New Clues! The villain in Resident Evil Requiem could actually be Spencer.
The identity of the main villain in the eagerly awaited, though unconfirmed, title Resident Evil Requiem (often referred to as RE9) continues to be the subject of intense speculation, with mounting fan theories pointing toward the return of a foundational antagonist: Oswell E. Spencer. Spencer, the co-founder of the infamous Umbrella Corporation, was canonically killed by Albert Wesker in Resident Evil 5. However, several new clues and the narrative setting are leading fans to believe that Spencer may have survived his demise or achieved the immortality he so desperately sought.
One of the strongest arguments for Spencer’s return centers on the fact that he remains the most influential villain in the entire franchise whom the heroes never truly faced and defeated. Every major incident in the series traces back to Spencer’s obsession with eugenics and his dream of becoming a god. Theorists argue that his knowledge of the Mold and the Cadou from his time studying under Mother Miranda could have allowed him to fake his own death or prolong his life. This notion is bolstered by the appearance of a “mysterious man in a chair” seen in early trailer breakdowns for Resident Evil Requiem, a figure whose frail yet sinister appearance resembles an older, decaying Spencer.
Alternative theories propose other figures, such as Brandon Bailey, the founder of the shadowy organization The Connections, who was once Spencer’s right-hand man and is confirmed to have worked on the T-Virus in Africa. However, the connection between Spencer’s life’s work, the appearance of the man in the chair, and the game’s rumored return to key Umbrella-related locations continues to make the return of the original founder the most compelling possibility for many fans across the globe. Bringing Spencer back would serve as a powerful narrative device to tie the new era of bio-horror back to the series’ original Raccoon City roots.
THIS IS Our Take
Bringing back Oswell E. Spencer, the man who started everything, would be a high-stakes move for Capcom, potentially undoing the poetic finality of his death in RE5. However, if Resident Evil Requiem is truly meant to be a culmination of the series’ history, there is no better figure to stand as the final, overarching villain. If Spencer were to return, mutated by the Mold and still clinging to his god complex, it would provide a fitting, terrifying end to the Umbrella legacy. It would finally give the franchise’s heroes the chance to confront the original puppet master, concluding the story arc that began decades ago.
