a chosen few mutants. These evolved humans would have to be able to reproduce in order to repopulate the earth. Because of these goals, Umbrella considered any insight into the effects of the virus on developmental processes valuable, and the Neptune pups were used to gather data on the influence of the t-Virus on fetuses. While Marcus performed similar experiments with Eliminators born from the embryonic stage, the results of his research was not recovered by the rest of the company until 1988. Umbrella eventually did manage to create some self-reproducing weapons, such as the Chimera, and the G-Virus was capable of creating fertile mutants. Neptune data may have contributed to these achievements.
According to one source, the Neptune pups even had the potential to propagate as a result of them bonding with the virus early on, making them worth all the more in Umbrella's fertility experiments.
During the Mansion Incident, a crazed researcher destroyed the glass of the Aqua Ring with explosives, flooding the area and setting the Neptune mother and her two pups loose. They preyed on any humans in the area, and were eventually killed by S.T.A.R.S. Neptunes were later developed at the Caucasus Facility. The reason Umbrella, in the midst of their financial troubles, continued to create what were previously considered inadequate B.O.W.s is unknown. Even Albert Wesker was surprised to see Umbrella continue studying them. There are a few potential explanations:
In BIO HAZARD DRAMA ALBUM The Doomed Raccoon City Vol.3, at least one great white-based Neptune produced by Umbrella inhabited a river running through Raccoon City. This shark preyed on humans during the outbreak. It is unknown where this Neptune came from. It may have been intentionally deployed by Umbrella in order to both wipe out survivors and to gather further combat data on the B.O.W.s, especially in environments that a great white would normally not be able to hunt in. The Neptune could also have been an experiment that escaped from a nearby lab in the city - this would imply that researchers present in the city attempted to continue the experiments performed at the mansion, before even the Caucasus Facility did.
- Neptune combat abilities had never been thoroughly tested, and so it is possible that combat data recovered from Neptune encounters with humans (and S.T.A.R.S. in particular) proved their viability as weapons.
- The new Neptunes could have been produced for the sake of continued observation, in particular for pregnant sharks.
- Umbrella may have approved them for production as a result of the company's standards for B.O.W.s dropping, due to their desperate state. While acquiring more great white sharks would likely not be a wise fiscal investment, Umbrella may have simply been able to clone the Neptunes using embryos recovered from the Mansion. The development of these sharks would have to have been sped up significantly, considering how they were large by 2003, something that could be accomplished by using growth promoters.
In BIO HAZARD DRAMA ALBUM The Doomed Raccoon City Vol.3, at least one great white-based Neptune produced by Umbrella inhabited a river running through Raccoon City. This shark preyed on humans during the outbreak. It is unknown where this Neptune came from. It may have been intentionally deployed by Umbrella in order to both wipe out survivors and to gather further combat data on the B.O.W.s, especially in environments that a great white would normally not be able to hunt in. The Neptune could also have been an experiment that escaped from a nearby lab in the city - this would imply that researchers present in the city attempted to continue the experiments performed at the mansion, before even the Caucasus Facility did.
A different type of Neptune was encountered during the Raccoon City Destruction Incident, in the body of water behind Raccoon University. These University Neptunes (tentative) had a more grotesque appearance than the other sharks: they possessed deformed, outward-jutting teeth, enlarged dorsal fins, boney protrusions, and decayed flesh. Their teeth were even larger than those of other Neptunes. These creatures attacked survivors on the docks near their domain, and would even jump onto land to bite their prey before sliding themselves back into the water. An even larger version of the University Neptunes was originally going to appear, with a size comparable to that of the extinct megalodon, a darker coloration, and enlarged blood vessels. This specimen could have been older, a unique mutation, or the mother to the other University Neptunes (which could have merely been large pups).
University Neptunes were "presumed to be a wild version", likely meaning they were irregular mutants. They were likely held captive at the University prior to the outbreak. It is unknown if they were even going to be experimented on for use as B.O.W.s, or if they were simply being observed by the University for research unrelated to the t-Virus. The reason University Neptunes developed traits different from those of the other Neptunes could have been due to their being infected without the use of additional experimentation, with their reaction being a more "natural" one. It may have also been due to them belonging to a species other than great whites. It had been theorized in the past at the original Project Umbrella that these Neptunes were based on bull sharks, due to their appearance and color. Bull sharks are also able to survive in freshwater, and while Neptunes created from great whites also developed this ability, the University Neptunes were likely held in freshwater prior to infection as well.
Bull sharks are notorious for being especially aggressive and for being unpredictable, which is part of where their name comes from. They carry more testosterone than any other animal on the planet. They are territorial and have zero tolerance for any sort of provocation, making them more likely to attack humans. While they are less than half the length of a typical great white shark (the bull sharks infected by the t-Virus seemed to grow to the same size as the great white Neptunes regardless), their bite force, while lower on its own, is actually higher in comparison to their weight than the bite force of any other cartilaginous fish. As mentioned before, bull sharks are diadromous, and are able to easily thrive in and swim between freshwater and saltwater. They can dwell in very shallow waters, can travel up rivers, and are generally found in many types of habitats. Any of these attributes would have made bull sharks favorable candidates for B.O.W. research.
University Neptunes were "presumed to be a wild version", likely meaning they were irregular mutants. They were likely held captive at the University prior to the outbreak. It is unknown if they were even going to be experimented on for use as B.O.W.s, or if they were simply being observed by the University for research unrelated to the t-Virus. The reason University Neptunes developed traits different from those of the other Neptunes could have been due to their being infected without the use of additional experimentation, with their reaction being a more "natural" one. It may have also been due to them belonging to a species other than great whites. It had been theorized in the past at the original Project Umbrella that these Neptunes were based on bull sharks, due to their appearance and color. Bull sharks are also able to survive in freshwater, and while Neptunes created from great whites also developed this ability, the University Neptunes were likely held in freshwater prior to infection as well.
Bull sharks are notorious for being especially aggressive and for being unpredictable, which is part of where their name comes from. They carry more testosterone than any other animal on the planet. They are territorial and have zero tolerance for any sort of provocation, making them more likely to attack humans. While they are less than half the length of a typical great white shark (the bull sharks infected by the t-Virus seemed to grow to the same size as the great white Neptunes regardless), their bite force, while lower on its own, is actually higher in comparison to their weight than the bite force of any other cartilaginous fish. As mentioned before, bull sharks are diadromous, and are able to easily thrive in and swim between freshwater and saltwater. They can dwell in very shallow waters, can travel up rivers, and are generally found in many types of habitats. Any of these attributes would have made bull sharks favorable candidates for B.O.W. research.
Very special thanks to BSAArklay for his shark research, which contributed to this analysis.
Piranha - Javier Hidalgo captured or purchased multiple piranhas for use as fighting fish, and injected them with the t-Virus at his compound in Amparo, South America. The resulting monsters were simply called "Piranhas". While they weren't "true B.O.W.s", they were used to execute traitors within Javier's organization, the Sacred Snakes. Their increased attack power not only made short work of their victims, but likely discouraged other members of the group from entertaining thoughts of rebellion. When his daughter Manuela ran away from his compound in 2002, Javier, in his hysteria, flooded the nearby Mixcóatl village using the Javier dam. He released the Piranhas in large numbers into the dam's drainage, allowing them to make their way to the village in the flooding waters. The Piranhas turned much of the populace into Zombies, and played a large part in the destruction of the village.
Piranhas are native to South America, which is likely why Javier used them. They are omnivorous freshwater fish, typical in almost every way aside from their abnormally large, serrated teeth. Piranhas are one of the strongest biters among bony fishes, with the black piranha having one of the most powerful bites among all vertebrates (relative to body mass). This is not only due to their teeth, but to their large, specialized jaw muscles as well.
The type of piranha Javier injected with the t-Virus seemed to be the red-bellied piranha, judging by the coloration of infected Piranhas. They did not appear to grow in size; if they did, growth was minimal. Their eyes became glazed over or faded, like Zombie eyes, and they developed enlarged blood vessels across the surface of their bodies. Their teeth seemed to grow even larger, much like Neptune teeth.
Piranha behavior is commonly misunderstood due to their popular depictions in fiction. They do not hunt in shoals and are rarely deadly to humans. Red-bellied piranhas in particular are notorious, much like great whites, due to their portrayals in movies; this is in spite of the fact that red-bellies are actually among the more timid of piranha types, and primarily rely on scavenging instead of predatory behavior. Red-bellies are also the second smallest species of piranha. Piranhas infected by the t-Virus were of course more like their fictional portrayals - they ferociously attacked humans on sight, biting them to death. Their bites carried the risk of t-Virus infection, and in flooded areas they were a dangerous transmission vector for the virus.
Piranhas were relatively weak to gunfire, like other t-mutants in their size range (Large Roaches, Wasps, Baby Moths, Adders, etc.), but they were difficult to hit due to their speed. They, like infected sharks, could survive outside of water, but only for a short period of time. Their agility and swimming abilities were enhanced, allowing them to glide along the surface of water at high speeds as they searched for any potential prey passing by on nearby land. When prey, even large animals like humans, were spotted, they could leap out of the water at their victims with great speed and accuracy in an attempt to bite them. While they weren't the most practical of weapons due to their inability to be trained and low durability, they were great instruments of terror.
The type of piranha Javier injected with the t-Virus seemed to be the red-bellied piranha, judging by the coloration of infected Piranhas. They did not appear to grow in size; if they did, growth was minimal. Their eyes became glazed over or faded, like Zombie eyes, and they developed enlarged blood vessels across the surface of their bodies. Their teeth seemed to grow even larger, much like Neptune teeth.
Piranha behavior is commonly misunderstood due to their popular depictions in fiction. They do not hunt in shoals and are rarely deadly to humans. Red-bellied piranhas in particular are notorious, much like great whites, due to their portrayals in movies; this is in spite of the fact that red-bellies are actually among the more timid of piranha types, and primarily rely on scavenging instead of predatory behavior. Red-bellies are also the second smallest species of piranha. Piranhas infected by the t-Virus were of course more like their fictional portrayals - they ferociously attacked humans on sight, biting them to death. Their bites carried the risk of t-Virus infection, and in flooded areas they were a dangerous transmission vector for the virus.
Piranhas were relatively weak to gunfire, like other t-mutants in their size range (Large Roaches, Wasps, Baby Moths, Adders, etc.), but they were difficult to hit due to their speed. They, like infected sharks, could survive outside of water, but only for a short period of time. Their agility and swimming abilities were enhanced, allowing them to glide along the surface of water at high speeds as they searched for any potential prey passing by on nearby land. When prey, even large animals like humans, were spotted, they could leap out of the water at their victims with great speed and accuracy in an attempt to bite them. While they weren't the most practical of weapons due to their inability to be trained and low durability, they were great instruments of terror.
Amphibia
Amphibians are semi-aquatic animals. They typically start development as eggs, from which hatch water-breathing larvae, which then metamorphize into air-breathing adults. "Amphibian" accordingly comes from the word "amphíbios", which means "both kinds of life". Amphibians are primarily predatory. One could see amphibians as a sort of midway point between reptiles and fish (although not necessarily from an evolutionary standpoint).
As they can function on both land and in water, amphibians had more potential as B.O.W.s than fish did. While they increased in size, ferocity, and vitality following infection, they also generally suffered from ocular degeneration, like Zombies and Lickers did, harming their eyesight. This was particularly a problem in tailless amphibians. Infected amphibians were also unintelligent and reliant on moist environments, like they were pre-infection, harming their overall viability as products.
Frog - James Marcus performed early t-Virus administration experiments on frogs, through them testing the viability of amphibians as B.O.W.s. Mutated frogs created by Marcus were called Lurkers. It is implied that Marcus injected the frogs with the virus while they were still in the developmental phase, which allowed the primitive strain of the t-Virus (t-Marcus) to bond with the frogs without the rapid cellular changes damaging their tissue.
