Do you see that creepy Gothic girl pictured above? She’s Eveline, the “villain” of Resident Evil 7. She’s also a tragic victim, and she deserves more empathy than the game gave her.

Eveline was only a child. She was experimented on and brutally tortured and violated (both genetically and mentally) by the Umbrella offshoot Corporation that Mia (your character Ethan’s wife) worked for. Eveline was programmed to kill other humans. And Mia was deeply involved in this. Mia was not just an innocent janitor at this corporation, she was directly in charge of taking care of Eveline. Eveline loved Mia like a mother. And yet, Mia never gained any sympathy for this child who she was responsible for, never regarded her as anything other than a weapon to be used against other countries. When Eveline escapes and kills some of her captors, she tries to find a family who will love her.

Think about that. Eveline was designed to kill humans, but she escapes and rebels against her programming by trying to find a family to love. She is mentally and spiritually damaged, and so does not understand that her powers are hurting the poor family who tries and take care of her. This family are also victims, they are good people who did the right thing. Many gamers view Eveline as the monster responsible for their suffering, but it is actually the Umbrella Corporation that is to blame.

In the game, you play for Ethan Winters as he heads off and rescues his evil wife (Mia – who lied to him about her involvement with the corporation) from Eveline. The game frames Eveline as an irredeemable monster while portraying Mia as an innocent victim. In the end, Eveline is killed and Mia is rescued. Mia faces no consequences for her actions. She is not arrested, nor does she ever acknowledge that what she had done to Eveline was evil.

In Resident Evil Village, Eveline’s ghost appears to Ethan. I hope she comes back in a later game, and I hope the games give justice to both her and Mia. Eveline deserves empathy, Mia deserves prison.

Image Source : Eveline by OTsunaO on DeviantArt