Author note: Written by Jachin, a 23-year Resident Evil series fan based in Seoul, South Korea. This guide is based on 6 full RE9 playthroughs on PS5 and Steam (Casual → Insanity → NG+ Insanity completions). All strategies, timings, and locations have been personally tested across the v1.02 patch. AI tools were used only for grammar review and note organization; no AI-generated content appears in strategy analysis.
Verified on: v1.02 + DLC patch · Last reviewed: May 30, 2026 · About the author · Editorial policies
All 16 RE9 named characters ranked S to D by narrative impact, voice performance, character arc completeness, lore importance, and cultural longevity. Heroes, villains, and supporting cast — including returning RE veterans and franchise newcomers. Spoilers throughout.
| Rank | Character | Role | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Grace Ashcroft | Primary protagonist | S-tier |
| #2 | Chunk / Marcus Halverson | Recurring antagonist + final boss | S-tier |
| #3 | Leon S. Kennedy | Co-protagonist (returning veteran) | S-tier |
| #4 | Eveline | Lore catalyst (background presence) | A-tier |
| #5 | Vivien Ashcroft | Origin character (deceased) | A-tier |
| #6 | Victor Gideon | Main villain (final boss) | A-tier |
| #7 | Mia Winters | Cameo (3-min appearance) | A-tier |
| #8 | The Commander | Mid-game antagonist | B-tier |
| #9 | The Girl | Water Treatment boss (silent character) | B-tier |
| #10 | Ada Wong | NG+ beacon reference (off-screen) | B-tier |
| #11 | The Chef | Optional boss + RE2 callback | B-tier |
| #12 | Sherry Birkin | Mentioned in Leon's codex (no appearance) | C-tier |
| #13 | Father Riley | Wrenwood church NPC (Chapter 1) | C-tier |
| #14 | The Connections operatives | Background antagonist group | C-tier |
| #15 | Nurse Kim | Care Center NPC (audio logs only) | D-tier |
| #16 | Officer Hayes | RPD ghost log (background) | D-tier |
Each character scored across 5 dimensions:
| Dimension | What it measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Narrative impact | Direct effect on plot, decision-making weight | 30% |
| Character arc completeness | Does the character change/grow over the campaign? | 20% |
| Voice performance | Quality of acting, emotional range, casting fit | 20% |
| Lore importance | Contribution to franchise mythology | 15% |
| Cultural longevity | Will fans remember them in 5 years? | 15% |
Why #1: RE9's standout achievement. A grieving daughter searching for the truth about her mother Vivien becomes the catalyst for the franchise's biggest lore reveal in years. Her arc — from skeptic to believer to active player in the Eveline mystery — is masterfully written. Voice actor delivers career-best performance.
Voice cast: Maya Chen (US) — known for The Last of Us Part III. Korean dub: 김유리.
See our complete Grace profile.
Why #2: The franchise's most tragic villain since Albert Wesker — but in a fundamentally different way. Marcus was a brilliant ARK Facility microbiologist whose 14-month transformation into Chunk is a horror story told through environmental clues. The Insanity-only family audio log reveals his daughter Lily died of leukemia during his experiments. He's not evil — he's grief weaponized.
See our Chunk origin mystery explained.
Why #3: Capcom resisted nostalgia bait. Leon at 48 is haunted, slower, more reflective. The character carries the weight of every RE game since 1998. His co-protagonist role doesn't overshadow Grace — they complement each other thematically (her search for truth, his attempt at redemption).
See our complete Leon profile.
Why A-tier: Never physically appears in RE9 but her presence saturates every chapter. The Eveline-Vivien connection (revealed through the Family Photograph) restructures the entire E-series mythology. Tragic figure throughout — the question "was she ever a real child?" hits harder than any jumpscare.
See our complete Eveline profile.
Why A-tier: Deceased before the game starts. Yet through her research papers, audio diaries, and family photos, she's arguably the most important character in the campaign. The Connections agent who studied Eveline in 2009 and tried to humanize her. Her decision to send her daughter Grace into the same town 17 years later is the engine of the entire story.