Lurkers grew considerably (they were 137cm long, 86.5cm high, and 152cm wide), and were large enough to devour large prey. While they had superior offensive capabilities that met the standards for a successful B.O.W., and abilities greater than the arthropod mutants Marcus previously experimented on, their intelligence remained unaltered. They lacked the mental capacity to retain and follow orders, and their strong predatory instincts made them hostile towards handlers. As such, they were considered unsuitable as products, and Marcus shelved the Lurkers in favor of using mammalian hosts instead.
Lurkers were later encountered in 1998 at the Treatment Plant adjoining Marcus' facility. These specimens were either recreated by the Queen Leech using Marcus' memories, or they retained the ability to breed and reproduced after the original test subjects escaped into the wild.
Lurkers grew considerably (they were 137cm long, 86.5cm high, and 152cm wide), and were large enough to devour large prey. While they had superior offensive capabilities that met the standards for a successful B.O.W., and abilities greater than the arthropod mutants Marcus previously experimented on, their intelligence remained unaltered. They lacked the mental capacity to retain and follow orders, and their strong predatory instincts made them hostile towards handlers. As such, they were considered unsuitable as products, and Marcus shelved the Lurkers in favor of using mammalian hosts instead.
Lurkers were later encountered in 1998 at the Treatment Plant adjoining Marcus' facility. These specimens were either recreated by the Queen Leech using Marcus' memories, or they retained the ability to breed and reproduced after the original test subjects escaped into the wild.
Frogs are primarily predatory animals. Like snakes, they cannot chew prey, and their teeth are too weak to cause harmful bites. They instead swallow prey whole using their large mouths. While frogs naturally feed on insects and other invertebrates, Lurkers would attempt to devour anything that moved, including human beings. They could swallow humans whole in spite of the fact that humans were slightly larger in size than Lurker bodies. Lurkers accomplished this thanks to their highly evolved digestive organs, which likely broke up their prey into smaller pieces as soon as they were consumed. Lurkers would even devour humans holding onto inorganic objects, like guns, which would likely either become stuck in their digestive tract or pass through their cloaca.
Frogs often have long tongues that are capable of shooting out and retracting at incredible speeds. These tongues are sticky and capable of catching their prey. Lurker tongues were just as efficient and even stronger. Because of their size, these tongues could even be used to grab and drag adult humans into their mouths. A Lurker would grab a human by the foot from great distances, knocking the human to the ground and leaving them vulnerable as the Lurker reeled them in. A human could break free from a Lurker's grasp by inflicting pain on the Lurker's body, causing it to drop the human and flee. If a human was too close to a Lurker for it to grab their foot, it would instead lash out its tongue like a whip, harming the human.
Lurkers also possessed sharp claws. Most frogs do not have claws, but there are exceptions - in particular, the African clawed frog possesses claws that it uses to tear apart prey leu of chewing. As African clawed frogs lack tongues, it is unlikely Lurkers were based on them. The development of sharp claws is a common symptom of the t-Virus in human hosts (like Tyrants, Crimson Heads, and Lickers), and so it is likely the virus did the same in the frogs that became Lurkers.
Frogs are well known for being able to jump high into the air. Relative to their size, frogs are the greatest jumpers of any vertebrates. They accomplish this thanks to their powerful, heavily muscled hindlimbs. These limbs also allow them to propel themselves through water, making them good swimmers. Lurkers not only retained their strong hindlimbs, but their jumping power was actually increased, likely due to improved muscle tissue. They could jump so swiftly that they were difficult to see while moving. They were adept swimmers even against strong currents of water.
Lurkers would usually attack using ambush techniques. They would hide underwater, and once they sensed prey approaching nearby catwalks, bridges, etc., they would leap out onto dry land and attack before their prey would have a chance to react. While they were highly aggressive, they were also somewhat skittish, often fleeing back into the water they emerged from when injured.
Lurker eyeballs degenerated to the point of nonexistence, possibly as a result of necrosis or of them not developing in proportion with the rest of their bodies, rendering them blind. Not only did their sense of hearing become sharper in response to this, but Lurkers actually developed a new ear cavity in the space where their eyes used to be. Their superior hearing allowed them to sense the most subtle of sounds. Frogs can hear both in open air and underwater, and Lurkers could hear prey approaching on land even while they were submerged.
Lurker skin was also covered in large bumps or growths. They were somewhat resistant to gunfire.
Frogs often have long tongues that are capable of shooting out and retracting at incredible speeds. These tongues are sticky and capable of catching their prey. Lurker tongues were just as efficient and even stronger. Because of their size, these tongues could even be used to grab and drag adult humans into their mouths. A Lurker would grab a human by the foot from great distances, knocking the human to the ground and leaving them vulnerable as the Lurker reeled them in. A human could break free from a Lurker's grasp by inflicting pain on the Lurker's body, causing it to drop the human and flee. If a human was too close to a Lurker for it to grab their foot, it would instead lash out its tongue like a whip, harming the human.
Lurkers also possessed sharp claws. Most frogs do not have claws, but there are exceptions - in particular, the African clawed frog possesses claws that it uses to tear apart prey leu of chewing. As African clawed frogs lack tongues, it is unlikely Lurkers were based on them. The development of sharp claws is a common symptom of the t-Virus in human hosts (like Tyrants, Crimson Heads, and Lickers), and so it is likely the virus did the same in the frogs that became Lurkers.
Frogs are well known for being able to jump high into the air. Relative to their size, frogs are the greatest jumpers of any vertebrates. They accomplish this thanks to their powerful, heavily muscled hindlimbs. These limbs also allow them to propel themselves through water, making them good swimmers. Lurkers not only retained their strong hindlimbs, but their jumping power was actually increased, likely due to improved muscle tissue. They could jump so swiftly that they were difficult to see while moving. They were adept swimmers even against strong currents of water.
Lurkers would usually attack using ambush techniques. They would hide underwater, and once they sensed prey approaching nearby catwalks, bridges, etc., they would leap out onto dry land and attack before their prey would have a chance to react. While they were highly aggressive, they were also somewhat skittish, often fleeing back into the water they emerged from when injured.
Lurker eyeballs degenerated to the point of nonexistence, possibly as a result of necrosis or of them not developing in proportion with the rest of their bodies, rendering them blind. Not only did their sense of hearing become sharper in response to this, but Lurkers actually developed a new ear cavity in the space where their eyes used to be. Their superior hearing allowed them to sense the most subtle of sounds. Frogs can hear both in open air and underwater, and Lurkers could hear prey approaching on land even while they were submerged.
Lurker skin was also covered in large bumps or growths. They were somewhat resistant to gunfire.
Lurkers were also created in the sewers of Raccoon City, presumably as a result of secondary infection (seen in The Darkside Chronicles). These frogs were somewhat smaller than the Lurkers seen at the Treatment Plant, and while still massive they could no longer devour humans whole. Instead, they relied on using their tongues to damage prey. Like the African clawed frog, these Lurkers would have to rely on their claws to tear apart human prey in order to eat them. The reason these frogs did not grow to the same size could be because they were an unplanned mutation, and even because they were not infected in the embryonic stage of development. These Lurkers could also have just been younger, or based on a different species of frog.
Hunter γs would eventually surpass the abilities of Lurkers, with the former possessing greater intelligence for following orders while retaining most of the same abilities. For this reason, Lurkers were seemingly never mass produced by Umbrella, even during the company's financial straits. See part 3 of this analysis for more information on Hunter γs .
Hunter γs would eventually surpass the abilities of Lurkers, with the former possessing greater intelligence for following orders while retaining most of the same abilities. For this reason, Lurkers were seemingly never mass produced by Umbrella, even during the company's financial straits. See part 3 of this analysis for more information on Hunter γs .
Salamander - The lab within the Training Facility on Rockfort Island created experimental B.O.W.s called Albinoids. These creatures were developed by injecting salamanders with the t-Virus, and then subjecting them to further gene manipulation. They were named after the color of their skin, which was mostly white. All but one of the known Albinoid specimens were destroyed at Rockfort by the Island's self-destruct sequence, and the only survivor was killed by Chris Redfield.
Salamanders are lizard-like amphibians with four, right-angled limbs. They can range in length from 1 inch to nearly 6 feet long. They are different from frogs in that they retain their tails even after their larval stage. Like other amphibians they start their lifecycle as aquatic animals, before metamorphizing into terrestrial ones, but a minority of salamanders are unique in that they retain their gills and remain aquatic even as adults. Salamanders are opportunistic predators and will feed on any organism of an adequate size. Most species have small teeth that they possess even in the larval stage. Terrestrial salamanders use their tongues to catch prey like frogs, but aquatic salamanders lack tongue muscles.
Salamanders are lizard-like amphibians with four, right-angled limbs. They can range in length from 1 inch to nearly 6 feet long. They are different from frogs in that they retain their tails even after their larval stage. Like other amphibians they start their lifecycle as aquatic animals, before metamorphizing into terrestrial ones, but a minority of salamanders are unique in that they retain their gills and remain aquatic even as adults. Salamanders are opportunistic predators and will feed on any organism of an adequate size. Most species have small teeth that they possess even in the larval stage. Terrestrial salamanders use their tongues to catch prey like frogs, but aquatic salamanders lack tongue muscles.
Albinoids were different from salamanders in that they were headless. This could have been related to the atrophy seen in Lurker eyeballs. Their faces were instead located on the underside of their bodies. While the underside-facing location of Albinoid eyes may have impeded their vision, some aquatic salamanders have lateral line organs, like those of fish. This organ is sensitive to slight changes in water pressure, allowing salamanders to find prey based on movements. Albinoids may have sensed their prey this way, in addition to using their senses of smell and hearing. They had gills on their sides that they retained even as adults, and a laterally-flattened tail specialized for swimming. Their skin was a combination of white and pink. They were highly mobile in all their developmental stages.
Many salamanders are known for having incredible regenerative abilities. They sometimes do not heal by scarring, and can regrow lost limbs, tails, and parts of the eye, heart, and even the central nervous system, including non-vital parts of the brain. Some can even accept transplants from other salamanders, restoring even parts taken from other brains to full functionality. Many real-life researchers see the potential in salamander research for medical applications for humans, and this trait may have been a factor as to why Umbrella chose salamanders to experiment on. The Albinoids have been said to retain these regenerative abilities.
Albinoids had the unusual ability to generate and discharge high-voltage electricity from their bodies. This trait is called "bioelectrogenesis", and while it is seen in some fish like electric eels, it is unheard of in salamanders. This trait was possibly the result of:
Electric fish typically use bioelectrogenesis to stun or kill prey, making their victims easier to consume. As salamanders are predatory, and Albinoids were hostile towards humans, it may this B.O.W. used its electricity to hunt human beings. An Albinoid would have possibly fed on a human it managed to kill with its electricity.
Albinoids went through two known stages of development: a larval and adult stage. It is unknown if they could reproduce, or if all known specimens were merely clones.
- Evolutionary new traits being brought about in Albinoid bodies due to the t-Virus. Progenitor created both salamanders and electric animals, so the t-Virus developing a trait from one in another is entirely plausible.
- A latent effect of the t-Virus. The virus is capable of affecting every aspect of a host's biology, and in so doing should be able to alter the mechanisms responsible for transporting and generating electricity. Cells are capable of conducting electrical currents, and the virus may have simply enhanced this capability. This is supported by the t+G Virus, which unlocked a similar ability, and by the "Bio Cores" featured in Resistance, which were capsules containing giant, artificial organs that generated electricity to power Umbrella Facilities. Inserted Evil (supplements for Operation Raccoon City) also explored the idea of a Cerberus being used as a "generator".
