Resident Evil Primer I

The following is a thorough, detailed timeline of what took place in the game up to the events of Resident Evil 2. The post includes detailed information about how the Umbrella Corporation started, how the virus outbreak took place, information about each Umbrella project (enemy list) and a summary of the events of two games: Resident Evil Zero and Resident Evil 1.
Disclaimer: I take no credit for researching or creating the information written here. It was fully prepared by the YouTube channel: Gamer Thumb TV. I merely organized the information in written form to make it easy for myself to follow up on the events of the game before the remake of Resident Evil 2. 
Keys
  • Bold text in BLUE refers to names of key characters.
  • Bold text in Orange refers to Key Information
  • Bold text in Green refers to Locations
  • Bold text in Red refers to Creatures/EnemyList

Resident Evil Primer II covers what took place after the events of Resident Evil 1. It includes plot summaries of RE Outbreak and RE Outbreak File 2. It also covers the U.S.S. and U.B.C.S. missions.

Resident Evil Primer III deals with the plot summary of Resident Evil 2 and background information for RE Nemesis.


THE BEGINNING

The Umbrella Corporation
Umbrella is a huge corporation that influences many areas including cosmetics, pharma, consumer products, tourism…etc  On the surface the company is just a facade that is covering up many illegal biological experiments
So how did the corporation begin?
Umbrella’s 3 founding members (university classmates) that established the corporation
  • Oswald Spencer 
  • Edward Ashford 
  • James Marcus 
Historical Background 
  • Oswald Spencer was…
    • Obsessed with the concept of immortality and believes the world is self-destructive
    • Twisted vision of remaking the world into a new Utopian era with himself as a ruler
    • Believed a mythical flower “The Stairway to the Sun” (native to Africa) contains a mutagenic virus enhances anyone that consumes it
    • Traveled to Africa and discovered the flower in an underground garden and the virus it contained.
    • He named the progenitor virus
      • This virus has the ability to affect many forms of organisms (includes plants)
      • Recombining the host genes and under certain special circumstances, spontaneous mutations can take place.
    • In order to continue the research Spencer needed funding and therefore along with Ashford and Marcus created Umbrella Pharmaceuticals
    • They used the company to transport samples of the virus across the Atlantic for research
    • They also needed a place for their experiments
      • Spencer hired architect George Trevor to construct a mansion in Arc Mountains in Midwesterntown of Raccoon City
      • A hidden underground lab is in the mansion
    • They believed that the progenitor was the key to creating a race of supermen
    • They needed funds to continue researching
      • So the corporation agreed to create bioweapons for the U.S. government in return
      • They used the funds to study the virus from different labs
      • Eventually they cultivated a mutated strain called the T-Virus (aka The Tyrant Virus). 
    • Umbrella used the funds it received from the government to create a superior human being
      • The project is called “The Whesker Project” after the scientist in charge of it.
      • Umbrella kidnapped intelligent children and injected them with the virus at some point in their lives
      • Most of these children didn’t survive except a few and those were raised by Umbrella
        • They are given the surname Whesker and raised to fulfill the corporation’s needs.
        • Eventually many of these Wheskers couldn’t survive because of exposure to the prototype virus
        • Only 2 survived into adulthood: Albert Whesker & Alex Whesker (who still didn’t take the virus)
          • Eventually these two kids became a major threat to the world.
    • Spencer decided to get rid of George Trevor and his family (wife Jessica and daughter Lisa)
      • They turned them into experiment subjects (because they knew too much) and Umbrella needed people to test on.
      • George managed to escape below the mansion
      • George’s daughter Lisa was injected with the progenitor virus and multiple drugs which drove her to madness
      • Lisa made an attempt to escape and was lured back by someone wearing her mother’s clothes
        • Lisa killed the imposter and wore her face (yes face…wth!)
        • Eventually Lisa was recaptured by Umbrella and underwent further tests and experiments
        • Lisa as a result mutated into a grotesque creature
        • Lisa’s reactions to the experiment were crucial to the development of the T-Virus & its strains.
    • Albert Whesker during his younger years was employed by the same company that raised him
      • He helped expand on the T-Virus with the help of a brilliant scientist named William Birkin at the end of the 1970s
      • Birkin gave Whesker the prototype virus that was given to the other Wheskers curious to see what’s going to happen
      • Birkin successfully was able to weaponize the T-Virus
      • Birkin was also able to keep the infected alive but only at a severely cannibalistic state devoid of humanity
      • One problem kept the T-Virus from becoming the deadliest
        • This problem is related to Birkin discovering that 10% of the population would be immune to the virus’ effects
          • In Umbrella’s eyes this could be effective as a biological weapon.
        • To create ways around these immunities Umbrella created and engineered different species of creatures
          • This lead the virus to become very unpredictable and uncontrollable
          • This also ensured that whatever population that is immune would be cut down by these creatures killing them
      • Birkin discovered that there’s a new strain of virus in Lisa’s body different form the T-Virus.
        • He named this new strain “The Golgatha Virus” (AKA the G-Virus) 
        • This virus enabled the creation of breeding creatures, coinciding with the initial vision of Spencer and the future he dreamed of.
      • Whesker and Birkin worked together and Umbrella grew to become the largest corporation in existence with many branches around the world
        • Umbrella providing jobs worldwide and gained positive public appearance.
        • No one was aware of the corporation’s darkest secrets.

