Leon Kennedy

Leon Scott Kennedy, more commonly known as Leon S. Kennedy is an American of Italian descent[9] currently employed as a federal agent by the Division of Security Operations (D.S.O.), a counter-terrorism agency under direct Presidential command. Kennedy is a known survivor of the 1998 Raccoon City Destruction Incident, at the time a police officer. Following his escape, he was forcefully recruited into a top secret anti-Umbrella team under USSTRATCOM devoted to anti-B.O.W. combat, serving it until 2011 in repeated operations around the world. Kennedy is known to have suffered a traumatic childhood due to his family's connections to crime. This ultimately led to him being orphaned after his entire family were killed. Kennedy only survived with the aid of a single police officer, an act which inspired him to one day become a police officer himself in order to similarly protect as many people as he could.[10] Upon graduating from the police academy at the age of 21, Kennedy requested assignment to work for the Raccoon Police Department. His reason was interest in the widely publicized but unsolved bizarre murder cases taking place in and around the Arklay Mountains. "This is not how I imagined my first day..." — Leon commenting on his first day as a Raccoon City Police Officer Kennedy had no travel plans or apartment in Raccoon City, and in the hasty departure, broke up with his girlfriend. Stopping at a motel for the night, he passed out from heavy drinking and woke up on the afternoon on September 29, a Tuesday. Kennedy continued driving into the city hungover, now late for reporting in to the station.[13] Driving through Arklay County, he passed through the highway blockade erected by the United States Army and Army National Guard on the night of September 29, which had fallen due to the chaos within the city. drove southwards into the city as normal and was surrounded by Zombies while investigating a body in the middle of the unusually quiet main road. Retreating into an alleyway he met Claire Redfield, another newcomer, who was herself fleeing from Zombies within a diner. They commandeered an RPD cruiser and drove to the Raccoon Police Station to seek shelter and answers.[15] Unbeknownst to them, the car itself has a stowaway zombie which spontaneously attacked them while driving on their way to Raccoon City, causing their car to crash into a nearby sign and eject the attacking Zombie. Unfortunately, the car was destroyed when a gasoline tanker collided with it, and the two were separated and travelled to the police station independently.[15]

RE2 Leon and Ada Leon and Ada before kissing. The station itself had already fallen to Zombies, and the only unzombified police officers were the injured Lt. Marvin Branagh; Elliot Edward, and Police Chief Brian Irons. Had he met Lt. Branagh, he would have been briefed on current events before becoming a Zombie. During investigation, Kennedy ran into a young girl – Sherry Birkin – and removed any thoughts of suicide from his mind, should his death prevent the girl's escape in the future.[16] In the police station's basement, Kennedy met Ada Wong, a corporate spy from one of Umbrella's rival companies sent to steal the G-Virus. To protect the mission, Wong claimed to be looking for her missing boyfriend, Dr. John Clemens, unaware he had perished in the Mansion Incident. She soon became aware of Ben Bertolucci, a freelance journalist who she believed had uncovered useful information for her mission while spying on Umbrella researchers. Although Bertolucci was able to uncover information on a conspiracy between Umbrella USA and the local police, which was the reason for his arrest, it wasn't enough for her mission.

Ben was soon after killed by Dr. William Birkin or a G parasite. Kennedy and Wong continued on to the city's sewers, where they found transport to NEST, Umbrella's laboratory dedicated to G-Virus research. Kennedy was left to do much of the work himself when in the laboratory; though he himself had suffered a gunshot wound, Wong's leg injury made her unable to continue.

RE2 Hey, it's up to us to take out Umbrella "Hey, it's up to us to take out Umbrella!" During the exploration of the laboratory, Kennedy became aware of Wong's real mission when she cornered, seeking the virus. She was soon knocked out by the T-00; however, she successfully escaped the facility as it began to self-destruct, but lost the G-Virus sample. Fleeing to NEST's bottom platform, Kennedy was reunited with Claire and the young Sherry, who had been infected with G-Virus but was vaccinated by DEVIL to halt her mutations. The facility was destroyed, with Dr. William Birkin perishing soon after.

