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REV1&2 Plot Points Explained

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  • REV1&2 Plot Points Explained

    There's still a lot of confusion surrounding the stories of the REV titles, so I'll explain them in full here. There is really no way you can complain about these stories being illogical, because they're absolutely brimming with it. The presentation is poor however, since most of the plot is relegated to the background and supplemental material (and skewed by bad localization)... but that's nothing new to this series. On paper, virtually every story in the series is solid.

    The Abyss Virus was discovered in 2004 by researchers of the Montpellier University of Marine Science and Technology Laboratory. While they were analyzing the virus' genetic structure, a TRICELL research institute under Excella Gionne's command suggested creating an improved virus by incorporating genes of the weaponized t-Virus. By doing this, the new virus could be used to monopolize the biological weapons market, but not for profit. Instead Excella promised that monopolizing the market could provide the supplier with complete control over bioterrorism by being able to control distribution and track the flow of the weapons and arrest buyers. The principal is similar to "Project Gunrunner" (or "Operation Fast and Furious"), the botched ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) principal of "gunwalking" to track weapons to their buyers in Mexico. This is why the university researchers don't seem to mind creating mutant weapons, but worry when it comes to the virus' ecological threat or the suggestion of a man-made pandemic.

    Excella offered TRICELL's assistance by putting the university researchers in contact with Morgan Lansdale, commissioner of the FBC (Federal Bioterrorism Commission) and a former adviser to the Federation of Pharmaceutical Companies, of which TRICELL is an executive board member. The FBC provided the three Queen ships seized from the bankrupted Umbrella Corporation in 2003 due to their modern laboratories designed for B.O.W. and virus research that would enable development of the new virus to be conducted in secret at sea outside of international waters, their locations hidden from everyone due to the FBC's influence. However, TRICELL's true goal was to monopolize the market to control bioterrorism for itself, elevating Excella's position in the company and thus expanding the corporate influence of Albert Wesker. Control over the world could be gained by controlling weapons, and thus controlling terrorism, rogue states, civil wars and regional conflicts to sow unrest in the world and secretly oppose and undermine national governments due to the international ban on B.O.W. use. The last ditch scheme of Umbrella after its main customers such as the United States and France turned their back on them.

    Jessica Sherawat and Raymond Vester were spies employed by TRICELL. According to his biography in the Japanese official guidebook, Morgan was a former adviser to the Federation of Pharmaceutical Companies, of which TRICELL was an executive board member. The relationships are only vaguely hinted at in a single file, but confirmed in the supplemental Jessica's Report, where Excella Gionne is confirmed to be the interviewer in CAPCOM's CLUB96 service.

    When gene analysis of the newly-discovered virus neared completion, an international pharmaceutical company's research institute offered cooperation through the route of a certain national organization. They suggested a development experiment on an improved virus strain, incorporating a viral weapon named the t-Virus into The Abyss.
    The institute above is the one belonging to Excella mentioned in her BIO5 file.

    She was given only one of dozens of in-house research teams.
    TRICELL did not become directly involved in development in the event to prevent their exposure should the BSAA or someone else stumble on the ships. However Morgan intended to keep the virus for himself and use it for its ostensible purpose of preventing bioterrorism, as being in control of the flow of weapons would enable him to stop bioterrorism by ripping out the source, roots and all. "t-Abyss" was successfully created, but TRICELL's plan remained incomplete as a large quantity of clinical data was necessary to create a vaccine. On the biological weapons market, a virus is insufficient as a product if not sold with a vaccine, and controlling bioterrorism couldn't be achieved if nobody wanted to buy the weapons. A vaccine was also essential to Morgan's goal of preventing bioterrorism should t-Abyss be stolen and used indiscriminately. In order to gather the necessary data, a large-scale pandemic was needed, which would also expose the threat posed by bioterrorism to the world. So he contacted Jack Norman, leader of the terrorist group Il Veltro, and supplied him with t-Abyss, suggesting an attack on the floating city of Terragrigia.