 

Raising to Power & Beginning of Destruction

The Ashfords 
    • As the company and its power grew, the three founders began clashing against each other.
      • Ashford was killed by an accident involving the T-Virus which Spencer believed to be the mastermind
      • Ashford’s son Alexander was a minor scientist in Umbrella who mysteriously disappeared
        • His genetically engineered daughter Alexia was infected with an experimental T-Virus strain known as the “T-Veronica Virus”
        • Alfred, Alexia’s brother, was given minor administrative roles within Umbrella
          • This way Spencer believed that the Ashford’s family no longer posed any threat to him
Dr. James Marcus 
    • Dr. Marcus was busy experimenting with the T-Virus and leeches.
      • He created a creature known as The Queen Leech in 1988
        • This creature has the ability to change shape and consume organic matter
      • Marcus; however, became unpopular with the company’s executives due to using his trainees as test subjects
      • Eventually Umbrella’s security service was sent in to execute Marcus with the help of Whesker & Birkin
      • His body was disposed in a nearby sewage plant with his queen leech
        • The queen leech used Marcus’ body and over the years mutated and merged with Marcus
          • This creature is now seeking bloody retribution.
    • Spencer is now the sole controller of Umbrella’s corporation
      • In 1995 Lisa was killed after causing trouble
        • Her body was watched for 3 days to ensure she won’t come back alive
        • She was dumped somewhere in a secret location
        • Lisa did indeed come back alive and lived a solitary life in a cabin surviving on vegetation in the area

Establishing S.T.A.R.S. 

    • In 1996, Whesker joined Raccoon City’s newly found Special Tactics and Rescue Service known as S.T.A.R.S.
      • S.T.A.R.S. is a specialized division of a the nearby Raccoon Police Department  
      • Whesker as captain of the S.T.A.R.S.’ Alpha Team is playing double agent
        • He’s keeping tabs on any possible police investigation that could expose the company
      • As the head of the team Whesker has taken note of exceptional team members
        • Chris Redfield, who developed a strong trust for his captain, a trust that will soon be betrayed
    • Eventually other corporations become aware of Umbrella’s corruption with attempts to steal their secrets for some time
    • In 1998, a rival company of Umbrella only known as The Organization had sent one of its agents known as Ada Wong 
      • Ada Wong was to infiltrate the company and gather information about all of its current projects
      • Ada began a relationship with one of the company’s scientists to gather information

The Beginning of Destruction

    • In 1998, the queen leech had finished consuming Dr. Marcus and has taken his younger form & believed itself to be “Dr. Marcus Reborn” 
      • The leech has recreated Dr. Marcus’ personality and demanded revenge for his betrayal.
      • Using its shape-shifting ability, the creature manipulated an accident in the laboratory resulting in the T-Virus being released
        • This has also lead the company’s monsters escaping into a nearby forest
        • The corporation’s secrets can no longer be contained.

The First Public Outbreak 

    • Umbrella has sent investigation teams to the nearby training center near the mansion to see what has happened
      • They were as a result attacked and infected by the T-Virus and the queen’s leeches.
      • A nearby train also got infected and attacked
    • Queen leech/Dr. Marcus Reborn decided to judge the whole human race and infect the whole world
      • During the summer of 1998, bizarre murder cases broke out in Raccoon City
      • Mutilated bodies were found everywhere and it is becoming now common

Resident Evil Zero 

Bravo Team 

    • S.T.A.R.S.’ Bravo team was sent to investigate what’s happening in the nearby forest
      • This begins the game’s plot of Resident Evil Zero 
      • While investigating, the Bravo team discovered a crash site of a military vehicle
        • Rebecca Chambers (the youngest member & medic) discovered the convoy was transporting a deadly criminal “Billy Coen” 
        • The team decided to look for Billy as a suspect for killing the convoy’s team
          • In reality the team was attacked by Cereberus (zombie dogs)
        • Becca discovered the train that was infected and knew it was unlikely that one man caused this much destruction
          • In the train, Becca also came face to face with the infected and saw what the virus was doing
          • Becca met up with the team pilot (Edward) who got attacked
            • Edward informed her that the situation is beyond control and there were creatures everywhere
          • However, Bravo’s captain still named Billy as being responsible for killing 23 people on site.
        • Becca teamed up with Billy and investigated the insides of the train
        • Birkin and Whesker, meanwhile, were investigating how the virus got leaked.
          • But even their crew members were falling victims to the virus and getting attacked
        • The Stinger, one of Umbrella’s experiments also found its way into the train
          • A creature that is the result of bioweaponry experiments.
          • An infected scorpio that has grown to an uncontrollable size

