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Whether you’ve been a fan of the series since its first main storyline release in 1996 or you recently found yourself on the hype train following the trailer release of Resident Evil Requiem, the Resident Evil franchise, created by Capcom, is a beloved video game series to fans all across the globe.
Resident Evil Requiem, set to release on February 27th, 2026, will follow the story of our protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, an FBI agent investigating mysterious deaths around Raccoon City that are linked to her past. As refreshing as it is to have a female main character in a video game, many fans have expressed disappointment, indifference, and even hate for the newest installment. This sudden backlash all leads back to one thing, or should I say, one character… Leon S. Kennedy! Although his first appearance dates back to 1998 (where Leon rightfully holds the title as Resident Evil 2’s male protagonist), it wasn’t until the past couple of years that Leon became known as the face of Resident Evil. I will admit, Leon deserves his flowers for being one of the most iconic Resident Evil characters to date, but isn’t it time to let new characters have the spotlight? Following close behind Chris Redfield (another male protagonist who has countless canonical appearances throughout the franchise), Leon holds the placement for the second highest number of appearances throughout the series, including main installments, CGI movies, and remakes such as: Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil Degeneration, Resident Evil Damnation, Resident Evil 6, Resident Evil Vendetta, Resident Evil Infinite Darkness, Resident Evil 2 Remake, and Resident Evil 4 Remake. That’s nine appearances! I understand the love for Leon, but at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, “How much Leon is too much Leon?”
The second official trailer for Requiem, released on September 12th, has added fuel to the flame of this Leon Kennedy discourse. But this isn’t where the discourse originated. Following the initial trailer release at Summer Game Fest back in June, Resident Evil Requiem was announced, exciting fans with its unexpected announcement. This is where fans first began to complain about the absence of Leon Kennedy after noticing he did not appear in the first trailer. Some fans had gone as far as comparing voice lines from the trailer to Leon’s voice lines from past games for a smidgen of hope that he could make a surprise appearance. Once the backlash had died down, the second trailer was released, sparking further complaints due to Leon’s absence. On top of these two trailers holding possible Leon Easter eggs (I would take that information with a grain of salt), it has been “leaked” that there is an aged-up sketch of Leon Kennedy circulating on Reddit and 4chan. There have been various discussions online as to whether it’s real or not, with many claiming that the image is AI-generated. Despite the claims, a majority of fans are convinced that the leak is very real and from Resident Evil Requiem itself.
At this point, you may be thinking, “Why does it matter if Leon is in one more game?” Although a fair question, many fail to consider the harm behind the speculation of Leon’s involvement in Requiem. Like I mentioned before, the protagonist of the game is a female, signaling a win for girls everywhere. The franchise has a history of creating memorable female characters, but to be a female in the Resident Evil franchise is a daunting task. Sure, people are upset that the story will follow Grace instead of Leon, but not only is she not Leon, she’s not a man. I have noticed a significant difference in hate for Grace, compared to Resident Evil Biohazard’s protagonist, Ethan Winters. Ethan is resourceful and efficient throughout his respective games, loved entirely by fans across his two installments (which includes Resident Evil Village as well). The difference between wanting Leon to appear again in general and wanting Leon to appear in Requiem specifically is that these calls to bring Leon back are rooted in misogyny. Not only that, but story-wise, it wouldn’t make sense to put Leon in another game. Requiem takes place about 30 years after the destruction of Raccoon City, which happened in 1998 during Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3. This means that Leon will no longer be a rookie cop; instead, he will be in his 50s. It doesn’t make sense for the man to still be fighting off zombies and bioweapons when he could be somebody’s grandpa.
Even if you don’t agree with me now, there will come a time when Capcom finally decides that it’s time to let Leon Kennedy become a character of the past. Of course, his legacy deserves to live on, but that doesn’t mean he deserves to overstay his welcome. It’s time to be more open-minded and allow ourselves to indulge in things we aren’t used to, such as new protagonists and different storylines. Despite the toxic fans of Requiem, there is still much love for the game, and I am excited for its release, even if Leon does end up showing up on my screen. That being said, what do you think? Do we REALLY need another Leon Kennedy reappearance?