Albert Wesker

Albert Wesker is a recurring antagonist in Capcom's Resident Evil video game series. Wesker's debut was in the original Resident Evil as the captain of S.T.A.R.S. and field leader of its Alpha Team unit. It isn't until the end of the game that Wesker's true motives and occupation are revealed to the rest of the S.T.A.R.S. Since then, Wesker has had several appearances throughout the subsequent games in the series.

Albert Wesker should not be confused for the similarly named Arnold Wesker, a Batman villain.

Background

Early life and career

Albert Wesker began working as a researcher for the Umbrella Corporation at the age of 17. In 1977, he was assigned to the Management Training Facility operated by James Marcus, along with a fellow trainee named William Birkin, who became his colleague and accomplice for years to come. Birkin and Wesker were regarded by Marcus as his best apprentices and when the Training Facility was closed down on July 29, 1978, the two were personally transferred to the Arklay Laboratory (underneath Ozwell E. Spencer's estate) to continue their own T-Virus research (while Marcus does his own research by himself), becoming the facility's chief researchers.

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Wesker with the members of the BOW Development Team at Arklay.

Wesker and Birkin's research of the T-Virus lasted over 13 years and three different stages. When the research reached its third stage (the creation of the Tyrant bio-weapon), Wesker and Birkin were then ordered by Spencer to assassinate their former mentor, Marcus, and steal all of his research. Shortly after, Birkin's research yielded the discovery of the G-Virus. When Spencer approved the G-Virus, Wesker began having doubts of Spencer's intentions and requested a transfer to Umbrella's Intelligence Bureau in 1991.

In 1996, Wesker formed the Raccoon City Police Department's S.T.A.R.S. unit and served as its captain and leader of Alpha Team. Two years after the formation of S.T.A.R.S., a series of homicides occurred near the Arklay region. While the public feared these deaths were the work of a local cult, only Wesker knew the truth. In an effort to control the public's outcry, S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team was dispatched into the region to investigate the situation. Wesker used the time they were gone as an opportunity to gather battle data by placing the members of S.T.A.R.S. against Umbrella's Bio-Organic Weapons (BOWs).

The Mansion incident

The following day, all contact with Bravo Team was lost and Wesker's Alpha Team was dispatched to the site. Upon arrival, Alpha Team was attacked by canine zombies (the Cerberi) and then abandoned by their pilot, Brad Vickers. After the loss of member Joseph Frost to the zombified dogs, Wesker and the remaining members of Alpha Team sought refuge in the nearby mansion where Wesker had previously worked. Initially ordering everyone to split up, Wesker disappeared and left the remaining members of Alpha Team (Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, and Barry Burton) to fend for themselves.

Of the nine S.T.A.R.S. operatives who entered the mansion (including Wesker himself), only the members of Alpha Team, along with Bravo Team's Enrico Marini and Rebecca Chambers managed to survive against the various creatures and bio-organic weapons that infested the facility. In order to ensure the downfall of the other members, Wesker used blackmail in order to convince Barry to do his bidding (luring the others to traps) by threatening his family. When Enrico uncovered evidence that implicated Wesker and Umbrella, Wesker murdered Enrico (though, it has been stated that Wesker ordered Barry to perform the actual murder although this can't happen because he is with you in Jills story line.) However, Jill and Chris learned the truth about him and then proceeded to foil his plot by destroying the T-002 Tyrant, along with the facility itself.

During the ensuing chaos, Wesker injected himself with a serum (colloquially known as the "Plot Device Virus"), given to him by his partner William Birkin, that would place him in a state of suspended animation. This allowed him to fake his own death and gave him superhuman strength, agility, and regeneration, but at the severe cost of the loss of his humanity. The resulting mutation also gave him cat-like eyes (but these are not immediately noticeable due to the sunglasses he always wears). Wesker was revived, while Umbrella and the remaining S.T.A.R.S. operatives were convinced that he died in the explosion. Realizing the S.T.A.R.S. had destroyed the Tyrant and escaped with their lives, he swore revenge against the remaining S.T.A.R.S. members. His plan to leave no shred of evidence behind had been foiled. He wanted to avoid suspicion cast in his direction, so as not to expose his long-past machinations to scrutiny by Umbrella. Alas, when the remaining S.T.A.R.S. attempted to go public with what they knew, though disbelieved by the public, Umbrella was very interested in Wesker's betrayal. Eventually they began to suspect Birkin as well, and planned to have him assassinated and his G-Virus projects seized (after Birkin decided to leave Umbrella and sell his work directly to the U.S. Government instead). Wesker knew this and began to prepare to head off Umbrella.

