Little is known about what awaits players in Resident Evil 9, but it should definitely bring back Jill Valentine. The setting, villains, and even if RE 9 will have a third-person or first-person point of view remain a mystery. Players might find themselves exploring more of Eastern Europe, or being introduced to another location; they may take the role of a familiar character or find a different cast altogether. The lack of information about Resident Evil 9 leaves plenty of room for wild speculation and hopes for what fans want to see. Whether the latest biohazard threat is a new variant of the T-Virus or the continued tale of the mold, it's time for Capcom to bring Jill Valentine back into the fray.
When Resident Evil was released in 1996, Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield took the leading roles in this game that would help define the survival horror genre. While both characters would appear in subsequent Resident Evil titles, Jill Valentine vanishes from the franchise's timeline after the events in Kijuju from Resident Evil 5. Meanwhile, Chris Redfield has continued to appear in recent games, including Resident Evil Village, yet he never mentions his former partner after he rescues her from Albert Wesker, despite having gone to extreme lengths to find and free her from his control. As far as the game's universe is concerned, it seems like Jill Valentine no longer exists.
Capcom should bring Jill Valentine back in Resident Evil 9 as an Ada Wong-type character working for the BSAA. While Ada Wong's allegiances are often unclear, Jill has been against the creation and use of bioweapons since her first encounter with the T-Virus in Spencer Mansion. Files found around the levels of Resident Evil 5 tell the player that Jill has been working alone during her time in Kijuju, albeit under the orders of Wesker, so she would be accustomed to handling solo missions, and that would be valuable for helping the BSAA gather information on potential threats. Jill has the skills to accomplish individual missions, having escaped from Raccoon City with Nemesis chasing her, and it would put her lockpicking skills to good use. Instead of being hidden away because Capcom is uncertain of where to take her story, Jill could be turned into the strong female protagonist in Resident Evil 9 that the franchise is lacking.
How Resident Evil 9 Should Change Jill Valentine
Using Jill as the protagonist in Resident Evil 9 would allow Capcom to take its franchise in a new direction. Recent titles have focused heavily on male characters, as Ada Wong's appearance in Resident Evil Village was scrapped, but Resident Evil 9 is the perfect opportunity to bring in a female focus. As Resident Evil titles vary in their balance of action and horror elements, putting Jill in the leading role could shift the genre into a mix of stealth and horror.
Jill Valentine is overdue for her return to Resident Evil. There are hints that Chris Redfield is unhappy with some of the BSAA's actions in Resident Evil Village. If Chris decides to work against the BSAA while Jill works for them in a manner similar to Ada Wong, then Resident Evil 9 could pit them against each other as enemies, only this time it would be without the excuse of Jill's actions being controlled by Wesker.
