Some Resident Evil 5 Fans Think They've Found A Reference to Ethan Winters, But It's Not What It Seems

Resident Evil 5first launched in 2009, but thanks to regular re-releases and the persistent popularity of theResident Evilfranchise, it remains a go-to for those looking for co-op horror action. By now,Resident Evil 5fans have surely seen everything that it has to offer, but one player noticed an interesting detail that seemingly connectsRE5toResident Evil 7andResident Evil Village. However, it’s not exactly what it seems.

InResident Evil 5, players can find a file with a list of names and the word “Deceased” next to them. At the bottom of the file is the name Ethan W, which some fans have taken to mean Ethan Winters.Ethan Winters, for those who may not be familiar with the newerResident Evilgames, is the main protagonist of bothResident Evil 7andResident Evil Village. But while Ethan Winters and this mysterious Ethan W share the same initials, they are almost certainly not the same character.

RELATED:Resident Evil Village Has RE5 Reference

While Ethan’s wife Mia has some shadowy connections, Ethan is presented as being a normal, everyday person that wouldn’t be tied up inResident Evil’s grim world of bioweapons and monsters. Not only that, butResident Evil 7andVillageare set after the events ofRE5in theResident Eviltimeline, so it wouldn’t make any sense for Ethan Winters to be deceased. ThisResident Evil 5file and the coincidental Ethan W name was actually first discovered years ago, but there may be a reason why it’s getting renewed attention.

Please note that SPOILERS forResident Evil Villagefollow after the image.

It’s discovered inResident Evil Villagethat Ethan has essentially been “dead” since the events ofResident Evil 7. Basically, the Black Mold fromResident Evil 7has kept Ethan’s body animated, and it has also worked to heal him after all the horrific damage he suffers over the course of the game. Since theResident Evil Villagetwistestablishes that Ethan has been dead for some time, some have taken it to mean that he may have been dead well before the events ofRE7as well.

This is not the case, though. TheResident Evil 5Ethan W. is a completely different character than the Ethan Winters that fans know fromResident Evil 7andResident Evil Village. Their similar names are merely coincidental. Even so, it would be interesting if Ethan had a connection to the older games in the series.

While Ethan himself may not have made any real appearances in olderResident Evilgames, the events ofResident Evil Villageshed some more light on theorigins of the Umbrella Corporationand the franchise’s overarching narrative. So while Ethan may not have had a role to play in earlier games, his adventures have still gone a long way in givingResident Evilfans more information about its lore.

Resident Evil 5is out now for PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.