- Umbrella splicing foreign genes into the salamanders. This possibility is most likely, due to it being expressly said that Albinoids were subjected to genetic modifications. It may be that genes from electric rays were used, as these animals also lack "heads", with their mouths being located on their undersides.
Electric fish typically use bioelectrogenesis to stun or kill prey, making their victims easier to consume. As salamanders are predatory, and Albinoids were hostile towards humans, it may this B.O.W. used its electricity to hunt human beings. An Albinoid would have possibly fed on a human it managed to kill with its electricity.
Albinoids went through two known stages of development: a larval and adult stage. It is unknown if they could reproduce, or if all known specimens were merely clones.
Larval Albinoids were referred to as "Baby Albinoids", "Juvenile Albinoids", and "Albinoid Tadpoles". Like normal salamander larvae, they had buds where the frontal limbs would later develop, a tail, and external gills. They possessed an underside mouth which was somewhat vaginal-shaped. As they attacked humans, they may have possibly been capable of using these mouths to bite and eat flesh from larger animals (salamander larva are also carnivorous). Their size was comparable to that of Baby Moths.
Despite being tadpoles, larval Albinoids were just as efficient on land as they were in water. They could quickly slither and slide on floors and climb surfaces like walls and possibly ceilings. This mobility may have been benefited by the mucous glands often used by salamanders to keep their skin sticky and moist.
While larval Albinoids were relatively weak, they were strong enough to break through glass and air-vent covers by slamming their bodies against them. Even while in open air, larval Albinoids could transmit a harmful shock to animals by coming into physical contact with them. Despite this, Albinoid larvae seemed to rather seek out bodies of water so that they could develop into adults.
Despite being tadpoles, larval Albinoids were just as efficient on land as they were in water. They could quickly slither and slide on floors and climb surfaces like walls and possibly ceilings. This mobility may have been benefited by the mucous glands often used by salamanders to keep their skin sticky and moist.
While larval Albinoids were relatively weak, they were strong enough to break through glass and air-vent covers by slamming their bodies against them. Even while in open air, larval Albinoids could transmit a harmful shock to animals by coming into physical contact with them. Despite this, Albinoid larvae seemed to rather seek out bodies of water so that they could develop into adults.
A larval Albinoid would transform into an "Adult Albinoid" in 10-12 hours. As a result of their phenomenal growth rate instigated by the t-Virus, adult Albinoids were over 7 feet long, a foot longer than the Chinese giant salamander. Their four limbs resembled human arms, which could either be a coincidence or the result of human DNA. They were highly resistant to damage in this stage, and able to withstand multiple hits from high-caliber weapons. They were also strong enough to bend metal bars.
An Adult Albinoid is said to be "a little weak" on land, in comparison to Baby Albinoids which can move and operate just as well in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. The only Adult Albinoid ever seen was always submerged in water, and this combined with their laterally-flattened tails and the fact they retained their gills could imply they were based on a fully-aquatic type of salamander. Adult Albinoids could survive on land, but this was likely a result of the t-Virus, not any ability of the host species, much like how mutant fish could survive on land for some time.
The electricity discharged by an Adult Albinoid was much stronger than that of a larval Albinoid. This was especially true for when an Adult was in a body of water, with the water conducting their electricity and maximizing the damage it caused. It could discharge a current strong enough to mortally wound anything that came into contact with the water, making an entire aquatic environment deadly.
The Albinoids' rapid growth, instinctual desire and need to be submerged in water, and bioelectrogenesis ability were all designed with infiltration in mind. Albinoids were meant to be deployed as larvae into enemy territory. The larvae would then stealthily seek out the water supply of the location and develop into an adult. The Albinoid would then electrocute any humans that came into contact with the water. When used this way, their effectiveness as weapons was very high.
An Adult Albinoid is said to be "a little weak" on land, in comparison to Baby Albinoids which can move and operate just as well in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. The only Adult Albinoid ever seen was always submerged in water, and this combined with their laterally-flattened tails and the fact they retained their gills could imply they were based on a fully-aquatic type of salamander. Adult Albinoids could survive on land, but this was likely a result of the t-Virus, not any ability of the host species, much like how mutant fish could survive on land for some time.
The electricity discharged by an Adult Albinoid was much stronger than that of a larval Albinoid. This was especially true for when an Adult was in a body of water, with the water conducting their electricity and maximizing the damage it caused. It could discharge a current strong enough to mortally wound anything that came into contact with the water, making an entire aquatic environment deadly.
The Albinoids' rapid growth, instinctual desire and need to be submerged in water, and bioelectrogenesis ability were all designed with infiltration in mind. Albinoids were meant to be deployed as larvae into enemy territory. The larvae would then stealthily seek out the water supply of the location and develop into an adult. The Albinoid would then electrocute any humans that came into contact with the water. When used this way, their effectiveness as weapons was very high.
It is unknown what species of salamander Albinoids were based off of. The host species was said to be found "mainly" on Rockfort Island, which could imply that they were based on a fictional species that only exists within the universe of Resident Evil.
Their pale skin, if it wasn't an affect of the virus, could imply they were based on Axolotl. Not only are some Axolotl albino, but some also have pale pink skin. Axolotl are aquatic even as adults, like Albinoids, with laterally-flattened tails and gills. They rarely grow beyond a single foot in length, which would mean the t-Virus made them grow 7 times their size. White/pink Axolotl are common pets. Axototl are easy to breed, while most terrestrial salamanders are almost never bred in captivity due to difficulties in sustaining them. This makes them not only popular as pets, but as subjects for use in research, especially because of their especially impressive regenerative abilities. Their embryos are large and easy to manipulate, making them even more attractive as research subjects, and potentially making them easier for Umbrella to modify the genes of.
Albinoids could also have been based on a species of cave salamanders. As they inhabit underwater caves, they lack pigmentation and are fully aquatic. Some cave salamanders also lack eyes due to the darkness of their environments, which could have contributed to Albinoids failing to develop heads. In particular, Albinoids somewhat resembled Texas cave salamanders.
Their pale skin, if it wasn't an affect of the virus, could imply they were based on Axolotl. Not only are some Axolotl albino, but some also have pale pink skin. Axolotl are aquatic even as adults, like Albinoids, with laterally-flattened tails and gills. They rarely grow beyond a single foot in length, which would mean the t-Virus made them grow 7 times their size. White/pink Axolotl are common pets. Axototl are easy to breed, while most terrestrial salamanders are almost never bred in captivity due to difficulties in sustaining them. This makes them not only popular as pets, but as subjects for use in research, especially because of their especially impressive regenerative abilities. Their embryos are large and easy to manipulate, making them even more attractive as research subjects, and potentially making them easier for Umbrella to modify the genes of.
Albinoids could also have been based on a species of cave salamanders. As they inhabit underwater caves, they lack pigmentation and are fully aquatic. Some cave salamanders also lack eyes due to the darkness of their environments, which could have contributed to Albinoids failing to develop heads. In particular, Albinoids somewhat resembled Texas cave salamanders.
Tunicata
Tunicates are marine invertebrates and are a sister group to fish. The only known Tunicate mutant created by the t-Virus was the Nautilus (named after a mollusk and coming from the Greek word for "sailor"), which was based on sea squirts (a specific class of Tunicates). The only other known Tunicate B.O.W. was the t-Abyss-created Draghignazzo. Nautilus was deemed a failure by Umbrella, and it/they were sent to be destroyed at the waste disposal facility overseen by Morpheus Duvall. They afterwards escaped captivity, mutated further in the wild, and reproduced in underground waterways. They were observed and named by the Umbrella researchers tasked with studying ecosystemic changes in wild B.O.W.s. The Nautiluses extended their influence to the living spaces of the researchers, becoming a hindrance to their research. The researchers eventually attempted to dispose of them, but failed to do so. They continued to spread until the island was destroyed in 2002.
A Nautilus was massive in size and had a form resembling that of a mollusk (hence the name). They were immobile, lacked offensive capabilities, and could be killed with sustained gunfire, but they produced many offspring that would protect them. As they changed after being introduced to the ecosystem of the waterways, it is unknown what form they originally took when Umbrella developed them. Like most sea squirts, Nautiluses were sessile, meaning they were permanently fixed to a single surface. While some sea squirts lived in groups, Nautiluses seemed to be one of the solitary types, with each adult individual living a good distance away from each other. They could inhabit water that was only knee-high, with the vast majority of their bodies being exposed to air.
Sea squirts can be found in any and all seas, at a wide variety of depths. They are filter feeders, and use "siphons" (tubular openings) to take in water to feed from. They have two kinds of siphons - an oral siphon, which is used to draw in water, and an atrial siphon, from which filtered water is expelled. Nautiluses also use these siphons to birth their young.
Tunicates are marine invertebrates and are a sister group to fish. The only known Tunicate mutant created by the t-Virus was the Nautilus (named after a mollusk and coming from the Greek word for "sailor"), which was based on sea squirts (a specific class of Tunicates). The only other known Tunicate B.O.W. was the t-Abyss-created Draghignazzo. Nautilus was deemed a failure by Umbrella, and it/they were sent to be destroyed at the waste disposal facility overseen by Morpheus Duvall. They afterwards escaped captivity, mutated further in the wild, and reproduced in underground waterways. They were observed and named by the Umbrella researchers tasked with studying ecosystemic changes in wild B.O.W.s. The Nautiluses extended their influence to the living spaces of the researchers, becoming a hindrance to their research. The researchers eventually attempted to dispose of them, but failed to do so. They continued to spread until the island was destroyed in 2002.
A Nautilus was massive in size and had a form resembling that of a mollusk (hence the name). They were immobile, lacked offensive capabilities, and could be killed with sustained gunfire, but they produced many offspring that would protect them. As they changed after being introduced to the ecosystem of the waterways, it is unknown what form they originally took when Umbrella developed them. Like most sea squirts, Nautiluses were sessile, meaning they were permanently fixed to a single surface. While some sea squirts lived in groups, Nautiluses seemed to be one of the solitary types, with each adult individual living a good distance away from each other. They could inhabit water that was only knee-high, with the vast majority of their bodies being exposed to air.
Sea squirts can be found in any and all seas, at a wide variety of depths. They are filter feeders, and use "siphons" (tubular openings) to take in water to feed from. They have two kinds of siphons - an oral siphon, which is used to draw in water, and an atrial siphon, from which filtered water is expelled. Nautiluses also use these siphons to birth their young.
The researchers discovered Nautilus offspring swimming in the waterways and named them Torpedo Kids due to their swimming figure being likened to a torpedo. Nautilus seemed to be the type of sea squirts that reproduce by birthing larvae, which are not immobile and capable of finding other locations to attach to and grow into new Nautiluses. Like some sea squirt larvae, Torpedo Kids resemble tadpoles complete with eyes, mouths, and a tail for swimming. Unlike sea squirt larvae, Torpedo Kids actually appear to have human-like faces. This could be a result of the human DNA in the t-Virus. It is also possible that the Nautilus B.O.W. was created by splicing human DNA into the host species: despite being invertebrates, sea squirts have some vertebrate features, and so Umbrella may have tried to use them as a genetic midway point between vertebrates and invertebrates (possibly prior to the creation of Chimeras).
Aside from their torpedo/tadpole shaped bodies and human-like faces, the bodies of Torpedo Kids were described as resembling small lumps of flesh and masses of meat. They were around the size of Sliding Worms, or slightly larger. They had a habit of approaching anything that moved, likely sensing disturbances in the water. They could rapidly dash trough water like their namesake. Their body tissue was extremely fragile, and their skin would burst with the slightest of stimulation. When ruptured, they scattered a dangerous acidic fluid across an area that caused severe burns on organics it touched. In this way, Torpedo Kids functioned like actual torpedos - when an organism that could pose a threat to a Nautilus entered an area, the mother would release its Torpedo Kids to race towards targets. They would slam their bodies into threats, exploding on impact and covering them with acid in the process. This is similar to how some eusocial insects will sacrifice their lives to defend their hive/nest or queen. Torpedo Kid acid may have been repurposed digestive acids - sea squirt larvae actually do possess a primitive digestive system, after all, despite them being incapable of feeding.