    The target was specifically chosen due to its charter, which stipulated that the FBC held exclusive countermeasure authority in the event of bioterrorism. The FBC was outmatched by t-Abyss but the operation was stretched out for a whole three weeks to allow enough time to gather the necessary data. This tactic and the final Sterilization Operation ordered by Morgan raised suspicion in BSAA Director Clive R. O'Brian, who was sent in by the European Union to assist the FBC against Morgan's defiance. O'Brian believed that wiping out the city would destroy evidence crucial to preventing future incidents and incite further bioterrorism by showing how effective it is. However, Morgan acknowledges and welcomes this as it enables the FBC to maintain its place of power and in his mind, its protective hold on the world. He used his own FBC researchers to develop advanced B.O.W. models like the Farfarello so they could replace older models on the market, fulfilling the monopolization scheme. Why would any high-level terrorist want a normal Hunter when they could have one that goes invisible? That is the logic behind the weapons industry in general, and it's what drives part of the very foundation of the series (along with forced evolution, eugenics and so on).

    Morgan is not a member of The Family and he differs from Simmons in that Simmons wanted to monopolize the B.O.W. market to give the U.S. total control of global warfare and terrorism by controlling the flow of the weapons, maintaining the U.S. as the dominant superpower since that was the ideal for their global power structure. Through that, The Family could control the world, such as by staging false flag operations to eradicate rogue states or perpetuating patsies and controlling narrative, declaring a "War on Terror" on anything they perceived as a threat. Like every B.O.W. supplier, they would enrich the B.O.W. market, making products more desirable to ensure proliferation that would increase their scope of control (or just profit for some suppliers). When more prospective enemies carry those weapons, it's easy to then just declare war on them for having them (take both Iraq Wars where the U.S. faced chemical weapons they sold Iraq themselves). Morgan cared only for fighting bioterrorism, he wasn't a member of The Family but he supported fighting fire with fire by using biochemical weapons despite the threat of someone in the military like Simmons wanting to use them. Ron Davis was also not affiliated with The Family, he incited Raccoon City's destruction for personal gain since Umbrella's guilt would allow WilPharma, a company he held stock in, to become the leading pharmaceutical company.

    Excella assigned Jessica and Raymond to infiltrate the FBC and conduct counter-intelligence to hide TRICELL's involvement in bioterrorism and keep tabs on Morgan due to his collaboration in the development of t-Abyss. During the Terragrigia Panic, the BSAA's opposition to the FBC was noticed and thus Jessica was reassigned to infiltrate the BSAA undercover as Morgan's mole to give him a false sense of security and make any opposition with Raymond more convincing to maintain their covers. Raymond was ordered to work against Morgan by colluding with O'Brian to uncover Morgan's involvement in the Terragrigia Panic. The two spies would pit the FBC and BSAA against each other to expose Morgan's involvement in the Terragrigia Panic for his betrayal, eliminating a t-Abyss supplier from the market. TRICELL was the main source of funding to the BSAA and its precursor organization the Private Anti-Biohazard Service, using them as a puppet organization for years to acquire Umbrella's research results while masking their own illegal activities from them. This made them the perfect choice.

    Raymond impersonated Jack Norman and orchestrated a "Veltro revival" by gathering copycats, sympathizers and potential survivors into a new unit under the Veltro banner. He took advantage of the FBC's development of the B.O.W. Fenrir to supply it to the terrorists for use in an attack in the Finnish mountains, making those unaware believe he was in possession of t-Abyss. Information on the attack was "leaked" to the BSAA and Chris Redfield was deployed to the mountains to discover Veltro's airport hideout, alongside Jessica. Unexpectedly, the transport plane carrying the Fenrir test subjects crashed when they escaped their cages and killed the crew. The two discovered the hideout and reported it to O'Brian, with Jessica relaying the information to Morgan. O'Brian then deployed several agents including Quint and Keith to the site. Morgan deployed the advanced B.O.W. "Farfarello" to the mountains to eliminate the terrorists and the BSAA. When he discovers that the FBC's server is being hacked from the same site, he realizes there are still survivors too close to the truth and orders it carpet bombed to eradicate survivors, evidence and B.O.W.'s. Due to the BSAA's difficult success in indicting Morgan, TRICELL decides to expand the BSAA and permeate it with spies, using its influence to manipulate bioterrorism situations in such a way that only rivals would be affected, ensuring an expanding and continued monopoly.