Raccoon City incident

Using data he recorded, Wesker bought his employment by an undisclosed competitor of Umbrella (colloquially known as "The Organization" or "Agency") and began working covertly with agent Ada Wong to spy on Umbrella. During the T-Virus outbreak, Wesker and Ada were assigned to retrieve the G-Virus sample from Birkins. However, Ada was mortally wounded during the attempt and barely rescued by Wesker, and the G-Virus sample was instead taken by HUNK, a surviving operative of the Umbrella Special Forces Unit Alpha Team. Instead of the G-Virus sample, Wesker and Ada managed to procure William Birkin's corpse, who was transformed into a monstrous creature after being injected with the virus, but died in a train explosion triggered by Raccoon City survivors Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield. Wesker also has men watching over Birkin's daughter Sherry Birkin, who had worn the pendant containing the G-Virus sample that HUNK retrieved. Wesker, who never underestimated Birkin, claims, "There's something about this little girl ..."

Rockfort Island/Antarctic Base incident

Wesker was sent on another mission three months later, to retrieve a sample of the T-Veronica Virus that had been created on Rockfort Island and neutralize the Ashford family who created it, Alfred and Alexia Ashford. During his mission, he also encountered former subordinate Chris Redfield, who was on the island to save his sister Claire. Wesker went to Ashford's Antarctic Research Facility, where he fought against both Alexia and Chris. While Alexia herself was killed by Chris, Wesker still managed to retrieve Steve Burnside's corpse (who was previously injected with the T-Veronica virus) as a specimen. As the base started to self-destruct, Wesker attempted to engage Chris in combat to settle the score. Wesker used his immense strength to gain dominance, but Chris refused to allow Wesker an easy kill. Eventually, Wesker was wounded by an explosion and his face burned. Realizing that they would have to settle their score another day, Wesker fled and left Chris to his own escape. His facial burns have since healed during the six years that have passed between the Antarctic Base incident and the incident with Los Illuminados.

Post-Umbrella

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Wesker, giving orders to Ada through her PDA.

Years after Umbrella's shutdown, Wesker's been sighted years later giving orders to Ada and former American soldier Jack Krauser, who were on a classified mission to steal the "Plagas" sample from religious cult leader, Osmund Saddler, in Europe. Wesker, in his goal to gain power, is now attempting to re-establish the defunct Umbrella under his leadership. Since the downfall of Umbrella, several of the remaining leaders of Umbrella have since established their own pharmaceutical companies in an attempt to fill Umbrella's void. Wesker has contacted one of these companies, identified only as "S", presumably in an attempt to join them. The organization which hired Wesker has since become suspicious of Wesker's activities due to a possible conflict of interest. As a countermeasure, Ada (under orders from the organization) delivered a fake Plaga sample to Wesker instead of the one Ada actually obtained.

Wesker is a true Renaissance man. He is proficient in the fields of science, research, observation, biology, virology, evolution, combat, weapons, tactics, police procedure, espionage, murder, subterfuge, blackmail, opportunity, planning, persuasion, arms dealing, doublecross, and even extra-sensory perception as well as super human strength and vitality due to his mutations.

As of now, Wesker has amassed a wealth of combat data of various B.O.W.s and mutants. He also has a large array of biological samples, possibly more than is known.

It should be noted that Wesker seems to only have loyalty to himself, and seems to be playing all sides to his own advantage. He is seemingly trying to sell data and samples between competitors, like a weapons dealer selling to multiple factions, in order to gain a competitor's access to more opportunities to acquire additional data and samples. It is unknown what he will do with all the data and samples he has amassed, though it should be remembered Wesker was and may still be an active scientist. Ada comments in her report that to Wesker "Umbrella meant power;" Perhaps this is a hint to Wesker's motives.

With so many international connections and bargaining tools as well as top notch combat ability and incredible physical power with no grotesque backlashes in his appearance aside from intimidating demonic eyes, Wesker is truly powerful. With the rivalry between Chris Redfield still burning and his much broader playing field and bigger goals, there is no doubt that these two will cross paths again in the near future.

Known Obtained Viral Samples

• Progenitor Virus aka Mother Virus or Founder Virus
• T-Virus aka Tyrant-Virus
• Nemesis Parasite aka Nemesis Prototype
• Wesker sample / Possibly also the original 'Rebirth Virus" Birkin gave to Wesker.
• William Birkin (stage 5) / Mutated G-Virus sample
• Sherry Birkin / Antibodies formed by use of DEVIL, an experimental anti-G-Virus vaccine.
• Steve Burnside / Advanced form of the T-Veronica Virus harvested from Alexia Ashford.
• Fake Las Plagas sample

Appearances

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Wesker, during the Rockfort Island/Antarctic Base incident.

