| Tyrant | |
|---|---|
| Series | Resident Evil |
| First game | Resident Evil (1996) |
The Tyrant is the code name of a series of boss characters in the Resident Evil video game series. Tyrants, biologically engineered supersoldiers created and used by the sinister Umbrella Corporation, make appearances as boss characters in most of Resident Evil games and the desire to create an obedient bioweapon lies at the core of the series' storyline.
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The game series features many types of Tyrants as the result of several different experiments. Following the discovery of the Progenitor virus, the Umbrella corporation’s founders become eager to create a Bio-Organic Weapon (BOW) that is both powerful and capable of following orders. Prior to the events of Resident Evil Zero, Umbrella used the Progenitor virus to create the Tyrant virus (T-virus), which they believe can be used to manufacture powerful organisms. A problem with the virus’ compatibility with humans set the project back, as only humans with a very rare genetic makeup are capable of mutating into potent and manageable life forms. Umbrella eventually overcame this setback by resorting to using clones of Sergei Vladimir,[1] one of their executives who happens to be genetically compatible. The events of Resident Evil Zero and Resident Evil chronicle the Umbrella Corporation's development of the Tyrant prototypes, the T-001 and T-002. Though the early Tyrants are defeated in their first encounters, Umbrella manages to use the battle data from those defeats to produce other, more efficient Tyrants in the later installments of Resident Evil. Numerous Tyrants have been created throughout the story line, each with its own defining characteristics.[2] A revamped version of Tyrant also existed in Resident Evil 5 during the game's development, but not in the finished product.[3]
Outside of the Resident Evil series, there is a Tyrant card in the NDS version of SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash. A prototype Tyrant appears in the background of the Tricell Laboratory stage in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds; Tyrant was considered for addition as a playable character, but was rejected over concerns about the game's ESRB rating.[4] The Nemesis T-Type was later added as a playable character in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
The games' creators have consistently depicted Tyrants as brutal, grotesque, and violent creatures. Additionally, the intelligence of Tyrants has varied. The first two Tyrants in Resident Evil Zero and Resident Evil are depicted as unintelligent, while the T-103 (more popularily known as "Mr. X"[5] and sometimes also as "Trenchcoat"[6]) in Resident Evil 2 and the Nemesis T-Type in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis are shown to possess some intelligence and the ability to carry out specific instructions. The weapons used by Tyrants have also varied. While most Tyrants in the Resident Evil series rely on sheer physical force to subdue opponents, Nemesis is able to use a shoulder-fired handheld rocket launcher, T-ALOS (Tyrant-Armored Lethal Organic System, in Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles) has a shoulder-mounted multiple rocket launcher, and the mutated Morpheus D. Duvall (Resident Evil: Dead Aim) has even bio-electric abilities.
Tyrant creatures also appear in the Resident Evil novels and comics.
A Tyrant monster also appears in the third Resident Evil movie, Resident Evil: Extinction. After being bitten by an enhanced zombie, Dr. Sam Isaacs tries to subdue his mutation; however, he's shot for insurbodination and immediately revives as a Tyrant. Compared to the Tyrants from the games, Isaacs retains his mental faculties and personality even after his mutation.
Several Tyrant action figures were released by various manfucturers, including these by Toy Biz in 1998 (T-002 and Mr. X),[7][8] Moby Dick Toys in 2001 (four T-103 Tyrants),[9][10][11][12] Palisades Toys in 2001 (Mr. X) and 2002 (T-002),[13][14] and NECA in 2007 (T-002).[15] A 1:6 scale (35 cm) resin figure of T-002 in Umbrella Chronicles was also released by Gaya Entertainment and a PVC stauette was released by Organic, both in 2008.[16][17]
Since their debut in 1996, the Tyrants became the most recognisable and popular creatures of the Resident Evil series and even the gaming in general. In 2000, GameSpot ranked the Tyrants as the tenth best video game villain, with a comment: "When a game boss is first introduced with a line like, 'All people deserve to be eaten,' you know you're in trouble."[18] In 2009, the Tyrants were included in the IGN's lists of the best Resident Evil bosses,[19] the series' best villains (readers' choice),[20] and the 12 characters and creatures that the staff of IGN would like see to return in Resident Evil 6, with a comment: "Almost as much a hallmark of the RE franchise as the zombie, the Tyrant is a recurring favorite. (...) Resident Evil is supposed to be a terrifying experience, and much of the terror stems from pitting players against foes who completely outmatch them. That's the Tyrant in a nutshell."[21] In 2010, IGN also included an "any type of Tyrant" in their dream roster of Marvel vs. Capcom 3.[22] In 2011, Empire ranked Mr. X (Tyrant T-103) as the 39th greatest video game character, adding that "Nemesis never quite captured the silent dread of Mr. X".[6]
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