How to Beat The Commander in Resident Evil Requiem

The Commander is RE9's HUNK-type boss — a knife-fighter who moves like Krauser from RE4. The second-hardest fight in the game and a mandatory step before facing Victor Gideon. Beating him rewards the Mortal Edge Hatchet, which is essentially required for the final boss.

Boss overview: HUNK reborn

The Commander appears late in the ARK Facility, blocking Leon's path to the Operations Room. Visually, he's a clear callback to HUNK from Resident Evil 2 — black tactical gear, gas mask, military bearing. But his fighting style is pure Krauser from RE4: a knife specialist with brutal close-quarters combos.

This is the first fight in RE9 where you cannot win by spamming the shotgun. The Commander parries gunfire, dodges projectiles, and forces close engagement. You need to master the Hatchet parry system here — and that's exactly the point. Capcom designed this fight as the parry skill check before the final boss.

Attack pattern timing chart

Pre-fight preparation

Required prep:

1. Upgrade your Hatchet to max Tier 2 at the previous Supply Box. Default Hatchet's parry window is too tight on Standard, almost impossible on Insanity.
2. Repair body armor — The Commander's combos break armor in 2-3 hits.
3. Stock 3+ First Aid Sprays — you will get hit, especially during your first attempts.
4. Consider Eye Spy Charm — random fatal damage save can be the difference between a clean fight and a save reload.
5. Save before triggering the cutscene — there's no checkpoint mid-fight.

Step-by-step strategy

// PHASE STRUCTURE

The Commander has only one phase, but his behavior shifts based on his HP:

• 100-70% HP — uses single and double knife slashes, sweep kicks. Aggressive but predictable.
• 70-40% HP — adds the three-hit finisher combo and charge dash.
• 40-0% HP — most aggressive. Frequent grab attempts and rapid combo chains.

// CORE LOOP

1. Wait for him to commit to an attack — never strike preemptively.
2. Parry with L1/LB just before impact (red flash glow on his weapon = parry timing).
3. Successful parry stuns him for ~1.5 seconds — your damage window.
4. Hatchet counter for guaranteed damage, OR
   Quick switch to Requiem and headshot for higher damage but more risk.
5. Back off after the punish — don't try a second attack, he recovers fast.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Mistake #1: Trying to keep distance with the shotgun. The Commander closes gaps faster than you can reload.
• Mistake #2: Spamming parry button. The window is generous but spam-parry uses stamina and locks you in animation.
• Mistake #3: Trying to parry the grab attempt. It cannot be parried.
• Mistake #4: Standing in corners. You need 360° dodge space.
• Mistake #5: Saving Requiem rounds. This is one of the few fights where Requiem is great — use them after parry-stuns.

Insanity difficulty tips

Insanity-specific approach:

• Pre-buy the upgraded Hatchet at every Supply Box leading up to this fight
• Use Infinite Ammo if unlocked — Infinite Requiem one-shots him after stagger
• The grab one-shots if your armor is broken. Repair it pre-fight.
• Patience over aggression — let him initiate every exchange
• Reset to a safe save if you mess up Phase 2-3 setup. Better to retry than burn through First Aid Sprays.

Reward: The Mortal Edge Hatchet

Defeating The Commander rewards the Mortal Edge Hatchet — the upgraded version of Leon's default Hatchet with these benefits:

What comes next

After defeating The Commander, Leon proceeds deeper into the ARK Facility. Your final encounter is Dr. Victor Gideon — the true final boss and the hardest fight in the game.

Before triggering Victor's cutscene, sweep the corridor for the Mr. Raccoon Memoriam (#23 in our locations guide), files, and any remaining ammo pickups. Once you enter Victor's chamber, there is no going back.