The Facility: Executive Training Center

    • The train Becca & Billy were on could not be stopped and went crashing into a strange facility near the Spencer Mansion
      • This facility is The Umbrella Executive Training Center
        • A building dedicated to training researchers as potential executive officers to become the next generation of the corporation’s management
      • Whesker & Birkin saw Becca & Billy through the security camera of the center as the Queen Leech also revealed itself
        • The Queen Leech told them it was behind the virus leakage and pursuing revenge on Umbrella
        • The Queen Leech decided to get rid of Becca & Billy who are considered now as a nuisance by unleashing The Eliminators 
          • The Eliminators: Primate-based bio-organic weapons; another type of Umbrella’s secret project
    • Whesker realized that this outbreak would eventually mean the end for Umbrella so he decided to take his knowledge & pursue his own path
      • He knew Umbrella had a new complete project called “The Tyrant” but wanted to see the tyrant on the  field to gather information about it.
      • He lured the Alpha team to Spencer’s mansion in order to gather the data he needed
      • Whesker manipulated fellow team member Barry Burton to force him for assistance.
    • After Whseker left, Birkin decided to collect his research on the G-Virus
      • He activated the self-destruct mechanism in the facility to destroy Queen Leech & S.T.A.R.S. members investigating
    • Becca & Billy’s trust in each other during this time grew. Becca asked Billy whether he really killed 23 people
      • Finally Billy tells Becca what really happened last year before his arrest
        • His unit was ordered to Africa to intervene in a civil war
        • Their mission was to raid a hideout deep in the jungle; only there was really no guerrilla hideout
        • They were operating on false information but in order not to head back empty handed they were ordered to attack an innocent village
        • Billy was against this and clashed against his team.
      • Becca and Billy were attacked yet by another Umbrella creature – The Centurion (giant insect/worm with tentacles)
      • Eventually Becca, Billy and the Alpha team discovered what Umbrella was really doing
        • Billy seems to associate the test subjects/dead bodies they found in the facility with bodies he saw in Africa
      • Becca and Billy finally faced Queen Leech who they thought was Dr. Marcus
    • As Whesker made his way out of the facility he was stopped by a man named Sergei Vladimir (a ranking executive in Umbrella)
      • Sergei was sent to retrieve the prototype of Umbrella’s most important bio-organic weapon known as “TALOS” 
      • Sergei never trusted Whesker and wanted to punish Whesker for not reclaiming the management of the facility for Umbrella
      • Sergei’s bodyguard (Tyrant Virus experiment, aka Ivan) was sent after Whesker
        • Whesker managed to escape Sergei and Ivan after setting the self-destruct mechanism
    • Meanwhile Billy & Becca killed Queen Leech and escaped the facility moments after the facility self-destructed
      • Becca let Billy go without arresting him convinced he hasn’t really committed any crimes
      • Becca and Billy parted ways

The Spencer Mansion 

    •     On her way to the mansion Becca couldn’t find her Alpha team
      • She realized that the outbreak has extended to nearby areas & was surrounded by creatures
      • She escaped to a hideout and met Richard Aiken (Bravo team’s communications expert)
      • Becca & Richard decided to look for their captain who they believe would be the best person to find a way out of this place
      • The pathway to the mansion however is now covered by infected
      • Upon reaching the mansion, it was swarming by more infected
      • Meanwhile Sergei & Ivan took their TALOS prototype and left the mansion while Becca and Richard looked for their team
        • Becca and Richard noticed from afar how Sergei & Ivan fearlessly walked among the infected towards the forest
      • Becca and Richard were then attacked by yet another experiment known as the Yawn (massive snake)
        • Richard rescues Becca from the Yawn and as a result got affected by the Yawn’s venom

 