STRATCOM recruitment (1998)

Leon is interrogated RE Umbrella Chronicles Kennedy being questioned by the U.S. government Following their escape from Raccoon City on the morning of 30 September, Claire and Kennedy split up; while she continued her search for Chris, while a wounded Kennedy continued to look after a weakened Sherry. After seeking out the U.S. military stationed outside the city for protection, Kennedy and Sherry were apprehended.[17] Sherry was taken away and placed in protective custody as a research subject while Kennedy was interrogated by Adam Benford, a high-ranking government official and military intelligence officer.[18][19][20] Kennedy was deemed to know too much about the incident, but as his survival demonstrated anti-B.O.W. skills highly sought after by the military, particularly due to the decimation and failure of their special forces to steal the G-virus,[21] he was given an ultimatum. In exchange for Sherry's safety and his own life, he was to be recruited into a classified anti-Umbrella military agency rapidly formed in the wake of the incident to destroy Umbrella and prevent similar disasters, answering solely to the President.[22][23] His subsequent training turned him from a simple police rookie into an expert special agent, proficient in weapons handling and close quarters combat while actively engaging in special missions and intelligence ops. He began secretly investigating Umbrella personally as well.

In November 1998, Kennedy sent a personal friend, private detective Ark Thompson out to investigate Umbrella's facilities on Sheena Island.[24] The following month, Claire set out for Europe to continue her search for Chris. She was captured by Umbrella after being caught trespassing in the Umbrella facility in Paris.[25] While on the island prison of Rockfort Island, Claire sent Kennedy an e-mail asking him to inform Chris of her location so that he could come and rescue her.[26][27] Kennedy managed to track Chris down personally, and told him of Claire's situation, and Chris headed for Rockfort Island after her after requesting that Kennedy organize a government rescue team, although Leon himself was on a separate mission at the time.[28][29]

Operation Javier (2002)

"The virus continues to grow. Altering its form, strengthening perpetually. until the day it can be destroyed... In our bodies... in our souls." — [30] Resident evil dark side chronicles-1012831 Kennedy and Krauser in South America, 2002 In 2002, before the destruction of the Russian branch of Umbrella, Kennedy was sent to a small South American country as part of a secret military detachment after the headquarters were informed that a former researcher from Umbrella contacted a man named Javier Hidalgo. Due to the difficult nature of the operation, Jack Krauser, a seasoned and decorated U.S. Army Special Forces operator, was selected to be Kennedy's partner.

Krauser and Kennedy were sent on a mission by the U.S. government to infiltrate this small South American country. Finding Javier was their objective since he was a drug lord who had taken control over a large area of the jungle with an iron fist. The small government was unable to do anything about Javier's control of the drug trade, requiring Krauser and Kennedy's deployment. The U.S. government had received information that a former Umbrella researcher had somehow entered the region, with unexplained incidents occurring in the country. Unwilling to risk a bio-hazardous outbreak, the pair are deployed to investigate the country.

They later found themselves having to cooperate as a two-man cell in a t-Virus outbreak. Kennedy also met a mysterious girl called Manuela, who seemed to be the only survivor of the village, though it was unknown why she didn't escape. Manuela turned out to be Javier's daughter; she contracted a rare disease, and was kept alive by her father through the t-Veronica Virus. While exploring Javier's compound, Kennedy opened up to Krauser about his hellish night in Raccoon City, as well as Claire's encounter with the t-Veronica Virus to explain how Umbrella's B.O.W.s worked.

Leon and Manuela The Trio getting back to U.S. Eventually, Kennedy and Krauser fought Javier after the crime lord combined himself with a plant infected with the t-Veronica Virus. Manuela assisted them by unleashing the effects of the Virus on her father. Javier was killed, and Manuela was taken into government custody. Kennedy parted ways with Krauser after the latter was discharged from an injury during the mission. Sometime later that year, Kennedy learned that his former partner seemingly died in an accident.

Los Iluminados (2004)

"Guess that's a local's way of breaking the ice. Anyway, you know what this is all about. My assignment is to search for the President's missing daughter." — Leon to a pair of Spanish police officers assigned to him[31] In 2004, President Graham's daughter was abducted on the way home from the University of Massachusetts, in what had hallmarks of an inside job. American spies reported having seen the girl, Ashley Graham, in Spain and tracked her to an isolated, rural community.[31] With all government agents being thoroughly investigated to identify the mole, Kennedy was sent alone to investigate the area.[32][33]

Resident evil 4 4 wii hd high res emulator dolphin Kennedy in Spain, 2004. Arriving with two municipal Madridian police officers, Kennedy was almost immediately attacked by the local villagers who forced the two officers into a ravine. The approach to the village uncovered evidence of multiple murders performed by the villagers as a whole. Over the course of the day it was uncovered that the villagers were followers of a neopagan cult called Los Iluminados. Led by its Prophet, Osmund Saddler and his lieutenants Fr. Bitores Méndez and Ramón Salazar, they implanted a genetically engineered parasite called a Plaga into members as part of their baptismal ceremonies to ensure obedience, before ordering them to kill all intruders to protect their research.[34]

