Grace Ashcroft represents a return to authentic vulnerability that the franchise hasn’t seen since its earliest entries, but with modern character depth that could redefine what a Resident Evil protagonist can be.
After nearly three decades of boulder-punching supersoldiers and mold-powered immortals, Resident Evil 9 Requiem is taking a bold step backward – and it might be the series’ smartest decision yet.
Director Koshi Nakanishi wasn’t exaggerating when he called Grace “a new type of character for the Resident Evil series.” She’s introverted, easily scared, and completely unprepared for the nightmare she’s thrust into. In an era where action heroes dominate gaming, Grace’s authentic fragility feels revolutionary.
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Brains Over Brawn
Grace’s background as an FBI intelligence analyst immediately sets her apart from previous protagonists. She’s not a special forces operative, a police officer, or a bioweapons specialist. She’s a desk analyst – someone who solves problems with data, patterns, and careful investigation rather than firepower and superhuman reflexes.
This professional background creates fascinating opportunities for gameplay and storytelling that the series has never fully explored. Grace approaches problems like an investigator, not a soldier. She’s trained to gather evidence, connect disparate pieces of information, and build comprehensive cases against criminal organizations. These skills translate perfectly to survival horror, where understanding your environment and enemies often matters more than shooting accuracy.
“She’s an FBI analyst, so she has undergone some weapons training in the course of becoming an agent,” Nakanishi explained in a Games Radar interview at Gamescom 2025. “While she’s not quite as competent with a handgun as some of the more heroic characters, she can handle herself ultimately a little bit better than Ethan, who really doesn’t have any background in that kind of stuff.”
This places Grace in a perfect sweet spot: competent enough to be believable in combat situations, but vulnerable enough to maintain genuine tension. She’s not helpless, but she’s not overpowered either.
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Grace Ashcroft’s Vulnerability as Strength
What makes Grace truly special isn’t her training – it’s her humanity. When she wakes up strapped upside down to a medical table, her terror is palpable and authentic. Unlike seasoned protagonists who might quip or strategize in similar situations, Grace experiences genuine shock and fear.
“The start point for her is to be incredibly vulnerable and helpless,” Nakanishi revealed. “She hasn’t got any weapons on her and she’s completely unaccustomed to being thrown into this kind of intense situation.”
This vulnerability isn’t a weakness to be overcome – it’s the foundation of effective horror. Grace’s fear makes players feel fear. Her stumbling, panicked reactions in third-person mode create emotional resonance that stoic action heroes simply cannot achieve. When Grace trips while running from the stalker creature, players feel her desperation in a way that Leon’s perfectly executed knife parries never could.
The dual camera system showcases this beautifully. In third person, players witness Grace’s physical manifestations of terror – stumbling, shaking, flinching at every shadow. In first person, they experience that terror directly through her eyes. Both perspectives serve the horror experience by centering Grace’s authentic emotional responses.
The Personal Stakes Revolution
Previous Resident Evil protagonists were often motivated by duty, revenge, or circumstance. Grace’s motivation is deeply personal in a way that transforms the entire narrative framework. She’s not investigating bioweapons because it’s her job – she’s hunting for the truth about her mother’s murder.
This personal connection to the mystery creates storytelling opportunities that professional obligation cannot match. Every clue Grace uncovers about the conspiracy isn’t just plot advancement – it’s a revelation about her family history, her identity, and the forces that shaped her life. The investigation becomes a journey of self-discovery as much as a survival horror experience.
Her relationship with her deceased mother, Alyssa Ashcroft, adds layers of emotional complexity rarely seen in the series. Grace isn’t just fighting monsters – she’s following in her mother’s footsteps, uncovering the story Alyssa died trying to tell. This generational aspect creates thematic depth that extends far beyond simple monster encounters.
The Growth Arc
Perhaps most importantly, Grace represents the series’ most compelling character development opportunity. Her journey from terrified victim to capable survivor promises to be more emotionally satisfying than any previous protagonist transformation.
