[WARNING: Spoilers for Resident Evil 7: Biohazard below]
Resident Evil 7 felt like the return to traditional horror the Resident Evil series so desperately needed, but players likely are curious what will happen next to the game's playable character Ethan. After two installments that more mirrored modern action games, the decision to re-create the franchise was a risky one, but it paid off. Even more exciting is the potential surrounding the newly announced Resident Evil 8. If it is anything like its predecessor, players are in for another horror masterpiece.
During this wait for the next installment, the events of Resident Evil 7 remain ominous. Resident Evil 7's story proposed many questions throughout its initial playthrough, and even after plenty of DLC some of those questions still remain unanswered. One of the more intriguing questions concerns the game's open-ended conclusion, in which Ethan and Mia successfully escape the Baker estate with help from Chris Redfield. However, upon digging deeper, this seemingly happy conclusion seems more like elaborate misdirection.
While Resident Evil 7's ending appears to be positive, it does pose many questions for the upcoming game to try and answer. How does Ethan find himself in another terrifying adventure? What happened to him and Mia after Biohazard's ending? Assuming that Lucas escaped the Baker estate, will he make a return? All are valid questions, and the player will most likely have to wait for Resident Evil 8 to obtain a solid answer.
What Resident Evil 7's Ending Means For RE8
Although the player may have to wait for some of these answers, there is still plenty to analyze in Biohazard. Throughout Resident Evil 7 the infection that turned the Baker family into inhumane monsters was referred to as "the mold." This infection was spread by Eveline, also known as E-001, a bioweapon who is also a child. She was originally intended to be utilized as a weapon, but the "mold" was so strong it began spreading to the Baker family and made them into monsters of their former selves.
It's implied that Eveline can spread this "mold" to nearly anyone. Before her encounter with the Bakers, she was under the care of Mia, who also caught the infection. The player can see the effects of this infection very early on into Biohazard, as Ethan fights a disturbingly strong and monstrous version of his wife. Mia is later cured by Ethan in the canon ending, but the viewer still witnesses the chaos that this infection can cause. In fact, it is implied that Ethan himself is most likely infected too. He sees delusions throughout the game (a side effect of the illness) and is also shown to be able to reattach severed limbs back to his body with ease. This ability, in particular, is very similar to the Baker's ability to regenerate destroyed body parts in seconds. In the case of the Bakers in Resident Evil 7, the infection turned them completely mad. This madness could be a potential reality for Ethan as well.
Knowing that Ethan has been infected with "the mold" could produce side effects and struggles for him in the next game. Early trailers of Resident Evil 8 also suggest that Ethan and Mia have settled down after the events of Resident Evil 7. Right now, Ethan's future appears to be uncertain. However, with everything that has occurred in his past, it is reasonable to assume much of it will come back to haunt him. Even with Eveline deceased, the infection that Ethan suffers from could hold dire consequences for him in the future.