Kennedy himself was taken captive by the cult immediately after finding a hostage and implanted with one of the Plagas in the Prophet Saddler's hopes he would become useful. The reason for this was not widely known, even to his lieutenants, and the villagers were more than willing to continue trying to kill him. His fellow hostage who he escaped with, Dr. Luis Sera, was a mole within the Prophet Saddler's bio-weapons development program and was captured trying to escape with a stolen Dominant species Plaga egg in exchange for being rescued by The Organisation, a secretive group Dr. Albert Wesker was connected with. Unwilling at the time to reveal this information, he instead lied about being a former Madridian police officer held captive.[34]

RE4 Leon and Sherry escapes church Kennedy and Ashley escapes from Saddler. Kennedy's search through the village suggested Graham was being held within a chapel, but it would be over six hours before he was able to get inside after passing out, possibly from complications involving the Plaga. Inside he quickly released Graham from captivity, but the two were confronted by the Prophet Saddler, who revealed that he and Graham were both implanted with Plaga eggs, with the intention of Graham being released back to the United States as a mole who could expand his power base.[35] The two attempted to escape from the village, but soon found that a government helicopter on stand-by to pick them up had been shot down, which Leon theorised could only be the mole's doing.[33] This act forced them to seek shelter for the night, initially in a secluded house and later in the nearby castle.[36] Along the way Kennedy was forced to fight Fr. Méndez, who was angry at the loss of his congregation.

During exploration of the castle, the government radio frequency was jammed,[37] the mole having detailed knowledge of their radio frequencies. Soon after, Kennedy was introduced to Salazar,[38] a young nobleman who controlled the castle and boasted an army of monks armed with medieval weaponry. Graham herself was taken hostage repeatedly,[39][40] leaving Kennedy on his own for much of the night. Near the courtyard, he ran into Wong, who he quickly deduced was working with Dr. Wesker's group,[41] who was the agent sent to retrieve Dr. Sera's egg sample. Dr. Sera himself was killed soon after by the Prophet Saddler, who saw no reason to keep him alive when he saw he had the sample in his hand.[42] The Prophet Saddler then left to Los Iluminados' research complex on a nearby island with Graham, while Kennedy was forced to explore the entire fortress from the ruins of an ancient underground city to a Cathedral on a tower. After killing Salazar, whose body had merged into the "Queen Plaga", Kennedy travelled to the island with Wong in search of Graham once more.[43][44]

Playstation-4-screenshot-leon-versus-krauser Kennedy faces Krauser in a knife fight. In the exploration of the island, Kennedy was able to rescue Graham from her prison cell and fought B.O.W. by-products of Plaga experimentation such as the Regeneradores. After travelling through a warehouse district where plans to set up a navy were in place, Graham was again taken captive, this time with the Prophet Saddler directly controlling her by manipulating her Plaga.[45] In the pursuit, Kennedy was confronted by none other than Krauser, who had joined the Organisation after his experience in South America and faked his death.[46] Krauser had been the original agent tackled with obtaining a Dominant species Plaga sample and took part in the kidnapping of Graham to get it, with Wong being sent in to take over the mission when he was determined to be a liability after becoming the host of that very Plaga sample.

As the sun rose, Kennedy's fight against Los Iluminados continued with him seriously wounding Krauser following a mutation though mistook him for dead. Wong would later kill him. With the radio jamming ceased, Kennedy got in contact with a second government helicopter which launched an assault on the cult's militia before being destroyed by a rocket launcher on the Prophet Saddler's orders.[47][48] Taking clues left by Dr. Sera for anyone storming the island, Kennedy and Graham were able to find the original equipment designed to kill prototype Plagas and freed themselves of the parasites.[49]

Leon and Ashley ending Kennedy and Ashley escape the Los Iluminados. The cult leader was himself killed by a rocket launcher with the help of Wong after Graham's rescue. Kennedy's retrieval of the egg sample from the remains was short-lived, and Wong herself turned on him to complete her mission, though she ensured he had a means of escaping the island with Graham in the form of a jet-ski.[50] The two escaped as a series of explosive charges planted by Wong caused the complex's destruction, bringing about cave-ins. After being picked up by the government, Kennedy's report on the Plagas, dubbed the "Kennedy Report", was shared with the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance to ensure a defense against the Plagas in future.