Nautiluses constantly gave birth to a seemingly infinite number of Torpedo Kids. As Nautiluses were said to "spread abnormally" and were spread out throughout the waterways of the Disposal Facility (despite being immobile), Torpedo Kids were likely capable of transforming into new Nautiluses. However, Umbrella researchers noted that Torpedo Kids had a very short lifespan, with it being believed that if the mothers were killed the species would be exterminated. And the number of Torpedo Kids was much higher than adult Nautiluses. There are a number of potential explanations for this:
Restricted dispersal in sea squirt colonies is thought to contribute to their ability to adapt to the conditions of the local environment. This, in combination with the effects of the t-Virus, may have contributed to Nautilus changing in the wild.
Aside from their torpedo/tadpole shaped bodies and human-like faces, the bodies of Torpedo Kids were described as resembling small lumps of flesh and masses of meat. They were around the size of Sliding Worms, or slightly larger. They had a habit of approaching anything that moved, likely sensing disturbances in the water. They could rapidly dash trough water like their namesake. Their body tissue was extremely fragile, and their skin would burst with the slightest of stimulation. When ruptured, they scattered a dangerous acidic fluid across an area that caused severe burns on organics it touched. In this way, Torpedo Kids functioned like actual torpedos - when an organism that could pose a threat to a Nautilus entered an area, the mother would release its Torpedo Kids to race towards targets. They would slam their bodies into threats, exploding on impact and covering them with acid in the process. This is similar to how some eusocial insects will sacrifice their lives to defend their hive/nest or queen. Torpedo Kid acid may have been repurposed digestive acids - sea squirt larvae actually do possess a primitive digestive system, after all, despite them being incapable of feeding.
Nautiluses constantly gave birth to a seemingly infinite number of Torpedo Kids. As Nautiluses were said to "spread abnormally" and were spread out throughout the waterways of the Disposal Facility (despite being immobile), Torpedo Kids were likely capable of transforming into new Nautiluses. However, Umbrella researchers noted that Torpedo Kids had a very short lifespan, with it being believed that if the mothers were killed the species would be exterminated. And the number of Torpedo Kids was much higher than adult Nautiluses. There are a number of potential explanations for this:
- Torpedo Kid lifespans may have been entirely dependent on whether or not they come into contact with anything causing them to burst. A Torpedo Kid lucky enough to navigate the waterways without exploding for a period of time could potentially develop into an adult.
- Torpedo Kids may need to feed on small organisms in the water in order to fuel development into adults (while sea squirt larvae cannot feed themselves, Torpedo Kids could have evolved the ability to eat due to their size). As Nautiluses likely filter through water themselves, it may be that offspring are not able to compete with their mothers for food. Only by swimming to locations far away from their mothers could Torpedo Kids gain the amount of nutrition necessary to develop into adults.
- Nautilus may have some secondary means of reproduction. Torpedo Kids may not even be "true" offspring, similar to the Drones released by the U-8. They could be comparable to G-Young Bodies, which are birthed in large numbers by G-Adults and are incapable of reproducing themselves. G-Young in Resident Evil 2 Reimagined even function the same as Torpedo Kids - swimming towards prey and bursting, covering them in volatile chemicals (see Virus Analysis: Golgotha).
- Torpedo Kids may be premature and released before they are developed enough to become truly independent in response to threats to the mother.
- Nautilus could be sexual (sea squirts can be either sexual or asexual). Torpedo Kids could function in a manner similar to semen - a Nautilus releases Torpedo Kids, the Kids travel to eggs deposited by another Nautilus, and then burst on impact with the eggs, showering them with fluids that contain Nautilus sperm. Torpedo Kids could also possibly enter the siphon of other Nautiluses, with feralization taking place inside of the body (the gender of the Nautilus is not important, as most sea squirts are hermaphrodites). Both of these reproductive practices are used by different sea squirts. The small number of Nautiluses when compared to the near infinite number of Torpedo Kids could simply mean the egg-to-sperm ratio is skewed in Nautiluses.
Restricted dispersal in sea squirt colonies is thought to contribute to their ability to adapt to the conditions of the local environment. This, in combination with the effects of the t-Virus, may have contributed to Nautilus changing in the wild.
The t-Virus is capable of infecting both plants and animals. While there are viruses that affect plants and viruses that affect animals, a single virus infecting both is unheard of in any virus outside of the Progenitor family. The t-Virus has no issue spreading directly from an animal to a plant, and vice-versa. As it can spread through pollen, the ecological risk is unthinkable in environments rife with vegetation and pollinating insects.
Umbrella originally did not consider plants for use as B.O.W.s, as vegetation inherently lacks all of the traits desirable in a weapon - offensive capabilities, intelligence/controllability, and mobility. However, certain plants became infected with the t-Virus as a result of viral leaks, and surprisingly evolved into organisms capable of killing humans. In particular, Plant 42 displayed incredible combat abilities, and Umbrella was inspired by this plant to begin testing plants as potential bioweapons. Umbrella created several plantae B.O.W.s in the latter half of 1998 and beyond, with at least one type being approved for mass-production.
Plants infected with the t-Virus experienced physical and genetic changes far more dramatic than most, if not all animal-based mutants. This is possibly because the modern strain of the Progenitor Virus used as a base for the t-Virus was more compatible with certain species of plants, like the Stairway to the Sun flower.
When primordial lifeforms began to divide into separate kingdoms, plants evolved in a such a way that they could sustain their lives without moving, relying on photosynthesis and spending as little energy as possible. In a matter of days, the t-Virus can completely overturn this entire evolutionary path. The virus essentially transforms vegetation into pseudo-animals. This is due to both the t-Virus containing animal DNA, and the raw evolutionary potential of the virus. After all, Progenitor caused the first animal traits to appear in organic matter in the first place; it was capable of developing animal traits in non-animals again because it created those traits in the first place.
While mutations in individual plants differed, they generally all possessed most, if not all of the following traits:
When primordial lifeforms began to divide into separate kingdoms, plants evolved in a such a way that they could sustain their lives without moving, relying on photosynthesis and spending as little energy as possible. In a matter of days, the t-Virus can completely overturn this entire evolutionary path. The virus essentially transforms vegetation into pseudo-animals. This is due to both the t-Virus containing animal DNA, and the raw evolutionary potential of the virus. After all, Progenitor caused the first animal traits to appear in organic matter in the first place; it was capable of developing animal traits in non-animals again because it created those traits in the first place.
While mutations in individual plants differed, they generally all possessed most, if not all of the following traits:
- Infected plants, like infected animals, typically grew in size in a very short period of time. Some grew to heights only rivaled by trees that are thousands of years old.
- Plant mutants were capable of moving parts of their bodies. In particular, they often developed prehensile limbs which were evolved from vines or roots. These limbs were often tentacle-like, but they could also take on a leg-like shape. The limbs were filled with yellowish or clear fluids that flowed back and forth like blood. This "blood" was likely based on sap, which is what circulates in normal plant bodies. The pressure of the movement of these fluids, in addition to newly-developed muscles (or rather, a biological equivalent to muscles) facilitated the movement of these limbs.
- New sensory organs developed in infected plants that allowed them to be aware of their surroundings and identify other organisms. This is in spite of the fact that all mutated plants lacked any sort of visible organs that could serve this purpose, like eyes or ears. It is possible that infected plant skin produced light-sensitive proteins, like sea urchins and hydras. They could also have possessed some kind of internal organ capable of detecting vibrations caused by movement, or even the electric fields of living things.
- They developed organs that apparently functioned in the same way an animal's central nervous system would, allowing them to "think" and "feel".
- Like animal hosts, infected plants typically became predatory following infection. The closest precedence for this is found in insectivore plants like the Venus flytrap. These carnivorous plants supplement the lack of nitrogen and phosphorous in the soil of their environments by trapping and feeding on insects (and sometimes other small animals, like rodents). Like insectivore plants, plants infected with the t-Virus still photosynthesized and absorbed water, but flesh and blood took the place of soil-based nutrition. Unlike insectivore plants, which rely on passive traps, the unique abilities possessed by mutant plants allowed them to actively attack and kill animals. Their size allowed them to feed on virtually any animal, including humans.
- They developed digestive enzymes strong enough to destroy flesh and would often weaponize this acid as a projectile attack.
- Infected Plant skin was usually highly resistant to shock and could withstand a great deal of bullet damage. However, their tissue was usually highly flammable, giving them a near-universal weakness to fire.
- They were all highly adaptable, thanks to the natural adaptability of plant life combined with the mutagenic effects of the t-Virus. They could alter form and gain new abilities in response to the introduction of external agents, like medicine ingredients or pesticides.
Due to their size and toughness, plant monsters would completely alter the natural food chain. Insects infected by plants would often live in a sort of "servitude" to infected plants, feverishly defending them due to their source of pollen. This, combined with their tendency to spread the t-Virus far and wide, is the most striking example of the virus being capable of creating a special ecosystem that ordinarily couldn't exist on earth. Outbreak zones rife with vegetation would often more closely resemble an alien planet.
The Dorothy plant, Green Zombies, and Al Lester were all plant-related and created by the t-Virus, but they are not covered here as they were created by a unique strain of the t-Virus. These creatures are instead covered in Virus Analysis: T-JCCC203.
An enormous plant creature was described by George Trevor in some of his notes that were scrapped from the original Resident Evil. This would imply that mutated plants could have existed as early as 1967, before the creation of the first strain of the t-Virus. This would mean that the Progenitor Virus was capable of mutating plants other than the Stairway to the Sun flower.
The Dorothy plant, Green Zombies, and Al Lester were all plant-related and created by the t-Virus, but they are not covered here as they were created by a unique strain of the t-Virus. These creatures are instead covered in Virus Analysis: T-JCCC203.
An enormous plant creature was described by George Trevor in some of his notes that were scrapped from the original Resident Evil. This would imply that mutated plants could have existed as early as 1967, before the creation of the first strain of the t-Virus. This would mean that the Progenitor Virus was capable of mutating plants other than the Stairway to the Sun flower.
Monster Plant - During the Mansion Incident, a foliage plant cultivated in the greenhouse on the first floor of the Arklay Mansion became infected with the t-Virus as a result of the Mansion's water supply being contaminated. The species of this plant prior to infection is completely unknown. It transformed into a hostile creature known as the "Monster Plant".
All segments of the plant were enlarged by the virus. The only visible part of the plant appeared as vine-like tentacles, which were formed from ordinary leaves and stems. These tentacles were seen sprouting amongst regular plants, and so it is impossible to tell whether or not they were attached to a larger body. These tentacles were very lengthy, and highly mobile thanks to water pressure and muscle. According to the BIOHAZARD DEADLY SILENCE OFFICIAL COMPLETE GUIDE, the roots of the Monster Plant were spread throughout the entire building.
The Monster Plant had a sort of "will", and moved as if it had some kind of primitive intelligence. Due to the effects of the virus, it had "savage beast-like aggression". Its tentacles would lay dormant until they sensed movement, at which point they would quickly spring to life and attack any approaching targets by whipping at them. The tentacles could squeeze targets with incredible strange, easily strangling or crushing them. The Monster Plants would absorb the blood left by their prey through its skin, and this in conjunction with the water of the irrigation system sustained it.
Despite the Monster Plants having no real potential for use as a weapon due to its inability to move from its rooted position, it posed a greater environmental risk than most animal-based monsters did. If it had managed to scatter its pollen, the long-term t-Virus contamination would be immeasurable.
