Like it or not, Grace Ashcroft is the protagonist of Resident Evil Requiem – Not Leon Kennedy  

The rumors of Leon Kennedy being one of the playable characters in Resident Evil Requiem have seemingly been confirmed in an accidental leak, meaning Grace won’t be facing the horrors of the undead alone. Leon’s presence has elated some fans, but for the wrong reasons: they don’t want Grace as the protagonist – and some are now convinced she’s being replaced.

While only snippets of Resident Evil Requiem gameplay have been revealed, they show a shift towards the survival-horror elements of older entries. Grace has been presented as a more realistic protagonist, someone who is scared in the face of giant monsters, rather than cracking their knuckles and drawing their gun, as Leon would do. 

The Escapist recaps

• Resident Evil Requiem is set to be released for Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on February 27, 2026.
• The first trailer revealed that the protagonist is Grace Ashcroft, a new character who is the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft from Resident Evil Outbreak. 
• Leaks had claimed that Leon Kennedy from Resident Evil 2 would also be a playable character in Resident Evil Requiem, but Capcom denied them.
• Resident Evil Requiem artwork that was uploaded to the PlayStation Store now shows an older Leon alongside Grace. 

Some Resident Evil fans think Leon should be the sole focus

Not long after the picture of Leon in Resident Evil Requiem leaked, there was an outpouring of excitement from the fans. Leon is one of the most popular Resident Evil protagonists, appearing in some of the best games. As well as Resident Evil 6, but we won’t talk about that one.

But sadly, it didn’t take long for the positivity to turn into toxicity, with users on Twitter/X gloating about Leon being in the game and hoping he displaces Grace as the protagonist. This comes with the usual misogyny and disdain for any female-led game that always crops up whenever a new game is announced.

Only this time there was a surreal and delusional element, such as some X users removing Grace from the artwork, then proudly exclaiming things like “Grace is out, Leon is in!” like it somehow reflected a development decision. Others were furiously arguing that the leak of Leon means that he would be fully replacing Grace as the protagonist and that Capcom had caved to the angry whims of a small but vocal minority of fans – despite this not tracking with how game development works.

When other fans rightly pointed out that both characters were always planned, and that Grace isn’t going anywhere, they were derided. However, those doing the derision are likely in for a shock in February when the game releases and Grace remains very much front and center. Others suggested that Capcom was going in the “right direction”, but needed to do more to demphasize Grace – again, showing a delusional refusal to understand that both Grace and Leon were planned from the start.

While Leon’s presence in Resident Evil Requiem is exciting, he’s already fronted multiple Resident Evil games. He’s also getting old at this point in the timeline, and should really start thinking about applying for his free bus pass rather than doing suplexes on zombies. And let’s be honest here: Leon Kennedy isn’t exactly some in-depth Shakespearean hero. Leon is a pretty boy with nice hair who shoots well, and we love him for it, but his presence doesn’t automatically elevate a story.

Why do people dislike Grace in Resident Evil Requiem?

There’s a lot of disdain aimed at new protagonist Grace Ashcroft, even though the game isn’t even out yet, and this is due to her portrayal as a more human and realistic protagonist, one who reacts normally to terrifying situations. You know, kind of like how Leon and Claire did in RE2. However, some fans seem to forget that this was precisely the same shtick Ethan had in the past two games, yet a lot more bile is being aimed at Grace, even though Ethan fronted some of the franchise’s best entries without as whisper from these fans.

And let’s be honest, we all know what this really is: blatant misogyny and double standards. It’s because Grace is a woman, and a certain contingent of gamers has decided women are no longer welcome in video games. We’re seeing it everywhere, such as in games like Intergalactic. These players know they don’t like the main character of that game, but can’t articulate exactly why, even though we all know what their beef really is.

It’s often something such toxic X users don’t deny, but also rarely fess up to. They’ll likely blame it on “wokeness”, deflect, throw insults, or simply offer some word salad that they think means something. Give them as many examples or well-argued responses as you like, but it always comes down to them feeling emboldened in their misogyny. More worryingly, some of them think they’re the default in 2025, and it’s the rest of us, those of us who are against misogyny who are the oddballs.

When it comes to Resident Evil, this stance becomes even more bizarre. The idea that one would dislike a RE game simply because a woman is the protagonist is something that only someone who has never played the series before would think. Resident Evil has featured male/female duos as main characters since the first game in the series. This is simply an objective fact. 

Jill Valentine and Clare Redfield were survival horror icons on the PS1, and they’ve been joined by plenty of badass Resident Evil ladies since then. Both Claire and Jill have even been the protagonists of their own games. The point is, female protagonists have always been at the forefront of Resident Evil games, yet only now, in the era of Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson, and Nick Fuentes, has it become an issue for one group of players. Coincidence? I think not.

Some fans claim they just love Leon, and that’s all this is, but again, where was the “We demand Leon” movement when RE Village was coming? Like we’ve said, nobody batted an eyelid at Ethan Winters’ return. And when did Leon become a necessary component of a Resident Evil game? 

He’s just one in a group of beloved protagonists that Capcom tends to rotate. The fixation with him before Requiem wasn’t pro Leon at all; it was simply anti Grace. Anyone claiming otherwise is dishonest at best and a coward at worst.

Sure, you could argue that Grace is derivative of Ethan, and Capcom is treading old ground, but everything shown of Resident Evil Requiem proves that the company is trying to appeal to both action and survival horror fans. No one is expecting Grace to be hiding in cupboards for the entire game, unless they’re just making up reasons to get mad. 

Like Ethan, Claire, and various other characters before her, Grace will likely find her courage by walking through the horror. That’s when Resident Evil is at its best. The series has never pretended to be Duke Nukem, and when it has indulged in gung-ho machismo, these have normally been the weakest entries – looking at you RE5 and 6.

Resident Evil Requiem is Grace’s story

Leon is a beloved character, but his tale has been told to death. Grace’s story delves into one of the most interesting and rarely explored aspects of the Resident Evil canon: Resident Evil Outbreak. This was a multiplayer game that featured different survivors of the Raccoon City outbreak trying to escape the city, and its place in canon was always a bit loose due to its multiple endings.

Resident Evil Requiem has the chance to reveal more of the aftermath of the destruction of Raccon City, as well as the fates of everyone involved, including Leon. Grace is the perfect way to do that, while also telling a story with a fresh perspective and driving the narrative forward.

Having Leon act as a mentor figure for Grace is the perfect role for him, especially now that he’s an older gentleman who has given way too much of his life to fighting monsters. This would be the ideal send-off for the character, should Capcom decide that it’s time to retire him, giving him one last adventure in the ruins of Raccoon City – the town that made him a hero. 

If Resident Evil Requiem were just Leon’s story, then it wouldn’t be anywhere near as interesting, but as things stand, RE9 is shaping up to be the follow-up that the stunning RE: Village truly deserves. 

Grace Ashcroft will be the primary protagonist of RE9. Dread it, run from it, February still arrives. Leon is also involved, and that’ll be great, but to think this somehow cancels out Grace is just delusional. But the bigger question is, why do you even need it to? And if you do, it might be time to look at yourself in the mirror and ask if this is really who you want to be. Leon wouldn’t approve, because he’s one of the good guys. 

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References

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