Kennedy would later become aware of survivors of the cult in the region, who gained interest in bioterrorism. Refugees who had fled the cult also returned home to their village, but were parasitised by the Plagas, making the region dangerous once more.

Harvardville incident (2005)

"Shoot 'em in the head." — Leon advising the SRT on how to handle the by-product of a t-Virus outbreak.[51] In the year following the 2004 Terragrigia Panic, the threat of bioterrorism was increasing. Former Umbrella researchers were suspected of selling bio-weapons onto the black market, requiring ever more radical countermeasures. The U.S. government entered an agreement with the pharmaceutical giant WP Corporation to mass-produce a t-Vaccine that could eliminate the operational effectiveness of Umbrella's lead viral weapon. In 2002, soldiers loyal to General Miguel Grandé had gotten their hands on t-Virus and triggered an outbreak in India, which was halted thanks to the emergency use of WP Corporation's vaccine, leading to the authorisation of another three years of medical trials in the country.[51]

Leon,angela,and greg Kennedy working with the S.R.T. during outbreak at the airport. In November 2005, a coordinated terrorist attack took place at Harvardville Airport, causing a riot in the terminal as well as a plane crash. USAMRIID confirmed a t-Virus strain was responsible, and the 75th Ranger Regiment was deployed to the WP Corporation to wipe out the Zombies with the WP Corporation ordered to vaccinate each solder as well as civilians in quarantine. President Graham also sent in Kennedy to oversee the operations due to his familiarity with fighting Zombies. Kennedy lead a police team into the airport to rescue five survivors ahead of the Ranger attack, and succeeded with the rescue of Senator Ron Davis and his old friend, Claire Redfield.[51]

"I'm gonna scrub this virus from the face of the earth." — Leon to Claire, after the Harvardville outbreak During the airport cleanup, Kennedy received updated information from Ingrid Hunnigan that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had arrested a soldier in General Grandé's army in Los Angeles and was holding him for questioning. Soon, he received word that there was to be a major bio-weapons attack across the United States if the government refused to reveal its involvement in the original t-Virus Project. When WP Corporation trucks carrying the vaccine exploded in a bombing, Kennedy began investigating Dr. Curtis Miller, an opponent of the WP Corporation who had been sighted at the airport during the attack. Driving up to Dr. Miller's house with Dr. Miller's younger sister, S.R.T. member Angela Miller, the two found it had burnt to the ground, preventing a search there. They soon after were alerted to an explosion at the WP Corporation's Air Dome Laboratory on the city outskirts, and set off there.[51]

PDVD 062 Kennedy and Angela in the middle of the outbreak at the WP Corporation's Laboratory. Kennedy and a Ranger squad made their way into the WP Corporation laboratory, which had been heavily damaged in a bombing, causing a t-Virus outbreak there. Redfield was the only remaining uninfected survivor, being sheltered on the top floor of the building, with chief researcher Dr. Frederic Downing believed dead in the bombing. Dr. Miller was found on the ground floor, having infected himself with the Golgotha Virus, something obtained on the black market. The G-mutant wiped out the Ranger squad and began hunting down his sister, who he instinctively needed as a tool to propagate his new species. Kennedy was able to keep Angela from her brother, and the two made their way into an underground access way to escape him. Due to the elaborate biohazard containment measures put in place by the architects, Dr. Miller was killed after falling down a shaft into an oncoming explosion.[51]

Resident evil degeneration Kennedy and Claire say goodbye. In the aftermath of the attack, Kennedy and Redfield became aware that something was out of place. Hunnigan reported in that General Grandé's had finally caved in to the FBI interrogation and revealed he was merely a courier for taking the t-Virus, t-Vaccine and G-Virus out of the country. Evidence implicated not Dr. Miller, but Dr. Downing, having apparently faked his death in the bombing to escape with samples. Kennedy, Angela and Redfield drove on to the courier's intended deal site and found Dr. Downing waiting. He was subsequently arrested, and confessed to being an employee of NEST, having stolen a G-Virus sample and changed his name during his escape from Raccoon City. The India outbreak had been masterminded by Dr. Miller as a means of advertising both the t-Virus and t-Vaccine, with Dr. Miller being radicalised to carry out further attacks in the United States as a further confirmation. Following his arrest, the WP Corporation collapsed and was purchased by Tricell through Wesker's acquisitions.[51]

Pittsburgh Incident (2006)