Resident Evil 1

    • Whesker made it to Raccoon City’s Police department
      • He gathered the S.T.A.R.S’ Alpha team together and told them Bravo team is now missing & must set out to find them
      • Alpha team has found the crash site and this brings us to the opening events of Resident Evil 1 
    • The Alpha team got attacked by Cereberus as soon as they tried to investigate the crash site
      • Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Whesker and Barry Burton escape to the mansion.
      • Chris got separated from the rest of the team and so Jill and Barry set out to find him
      • While looking, Jill & Barry witnessed for the first time what the virus could do & also linked it to Umbrella
      • Chris also witnessed zombies on his part of the mansion
        • He then found survivors: Richard & Rebecca (from the events of Resident Evil 0) who warned him about the situation
        • Chris found an antidote for Richard to cure the venom. Rebecca stayed behind with Richard to help him
        • On his exploration Chris stumbled on the remains of Forest Speyer a member of the Special Tactics & Rescue Service.
    • The Yawn is still alive and looking for prey. It tried to attack Jill
      • Upon defeating the Yawn, Jill found the cabin/guesthouse that Lisa Trevor has made into her new home.
      • Terrified of what she saw, Jill escaped and overheard a conversation between Whesker & Barry
    • That same night, Chris found the same guest house and a secret passage that lead to an underground water area
      • In it Chris found Umbrella’s Aquarium/Tank where the corporation kept their Neptune (A combination between T-Virus & Shark)  
      • Richard, although cured from the venom, sacrificed himself yet again to rescue Chris and couldn’t make it.
      • Chris killed the Neptune
    • Jill & Barry discovered that an enormous T-Virus plan known as Plant 42 has taken over
      • They also discovered a formula that can severely weaken it
      • Jill poisoned its roots; the Plant 42 still stayed strong but eventually Barry brought it down
    • Jill separated from Barry and met up with Whesker
      • Jill expressed concern that Barry might not be trusted and something seems off. She suspects him for not being honest.
      • Whesker informed her that getting out of here should be their priority and should stop thinking about it.
    • Chris and Rebecca are getting attacked by hunters that are now swarming in the mansion
    • Both Jill & Chris at this point discovered plenty of information incriminating Umbrella and these experiments
      • They realized that there’s more to this mansion than meets the eye & resolved there must a lab somewhere where these creatures are coming from
    • After getting attacked by & killing the Yawn, Chris found himself underground and met up with Captain Enrico Marini from Bravo team
      • Enrico told Chris that there’s a double-crosser/betrayer in their team
      • He was about to tell Chris more before Whesker shot him from afar.
      • Chris couldn’t see Whesker.
    • Jill also found herself underground followed by Lisa Trevor. She met up with Barry & confronted him with her suspicions.
      • Before he got a chance to reveal the truth, they were both attacked by Lisa Trevor
    • Chris and Rebecca found the lab that is the source of these creatures. Rebecca also found out there’s a live virus still in the facility
      • They decided to activate the self-destruct mechanism and blow up the building with everything in it.
      • Rebecca decided to activate the self-destruct button herself and meet up with Chris outside
      • Meanwhile Chris has to find Jill, Barry & Whesker
    • Jill met up with Barry & Whesker in the lab where Whesker finally revealed his true intent: The Tyrant project.
      • Jill also discovered that Barry is manipulated by Whesker and they’re both working together to fulfill Whisker’s personal gains
      • She was held at gun point by Barry while Whesker activated the Tyrant project.
      • Whesker asked Barry to leave and was about to activate the Tyrant project on Jill
      • Barry; however, came back and shot Whesker, rescuing Jill and asking for forgiveness.
      • The tyrant was already activated at this point and clawed at the first thing in its way – Whesker!
      • Barry was attacked next by the Tyrant but somehow made it and proved his loyalty to his friends.
    • Chris contacted Jill & Barry and told them about the self-destruct mechanism and they all met outside while Rebecca activated it.
      • The Tyrant appeared again outside and fought Chris, Jill and Barry
    • Meanwhile something was happening to Whisker’s body after being attacked by the Tyrant. His cells were mutating and repairing themselves.
      • Whesker regained his consciousness and felt stronger
      • The prototype virus Birkin has given him as part of the Whesker project has now activated & bonded with his genetic
      • The superhuman Umbrella sought to create has now successfully been achieved in the form of Whesker
    • Whesker makes his way through the mansion taking out everything in front of him
      • Eventually Lisa Trevor sees Whesker & remembers him from back in the day when they conducted the experiments on her
      • Furious, Lisa faces Whesker and a brutal battle ensues.
      • Whesker kills Lisa and heads out
    • After killing the Tyrant, Chris, Rebeea, Jill and Barry flee the site in a chopper.
      • Whesker also runs away from the facility
      • The mansion self-destructs with everything inside it.
    • Resident Evil 1 ends with the Alpha team seemingly thinking the nightmare is over
      • They are confident they have enough evidence to expose Umbrella now for everything they’ve done
      • Unkown to them; however, Whesker is still out there plotting
      • Birkin is also still alive continuing his research into the G-Virus; an event that will cause the worst tragedy
      • This begins the events of Resident Evil 2
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