    In the end, t-Abyss is shelved and never used due to its environmental threat, just like t-Veronica. TRICELL still succeeded in preventing its position in the bioweapons market being undermined since the FBC was prepared to sell its t-Abyss B.O.W. models. In REV2, Neil Fisher attempted to complete Morgan's dream by using the Uroboros Virus to cause a large-scale bioterrorism incident not even the BSAA could handle, prompting the U.S. government, already fearful of the new virus' danger, to form a new "FBC" capable of taking the hardline measures necessary to stop the incident. The same principle is espoused by Derek C. Simmons in BIO6 when he orders the Tall Oaks Sterilization Operation, that hardline measures prove that a nation is strong and willing to take action to do what is necessary for the greater good even at the cost of public opinion. Morgan and Neil were devout believers of this methodology. Since there was no vaccine against Uroboros yet it was weak to fire, there is little doubt that Neil would've either promoted the use of the Regia SOLIS once more, or some other equally hardline measure that the BSAA would simply never be willing to take.

    The REV titles are fantastic because they really are geared toward hardcore fans when it comes to the plot, but they're accessible enough to new players so that there are many elements that hardcore fans will pick up on and realize connections with older titles, but new players won't require this prior understanding to comprehend. Again, when you're actually following the story in the form it was written rather than a version with coffee stains obscuring some of the small but dense plot points.

    Next I will explain Alex Wesker and t-Phobos.
    PROJECT Umbrella - The BIOHAZARD/RESIDENT EVIL Compendium

  • #2
    This analysis actually gives me a lot more respect for the characters of Jessica and Raymond. Now if their physical features weren't so stupid... (One-legged wetsuit and that damn windblasted hair that Raymond has)

    Also, I still wonder how literally nobody in the BSAA has qualms about being used so hard by O'Brian. It's for a good purpose, exposing Morgan, but still. Chris had serious issues with authority, especially in RE5. Why is he so cool with being jerked around in REV1? Unless thus planted the seed for how jaded he is in 5 ("I didn't thinknow HQ actually cared." When helicopter backup arrives, then ignoring orders to come back to base)
    Last edited by Canas Renvall; 12-25-2015, 09:26 AM.

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    • #3
      Any info on REV1's story changes? The first trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr3bvrvJYyo is different than anything in the final game. Also the demo had some slight changes from final like Rachel not being present.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Canas Renvall View Post
        This analysis actually gives me a lot more respect for the characters of Jessica and Raymond. Now if their physical features weren't so stupid... (One-legged wetsuit and that damn windblasted hair that Raymond has)

        Also, I still wonder how literally nobody in the BSAA has qualms about being used so hard by O'Brian. It's for a good purpose, exposing Morgan, but still. Chris had serious issues with authority, especially in RE5. Why is he so cool with being jerked around in REV1? Unless thus planted the seed for how jaded he is in 5 ("I didn't thinknow HQ actually cared." When helicopter backup arrives, then ignoring orders to come back to base)
        O'Brian was very close and trustworthy to Chris, and he believed in his cause. There are four years between REV1 and BIO5 during which Chris participated in a lot of missions without O'Brian. It's impossible to say for sure when he became so jaded, but he's generally a wary person in BIO5 with his comments on capitalism and so on. This was also during the time TRICELL used their influence in the BSAA to affect its missions, so Chris has likely encountered these obstacles before that have made him question his superiors just like they did in the U.S. Air Force. Things like leaving innocents or comrades to die.

