Why Resident Evil's Ethan and Mia Never Had a Shot at…

Summary

Ethan and Mia Winters didn't have the same opportunity to grow and become long-lasting protagonists like previous lead characters in recent Resident Evil games.
Ethan's anonymity as a first-person protagonist may have prevented players from forming a meaningful bond with him, making him feel more like an avatar than a fully fleshed-out character.
Mia Winters' involvement with the mysterious crime syndicate, The Connections, is an interesting aspect of her character that was largely ignored in the story of Resident Evil Village, and the series would benefit from exploring it further.

The Resident Evil franchise has provided fans with a variety of great protagonists through the years. Indeed, the lead characters in Resident Evil games have always played a major part in the franchise's success. However, when it comes to the most recent installments in the series, RE7 and Village, main characters Ethan and Mia Winters haven't gotten the same opportunities to grow in order to become long-lasting protagonists like previous leads.

Although there is definitely an argument to be made that future Resident Evil games should cease the Winters family saga, it's also true that the characters weren't given as much of a platform to become legacy-worthy. Of course, the prospect of seeing Jill, Leon, or Claire making an appearance in Resident Evil 9 after not being featured in a new game for years is an exciting thought, though Ethan and Mia have a lot of potential in their own rights.

Ethan and Mia's Roles in Future Resident Evil Games

The Resident Evil franchise was given a new breath of life thanks to Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil Village. The story of Village saw the series take a surprising turn in revealing the true origins of the Umbrella Corporation's iconic name and logo. Despite Ethan and Mia being some of the main characters in these important stories, their true potential was stifled.

Ethan Winters' Anonymity Holds Him Back

Although players took the role of Ethan Winters in both RE7 and Village, the first-person perspective of both games arguably kept many fans from forming any meaningful bond with him. The quest to keep his face completely hidden by any means necessary makes it feel as though RE7 and Village could have been led by any character in the franchise, making Ethan feel more like an avatar than an actual character. The decision to keep the identity of Ethan Winters hidden is a strange choice, and it may have ultimately kept him from reaching legacy status, since some players may not be able to connect with him for this reason.

Mia Winters' Background is Ignored

It's no secret that Resident Evil can sometimes leave interesting plot points behind without a clear explanation, but Mia Winters and her involvement with The Connections is one of the most interesting aspects about her, and it's completely glossed over. As an incredibly mysterious crime syndicate, The Connections and Mia Winters' employment with such a shady organization deserves a deeper dive. Her time with The Connections was explored a little bit in RE7, but Mia largely remained absent from the story of Village, and what little role she played ignored her sketchy past.

Mia's mysterious work with The Connections makes her an incredibly interesting character because it makes her morally ambiguous, and this is something the Resident Evil franchise would benefit from exploring more. If the series chose to end Ethan and Mia's story, it would cement the couple as a duo that didn't live up to what could have been.

The Couple's Future is a Mystery

With the addition of Village's DLC Shadows of Rose, Ethan and Mia's daughter, Rose, took the front seat. Although Ethan was in the story, Mia was nowhere to be found, and it will be interesting to see if Resident Evil 9 features Rose or her parents. The Winters family hasn't been explored to the extent that it should be, and there will hopefully be more room for them to grow in the franchise's planned future.

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