The tentacles of the Monster Plant were covered in a hardened, thick epidermis which nullified shock, making them highly resistant to damage. Even gunfire could not harm them. Unlike other plant mutants however, the Monster Plant retained a weakness to ordinary herbicides. A member of S.T.A.R.S. used weed killer on the irrigation system for the greenhouse, which entered the Monster Plant through its permeable skin and quickly destroyed it.
All segments of the plant were enlarged by the virus. The only visible part of the plant appeared as vine-like tentacles, which were formed from ordinary leaves and stems. These tentacles were seen sprouting amongst regular plants, and so it is impossible to tell whether or not they were attached to a larger body. These tentacles were very lengthy, and highly mobile thanks to water pressure and muscle. According to the BIOHAZARD DEADLY SILENCE OFFICIAL COMPLETE GUIDE, the roots of the Monster Plant were spread throughout the entire building.
The Monster Plant had a sort of "will", and moved as if it had some kind of primitive intelligence. Due to the effects of the virus, it had "savage beast-like aggression". Its tentacles would lay dormant until they sensed movement, at which point they would quickly spring to life and attack any approaching targets by whipping at them. The tentacles could squeeze targets with incredible strange, easily strangling or crushing them. The Monster Plants would absorb the blood left by their prey through its skin, and this in conjunction with the water of the irrigation system sustained it.
Despite the Monster Plants having no real potential for use as a weapon due to its inability to move from its rooted position, it posed a greater environmental risk than most animal-based monsters did. If it had managed to scatter its pollen, the long-term t-Virus contamination would be immeasurable.
The tentacles of the Monster Plant were covered in a hardened, thick epidermis which nullified shock, making them highly resistant to damage. Even gunfire could not harm them. Unlike other plant mutants however, the Monster Plant retained a weakness to ordinary herbicides. A member of S.T.A.R.S. used weed killer on the irrigation system for the greenhouse, which entered the Monster Plant through its permeable skin and quickly destroyed it.
Other Monster Plant-like creatures appeared on other occasions in other locations. Many of these creatures were created from entirely different strains of the virus. The form all of these plants took (vine-like tentacles), in addition to more unique plant creatures having Monster Plant-like limbs, could imply that this is a common mutation tendency in t-Series vegetation. In fact, every t-Virus-infected plant in the Resident Evil series that does not have the same form as the Monster Plant were created under to extenuating circumstances, further supporting the universality of this mutation.
An example of a Monster Plant-like creature would be the "ivy" (not to be confused with the Ivy B.O.W.s covered below) that appeared in the Terrarium in the Zoo in Raccoon City and in Raccoon Forest. These mutants are covered in Virus Analysis: T-JCCC203.
An example of a Monster Plant-like creature would be the "ivy" (not to be confused with the Ivy B.O.W.s covered below) that appeared in the Terrarium in the Zoo in Raccoon City and in Raccoon Forest. These mutants are covered in Virus Analysis: T-JCCC203.
Plant 42 - A foliage plant in Observation Point 42 at the dormitory of the Arklay mansion became infected as a result of the t-Virus leak. The virus had "a powerful influence on this type of plant", transforming it into a creature distinct from the Monster Plant. It extended its roots into the lower levels of the facility and came into contact with the Aqua Ring. The Ring had previously been flooded by a mad researcher, and the plant soaked its roots in this water for sustenance. Certain chemicals used as medicine ingredients contaminated the water as a result of it flooding the laboratory, which were subsequently absorbed by the plant. The chemicals led to the plant's growth being even more dramatic. This monster was observed by the surviving researchers, in particular Henry Sarton, who researched its combat abilities, behavior, and ecology. Sarton named it "Plant 42", in reference to its location. In the original Resident Evil, Plant 42 was instead intentionally injected with the t-Virus by Sarton, who did so merely out of curiosity, possibly inspired by the recently-formed Monster Plant in the greenhouse. Plant 42 killed multiple researchers, and after it grew to a point of being impossible to observe safely, the staff abandoned it, allowing it to grow unchecked. It was eventually destroyed by S.T.A.R.S.
Plant 42 developed many predatory and animal traits, even more so than the Monster Plant. It "abandoned" the natural evolution of plants in order to evolve in a way that allowed it to hunt for victims to support itself and to prosper. Its mutations have been said to be the equivalent of hundreds of billions of years of evolution, sped up to only several days. It possessed intelligence "in its own way", but to what extent is unknown. Sarton himself deduced that its "thoughts" must have been incomprehensible to humans. It practiced self-defense and ambush techniques, and could adapt its behavior mid-battle.
It had two main sources of nutrition - water and blood. It did not seem to require sunlight, as it had no natural source of it, and it is unknown if it fed from soil. Its main body was a giant bulb or trunk suspended from a duct on the ceiling of Observation Point 42, which took up most of two floors. Its roots were in a room in the Aqua Ring below, and its tentacle-like vines extended in all directions throughout the whole dormitory through cracks and ventilation shafts. Not only did it grow unimaginably huge, but its growth continued "without limit". Over time, Plant 42 would have grown even larger. It was the largest and deadliest creature in the area, with the entire building functioning like its plant pot and with all its other inhabitants existing to serve as Plant 42's nutrients. It was called at one point the "King/Boss of the Dormitory", with an ecology that "exceeded common sense". This is in spite of the fact that plants are ordinarily on the bottom of the food chain - Plant 42 managed to overcome spiders, sharks, and even humans to some extent on the evolutionary scale. Other creatures depended on Plant 42, like Wasps, and formed a symbiotic relationship with it. The Wasps formed a hive close to the Plant's main body in order to gain easy access to its nectar. Anyone who approached the plant had to first pass by the hive, where they would be attacked by Wasps, forming a first line of defense for the plant. It became the center of its own special ecosystem, one which could not ordinarily exist on earth. It could spread the t-Virus using its pollen, like the Monster Plant, but to a much larger degree due to its size and the insects attending to it.
It had two main sources of nutrition - water and blood. It did not seem to require sunlight, as it had no natural source of it, and it is unknown if it fed from soil. Its main body was a giant bulb or trunk suspended from a duct on the ceiling of Observation Point 42, which took up most of two floors. Its roots were in a room in the Aqua Ring below, and its tentacle-like vines extended in all directions throughout the whole dormitory through cracks and ventilation shafts. Not only did it grow unimaginably huge, but its growth continued "without limit". Over time, Plant 42 would have grown even larger. It was the largest and deadliest creature in the area, with the entire building functioning like its plant pot and with all its other inhabitants existing to serve as Plant 42's nutrients. It was called at one point the "King/Boss of the Dormitory", with an ecology that "exceeded common sense". This is in spite of the fact that plants are ordinarily on the bottom of the food chain - Plant 42 managed to overcome spiders, sharks, and even humans to some extent on the evolutionary scale. Other creatures depended on Plant 42, like Wasps, and formed a symbiotic relationship with it. The Wasps formed a hive close to the Plant's main body in order to gain easy access to its nectar. Anyone who approached the plant had to first pass by the hive, where they would be attacked by Wasps, forming a first line of defense for the plant. It became the center of its own special ecosystem, one which could not ordinarily exist on earth. It could spread the t-Virus using its pollen, like the Monster Plant, but to a much larger degree due to its size and the insects attending to it.
While the main body of Plant 42 was immobile, it used its long, secondary tentacles to seek out and attack animals from great distances away. These tentacles had the same function and appearance as those used by the Monster Plant, but were much longer. When attacking humans, they would launch themselves from hiding places and wrap themselves around the necks of their targets, strangling them. Plant 42 had primary tentacles either growing from the bottom of the bulb of its main body (original Resident Evil), or simply surrounding it (Resident Evil remake). These main tentacles were even stronger, and they could constrict and overpower adult humans or effortlessly lift them into the air and throw them. They moved independently like individual animals, with tissue resembling that of muscles. It developed suction organs ("aspirators") on the backs of its primary and possibly secondary tentacles, which could drain blood from living prey. After wrapping its tentacles around prey and immobilizing them like a squid, it would quickly drain them of blood over time (sometimes in as little as five seconds). This was how Plant 42 fed on humans and other animals, and it is possible that the Monster Plant and other t-plants developed similar aspirators. Its roots were also mobile, but did not seem to attack prey, with their attention devoted to absorbing water instead.
The main tentacles of Plant 42 were distinctive in that they possessed ivy-like tips at their ends that had a variety of functions:
Plant 42 would "sleep" in the absence of prey, likely to conserve the energy needed to sustain its massive body. When sleeping, it was intelligent enough to twist its tentacles around the door to Observation Point 42, to ensure it was safe. When feeding on captured prey, it also blocked off the door in order to prevent its prey from escaping, and to ensure its feeding was not interrupted. This is one of the clearest demonstrations of Plant 42's intelligence.
The main tentacles of Plant 42 were distinctive in that they possessed ivy-like tips at their ends that had a variety of functions:
- They were sometimes surrounded by spikes or thorns, making them effective clubbing weapons and whips.
- They had feelers with an advanced perception abilities, which is how Plant 42 would "see" and track prey.
- Other primary tentacles had nozzle-like openings which produced acidic sap. These were primarily used in a defensive role, and they sprayed large quantities of sap whenever Plant 42 sensed danger. It could accurately direct this acid at anyone who threatened the main body. This acid created fumes in open air as well, and when these fumes were inhaled they could cause a coughing fit in humans.
Plant 42 would "sleep" in the absence of prey, likely to conserve the energy needed to sustain its massive body. When sleeping, it was intelligent enough to twist its tentacles around the door to Observation Point 42, to ensure it was safe. When feeding on captured prey, it also blocked off the door in order to prevent its prey from escaping, and to ensure its feeding was not interrupted. This is one of the clearest demonstrations of Plant 42's intelligence.
The tissue of Plant 42 was essentially immune to gunfire, but it had a number of weaknesses. Its main body housed a massive stamen for producing pollen that, while tougher than normal animal/plant tissue, was more vulnerable than the rest of its body. Destroying the stamen would be fatal for the plant. The stamen was protected by tentacles that surrounded it in the original Resident Evil, which exposed the organ when they moved to attack prey. In the Resident Evil remake, the stamen was instead surrounded by tough petals, making it a flower. In this depiction it was forced to open the petals periodically, causing the stamen to hang below the main trunk. It is likely that when the stamen was hidden inside of the main body, Plant 42 was actually using newly-formed muscles to suck the organ into its body to protect it from intruders; it would be forced to release the organ periodically due to this motion requiring continuous effort. This could be compared to a human temporarily sucking in his or her belly. Plant 42 actively sought to defend its stamen, and it became extremely aggressive when it was exposed.
Cutting off Plant 42's supply of water would also debilitate the plant, which could be accomplished by destroying its roots. While these roots were generally strong, they were weak to interphyletic weed killer, and in particular to the agent known as "V-JOLT", which targeted aspects common to all plant cells infected with the t-Virus. Henry Sarton believed that by applying V-JOLT to its roots, Plant 42 could be killed in as little as five seconds. S.T.A.R.S. used this chemical to destroy Plant 42's roots, causing its main body to shrivel up. However, Plant 42's amazing vitality combined with the regenerative effects of the t-Virus allowed it to recover mere seconds later, although its overall vitality was sharply decreased to the point that it was much easier to kill in a more "traditional" way. In this state Plant 42 would attempt to replace any lost nutrients using human blood.
Like other plant-based creatures, Plant 42 was also vulnerable to fire, with a flamethrower or flame grenade cartridges being the most effective tools to use against it. It seemed to react to pain, with damage inflicted against its stamen or roots causing it to writhe.
