Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness is the latest adaptation of the popular video game franchise, and the show includes a number of fun Easter eggs and references to the series’ past. Fan-favorite protagonists Claire Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy are back in action, uncovering a new bioweapons plot that stretches deep into the inner workings of the U.S. government. The four episodes feature plenty of zombies, cheesy one-liners, and of course, plenty of allusions to the Resident Evil games.
In fairness, Infinite Darkness isn’t as rife with Easter eggs as some other video game adaptations. There are no green herbs, no medicinal sprays, no typewriter ribbons, and no instructions on what keys to do. There’s also no sign of Albert Wesker’s perfectly set hair, or of that creepy shopkeeper who wants to know what people are buying. What there is, however, are a number of fun nods to the storylines of past Resident Evil games, including some interesting reveals and classic weapons.
Because of its 2006 setting, Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness is set squarely between the events of Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5. As such, it includes references to both games, as well as some of the franchise’s older entries. Here are all the big Easter eggs to watch for in Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness.
Claire And Leon’s Outfits
Fans of the Resident Evil games will immediately recognize a few of Claire and Leon’s classic looks in Infinite Darkness. Claire wears her hair in the style that she often has in the past, and sports her iconic red leather jacket for most of the show. Leon wears a full suit at several points in the series, but he still gets to don his own classic leather jacket a few times. Leon and Claire are the main attraction here for most fans of the franchise, so it’s great to see them returning in their famous game outfits.
The Raccoon City Outbreak
The Raccoon City outbreak is referenced a few different times in Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, and for good reason. Though the incident didn’t occur until Resident Evil 2, Raccoon City is widely viewed as one of, if not the most important events of the entire franchise. Both Leon and Claire were present in Raccoon City, and they worked together to fight through the zombie hordes created by the Umbrella Corporation’s T-Virus outbreak. After a grueling campaign through the city, both characters managed to escape alive just before the entire place was decimated by the U.S. military. The spread of T-Virus strains to other pharmaceutical groups and villainous organizations all ties back to Raccoon City, so it would be pretty hard to go a whole shoe without mentioning it a couple of times.
Rookie Cop Leon S. Kennedy
During one of the references to the Raccoon City incident, Leon discusses his own role in events, describing himself as a “rookie cop, late on my first day.” This is true to Resident Evil 2, in which Leon survives the initial attack because he overslept in his motel the night before and drove into the city hungover. However, the specific phrasing is also a possible nod to how fans of the franchise often refer to Leon by the full title “Rookie Cop Leon S. Kennedy” – a joke at how he is consistently referred to in Resident Evil 2.
The T-Virus
Infinite Darkness doesn’t spend a ton of time exploring the exact nature of the new zombie virus, but Patrick does at one point ask Leon if he believes it’s the T-Virus – the Umbrella concoction that created monsters in Raccoon City. Over the years and many different games, different variations on the T-Virus have emerged, but it remains the shorthand for zombie infection for those familiar with the series. Given that Infinite Darkness takes place nearly a decade after the events of Resident Evil 2, however, it’s most likely that the virus used by Secretary Wilson is actually closer to the Uroboros Virus from Resident Evil 5, especially considering that Tricell is revealed to be behind it in the final episode.
Leon Saving The President’s Daughter
It’s mentioned in Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness that Leon was effectively brought into President Graham’s inner circle of operatives after he rescued his daughter, Ashley. Fans of the games will recognize this as the main plot of Resident Evil 4, in which Ashley is kidnapped by a Spanish cult. Because the kidnapping is believed to be an inside job, making most other agents less than entirely trustable, Leon is sent into the mountains solo to investigate and bring the president’s daughter home. And by the end of Resident Evil 4, after battling through hordes of horrifying creatures, he does just that.
Resident Evil’s Zombie Rats
The swarm of zombie rats that attacks Leon on the submarine in Infinite Darkness is not exactly an established Resident Evil boss, but it is a fun nod to some earlier events from the games. Specifically, the Raccoon City virus was spread primarily through sewer rats, many of whom grew larger and more dangerous through their exposure to the strain. It’s not an explicit Easter egg, but it does call back to Leon’s past.
Jason’s Resident Evil Tyrant
At the end of Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, Jason chooses to neglect his inhibitors and subsequently transforms into a giant monster, very reminiscent of the Tyrants that have often been the bosses of the Resident Evil video games. Jason retains his sentience and speech after the transformation, which makes his Tyrant closer to the one Albert Wesker turns into in Resident Evil 5. That makes sense, given that the virus strain that infected Jason was developed by Tricell and is therefore likely a precursor to the Uroboros Virus. Every Resident Evil story needs a good final boss, and it’s fun to see a new Tyrant variant in Infinite Darkness.
Leon’s Rocket Launcher
How’s Leon supposed to beat a Tyrant like Jason? The way Resident Evil characters have always defeated Tyrants, of course – with conveniently located rocket launchers. The weapon is a staple of the game series, most frequently coming out in big boss battles like the one against Jason. Leon doesn’t use the rocket launcher much in Infinite Darkness, but it’s still a fun nod to how the Tyrant fights have often gone in the past. Leon also briefly wields his iconic Lightning Hawk magnum during the fight.
The Tricell Organization
After the dust settles in the final episode of Infinite Darkness, Secretary Wilson meets with some shadowy figures revealed to be agents of Tricell – a pharmaceutical giant with ties to the Umbrella Corporation. Tricell features prominently in the story of Resident Evil 5, so bringing them into Infinite Darkness, set just a few years prior, is a fun nod. Since a lot of that part of the Resident Evil timeline remains unwritten, Capcom and Netflix could team up for a season 2 of Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness to continue the Tricell saga.