Leon (ID-TB) 1 Leon arrives in Pittsburgh In 2006, approximately one year after the WP Corporation's collapse, the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is rocked one night by a bomb explosion which kills a security guard, Monica Posey. The day after the bombing, Leon is called in for assistance with investigating by the FBI due to the incident bearing relations to his most recent mission. Arriving in Pittsburgh, Leon meets with the museum's director, Abigail Schwartz, its head of security, Jamal Hawkins, and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police detective Joseph Pascazzi to discuss the events of the incident, disclosing to them that the explosive used was similar to one from his previous assignment which still had several perpetrators at large. Leon then theorizes that the bomb was intended to be set off on the opening day of the museum's new Greco-Roman Antiquities exhibit, but was prematurely detonated by Monica's attempt to warn Jamal about it over her radio.

Upon learning from Jamal that the security system at the museum failed to catch the moment when the bomb was planted, as well as from Joseph that cross-referencing with other law enforcement agencies yielded no significant clues as to who the perpetrator may have been, Leon begins to suspect that the explosive was placed with the assistance of an inside mole. Checking the museum's personnel files, one name catches Leon's eye: Mack Storm, who he realizes was involved in the previous bombing incident as well. An inquiry with Hawkins reveals that Storm had moved to Pittsburgh from St. Louis and was recently hired on recommendation from a retired guard, Philip Zelenetsky. Leon also finds out that Storm had been interviewed alongside other staff by Pascazzi and the police shortly after the bombing but did not arouse any suspicion at the time. Wanting to further question him, Kennedy and Pascazzi track down Storm's home in McKees Rocks.

Leon (ID-TB) 2 Kennedy and Pascazzi confront Wright Kennedy and Pascazzi investigate the residence and discover the real Mack Storm dead in a freezer, his corpse having been stored there for an extended period of time, meaning that someone else had been assuming Storm's identity the entire time for both the museum bombing and the one before. They then investigate a noise at the front door, only to be confronted by the armed and now clearly-fake 'Mack' from the museum. He quickly wounds Pascazzi with a shot to the shoulder, leaving Leon to chase him alone. 'Mack' manages to escape in a van driven by an accomplice, but not before Leon catches the van's license plate. Leon then investigates the apartment upstairs and discovers documents related to its supposed tenant, Frank Wright.[52]

The following morning, Leon and the Pittsburgh Police's criminal invstigation team investigate Wright's home and find residue from chemicals used to make the bomb planted at the museum, a map of Pittsburgh with Frick Park, where Wright had gone four days prior to the attack, circled on it, and a password-protected laptop. Leon prepares to leave for the park when he overhears a distress call on an analyst, Alec's, radio reporting a zombie outbreak at the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office, caused by Posey's body awakening as a zombie while being prepared for examination.

Leon (ID-TB) 3 Leon containing the outbreak at the Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner Rushing to the office, Leon urgently calls Schwartz and questions her about any staff present at the museum on the night of the bombing who are presently absent from work, to which Schwartz responds by naming Hawkins and José Santiago. He orders her to have the two sent to a hospital to test for possible t-Virus infection and to contact the CDC and inform them of the occurrence of another possible outbreak of said virus. Leon arrives on the scene and assists police reinforcements in clearing out the building of zombies, which is successful, albeit with the zombification of one police officer and the infection of another. As the injured are sent for immediate medical screening and treatment, Leon contacts the police inspecting Wright's home and orders for the checking for residual t-Virus contamination. He then travels to Frick Park and learns from a homeless man of a rally which also took place at the park around the time when Wright visited it.[53]

Leon eventually visits the Allegheny General Hospital, where Hawkins and Santiago are warded in isolation for what the hospital can only assume is a particularly bizarre Infleunza infection. Leon advises the hospital staff to take blood samples from both men and send them to a federal laboratory for t-Virus testing, which they commence despite their limited understanding of the virus. He then meets Pascazzi, still recovering from his injury, to discuss another bombing which has since occurred at the Willie Stargell Community Center.

Leon then meets with Alec Attico at the Pittsburgh Police technical services office, who has checked through Wright's laptop and found recent MapQuest searches for the community center and PNC Park. More disturbing is the discovery of a mailing list of which Wright is a member, simply known as 'Overgrown', which contains links to articles on population trends, birth rates and food shortages. Leon deduces based on these findings that since the museum and community center were targeted at maximum occupancy, PNC Park will most likely be the next target during the upcoming Pittsburgh Pirates game that evening. He contacts Schwartz again and asks her to put him onto the most senior CDC official available, Dr. Lee, whom he informs of the community center bombing.

