Who is Jack Krauser, and what is Operation Javier, in Resident Evil 4?
polygon.comCapcom’s Resident Evil 4 remake pits Leon Kennedy against a town full of nameless infested villagers and repulsive monsters, but one enemy plays an outsized — and potentially confusing — role in our hero’s mission to save Ashley from her captors. That man is, of course, Major Jack Krauser, a guy who loves knives but absolutely despises Leon Kennedy.
Krauser appeared in the original Resident Evil4, and he co-starred as a playable protagonist in another Resident Evil game, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, in which his backstory was further fleshed out. That 2009 Wii game also explains what “Operation Javier” is, why Krauser is so pissed at Leon and the U.S. government, and why he throws his lot in with Ramon Salazar and Lord Saddler.
If you never played Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, or if you’ve forgotten the events of that on-rails shooter for the Wii, here’s a quick recap.
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles sends Leon Kennedy on a mission to a South American jungle in search of drug lord Javier Hidalgo — who has also been working with the Umbrella corporation in buying and selling Bio-Organic Weapons (BOWs). Leon is tasked with trying to contain the spread of the t-Virus in the region, and due to the dangerous nature of the mission, is paired with U.S. Special Operations Command soldier Jack Krauser.
When the two meet, Krauser says he doesn’t believe in the existence of BOWs, but faced with the reality of their mission, in which they directly encounter dozens of zombified villagers and virus-infected creatures, accepts their existence. Krauser expresses jealousy over Leon’s status and his assignment, which came directly from the President of the United States. Krauser feels brushed aside by his
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