        Originally posted by jam287 View Post
        Any info on REV1's story changes? The first trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr3bvrvJYyo is different than anything in the final game. Also the demo had some slight changes from final like Rachel not being present.
        That trailer was nothing more than a concept with the rough story draft at that time. None of the plot points were decided apart from the setting, wanting a mysterious masked character, and the wave scene. So in essence nothing was "changed." It was just a story-in-progress. As for the demo, Rachael was a later addition. Her role was slightly expanded because they wanted a more unique pursuer enemy that wasn't as dull in design, hence her gratuitousness.
        Last edited by News Bot; 12-27-2015, 10:43 AM.
        PROJECT Umbrella - The BIOHAZARD/RESIDENT EVIL Compendium

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        • #5
          Interesting explanation. I still can't wrap my head around what really happened in Valkoinen Mökki airport, though. Did O'Brian secretly fund a terrorist group just to set them up ? You say that Raymond was behind Veltro's revival, but O'Brian had to know everything about it since they were working together to expose Morgan (except the fact that Raymond actually worked for Tricell of course).
          I've read somewhere else that the guys killed at the airport were not terrorists but agents under O'Brian's orders, maybe mercenaries, posing as terrorists. It would be far less risky, but would also mean that O'Brian is indirectly responsible for all those deaths (same goes if they are real terrorists, but then, let's just say they deserved it, haha).

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          • #6
            ...No spoiler alert for this thread? I haven't played them yet.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Sly View Post
              Interesting explanation. I still can't wrap my head around what really happened in Valkoinen Mökki airport, though. Did O'Brian secretly fund a terrorist group just to set them up ? You say that Raymond was behind Veltro's revival, but O'Brian had to know everything about it since they were working together to expose Morgan (except the fact that Raymond actually worked for Tricell of course).
              I've read somewhere else that the guys killed at the airport were not terrorists but agents under O'Brian's orders, maybe mercenaries, posing as terrorists. It would be far less risky, but would also mean that O'Brian is indirectly responsible for all those deaths (same goes if they are real terrorists, but then, let's just say they deserved it, haha).
              O'Brian was the "brains" and ordered Raymond to carry out certain objectives, such as setting up Jill and Parker with the mannequin of Chris. Basically, O'Brian and Raymond decided that they needed actual terrorists for the "revival" to be convincing, and Jessica's Report states that many came out of the woodwork after the Terragrigia Panic, so they weren't in short supply of patsies. They chose the airport for its secluded location (no chance of a larger incident) and Raymond shipped them the B.O.W. Fenrir as part of an upcoming attack in the region that was never going to succeed. They broke out during transport and took down the first transport plane, while shortly after (after Jessica saw the Veltro crest and reported it to Morgan) the FBC deployed the B.O.W. Farfarello directly to the airport to eliminate "Veltro." Survivors attempted to escape on a second transport plane but it was downed by the Farfarello. There was no risk to O'Brian because Raymond mimicked Jack Norman exceedingly well and won over the new Veltro.

              While all this is going on, the real Norman and surviving Veltro members are in the sunken Queen Dido. After they sent the video threat, the FBC deployed a strike team to infiltrate the sunken ship and eliminate the survivors since Morgan wanted to leave no stone unturned. The survivors including Norman inject themselves with t-Abyss to counteract injuries. Norman excels above the others because of his sheer force of will and not only injects himself with the virus, but also ingests it. His will allows this large t-Abyss dosage to adapt to his body, altering him more than any normal infected host due to the double dosage. It's probable he had physical properties (particularly adaptable genes, similar to Uroboros adapters) that enabled this adaptation but there's no information available on that and the game points toward the former explanation. For instance, examining the Veltro corpses yields at least one quote about "holding the virus back", and there's no way Norman knows everyone's genetic makeup so it has to be through sheer force of will, not unlike Steve Burnside who was only able to do so because he received t-Alexia, a strain of t-Veronica permanently modified after previously adapting to Alexia's body..

              Originally posted by Enigmatism415 View Post
              ...No spoiler alert for this thread? I haven't played them yet.
              I think the title is clear enough that there are spoilers. You can't really explain a plot point without spoiling it in the process.
              PROJECT Umbrella - The BIOHAZARD/RESIDENT EVIL Compendium

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              • #8
                Indeed!

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