“She goes on a journey and you’ll go with her too,” Nakanishi explained. “She will grow throughout the game and gradually become more competent and capable and overcome her fear somewhat. She will naturally find weapons eventually and be able to grab guns and shoot back at the horrors that await her.”
This progression feels earned rather than assumed. When Grace finally picks up her mother’s handgun – likely as both weapon and memento – it will represent genuine character growth. Every combat encounter she survives, every puzzle she solves, every moment of terror she endures contributes to her evolution from victim to survivor.
Unlike protagonists who begin as competent action heroes, Grace’s victories feel meaningful because they’re hard-won. Her journey mirrors the player’s own learning curve, creating a bond between character and audience that professional soldiers or experienced agents rarely achieve.
Breaking the Action Hero Mold
Grace’s design philosophy directly challenges the series’ increasing reliance on action hero tropes. She can’t roundhouse kick zombies or perform impossible knife combat maneuvers. She can’t shrug off injuries that would hospitalize normal humans. She exists in a more grounded reality where survival requires wit, caution, and genuine resourcefulness.
This grounding serves the horror experience in ways that superhuman protagonists cannot. When Grace hides under a table from the stalker creature, it feels like a rational survival strategy. When she uses light sources to ward off enemies, it demonstrates creative problem-solving under pressure. Her limitations force players to think like survivors rather than action heroes.
The series has spent years escalating protagonist power levels to match increasingly spectacular threats. Grace represents a return to human-scale horror where the monsters are terrifying precisely because the protagonist is genuinely vulnerable to them.
The Emotional Intelligence Factor
Grace’s background as an analyst suggests emotional intelligence that most RE protagonists lack. She’s trained to understand motivations, recognize patterns in behavior, and build psychological profiles of criminal actors. These skills could revolutionize how players interact with RE9’s mystery elements.
Instead of simply fighting through obstacles, Grace might piece together enemy motivations, predict organizational behavior, or manipulate situations through understanding rather than force. Her analytical mind could provide unique solutions to problems that previous protagonists would solve through combat alone.
This intellectual approach to survival horror feels fresh and contemporary. Modern audiences appreciate protagonists who think their way through problems rather than shooting everything that moves. Grace’s analytical background provides natural justification for puzzle-solving gameplay while maintaining narrative consistency.
The Legacy Connection
Grace’s connection to Alyssa Ashcroft provides something the series has rarely attempted: genuine continuity between entries that enhances rather than constrains the new story. She’s not just another protagonist – she’s the daughter of a previous hero, carrying forward both genetic and emotional legacies.
This connection allows RE9 to honor the Outbreak games while telling an entirely new story. Grace doesn’t need extensive backstory exposition because her heritage provides context. Players familiar with Alyssa’s story gain deeper appreciation for Grace’s journey, while newcomers receive all necessary information through natural character development.
The generational aspect also adds weight to Grace’s investigation. She’s not just solving a case – she’s completing her mother’s work, honoring her sacrifice, and potentially preventing future tragedies. This emotional investment elevates every story beat beyond simple plot mechanics.
Why Grace Could Be the Best
Grace Ashcroft succeeds where other protagonists have faltered by embracing limitations rather than transcending them. She’s strong enough to be credible but vulnerable enough to be relatable. She’s smart enough to solve complex problems but inexperienced enough to face genuine danger. She’s motivated by personal stakes but professional enough to approach problems systematically.
Most importantly, Grace feels like a real person rather than an action movie archetype. Her fears, motivations, and reactions all stem from recognizably human responses to extraordinary circumstances. This authenticity creates emotional investment that superhuman protagonists cannot match.
In returning to the series’ survival horror roots, Capcom needed a protagonist who could carry that vision convincingly. Grace Ashcroft isn’t just perfect for RE9’s horror-focused approach – she might be exactly what the entire franchise needed to rediscover its identity.
After years of increasingly powerful heroes fighting increasingly spectacular threats, Grace represents a return to the fundamental truth of survival horror: the monsters are only scary if the protagonist is genuinely afraid of them. And Grace Ashcroft is very, very afraid.
That fear might just save the series.
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