The Resident Evil franchise has taken the idea of zombie horror and biological weapons to a whole new level by introducing strains like the T-Virus. At first, this particular virus was the main focus of the franchise, with attributes that include mutations and reanimating the dead. However, as the franchise progresses, more and more new strains and viruses have been introduced, including one that is still one of the deadliest in the franchise.
Following Resident Evil 4, it became clear that the viruses of the series would continue to evolve and affect the human race in ways that make hordes of flesh-eating zombies seem like a picnic. Resident Evil 5 introduces protagonists Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar to the massively dangerous Uroboros virus. The virus itself is a strain of the Progenitor Virus and, as a result, is meant to enhance the subject, giving them superhuman abilities. However, its high degree of unpredictability makes it more of a risk to humanity than aid.
When the virus interacts with a host, it may or may not be compatible with the host’s genes. If it isn’t, the virus will violently mutate the subject. Much like the greek serpent it’s named after, Uroboros will turn its victims into massive creatures with elongated tentacles. One of the most intimidating examples of this is Ricardo Irving, who turned into a massive Kraken-like creature. While they are gargantuan in size and devastating in strength, they aren’t indestructible. A tell-tale weakness of the mutation is massive orange pustules that grow from their limbs and body. Once fired upon, they can do massive damage to the host, eventually killing them as they act as control centers for the mutation.
Much like the T-Virus, Uroboros can also be used on dead tissue, reanimating it. However, rather than turning them into shambling corpses, the disease operates the same way as a living host, turning them into massive creatures. The only other known way to defeat these subjects is through exposure to massive amounts of heat. This heat can range from anything from lava to explosives. These methods helped eliminate Albert Wesker at the end of Resident Evil 5 when his mutation went too far.
When Uroboros can successfully bond with their host, it will give them superhuman abilities that include strength, regeneration, speed and durability. Plus, the disease wouldn’t violently mutate the host; instead, they would have retained their human form with the exception of glowing eyes. This should have worked on Wesker when he injected himself with the virus, but it’s believed that his mutation occurred because he mixed one virus with another. For years, Wesker has been an advanced human thanks to his Progenitor Virus, which gave him similar abilities to Uroboros. However, by mixing both viruses, he retained his consciousness but lost control over his body and mutated.
The Uroboros Virus is highly volatile and was meant to be spread worldwide, killing billions of people and only enhancing a small percentage. However, its risk factor was so great that Chris and Sheva made quick work of it. While it only appears in one game, its high degree of danger still makes it one of the most terrifying and deadly viruses in the franchise.
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