Cutting off Plant 42's supply of water would also debilitate the plant, which could be accomplished by destroying its roots. While these roots were generally strong, they were weak to interphyletic weed killer, and in particular to the agent known as "V-JOLT", which targeted aspects common to all plant cells infected with the t-Virus. Henry Sarton believed that by applying V-JOLT to its roots, Plant 42 could be killed in as little as five seconds. S.T.A.R.S. used this chemical to destroy Plant 42's roots, causing its main body to shrivel up. However, Plant 42's amazing vitality combined with the regenerative effects of the t-Virus allowed it to recover mere seconds later, although its overall vitality was sharply decreased to the point that it was much easier to kill in a more "traditional" way. In this state Plant 42 would attempt to replace any lost nutrients using human blood.
Like other plant-based creatures, Plant 42 was also vulnerable to fire, with a flamethrower or flame grenade cartridges being the most effective tools to use against it. It seemed to react to pain, with damage inflicted against its stamen or roots causing it to writhe.
The species of foliage plant that became Plant 42 was said to be especially susceptible to the t-Virus. While it was impossible to imagine what the original species was due to the dramatic evolution of Plant 42, it may have been an insectivore species. Carnivorous plants are closer to animals than other plants, and skirt the line between the two kinds of life. They already possess the ability to trap and digest prey. A plant that naturally possessed these abilities would already be genetically predisposed to become an advanced predator following the introduction of the t-Virus. This is in contrast to Monster Plants, the mutations of which would have to "start from scratch", so to speak. Plant 42 could have been based on a green pitcher plant, which like Plant 42 is a hanging flower that develops digestive fluids.
Plant 42's superiority was also owing to the chemicals it absorbed that influenced its mutation. Its mutations could have also been influenced by the researchers, or even by the amount of plants in the area, which Plant 42 may have absorbed during development.
Plant 42's superiority was also owing to the chemicals it absorbed that influenced its mutation. Its mutations could have also been influenced by the researchers, or even by the amount of plants in the area, which Plant 42 may have absorbed during development.
Ivy - Umbrella took interest in Plant 42 after reviewing the observations made on it by researchers such as Henry Sarton. However, Plant 42's level of intelligence, the extent of its combat abilities, and the method it used to detect prey were unconfirmed, and so its prospects as a base for a B.O.W. were uncertain. As a result, Umbrella began performing plant experiments using the data they did recover in other locations, in order to determine if plants could indeed be used as B.O.W.s.
In the latter half of 1998, Umbrella reproduced Plant 42 in a laboratory setting, using a clone of the plant or offspring recovered from it. These new plants were selectively bred and modified on the genetic level in order to make them practical as weapons. They were miniaturized and given the ability to move their bodies independently. The new, finished B.O.W. was named "Plant 43". It was better known by its nickname, "Ivy". Ivies could be considered a subspecies of Plant 42.
Ivies were developed at the Underground Laboratory at Raccoon City, as well as at the laboratory within the Tyrant Plant on Sheena Island. They escaped captivity and hunted humans during the outbreaks in both locations. Ivies were later mass-produced at the Caucasus Facility in 2003. It is unknown if they were ever sold on the black market, and if there were any incidents involving Ivies after 2003.
In the latter half of 1998, Umbrella reproduced Plant 42 in a laboratory setting, using a clone of the plant or offspring recovered from it. These new plants were selectively bred and modified on the genetic level in order to make them practical as weapons. They were miniaturized and given the ability to move their bodies independently. The new, finished B.O.W. was named "Plant 43". It was better known by its nickname, "Ivy". Ivies could be considered a subspecies of Plant 42.
Ivies were developed at the Underground Laboratory at Raccoon City, as well as at the laboratory within the Tyrant Plant on Sheena Island. They escaped captivity and hunted humans during the outbreaks in both locations. Ivies were later mass-produced at the Caucasus Facility in 2003. It is unknown if they were ever sold on the black market, and if there were any incidents involving Ivies after 2003.
Ivies were "self-sustaining mobile plants". Like Plant 42, Ivies did not need sunlight to survive, and they did not need to be rooted in soil. Their diets primarily consisted of blood and water, and they inherited blood-sucking capabilities from Plant 42. They were highly aggressive, and attacked humans in an effort to drain them of blood. Like other infected plants, their tough tissue and unique biology made them extremely resistant to gunfire, but they were extremely vulnerable to fire damage.
Due to Umbrella's experiments, Ivies had a vaguely humanoid shape. They had a "head" dominated by a mouth-like opening, two "arms", and two "legs". Their form has been described as being a caricature of the human body, an "aberration that foreshadows the end of the proud human race" (BIOHAZARD 3 LAST ESCAPE Official Guidebook - Fulfillment of Her Escape).
Ivy arms were tentacles tipped with ivy-like buds, hence their nickname. These buds were leftovers from those found on the ends of Plant 42's primary tentacles. These arms had smaller, whip-like tentacles that grew alongside them. When Ivies swung their arms at prey, the smaller tentacles all struck their targets concurrently. Ivies used their arms like whips to not only strike nearby animals, but to capture and entangle them for the purpose of feeding. Their arms were difficult to avoid due to their length.
Ivy legs were rigid limbs that bent at a single point, much like human legs. They moved these limbs in the same way that other t-Virus-infected plants moved their tentacles - using the movements of body fluids stored within them. This amazingly allowed Ivies to walk and transport themselves across large distances in search of potential prey. Yet because of their irregular means of locomotion, their movements were extremely limited and slow. Their "feet" had root-like extensions growing to their sides, resembling strange toes.
Ivy mouths were actually buds that consisted of three flaps, which peeled back like a blooming flower when opened. Ivies used this opening to spew an acidic liquid (sometimes called a "mucus") at prey, as if it were spitting. This mucus was comprised of a digestive enzyme solution, with a function similar to the acidic sap used by Plant 42. They fired this acid at targets that were out-of-reach of their arms, which would then weaken or kill potential prey, and disintegrate them to make them easier to feed on. Ivies would also use their mouths to rip off the heads of weakened humans, likely in order to suck blood from the open neck. They may have also used organs along their tentacles to suck blood like Plant 42 did.
Ivies were actually capable of reproduction. Each Ivy contained a stamen (male organ) and pistil (female organ), making them hermaphrodites like many other plants. These were stored either in their "mouths", or in the buds at the ends of their arms. It is unknown if Ivies self-pollinated (one individual pollenates itself), or if they relied on cross-pollination (one Ivy pollenates another). A pollenated Ivy would produce seeds - embryonic plants - that would develop into new Ivies.
Ivies had a weak-point in the center of their mouths, where gunfire was much more damaging than to the rest of their bodies. If the stamen was located here, it is likely it was what served as the weak-point, much like the one on Plant 42 did.
Ivies, like Plant 42, developed intelligence, but to what extent is unknown. While it is possible that they were intelligent enough to be trained to some extent, it is unlikely they ever were. Even if they possessed enough cognitive functions to make this a viable possibility, their intelligence was probably too different from that of an animal for Umbrella to understand and manipulate it. When prey was absent, they would sometimes lie motionless on the ground, possibly "sleeping" to conserve energy just as Plant 42 did. When harmed they would make shrieking sounds, implying that they both felt pain and developed some kind of vocalization mechanism. The sensory abilities of Ivies are unknown, but they likely used the same "feelers" that Plant 42 did.
Umbrella originally reached a bottleneck during the development of the Ivy B.O.W. - a moving plant would not be rooted in an area with a constant source of water, and blood alone would not be enough to sustain them. This issue was solved during development when Umbrella researchers managed to raise the absorptivity of Ivy skin, allowing them to replenish their supply of water by ingesting water vapors in the air. Because of this, Ivy usefulness in dry environments was probably limited. The permeability of Ivy skin also made them especially vulnerable to airborne contaminants such as pesticides and other atmospheric elements. However, due to t-Virus-infected plants having the ability to instantly adapt to harsh environmental changes, they could actually absorb and adapt to many kinds of toxins, becoming stronger in the process.
In the Raccoon City Underground Lab, in the midst of the Raccoon City Destruction Incident, an anti-B.O.W. gas known as "P-ε" was released in order to weaken the many t-Series B.O.W.s roaming the facilty. While other creatures such as Lickers were harmed by the gas, the Ivies' environmental adaptability exceeded the effects of P-ε. Ivies that were exposed to the gas would break it down and absorb it as "nourishment", integrating elements from it into their own bodies and using them to rapidly evolve into a new subspecies. This new mutant type was called "Poison Ivy". Poison Ivies were later encountered at Sheena Island, either due to them being recreated as a potential B.O.W. or due to P-ε being used to weaken escaped B.O.W.s in this area as well.
Poison Ivies were visually distinguishable due to a change in their coloration - while normal Ivies were primarily green with yellow tissue inside of their mouths and on the buds on their hands, Poison Ivy were primarily red, with their other tissue being purple. Their only known new ability was that they could create a poisonous gas, hence their name. Instead of "spitting" acid at prey, Poison Ivies would exhale gas from their mouths. This gas was harder to avoid than the acid attack and covered a somewhat wider area. This gas contained toxins extracted from the Ivy's body that were poisonous to humans. Inhaling even a small amount of gas could be lethal if it wasn't immediately treated. Whether or not this gas is the same as P-Epsilon is unknown, but since P-ε was designed to suppress cellular activity in B.O.W.s, not humans, Ivies would have only incorporated some of its elements and weaponized them with its own internal toxins. Some natural creatures such as frogs will eat poisonous insects in order to become poisonous themselves. Poison Ivy gas has also been called "poison digestive juices" - this could imply the gas was actually vapor formed from evaporated digestion fluid.
Poison Ivies may have inspired Umbrella to create "Poisonous Zombies" (covered in part 1 of this Analysis)
In the Raccoon City Underground Lab, in the midst of the Raccoon City Destruction Incident, an anti-B.O.W. gas known as "P-ε" was released in order to weaken the many t-Series B.O.W.s roaming the facilty. While other creatures such as Lickers were harmed by the gas, the Ivies' environmental adaptability exceeded the effects of P-ε. Ivies that were exposed to the gas would break it down and absorb it as "nourishment", integrating elements from it into their own bodies and using them to rapidly evolve into a new subspecies. This new mutant type was called "Poison Ivy". Poison Ivies were later encountered at Sheena Island, either due to them being recreated as a potential B.O.W. or due to P-ε being used to weaken escaped B.O.W.s in this area as well.
Poison Ivies were visually distinguishable due to a change in their coloration - while normal Ivies were primarily green with yellow tissue inside of their mouths and on the buds on their hands, Poison Ivy were primarily red, with their other tissue being purple. Their only known new ability was that they could create a poisonous gas, hence their name. Instead of "spitting" acid at prey, Poison Ivies would exhale gas from their mouths. This gas was harder to avoid than the acid attack and covered a somewhat wider area. This gas contained toxins extracted from the Ivy's body that were poisonous to humans. Inhaling even a small amount of gas could be lethal if it wasn't immediately treated. Whether or not this gas is the same as P-Epsilon is unknown, but since P-ε was designed to suppress cellular activity in B.O.W.s, not humans, Ivies would have only incorporated some of its elements and weaponized them with its own internal toxins. Some natural creatures such as frogs will eat poisonous insects in order to become poisonous themselves. Poison Ivy gas has also been called "poison digestive juices" - this could imply the gas was actually vapor formed from evaporated digestion fluid.
Poison Ivies may have inspired Umbrella to create "Poisonous Zombies" (covered in part 1 of this Analysis)
While the Ivies' slow movement, weakness to fire, and potential limitations in regard to control left much to be desired in a weapon, their resilience to damage, reproductive abilities and likely low maintenance led to their mass production anyway. Multiple proposals were submitted to improve the Ivy design and remove faults, which Umbrella eventually approved. Their weakness to fire could not be removed, and the researchers attempting to improve the Ivy gave up in this regard. They instead focused on the mobility issue.