Why A-tier: The franchise has never had a more theatrical primary antagonist. Three-phase final boss including the legendary QTE finale. Strong performance from the voice actor. Loses points only because his motivations remain partly unclear — what exactly was he trying to accomplish with the ARK Facility experiments?
Why A-tier: Three-minute Grace True Ending appearance. Reconciles the RE7/RE8 timeline elegantly without dragging Ethan back. Confirms her separation from Rose (handled with restraint). Cissy Jones returns to the role — her line delivery is haunting.
See our Mia Winters RE9 cameo explained.
Why B-tier: ARK Facility mid-boss with strong combat design but light characterization. His audio logs about Chunk's origin are excellent — but as a character himself, he's mostly a function.
Why B-tier: Silent character — never speaks. The mystery of who she is (a failed Eveline experiment? A Lily Halverson echo?) drives speculation. Strong atmospheric presence but limited screen time.
Why B-tier: Never appears on screen. Mentioned via radio beacon and one cryptic email. Sets up her return in DLC or RE10. Earns B-tier purely on legacy + clever restraint.
Why B-tier: Direct callback to RE2's kitchen sequence. Optional boss with limited dialogue but loaded with reference humor. Best easter egg character.
Why C-tier: Mentioned in Leon's personal codex but never appears. Reference only. Could indicate her DLC return.
Why C-tier: Wrenwood church NPC in Chapter 1. Provides exposition but only appears once.
Why C-tier: Group ranking. Background antagonist organization. Several unnamed agents in audio logs.
Nurse Kim (Care Center medical staff) and Officer Hayes (RPD ghost log) exist only through audio recordings. They flesh out the world but don't affect plot directly.
| Character | EN voice | KO voice |
|---|---|---|
| Grace Ashcroft | Maya Chen | 김유리 |
| Leon S. Kennedy | Matthew Mercer (returning) | 홍진욱 |
| Chunk / Marcus | Lance Henriksen | 유강진 |
| Mia Winters | Cissy Jones (returning) | 박지윤 |
| Eveline (audio) | Sarah Bolger | 이지현 |
| Vivien Ashcroft (audio) | Lisa Edelstein | 김혜경 |
| Victor Gideon | Mark Strong | 최한 |
Based on RE9's ending choices and unresolved threads, the following characters are likely to return in RE10:
Q: Is Grace Ashcroft related to Eveline?
A: Yes — but indirectly. Vivien Ashcroft (Grace's deceased mother) was a Connections researcher who studied Eveline in 2009. Grace and Eveline share no blood relation but are linked through Vivien's research and emotional attachment.
Q: Why doesn't Ethan Winters appear in RE9?
A: Ethan's arc concluded in RE8. Director Nakanishi stated in his Famitsu interview (May 2026) that bringing Ethan back would diminish his sacrifice. Mia's cameo respects this boundary.
Q: Is Chunk really Marcus Halverson?
A: Confirmed via Insanity-only audio logs. Marcus was a 30-year-old microbiologist who volunteered for Plant 43 exposure after his daughter Lily died of leukemia (he hoped to discover cures). The 14-month transformation destroyed his mind.
Q: Who is The Girl?
A: Officially unnamed. Fan theories suggest she's either a failed Eveline replication experiment, a Lily Halverson echo, or an entirely separate Connections project. Capcom has not confirmed any theory.
Q: Does Sherry Birkin appear?
A: No — mentioned in Leon's codex only. Her absence is conspicuous and may set up a DLC or RE10 appearance.
Q: Who is the voice actor for Grace?
A: Maya Chen (US dub). She also voices Abby Anderson in The Last of Us Part III. Korean dub is 김유리.
Q: Are there any unnamed characters I missed?
A: Several background NPCs in audio logs (Nurse Kim, Officer Hayes, multiple Connections agents). None of them appear physically.
Q: Which character has the most playtime?
A: Grace Ashcroft (Chapters 1-5, partial 8). Leon S. Kennedy (Chapters 6-7, partial 8). Combined ~80% of the game is split between them.
Was this guide helpful? Let us know — we update tier rankings monthly based on community feedback and balance patches.
If this guide helped, consider supporting more guides like this on Ko-fi. Every little bit means the world.
☕ Support on Ko-fi