Originally a supporting character in the first Resident Evil, Wesker appeared in the game as the captain of the S.T.A.R.S. unit and leader of its Alpha Team division. Wesker disappears early in the game and only makes sporadic appearances through the course of the story. Near the end of the game, the player (as either Jill or Chris) discovers that Wesker is a double agent working for Umbrella and either: witnesses the death of Wesker at the hands of the Tyrant (in nearly all the endings) or find his dead body inside the power generator next to the self-destruct module (in Jill's best ending in the original version).

Despite his apparent death in the first game, Wesker made a surprise return in Resident Evil: Code Veronica, having been revived with new superpowers and apparently working for one of Umbrella's competitors. He later appeared as a supporting character in Resident Evil 0 and an incidental role in Resident Evil 4 (which is explored further in the PlayStation 2 version due to the inclusion of the Separate Ways scenario and Ada's Report). He was also the narrator of the mockumentary Wesker's Report, a DVD which covers the events of the previous installments and was released as pre-order bonus with Resident Evil Code: Veronica X (an updated version of the original Code: Veronica). It was followed by an Internet sequel titled Wesker's Report II.

Actors

In the live-action scenes of the first Resident Evil, he was portrayed by unknown actor credited as Eric. In the 2002 remake of the original, he was voiced by actor Peter Jessop. However the actor most often identified with the character is Richard Waugh, who originally provided his voice in Resident Evil Code: Veronica and Wesker's Report, and later reprised the role in Resident Evil 0 and Resident Evil 4.

Gameplay

In the original Resident Evil, Wesker uses a standard Beretta. In the GameCube remake, he uses the a specialized version of the Samurai Edge handgun made specifically for him.

Wesker was an unlockable character in the Battle Mode featured in Resident Evil Code: Veronica, as well as in the "Mercenaries" mini-game in Resident Evil 4. A (non-canonical) zombiefied version of Wesker also appeared as an enemy in the bonus Battle Mode featured in the Saturn version of the original game. In Resident Evil Code: Veronica, Wesker follows the tradition of the bad guy getting only a knife in the battle mode. Wesker's run is quite challenging, but he has incredible stamina and very damaging knife attacks to cover for this. He later has the option of getting a Magnum out of a slot machine for the upcoming boss fight, but gets no additional ammunition for it so its use must be highly regulated.

In Resident Evil 4, Wesker is considerably better equipped and capable of destruction. He starts with all 3 types of grenade (4 hand, 3 flash and 1 incendinary), a moderately upgraded Killer 7, a fully upgraded standard handgun with a silencer not seen anywhere else in the game and an almost fully upgraded semi-automatic rifle without the enhanced scope and a first aid spray like all the characters. His stamina is the same as Leon's. He also has the most powerful melee attacks in the game (a "thrust punch" that can strike several enemies with titanic force and a "chikyo chagi" Taekwondo axe kick that can crush an enemy's head). While his starting inventory is strong, it does have 2 downsides: firstly, there is little room for anything else in the inventory, and secondly, Wesker starts with no reserve ammunition for any of his weapons.

Wardrobe

Wesker wore a different outfit for each of his appearances, but they are always black and he always kept his trademark sunglasses. In the original Resident Evil and Resident Evil 0, he wears a standard S.T.A.R.S. uniform similar to those of Chris and Barry, but completely black, with a navy blue undershirt. He wears a more streamlined outfit in Resident Evil Code: Veronica with the acronyms H.C.F (Hive/Host Capture Force) written on the back. During a fist-fight with Chris Redfield, his sunglasses are knocked from his face, revealing that his eyes have changed from normal human eyes to resemble feline-eyes that have an orange coloring to them. He wears a much different, more sophisicated outfit during his appearance in Resident Evil 4, sporting a black turtleneck sweatshirt, black trousers and jacket over his turtleneck, as well as black gloves. The outfit generally enhances Wesker's appearance, that of an intimidating villain, adding an assassin-like touch. Indeed, his new attire seems to hint at a general ascension in social ranking, and favour among general peers. Whereas previously he seemed to function as an undercover policeman, his role within the Resident Evil world now seems more akin to that of an experienced spy, or maybe even super villain status as some would say.

External links

• Wesker's Report II (English)
• Wesker's Report II (Japanese)