Resident Evil Village, what are lycans

Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil Village debuted very recently (here the PS5 review, here the PC one) and already fans are working to understand what lies behind the amount of clues scattered throughout the game, as well as to make comparisons between the Japanese script and the localization English - which, as you know, has deviated from the path several times (as happened with Resident Evil VII: Biohazard and the mutamicete). While waiting to gather more information about any differences between the two parts, we want to focus on the enemies introduced in Resident Evil Village, and in particular on the lycans, the bestial creatures already entered with force in the iconography of the Capcom series. discussing details scattered throughout the Resident Evil Village course, this article contains sneak peeks of information, events and revelations from the game. If you don't want to spoil any surprises, the advice is to continue reading as soon as you have completed the adventure. That said, let's find out how and why Lycans are creatures that have a lot more to say than they seem.

Who or what are lycans?

Resident Evil Village, a lycan in ambush Let's start with the main question that everyone has asked: who or what are lycans? Like many creatures in the Resident Evil universe, and particularly here, they are mutations inspired by our legends. Specifically, they are based on werewolves but they are not really: they do not transform with the full moon, silver is useless, etc. etc. However, they can transmit their infection, as seen in the village when Leonard goes mad and kills the few survivors in Luiza's home after being injured by a Lycan. Capcom has treaded heavily on inspirations, even giving some creatures the proper name taken from the folklore to which they refer (such as the moroaică at Castel Dimitrescu). Lycans are therefore human beings who have undergone a mutation that has made them hybrids: it is not a reversible process - at least, unintentionally or thanks to external factors such as the moon with werewolves. If there are cures, right now it is not known.

What is the cause of the mutation in lycan?

Resident Evil Village, concept art of a lycan Like all the creatures present in Resident Evil Village, the lycans (in their various mutations, including the Vârcolacs) are the result of the rejection by the human body of the megamycete: in short, they are incompatible subjects with the fungus which, as per the tradition of the series, become monsters once infected. Many lycans in the game are derived from the artificial plant of Cadou ("gift" in Romanian) by Mother Miranda or Salvatore Moreau in the villagers: this parasite was created specifically by Miranda on the basis of the megamycete to speed up the search for an envelope considered suitable to house the conscience of his daughter Eva, who died a century earlier. Lycans maintain a fair level of intelligence, to the point of knowing how to handle blunt weapons or even bows and arrows: since mold is an organism capable of learning it is possible that these creatures can do so as a result, unlike Plaga infected who they limit themselves to exploiting the knowledge gained by the host while he was human. A doubt remains to be clarified, all the more so given their propensity to use "obsolete" weapons.

What changes when you become a Lycan?

A human being who transforms in lycan it undergoes a progressive change in its body, apparently related to how long it takes since the infection, although some more severe mutations may depend on other factors or be induced (one of Salvatore Moreau's guinea pigs became a Vârcolac after he was was injected with wolf blood into the spine). This results in greater resistance, agility and above all strength, allowing them to easily sever their limbs even with a simple bite. They can also endure numerous injuries before being killed. Their intelligence differs from that of zombies and ganados, leading them to act like a real pack when it comes to hunting prey. Although endowed with their own autonomy, the Lycans that retain a human appearance respond to infected superiors such as Karl Heisenberg or Alcina Dimitrescu (the most compatible with the Cadou among the four Lords), in addition of course to Mother Miranda herself: a concept very similar to that of Resident Evil 4 with the Dominant Plaga / Subordinate Plaga.

Are lycans the villagers?

Resident Evil Village, lycan concept art If you are wondering if lycans are the inhabitants of the village, the answer is ... yes and no. Leonard, as well as Uriaș and Uriaș Străjer (the latter two head of the village and his brother respectively), have suggested that some of the inhabitants may have become Lycans. However, it seems to be a fate that has happened to a few, at least taking into account the recent ones: considering that Mother Miranda has tyrannized over the population for about a century, there is the possibility that others have transformed over time. However, we must take into consideration the idea (we refrain for now from defining it as a concrete fact, despite the many clues) that the Lycans have much more ancient origins: it is difficult to establish the precise era but it is highly probable that they date back to the times of the Founders, who the latter are even involved in the whole matter. It is not only the fact that the Lycans use obsolete weapons such as bows and arrows, when they would have firearms available, but that some of them - mainly the Vârcolac alpha - have bodies pierced with arrows: it suggests that it is a well-rounded creature. older than expected, as its remains testify when examined. In fact, the wording speaks of a prehistoric beast, suggesting that that of the village is a story that has its roots in the distant past.



Resident Evil Village, the village chief Uriaș Also observing more closely the huge statues of the Founders at the Place of the Ceremony you can see how hands and feet are not exactly those of human beings: they recall, on the contrary, those of a beast, or of beast men if you like. Knowing that they gave rise to the village but, not only that, they are also the keepers of the Chalice of the Giants (which seems to be directly connected to the megamycete), it is to be assumed that there is still a lot to say about the settlement, who created and what were the purposes. Capcom has laid the foundations and answered many questions of the seventh chapter, as well as having created links with the historical lore of Resident Evil, but we are convinced that there is still something to be said about the village. After all, reading among the concept art it turns out that originally the game was designed to divide itself between the present and the medieval past. The megamicete has exploded, the danger in a certain sense escaped (it being understood that The Connections still has some samples), so there is no risk of opening yet another door that who knows when we will close: a possible DLC on the Founders and the the origin of the Goblet would serve more than anything else to make total clarity.



Some concept art of Resident Evil Village are particularly intriguing Have you noticed any errors?