Umbrella researchers did manage to increase their movement speed by incorporating human DNA into the Ivy genome. An enhanced species of Ivy was created this way, called "Ivy +YX". The "Y" and "X" may have been in reference to human chromosomes being included during Ivy gene culture. Several prototype Ivy +YX were created, but as they could only operate effectively in warm environments, further research was shelved. Some of the prototypes were sold to Javier Hidalgo in South America, who used them as a substitute for guard dogs at his mansion. They were fought by Leon S. Kennedy and Jack Krauser during the events of Operation: Javier in 2002.
Ivy +YX had the same general anatomy as other Ivies, but with enough physical differences to make them stand out as unique. While they were based on normal Ivies, their reliance on warm climates and unique appearance may imply that they were bred or combined with plants native to such an environment. If Plant 42 and Ivy were based on green pitcher plants, then Ivy +YX may have incorporated elements of lowland pitcher plants belonging to the genus Heliamphora, which are native to South America.
Ivy +YX had thin, elongated mouth-parts, with reddish inner tissue. They had around five teeth at the end of each "petal" (likely a result of human DNA), possibly used to grip prey as they sucked their blood. Most noticeably, Ivy +YX developed a human-like lower half, which allowed them to move somewhat faster. Their flesh-covered legs likely moved in the same way human legs would, using true muscle instead of the movement of liquids. The red parts of Ivy +YX could have also been comprised of human muscle tissue.
Aside from improvements to mobility, Ivy +YX also had enhanced durability and offensive strength as a result of human genes. They otherwise practiced the same behavior and used the same forms of attack as other Ivies.
Umbrella researchers did manage to increase their movement speed by incorporating human DNA into the Ivy genome. An enhanced species of Ivy was created this way, called "Ivy +YX". The "Y" and "X" may have been in reference to human chromosomes being included during Ivy gene culture. Several prototype Ivy +YX were created, but as they could only operate effectively in warm environments, further research was shelved. Some of the prototypes were sold to Javier Hidalgo in South America, who used them as a substitute for guard dogs at his mansion. They were fought by Leon S. Kennedy and Jack Krauser during the events of Operation: Javier in 2002.
Ivy +YX had the same general anatomy as other Ivies, but with enough physical differences to make them stand out as unique. While they were based on normal Ivies, their reliance on warm climates and unique appearance may imply that they were bred or combined with plants native to such an environment. If Plant 42 and Ivy were based on green pitcher plants, then Ivy +YX may have incorporated elements of lowland pitcher plants belonging to the genus Heliamphora, which are native to South America.
Ivy +YX had thin, elongated mouth-parts, with reddish inner tissue. They had around five teeth at the end of each "petal" (likely a result of human DNA), possibly used to grip prey as they sucked their blood. Most noticeably, Ivy +YX developed a human-like lower half, which allowed them to move somewhat faster. Their flesh-covered legs likely moved in the same way human legs would, using true muscle instead of the movement of liquids. The red parts of Ivy +YX could have also been comprised of human muscle tissue.
Aside from improvements to mobility, Ivy +YX also had enhanced durability and offensive strength as a result of human genes. They otherwise practiced the same behavior and used the same forms of attack as other Ivies.
Giant Plant - In the Raccoon City Underground Laboratory, the B7F chemical disposal room was used to dispose of various waste chemicals which were processed by the researchers. Due to supposed flaws in this room, waste chemicals ended up contaminating a nearby plant. This plant was either a test subject or an Ivy that escaped as a result of the outbreak and was hunting survivors in this room. It is unknown if the chemicals contained the t-Virus, or if the plant was already infected. These chemicals lead to it transforming into an enormous, distinct creature. This is comparable to Plant 42, which developed differently due to the chemicals in the Aqua Ring. These chemicals were likely related to the ones used on the Giant Moths also developed in this facility, with their primary effect on t-Virus-hosts being that of exponential growth.
The "Giant Plant" (tentative) grew throughout certain areas of the facility. After entering the ventilation systems, it established its immobile, main body in the "duct" area that connected various floors of the facility. It had the appearance of a vine or tree and was comprised of a stalk or trunk covered in vine-like tentacles. The stalk was long enough that it encompassed at least four floors, and was incredibly thick: so much so that it appeared to be even larger than Plant 42. Most of its tentacles were immobile and would only move when the plant was harmed. A group of survivors used V-JOLT on the base of the plant's body, causing stationary tentacles to retract. Other tentacles constantly thrashed back and forth, but the ones on its main body were either not long enough to reach human prey or had no interest in doing so.
In Sleeping Quarters B, the walls were covered in vines, which were likely a part of the Giant Plant, the main body of which was next door. Some tentacles began to grow through the vents in Quarters B, and emerged from the other side into Sleeping Quarters A. These tentacles, unlike the others, were hostile towards humans. It may be that they were more active than the others due to them being in the process of invading a new area. The tentacles were nearly immune to shock but were vulnerable to fire. A researcher attempted to soak these tentacles in fuel and ignite them but died before he was able to do so. A survivor later completed his task and destroyed the tentacles in Quarters A with flame.
The Giant Plant had multiple strange opening on its main body, filled with circular growths that resembled tumors. This opening was vaginal-like and may have actually served a "birthing" role. In The Darkside Chronicles, Leon S. Kennedy suggested that the Giant Plant may have been the "leader" of the Ivy B.O.W.s. It may be that this plant was actually mother to the smaller Ivys. Ivys were developed in a lab, and are capable of reproduction on their own, so the reason for them having a "mother" plant would be a mystery. It may be that the Giant Plant was a regular Ivy that grew enormous in response to chemicals, with its reproductive functions taking over its combat ones. It is also possible that the Giant Plant was actually bred by Umbrella for the purpose of "mass producing" Ivys, and it simply grew out of control in response to the chemical leak. This plant having a "womb" of some sort could be due to animal DNA in the t-Virus. It is also possible that the openings were only tears, with the tumor-like growths inside of these openings bursting through the plant's skin to form them. When the Giant Plant was poisoned by V-JOLT, a nearby opening spewed large amounts of water. Other fleshy extensions were also seen on its body.
The dietary requirements of the Giant Plant were unknown, although it almost certainly did not need sunlight. It may have managed to get its roots into a nearby water supply, or even into a natural, underground source of water adjacent to the facility. It is unknown if the Giant Plant had any intelligence, and a lack in cognitive functions could explain why it was primarily passive towards humans.
The "Giant Plant" (tentative) grew throughout certain areas of the facility. After entering the ventilation systems, it established its immobile, main body in the "duct" area that connected various floors of the facility. It had the appearance of a vine or tree and was comprised of a stalk or trunk covered in vine-like tentacles. The stalk was long enough that it encompassed at least four floors, and was incredibly thick: so much so that it appeared to be even larger than Plant 42. Most of its tentacles were immobile and would only move when the plant was harmed. A group of survivors used V-JOLT on the base of the plant's body, causing stationary tentacles to retract. Other tentacles constantly thrashed back and forth, but the ones on its main body were either not long enough to reach human prey or had no interest in doing so.
In Sleeping Quarters B, the walls were covered in vines, which were likely a part of the Giant Plant, the main body of which was next door. Some tentacles began to grow through the vents in Quarters B, and emerged from the other side into Sleeping Quarters A. These tentacles, unlike the others, were hostile towards humans. It may be that they were more active than the others due to them being in the process of invading a new area. The tentacles were nearly immune to shock but were vulnerable to fire. A researcher attempted to soak these tentacles in fuel and ignite them but died before he was able to do so. A survivor later completed his task and destroyed the tentacles in Quarters A with flame.
The Giant Plant had multiple strange opening on its main body, filled with circular growths that resembled tumors. This opening was vaginal-like and may have actually served a "birthing" role. In The Darkside Chronicles, Leon S. Kennedy suggested that the Giant Plant may have been the "leader" of the Ivy B.O.W.s. It may be that this plant was actually mother to the smaller Ivys. Ivys were developed in a lab, and are capable of reproduction on their own, so the reason for them having a "mother" plant would be a mystery. It may be that the Giant Plant was a regular Ivy that grew enormous in response to chemicals, with its reproductive functions taking over its combat ones. It is also possible that the Giant Plant was actually bred by Umbrella for the purpose of "mass producing" Ivys, and it simply grew out of control in response to the chemical leak. This plant having a "womb" of some sort could be due to animal DNA in the t-Virus. It is also possible that the openings were only tears, with the tumor-like growths inside of these openings bursting through the plant's skin to form them. When the Giant Plant was poisoned by V-JOLT, a nearby opening spewed large amounts of water. Other fleshy extensions were also seen on its body.
The dietary requirements of the Giant Plant were unknown, although it almost certainly did not need sunlight. It may have managed to get its roots into a nearby water supply, or even into a natural, underground source of water adjacent to the facility. It is unknown if the Giant Plant had any intelligence, and a lack in cognitive functions could explain why it was primarily passive towards humans.
Reimagined Ivy - In the 2019 reimagining of Resident Evil 2, the nature and origin of both the Ivy creatures and the Giant Plant were entirely altered. In this version of the story, "Plant 43" and "Ivy" were two separate creatures, with the Giant Plant becoming Plant 43 instead.
Using the data recovered from the Arklay Mansion on Plant 42, the researchers of the NEST facility created a similar plant creature with the t-Virus called Plant 43. This monster was stored in a massive greenhouse in the eastern section of NEST, underneath Raccoon City.
Unlike Plant 43/Ivy from the original Resident Evil 2, this plant was neither miniaturized nor mobile, with a gigantic, rooted body similar to Plant 42 or the Giant Plant. It is possible that the original Resident Evil 2 Ivies were actually a mini version of this plant, with Plant 43 essentially being the midway point between 42 and Ivy. This is supported by material stating that the original version of the Ivies was developed by recreating Plant 42 and using selective breeding to miniaturize it over time.
Plant 43 had large tentacles tipped with ivy-like buds which it used to kill and feed on human prey, like those used by Plant 42. Its main body was either impossible to discern, or just never seen. Its growth was astounding, and had to constantly be maintained by researchers.
During the invasion of NEST by the USS and the subsequent outbreak, the researchers in the eastern section of the facility were cut off and trapped. Amidst the chaos, maintenance on Plant 43 was neglected, and it grew until its vines invaded the entire area, similar to Plant 42. Some of its body invaded the "duct" area, like the Giant Plant. The researchers became prey to the plant, and were used to fuel its growth. Eventually, Plant 43 went dormant again, perhaps due to being well fed and to conserve energy, much like how Plant 42 would "sleep". It was eventually destroyed or weakened by P-ε gas.
Unlike Plant 43/Ivy from the original Resident Evil 2, this plant was neither miniaturized nor mobile, with a gigantic, rooted body similar to Plant 42 or the Giant Plant. It is possible that the original Resident Evil 2 Ivies were actually a mini version of this plant, with Plant 43 essentially being the midway point between 42 and Ivy. This is supported by material stating that the original version of the Ivies was developed by recreating Plant 42 and using selective breeding to miniaturize it over time.
Plant 43 had large tentacles tipped with ivy-like buds which it used to kill and feed on human prey, like those used by Plant 42. Its main body was either impossible to discern, or just never seen. Its growth was astounding, and had to constantly be maintained by researchers.
During the invasion of NEST by the USS and the subsequent outbreak, the researchers in the eastern section of the facility were cut off and trapped. Amidst the chaos, maintenance on Plant 43 was neglected, and it grew until its vines invaded the entire area, similar to Plant 42. Some of its body invaded the "duct" area, like the Giant Plant. The researchers became prey to the plant, and were used to fuel its growth. Eventually, Plant 43 went dormant again, perhaps due to being well fed and to conserve energy, much like how Plant 42 would "sleep". It was eventually destroyed or weakened by P-ε gas.