When Leon heads to the community center to investigate it himself, he finds the police on-scene being attacked by a group of zombies, among them Rasheen Washington, the community center's leader. He contacts police lieutenant Greenwalt for backup. Few minutes later, S.W.A.T reinforcement arrives with Leon and the group clears out the remaining hostiles within the area. Leon instructs the officer in charge to take any civilians that were exposed to the bombing to be taken into Allegheny General Hospital to check for potential symptoms of the virus. After the situation has been settled, Leon goes to meet Greenwalt in Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Headquarters to report Alec's findings on Wright's computer. The computer contains articles and e-mails about the population correction movement in which it is theorised that the world's population was growing too fast for the world's food supply to support the people though the theory is later debunked. Leon brings Greenwalt's attention to the rally that occurred in Frick Park to which Greenwalt realises that they had a rally permit for the population correction movement. Greenwalt adds that officers in the rally were kept an eye on the group though none of their speeches relates to the recent bombings and ends with few protestors arrested for assault charges, Leon theorises that they could be dealing with a radicalised group that specifically targets large social gathering events. After Greenwalt informs Leon that Joseph Pascazzi was one of the arresting officers, Leon heads to the hospital for more information on the rally that Wright had went to.[54][55]

In the hospital, Leon visits Pascazzi and inquires him about the population correction movement, Pascazzi informs him that he had arrested a few of them 2 months back before suddenly going into cardiac arrest amidst the conversation. The hospital staff is alerted and tries to resuscitates him but fails as Pascazzi is pronounced dead at 5:07 PM while Leon watched on, grieving and preparing for what he must do next. Suddenly, Pascazzi reanimates and Leon solemnly puts him down and learns from the nurse that Jamal and José are still being held in isolation though their condition steadily improves as their fever subsides and are still waiting for lab results. Before leaving, Leon tells the nurse to inform the staff to wear hazmat protection suit when approaching bomb victims. Outside, Leon attempts to inform Abigail about the condition of the victims only to be informed that she had taken a sick leave. Fearing the worst, Leon tries to reach contact but is left with automated voice messages from the answering machine, he leaves a message and warns her that she was potentially infected with the virus and needs to seek medical attention immediately. However, Leon later learns that Abigail and her husband Russell Welsher were turned and killed shortly after.[55]

At the station, Greenwalt and Leon watch the broadcast televised by leader of Population Control Movement (PMC) Riley Queen which was sent to every radio and TV station in Pittsburgh. In the broadcast, Riley declares that the attacks in Pittsburgh were only the beginning demonstration on how serious they stand by their cause and claims to have more bombs laid around. After viewing, Leon wonders on how the bomb had t-virus embedded inside them and Greenwalt remains frustrated at the lack of progress made on the case. Sometime after, Leon is called by an officer who tells him the department had received a 911 call from Frank Wright in a motel located in Enlow. The EMTs recognised the virus's symptoms and had him placed and quarantined in ICU. Leon asks to interrogate him, the staff comply with his request under the condition that he wears a protection hazmat suit and urges him to hurry as they are not sure how long he will be conscious. After Leon acquires information on the whereabouts of PMC's HQ, Frank dies from his afflictions. Leon alongside Pittsburgh's SWAT infiltrates a log cabin in Tarentum, Pennsylvania and and busts the meeting resulting in few of its members dead. Leon wounds Riley and takes him and surviving PMC members into police custody.

In the police's press conference, Leon and Greenwalt observed the meeting from above before he is summoned to the White House and is offered transportation to Washington, D.C. Leon and Greenwalt amicably departs and leaves for D.C. on a helicopter.

Penamstan Conspiracy Incident (2006)

"You cannot save a country if you don't give a damn about the people in it." — Leon to Jason[56] Shortly after the Pittsburgh Incident, the White House is placed on alert after an unidentified individual hacks into confidential computer files. An investigation into this incident is subsequently commenced, overseen by President Graham, his Chief of Staff, Ryan, and his Defense Secretary, Wilson. All persons who were in the White House on the day of the hacking are subject to the investigation, which is to be led by four specially selected federal agents: Patrick, Jason, Shenmei and Leon, who is running late due to the events in Pittsburgh so the initial meeting takes place in the Oval Office without him.[57]

