Sony Pictures ReleasingOn the surface, the zombies popularized by the Resident Evil video games closely resemble George Romero’s ghouls that kickstarted the genre back in 1968. In the first game, they’re the result of genetic experimentation in pursuit of the creation of the ultimate bio-weapon. But the thing that makes Resident Evil stand out amongst zombie stories is the fact that the zombies themselves are far from the most dangerous and horrific thing unleashed upon the world by Umbrella. And the T-Virus, which created the zombies and other monstrosities, is just one source for the grotesque mutations that players encounter throughout the series.Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot is an original take on the series, and with that comes a unique interpretation of Umbrella’s biological tampering, one that’s definitely not the original T-Virus from the first game but instead feels like a combination of elements from a few mutation sources across the series.The source of the outbreak in Resident Evil is shrouded in mystery, but maybe the various different infections in the game hold the answer. | Sony Pictures ReleasingWhat Is The T-Virus?The cause of the Spencer Mansion outbreak in the original game, the T-Virus was thought of as a biological weapon designed to eliminate the need for traditional international combat, and was the result of simultaneous research from all three founders in different facilities and in different capacities. The research that yielded the most results belonged to James Marcus, and Oswell Spencer convinced Marcus’ star pupils, Albert Wesker and William Birkin, to steal Marcus’ research, which focused on creating a virus strain that wouldn’t kill its hosts immediately (thereby preventing further spread), but would instead make them physically stronger and capable of surviving organ failure and brain damage. This application ran into a wall with the realization that at least 10% of any population would be naturally immune, which led to the usage of the T-Virus to create monstrosities using animal DNA that could be used to kill any survivors (which is where the human/lizard Hunter enemies come from).However, in the 1980s, the focus of the T-Virus yet again shifted to using it to create bio-organic weapons, heavily mutated human beings who could be used as super-soldiers by the U.S. government. This eventually led to the birth of bio-organic weapons like the unstoppable, brainless Tyrants or the later creation of the intelligent Nemesis stalker. The T-Virus was arguably the most important breakthrough Umbrella created, and that initial foundation birthed offshoots such as the T-Veronica virus (designed by Edward Ashford’s daughter Veronica to gain the mutative qualities without the loss of intelligence), the G-Virus (an unstable advanced creation from William Birkin designed to induce extreme uncontrollable mutation and repair dead cells like the Progenitor), and many others.The fact that the Megamycete is shaped like a fetus feels like an intentional reference to its existence as the birth of everything that would come later. | CapcomThe MegamyceteTo understand the origins of the genetic experiments that would lead to the events of 1996’s original Resident Evil, you have to go even further into the past, which ironically wouldn’t be uncovered until the recent games Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil: Village. Both games introduced the concept of the Megamycete (aka the Black God) to the RE timeline, which was an ancient mutated fungus located in a mountain range in Romania. The Megamycete grew and expanded by assimilating the bodies and consciousnesses of people buried atop its location in a remote cave, which is where it was discovered by Miranda in 1919, a young mother whose daughter had just passed away from the Spanish Flu.Intending to commit suicide, Miranda instead discovered and was mutated by the fungus, upon which she discovered that she could sense her daughter’s presence within the hive mind of the Megamycete. Mad with grief and the effects of her mutation, Miranda became the villainous Mother Miranda, at first viewed as a saintly figure who performed miracles on the sick — until the residents of the village began mutating, as Miranda’s miracles were performed using the Cadou, parasites birthed from the Megamycete. Not only is this the catalyst for the Gothic outbreak in Resident Evil: Village (which transformed people into lycans instead of zombies) and the dangerous Mold outbreak in RE7, but it’s also revealed that Miranda crossed paths with and mentored Oswell Spencer, one of the founders of the Umbrella Corporation, making Miranda and the Megamycete the unintentional architect of the entire series.While the Megamycete was its own separate issue, the discovery of the Progenitor Virus laid the groundwork for Umbrella’s sinister research. | CapcomThe Progenitor VirusIntroduced in files found in Resident Evil: Code Veronica before becoming a major plot point in Resident Evil 5, the Progenitor Virus is another ancient puzzle piece in what would become the bio-organic research in the series. An RNA-virus from early human history, the Progenitor Virus was discovered by Oswell Spencer, Edward Ashford, and James Marcus (the original three founders of Umbrella) in a garden in West Africa in 1966, hosted by a rare flower found only in the region. The Progenitor Virus’ unadulterated strain was volatile and killed anyone not compatible, but in compatible hosts (which could be found in any species), it was capable of bringing the dead back to life through cellular repair and could also induce rapid evolution and mutation.The discovery of the virus prompted three different potential fields of application from each of Umbrella’s founders: Spencer wanted to use it to create a eugenicist master race, Marcus wanted to test its scientific properties as the potential for immortality, and Ashford wanted to use its regenerative qualities to help the physically disabled. The disagreements between the three men would lead to a lifelong rivalry that would turn fatal, but the early research into the Progenitor would directly lead to the creation of the manmade virus strains littered throughout the series.Resident Evil 2’s hulking Tyrant Mr. X, dressed up to blend into civilian populations, is one of the most frightening video game enemies ever. | CapcomLas PlagasIntroduced in Resident Evil 4, unlike the viruses created by Umbrella, Las Plagas was a naturally occurring parasite discovered and weaponized by a religious cult located in Spain known as Los Iluminados. Plagas operate differently from the manmade viruses in that they attach to the nervous system instead of destroying it, hijacking a host’s brain but preserving their memories and physical functions while bending them to the will of Osmund Saddler, the leader of Los Iluminados (his control over the parasites stemming from the decision to inject himself with an engineered “Master” Plaga). Human beings infected with Las Plagas have no obvious physical tells, and are capable of complex motor functions like speech, driving, and using weapons, but if they’re put under extreme physical duress the parasite will cause the host to mutate into inhuman and grotesque forms (like the iconic head-splitting worms in RE4); they’re also capable of mutating humans and animals into massive, monstrous beasts.Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil “Virus”The virus’ origin is a little different than in the games. | Sony Pictures ReleasingBecause the outbreak in Raccoon City is actively unfolding when Bryan enters the city, we don’t really get to see how it originated, but it’s clear that whatever caused it was manmade and is capable of self-preserving mutation, as evidenced by the assimilating abilities of the ever-growing stalker pursuing him during his delivery mission.Cregger’s “virus” (if that’s truly what it is) seems to be a combination of the G-Virus strain and Las Plagas, in that it creates instantaneous extreme mutation in most hosts like G, but that mutation also creates Plagas-like tentacles in victims; the fact that Bryan is bitten and his ultimate fate is to transform into a hulking Tyrant-like beast also tips the hat to the super-weapon applications of the original T-Virus. While it definitely doesn’t behave exactly like any of the infection sources in the games, the patchwork nature of the inspiration pulled from many of them is just one of several ways in which Resident Evil forges its own identity while also wearing its love for the source material on its sleeve.Resident Evil is now playing in theaters.