Netflix's Resident Evil Series: How Albert Wesker's Convoluted History Fits In

ign.com:

The Resident Evil franchise is being adapted into live-action once again. But whereas the previous theatrical films were very loose adaptations of the source material, Netflix’s new series seeks to build on the established Resident Evil game continuity. And this time, the series’ most fascinating yet convoluted villain - Albert Wesker - is the star of the show.

How exactly does Wesker fit into this new series, and how does it all tie back to his confusing history of deaths and resurrections? Let’s break down what we know so far.

Like series mainstays Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, Albert Wesker made his debut way back in the original Resident Evil in 1996. The game introduces Wesker as the captain of the Special Tactics and Rescue Squad (or S.T.A.R.S.), a special ops force called upon to investigate a series of mysterious killings on the outskirts of Raccoon City. But while Wesker initially comes across as a helpful ally as the player explores the zombie-infested halls of Spencer Mansion, he’s eventually revealed to have a sinister agenda all his own.

Wesker betrays his own team in the game’s climax, revealing himself to be a double agent working for the Umbrella Corporation. The zombie outbreak was caused by exposure to Umbrella’s experimental T-virus bioweapon, and Wesker’s job is to observe the zombies and report back on their military effectiveness. Wesker is seemingly killed in a lab deep beneath the mansion, but not before he frees Umbrella’s deadliest creation - the Tyrant.

Wesker manages to survive his brush with death, however. That would become something of a running theme with the character.

Wesker went on to play a major role in several Resident Evil sequels and spinoffs, most notably 2000’s Resident Evil