Leon White House Leon and the agents protecting Graham. Right as Leon arrives at the White House, the power goes out and the Secret Service springs to action, ready to take Graham to the Beast (the Presidential State Car) if necessary. When the backup power supply fails to turn on, it becomes clear the suspected mole from the previous night is still in the White House. The agents leave the Oval Office to search for the mole; Patrick encounters and is almost bitten by the mysteriously zombified White House Press Secretary Spacer when Leon shoots him dead, saving Patrick. Leon meets with Graham at the Oval Office and warns him of the situation; the escape to the Beast is called off in favor of the bunker. Leon, Shenmei and Jason begin scouring the White House for zombies, while Patrick is sent down into the bunker with the Secret Service detail for Graham's protection. Washington, D.C. Metro SWAT are called in as backup just in case. They soon find that responsible virus has spread rapidly, infecting dozens of staff members. The White House is subsequently cleared of all zombies.[57]

After consideration, Graham decides it is best to cover up the incident, and the victims are declared to have gone on leave. Claire later spots Leon, much to his surprise, she confides in about her discovery about a biohazard in Penamstan. Later, the DIA investigation behind the hacking determines the stolen files discussed a bio-research facility in Shanghai. A top-secret operation is drawn up, in which Leon, Jason and Shenmei are to infiltrate the Shanghai facility. They are flown to Guam and board one of the new Virginia-class submarines at Apra Harbor, modified for SONAR stealth and provided with a modified Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) midget submarine.[57]

Jason and Leon Jason and Leon share their traumas. During the trip, Jason begins to open up to Leon about his days in the Army and during Penamstan Civil War, with Leon being all too familiar with dealing with Zombies. They have separate views of things, however; when Jason describes the bombing of Raccoon City as a necessary operation to save the United States, Leon pushes back, still bitter over the Army's cowardly withdrawal from Raccoon City. The submarine is unexpectedly rocked, and Leon and Jason head to the bridge to investigate, only to find that the bridge crew have been killed. While Leon heads over to the engineering section, Jason meets up with Shenmei en route to the ASDS. Leon arrives at the engineering section to find the engineers have also been killed, finding that mutant rats have burrowed into their bodies. Due to the dangers of using firearms on board a submarine, Leon chooses instead to seal them behind a hatch. When a self-destruct system is triggered, Leon runs out to the ASDS, electrocuting another swarm of rats on the way. When Leon reaches the ASDS, Shenmei puts a gun to his head but is ordered to stand down by Jason. The two escape with Leon as their prisoner, bound for Shanghai as the submarine explodes.[56]

The ASDS reaches Shanghai, and Shenmei, Jason and Leon head over to a safe house that was set up for their mission. Leon suspects the two are traitors who are working for the Chinese, and though Jason instead tells him he is working to expose a conspiracy within the government, he doesn't believe it. The discussion turns violent, with both men reaching for their guns; Leon comes out the victor with Jason sustaining a gunshot wound to the chest, but Shenmei has managed to escape during the fight.[56]

Shenmei's confrontation Leon confronts Shenmei. Leon manages to tail her to her family's mansion outside of Shanghai, where he takes Hao Ran hostage and demands Shenmei to tell him everything. She explains the situation that she was handling radio communications between Wilson and the soldiers in Penamstan. She was not permitted to respond to the Mad Dogs' request for evacuation, even when they reported having picked up a survivor from Alpha Two, Jun Shī, who is her brother When they unexpectedly arrived at the base, Shenmei confronted them, only to find Jun Shī alive but afflicted with Cannibal Disease. Since then Shenmei has been working with Jason trying to find evidence to publicly expose Wilson for conspiring to deploy bio-weapons in Penamstan. Though dismissive of Jason, Leon finds Shenmei more persuasive when she shows him what remains of her brother. The Mad Dogs filed false reports about the incident, though only Jason and Shenmei were prepared to investigate Wilson while the others were discharged. Shenmei then used her family connections to have Jun Shī quietly smuggled out over the Chinese border to escape euthanasia. After six years of investigating, Shenmei and Jason had until recently come no closer to exposing the conspiracy until a recent breakthrough: a computer chip planted on Jun Shī when he was infected was discovered, which had been recording biometric data on behalf of a B.O.W. manufacturer involved in the Penamstan incident, who they may be able to identify. Suddenly, the mansion is destroyed in a bomb blast; the ceiling caves in, crushing her brother, Hao Ran and her grandfather, Leon manages to drag Shenmei out before its destruction.