Plant 43 had the unique ability to transform human corpses into monsters, each of which were called "Ivy" or "Ivy Zombie". Ivy Zombies were the end result of humans captured by Plant 43. While "Ivy Zombie" is a name that only exists in localization, it is used here to differentiate it from the Ivy from the original Resident Evil 2.
Ivy Zombies were created when Plant 43 implanted its "seeds" into corpses, likely after it drained said corpses of blood and other nutrients. The corpse would then be reanimated and altered to act as a vehicle for the seeds it carried, for the purpose of disseminating the seeds in environments suitable for the development of new Plant 43s. These mobile corpses, now Ivy Zombies, were essentially "mobile fruit", which existed only as a means for Plant 43 to reproduce. They could also be considered a warped version of animals that feed on fruit and deposit ingested seeds in new areas via defecation. While only one Plant 43 was present, this is likely owing to NEST lacking any other areas with soil and water to facilitate the growth of seeds. If any Ivy Zombies ever managed to reach the surface, the ecological impact they could potentially have would be severe.
Ivy Zombies were hostile towards humans, either to sustain their reanimation, feed the "seeds", or to protect their cargo. Plant 43 may have also used Ivy Zombies to protect itself while it was dormant, like a colony of insects protecting a queen.
While the t-Birkin strain of the virus was incapable of infecting corpses, the bodies that became Ivy Zombies may have been infected by Plant 43 before they died. They could potentially be considered a type of Zombie, and their low intelligence and slow movements could support this. Their bodies were desiccated-looking, probably as a result of them being drained by Plant 43. Their skin was split open and pale white. Their faces were skull-like, with their eyeballs missing and their eye sockets devoid of any tissue. They also lacked noses or ears, and it is unknown what perception abilities they had. Their movements were stiff and awkward.
While the t-Birkin strain of the virus was incapable of infecting corpses, the bodies that became Ivy Zombies may have been infected by Plant 43 before they died. They could potentially be considered a type of Zombie, and their low intelligence and slow movements could support this. Their bodies were desiccated-looking, probably as a result of them being drained by Plant 43. Their skin was split open and pale white. Their faces were skull-like, with their eyeballs missing and their eye sockets devoid of any tissue. They also lacked noses or ears, and it is unknown what perception abilities they had. Their movements were stiff and awkward.
The flesh of Ivy Zombies was heavily mutated, likely due to the t-Virus transmitted to their bodies by the seeds or Plant 43. This strain of the t-Virus possibly used plant DNA to turn Ivy Zombies into genetic chimeras. This would make Ivy Zombies a reversal of what the Ivy +YX was - humans with plant DNA, instead of plants with human DNA.
Ivy Zombie bodies were covered in vine-like tentacles. While these tentacles could move to some extent, they lacked any attack capabilities. They seemed to be missing their original jaws as well as their upper teeth. Instead, their mouths were vertical-shaped, and lined on the left and right by sharp teeth. When attacking human prey, Ivy Zombies would split their heads open down the middle, expanding their teeth-lined mouths to the tops of their heads. An open Ivy Zombie head resembled the mouth of a Venus flytrap, and like a flytrap could quickly slam shut over prey. Ivy Zombie "jaw" muscles were strong enough to crush an adult human's head in an instant, with their bites always being deadly. It is unknown if biting was strictly a means of attack, or if Ivy Zombies could feed and sustain themselves this way.
Ivy Zombie bodies were covered in vine-like tentacles. While these tentacles could move to some extent, they lacked any attack capabilities. They seemed to be missing their original jaws as well as their upper teeth. Instead, their mouths were vertical-shaped, and lined on the left and right by sharp teeth. When attacking human prey, Ivy Zombies would split their heads open down the middle, expanding their teeth-lined mouths to the tops of their heads. An open Ivy Zombie head resembled the mouth of a Venus flytrap, and like a flytrap could quickly slam shut over prey. Ivy Zombie "jaw" muscles were strong enough to crush an adult human's head in an instant, with their bites always being deadly. It is unknown if biting was strictly a means of attack, or if Ivy Zombies could feed and sustain themselves this way.
Ivy Zombie vitality and endurance was incredible. This was facilitated in order to protect their seeds. Ivy Zombies were practically immune to gunfire, either shrugging it off entirely or healing from it in an extraordinarily fast manner. As plants infected with the t-Virus usually gained hardened skin capable of absorbing any shock, the Ivy Zombies may have inherited this trait. With this augmentation also came a weakness common to infected plants - a vulnerability to fire. Fire would instantly incapacitate an Ivy Zombie, and if maintained would burn them until they lacked any plant-like tissue, killing them.
Ivy Zombies could also be temporarily rendered unconscious by destroying bulb-like, orange organs that protruded from various, random points on their bodies. These spots were small, but very weak, and destroying them all rendered an Ivy Zombie immobile. These organs would grow back over time, and an Ivy Zombie would eventually regain consciousness. These bulbs may have acted as the Ivy Zombie's "brain", considering the head cavity was completely converted into a giant mouth.
Ivy Zombies could also be temporarily rendered unconscious by destroying bulb-like, orange organs that protruded from various, random points on their bodies. These spots were small, but very weak, and destroying them all rendered an Ivy Zombie immobile. These organs would grow back over time, and an Ivy Zombie would eventually regain consciousness. These bulbs may have acted as the Ivy Zombie's "brain", considering the head cavity was completely converted into a giant mouth.
In addition to gaining tough plant tissue, vines, and a Venus flytrap-like mouth, Ivy Zombies may have also sensed prey using the same mechanisms that mutated plants did. This could explain how they were able to sense prey, despite lacking any noticeable sensory organs. Ivy Zombies would often hide themselves amongst vegetation, camouflaging themselves as they conserved energy. When they sensed prey, they would awaken and emerge from their hiding spots to attack.
It is possible that Ivy Zombies were not "alive" at all, but were corpses used as puppets by parasitic plants in the same way t-Leeches would puppet the Leech Man. These parasites could have been the "seeds" themselves, or other creatures simultaneously implanted into the bodies by Plant 43. The tentacles covering the Ivy Zombies could have actually been the parasites' roots, which operated the corpse like strings would a marrionette. This is supported by the awkward, stiff movements of Ivy Zombies. The bulb-like organs could have been the bodies of the parasites. If this was the case, the body used as a host would still have to have been mutated in order to create the Venus flytrap-like mouth, and this would only be possible if certain cells were still "alive" in the corpse, as such a transformation would require ATP. It may be that the "mouth" was actually that of one of the parasites, which made its home inside of the corpses' skull after hollowing it out.
Rafflesia - Rafflesia is a genus of natural plants named after Sir Starnford Raffles. They are holoparasites with no leaves, stem, or roots. The only part visible above ground is a large flower, while underneath they are comprised of vines. Rafflesia are considered carrion flowers ("corpse flowers"), due to their appearance and smell being comparable to rotting flesh. The flowers release their odor upon blooming to lure flies to them, for the purpose of transporting pollen from males to females. They are capable of horizontal gene transfer.
While Rafflesia are native to southeast Asia, one Rafflesia arnoldii called "Mertie" was featured at the Raccoon City Zoo's Terrarium Dome for display. The arnoldii is the largest known single flower on the planet, with them being over 30 inches wide. They are rare due to the fact that they take months to bud, yet only remain in bloom for several days while also requiring a close proximity to others of the opposite gender to reproduce. The Rafflesia arnoldii is one of the state flowers of Indonesia.
During the Raccoon City Destruction Incident, Mertie coincidentally bloomed and became infected with the t-Virus. Unlike other plants, Mertie did not gain any predatory traits, and did not change in appearance. It has been stated that it may have remained in full bloom for an extended period of time due to the influence of the virus, meaning its fertility and vitality were likely enhanced. It is not known if it first bloomed before it became infected or after. Its only other known symptom was that it became a carrier of the t-Virus.
The fowl stench created by Mertie attracted many infected flies to it, which defended the plant. It is unknown if these insects infected the flower, or if the flower was already infected due to the virus contaminating its water supply. When a group of survivors crushed it by pushing a large object over a ledge above it, the swarm of insects surrounding it went into a frenzy.
While Rafflesia are native to southeast Asia, one Rafflesia arnoldii called "Mertie" was featured at the Raccoon City Zoo's Terrarium Dome for display. The arnoldii is the largest known single flower on the planet, with them being over 30 inches wide. They are rare due to the fact that they take months to bud, yet only remain in bloom for several days while also requiring a close proximity to others of the opposite gender to reproduce. The Rafflesia arnoldii is one of the state flowers of Indonesia.
During the Raccoon City Destruction Incident, Mertie coincidentally bloomed and became infected with the t-Virus. Unlike other plants, Mertie did not gain any predatory traits, and did not change in appearance. It has been stated that it may have remained in full bloom for an extended period of time due to the influence of the virus, meaning its fertility and vitality were likely enhanced. It is not known if it first bloomed before it became infected or after. Its only other known symptom was that it became a carrier of the t-Virus.
The fowl stench created by Mertie attracted many infected flies to it, which defended the plant. It is unknown if these insects infected the flower, or if the flower was already infected due to the virus contaminating its water supply. When a group of survivors crushed it by pushing a large object over a ledge above it, the swarm of insects surrounding it went into a frenzy.
Yateveo – Umbrella researcher Alex Wesker created her own plant B.O.W. in or before 1998, likely based on the surprisingly impressive abilities of Plant 42. This plant, called Yateveo, resembled a Venus flytrap, and would devour meat as well as blood. It was immobile, yet thanks to Alex’s modifications to it, Yateveo possessed many unique abilities. It could camouflage its body, spew toxic or acidic gunk at targets, and could even self-destruct its own body, creating a harmful explosion.
Yateveo’s main form of attack was to use its long, tentacle-like, thorn-covered roots to ensnare human prey, lift them into the air above its mouth, and swallow them whole. As it lacked the ability to pursue prey like the Ivy, Yateveo’s primary function as a B.O.W. was to guard chokepoints and ambush advancing combatants.
The sides of Yateveo were covered in multiple human body parts. These parts could be:
Yateveo was named after a “man-eating tree” cryptid detailed in the 1889 book Sea and Land by J.W. Buel. Yateveo was said to twist its victims using tentacle-like limbs, draining them of blood, and then to discard the remaining husk. The name Yateveo is a combination of the words in the Spanish phrase “ya-te-veo” (“I-see-you” in English), which is what the hiss of Yateveo supposedly sounded like.
Yateveo has only ever appeared in Resistance, and so its canonicity is debatable.
Yateveo’s main form of attack was to use its long, tentacle-like, thorn-covered roots to ensnare human prey, lift them into the air above its mouth, and swallow them whole. As it lacked the ability to pursue prey like the Ivy, Yateveo’s primary function as a B.O.W. was to guard chokepoints and ambush advancing combatants.
The sides of Yateveo were covered in multiple human body parts. These parts could be:
- The remains of partially digested food, similar to the body parts absorbed into the body of Nyx and G-5. Perhaps Yateveo used its food to provide support to its body, and to help accelerate its growth rate. It may be that Yateveo crushed its prey in its mouth, drained them of blood, and left the remaining husk to rot in its body. This idea is supported by its namesake’s behavior (see below).
- The result of Yateveo having human DNA, like the Dorothy Plant. This would account for its possible diet of meat, and perhaps was done to give Yateveo greater intelligence, possibly even to the point of being trainable.
Yateveo was named after a “man-eating tree” cryptid detailed in the 1889 book Sea and Land by J.W. Buel. Yateveo was said to twist its victims using tentacle-like limbs, draining them of blood, and then to discard the remaining husk. The name Yateveo is a combination of the words in the Spanish phrase “ya-te-veo” (“I-see-you” in English), which is what the hiss of Yateveo supposedly sounded like.
Yateveo has only ever appeared in Resistance, and so its canonicity is debatable.