Campfire Characters: The Solidification of Leon Kennedy's Character in RE 4
From a rookie cop to a grizzled secret agent, Leon Scott Kennedy is a character who has been through it all and then some. From a naïve do-gooder to a hardened operative with blood and viral gunk on his hands, Leon’s transformation brings in an interesting narrative of how a character can be ripped straight from their roots and modeled into a person they didn't realize they’d become. Of course, witnessing the death of his comrades more often than he ties his shoes would do that to his psyche. With the new Resident Evil 4 Remake that was released earlier this year, it’s been exciting to see how the darker atmosphere of the town warps with Leon’s morality especially with him, once again, coming face to face with the conniving Ada Wong who had been long presumed dead from the events of Resident Evil 2. This makes it safe to wonder if the remake will add more of a grimmer future for the young agent; especially if the creators at Capcom decide to remake Resident Evil 6.
For now, from what the directors have said, it seems they’ll be building upon the original RE 4 foundation by adding an even darker atmosphere and uping horror the original game lacked. Also Including the fact that from the teaser, Leon looks even more haunted than his cheeky counterpart from the original game. Even with his memorable one liners, one can tell his character has drastically changed from how he was in RE 2. However, it seems with the Remake of 4 coming, Leon will be given additional depth especially with the motives driving him forward throughout the game.
From the start, RE 4 was already a game changer for Leon’s character as the player could note the shift in his thought process from when he started as a Rookie cop in Racoon City, including the tonal shift of what the events from The Darkside Chronicles: Operation Javier brought in beforehand. It’s clear to see that Leon is no longer someone bound by the strict ethical codes set forth from his police training and is more aware of how unfair the world really is. This is shown from how well Leon adapted to his new setting whereas in the second game he spent time questioning all he had learned once trapped inside the infected city.
As more gameplay is revealed, it’s easy to wonder how the reunion with Jack Krauser will be handled since newer RE players may not be aware of the comradery Leon and he had prior to the events of RE 4. This becomes even more important to note since Krauser is one of the bosses Leon will have to face in the game and it is one that leaves a harder impact due to the friendship they once shared. At least for now, it’s safe to assume that the RE 4 Remake will be keeping its veteran fans in mind through development from what the creators have said during Capcom’s gaming showcase. Though, hopefully, this time the player won't have to deal with Ashley screaming for Leon’s help 24/7 while he faces villagers infected with Las Plagas.