It’s become more or less a tradition within theResident Evilseries that when one of the main cast shows up for a game, they’re usually then left absent for the next few years before re-appearing, and when they do, they’re often quite a bit different than they were before. This definitely applies toLeon and Chris, but the character who has undoubtedly changed the most is Jill Valentine.
Despite starting off as a young and plucky member of S.T.A.R.S in the original game, Jill has had many elements added and removed from her character throughout the years, to the point where she can seem like someone entirely different in some of the games. Still, considering that she’s an iconic hero within the story, the fans will always cheer for Jill being included in a game no matter how she acts or what she looks like, but it’s clear that some of her iterations were received much more favorably than others. It should be noted that for theResident Evil Remake, only Jill’s remake iteration will be counted as it’s essentially the same exact character but with a few extra additions.
Admittedly, Jill only shows up very briefly inOperation Raccoon Citywhere she can be seen running from the gigantic B.O.W known as Nemesis, and while it’s nice to see her make a cameo, Capcom for some reason decided to almost remove her entire personality. By this point in the timeline, Jill had experienced some of the worst horrors imaginable, and was now on a mission to escape Raccoon City before its inevitable destruction. Yet whenever she speaks to Echo Six, she seems extremely relaxed, and even slightly bored.
The washed out graphics of the game also don’t do much to help her iconic outfit stand out, with her looking like any regular NPC that could be found on the street. It’s definitely a nice bit of fanservice, but Jill’s inclusion in this game feels a little questionable considering how uninterested she seems.
After Jill was re-introduced to the story inResident Evil 5, she eventually got to play the starring role inRevelations, which was a 3DS game that was eventually ported to consoles not long after its release. Jill hasquite a few quick one-linersin this game that reflects the sillier side of her personality, with her often making jokes about how she always needs to find weird objects and keys to progress through certain areas for example. With that being said though, her more serious and caring attitude still shines through when the situation calls for it.
She’s also sporting a brand-new modernized outfit in this game, which provided a nice change of pace from her usual gear. Jill unfortunately isn’t very involved with the story ofRevelationsthough, often feeling like an outsider looking in, but it’s clear that Capcom at least made an effort to carry forward a few of her personality traits from the previous games into the gameplay.
Capcom took quite a few creative liberties with Jill’s character in the remake ofResident Evil 3, making hera lot more arrogant, rude, and snarky, but the reason for this is because a much bigger emphasis was placed on the trauma she was facing as a result of the Mansion Incident. It may seem a little jarring at first, but there’s still a lot to like here, especially in regard to some of her clever quips which she throws out a lot more often, almost to the point of rivaling Leon.
Jill’s appearance was also given a complete makeover in the remake, with her now being much more detailed and having a more stylish hairstyle which also fit her new rebellious attitude. This fresh take on the character can feel a little over the top at times, but it’s nonetheless a great way to incorporate Jill into the modern remake universe of the games.
Jill’s depiction inResident Evil 5divided players when it first released, but as the years have gone by, a lot of fans have come to appreciate this more exaggerated version of the character. For the majority of the plot,Jill is being controlled by Weskerthrough a device which has been connected to her chest, and not only does this make her openly hostile to Chris, but it also grants her athletic abilities that almost allow her to move like a superhuman.
This more action-oriented angle of the character is a massive departure from her past iterations, but there’s no mistaking that it was still badass to see a seasoned veteran like herself being able to pull off some insane moves in combat. When she’s released from Wesker’s control, Jill also expresses a lot of emotion towards Chris, which is great to see considering just how long the two have been friends.
Because the originalResident Evilwas designed as a campy game that didn’t take itself too seriously, it does mean that a lot of the characters don’t receive too much development, but this isn’t to suggest that they aren’t still a ton of fun to be around. This most certainly applies to Jill, who’s portrayed as a smart, savvy, and at times, hilarious member of the team who’s always given funny nicknames by her allies, such as being called the"Master of unlocking"by Barry.
She also wears an incredibly recognizable outfit in the originalResident Evil, with her gigantic shoulder pads and S.T.A.R.S beret becoming synonymous with her character. While Jill quickly became a fan-favorite in the first game, it was the remake ofResident Evilthat really emphasized just how lovable she is as a character, granting her a few more quotes, and updating her appearance to make it slightly more vibrant and detailed.
After surviving the horrific Mansion Incident, Jill eventually finds herself right at the center of the T-Virus outbreak in Raccoon City, but not only must she escape the zombies, but alsothe ruthless Nemesis, who stalks her for the entire game. Jill’s personality is a lot more direct and expressive in this game compared to the first, which helps bring her to life, and was the exact point where she exploded in popularity among the fanbase.
Whilst she’s clearly a lot more serious in this game, Capcom did an amazing job at ensuring that her goofier side was still intact, something that can be seen with iconic quotes like “You want S.T.A.R.S? I’ll give you S.T.A.R.S” which she yells at the Nemesis. This iteration also features what many people consider to be Jill’s best outfit, and it overall just feels like a much more fleshed out and developed version of her original iteration seen inResident Evil.
