TheResident Evilfranchise is filled with characters trying to survive incredibly difficult situations against overwhelming odds. There are several villains inResident Evil, but in a world like the ones these games are based in, the good guys usually end up having to do some terrible things to survive.
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This can easily be said for Leon Kennedy, a character who first appeared inResident Evil 2as one of the protagonistsalongside Claire Redfield. Since that first memorable showing, Leon has returned an impressive number of times in the franchise, leadingResident Evil 4andResident Evil 6as a protagonist in addition to countless novelizations and other pieces of media in the franchise, but he has always done what it takes to survive, proving just why Leon is one of the main characters inResident Evil.
7Being Naive About Authority
Leon has always been presented as a hero, a white knight sort of character whose obedience to authority is unquestioned throughout his appearances in theResident Evilfranchise. He starts inResident Evil 2asa rookie copand is recruited later as a special government agent, and never once does he go against orders or stop believing in the government as a power of good at all times.
This naivety isn’t a crime in itself, quite the opposite, but unquestioning loyalty to a body of power that can and is frequently corrupted in theResident Evilgames is a massive hole in Leon’s capabilities as a heroic character. It makes him seem shady by association because of everything that government workers do wrong throughout the franchise.
6Being Pretty Creepy
Leon is a heroic character, but from his first appearance inResident Evil 2, there have been problems with how he is presented when opposite female characters. A cheeky style has always been associated with Leon, but it goes beyond that in some cases to a level that could make players uncomfortable playing as him, creating something rather problematic in Leon.
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InResident Evil 4, Leon’s job is to rescue the President’s Daughter, but while traveling with her there are interactions where Leon, being controlled by the player, can look up the daughter’s skirt and see her underwear. This prompts the daughter to call Leon a pervert. It’s easy to understand why this hasn’tappeared in theResident Evil 4remake.
5Leaving Lieutenant Branagh
In theResident Evil 2remake, Leon makes it to the police station he works at after the outbreak occurs, and finds almost nobody left alive. His Lieutenant is still breathing, but Lieutenant Branagh has been bitten, and his wound will turn him into a zombie soon enough. After speaking to Branagh, Leon should have put him out of his misery.
Instead, Leon leaves Branagh to his fate to become a zombie. After seeing what the others were like, it is hard to believe that Leon was thinking much about the comfort of Branagh at all, not offering any medical assistance before taking off again.The horrors of that worldweren’t something anybody was prepared for, but even so, Leon didn’t manage some situations well.
4Letting Ben Bertolucci Die
Another problem with Leon’s love of all things authoritative is his refusal to believe Ben Bertolucci. While going past a few prison cells, Leon finds a journalist, Ben Bertolucci, trapped in one of them. When questioned, Ben tells Leon that the police captain locked him in there because Ben was about to expose his corruption.
Refusing for too long to believe that the Police Captain could be corrupt in any way leads therookie cop Leonto stand still while Mr. X brutally rips open the wall behind the cell and kills Ben. If Leon had believed in the ability of government officials to do evil things, Ben might well have survived.
3Stopping Claire In Infinite Darkness
The anime Resident Evil series,Infinite Darkness,took place between the fourth and fifth games in the franchise. Featuring Leon and Claire, the pair uncovered secrets being kept by the government, and Leon, once again, due to his status as a government official and his inability to see their wrongdoing, decided to stop Claire from releasing their findings.
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This, coupled with the fact that he didn’t seem to get anywhere trying to pursue the findings himself, is the sort of neglect that leads to many other crimes being committed by the same people in government. Leon may not intentionally do evil, but he sure does stand by and allow it to occur an awful lot.
2Trying To Abandon Becky
Albeit in the cinematic universe, Leon finally appeared in theMilla JovovichResident Evilmoviesin the fifth entry,Resident Evil: Retribution. Much less of a heroic do-gooder type in this version of his story, Leon is working with Albert Wesker to try and rescue Alice from an Umbrella Corporation facility.
In doing so, they run into Becky, a child clone raised in the facility. When Alice demands that they bring her to safety as well, Leon objects and says that trying to save Becky is a waste of time. In one of the more despicable moments Leon has had, the cinematic version of the character was not his finest form.
1Loving Ada Wong
Leon’s problems in believing the government is only out to do good are only outweighed by the continuous problem he has inbelieving Ada Wongto be good. This complicated love began inResident Evil 2, and despite betrayal, Leon will always take a bullet for her.
However, Leon just never learns with Ada, and inResident Evil 4, his trust in Ada leads to the Las Plagas parasite getting into the wrong hands. Even after all of this, he still insists on fighting Chris Redfield inResident Evil 6to try and protect Ada. Constantly, embarrassingly wrong about her, Leon needs to make better romantic choices.