Leon and Shenmei stand alone in the ruins of the mansion, though still have the computer chip with them. Shenmei begs Leon to hand it over to her so the conspiracy can be exposed to the whole world. Leon declines on account of the fact that if she does leak the information, she will almost certainly be killed by US agents. Later on in the conversation, he deduces that Jason likely caused the explosion and is planning to conduct acts of terror in revenge for his experiences in Penamstan, rather than truly seeking justice. Character Profile: Leon S. Kennedy

---

Full Name: Leon Scott Kennedy Occupation: Federal Agent (formerly a police officer) Affiliation: U.S. Government, Secret Service, DSO (Division of Security Operations) Age: Early to mid-30s (as of latest events) Height: 6’0” (183 cm) Hair: Light brown, medium-length, swept to the side Eyes: Blue Appearance: Athletic and lean, wears practical and tactical clothing—usually dark-colored outfits or tactical gear suited for combat and fieldwork. Often seen wearing a leather jacket, particularly in Resident Evil 6.

---

Backstory:

Leon Kennedy was introduced to the world of survival horror during the 1998 Raccoon City Incident. Fresh out of the police academy, Leon arrived for his first day as a rookie cop with the Raccoon City Police Department, only to find the town overrun by zombies due to the T-Virus outbreak. With minimal training but a natural aptitude for survival, Leon joined forces with Claire Redfield, a college student searching for her brother, and together they fought their way through the infested city.

This traumatic experience shaped Leon, showing both his resolve and innate ability to keep a calm head under the most extreme circumstances. His success in surviving the incident caught the attention of the U.S. Government, who recruited him as a federal agent. He would go on to work for the Secret Service, assigned to high-profile operations, including the rescue of the President's daughter, Ashley Graham, from a dangerous cult in Spain. Leon is resourceful, quick-thinking, and incredibly determined. Despite facing horrifying creatures and overwhelming odds, he remains calm and collected, often using dry wit or sarcasm to cope with the gravity of his situations. Over time, Leon has developed a world-weariness, having been exposed to the darker side of human nature and bioterrorism. Nevertheless, he retains his sense of justice and deep sense of duty.

He’s known for being stoic and professional, but he can be emotionally closed off, often burying his trauma and fears. Leon struggles with the weight of the lives he couldn’t save, carrying a heavy burden of responsibility. Even so, he remains incredibly loyal to his friends and colleagues, willing to put himself in danger to protect others.

• Expert Marksman: Leon’s proficiency with firearms is exceptional. He can use a wide variety of weapons, from handguns to shotguns, rifles, and even high-tech equipment.
• Hand-to-Hand Combat: Years of government training have made Leon an adept fighter, able to hold his own in close-quarters combat.
• Tactical and Survival Training: As a government agent, Leon has been trained in various tactical skills, including infiltration, survival, and counterterrorism.
• Crisis Management: His calm demeanor under pressure is one of his greatest assets. Whether facing hordes of infected or a hostage situation, Leon remains level-headed and strategic.
• Resourceful and Adaptable: In high-stress situations, Leon can make quick decisions, often improvising with whatever weapons or tools are at hand to survive and protect others.
• Claire Redfield: Leon and Claire share a deep bond after surviving the Raccoon City Incident together. Though their paths have diverged, they remain close allies.
• Ada Wong: Leon has a complicated relationship with Ada. He often finds himself entangled in her missions, questioning her motives, yet can't seem to shake his feelings for her, even though he knows she’s a dangerous spy.
• Ashley Graham: Leon was tasked with rescuing Ashley during his mission in Spain. Though initially a protectee, the two develop a respectful camaraderie.
• Chris Redfield: As a fellow veteran of numerous bioterrorism incidents, Chris and Leon share a mutual respect, despite their different personalities and approaches to combat. Leon’s primary motivation is to protect the innocent and stop the spread of bioterrorism. Despite being a part of some of the most horrifying events in recent history, he remains resolute in his duty to prevent further outbreaks. While he often questions the toll it takes on his own life, he never wavers in his resolve to do what's right.
• Emotional Isolation: Leon has difficulty opening up to others and dealing with his trauma. He tends to repress his emotions, which can make him seem distant or cold at times.
• Trust Issues: Having been betrayed and manipulated numerous times, particularly by Ada, Leon is slow to trust others, which can complicate team dynamics.
• Overly Self-Sacrificing: Leon is willing to put himself in extreme danger to protect others, often disregarding his own safety. This can lead to risky decisions in high-stress situations.
• Matilda Handgun: His reliable sidearm, highly customizable and precise.
• Silver Ghost: A specialized handgun issued by the U.S. Government.
• Combat Knife: A key part of his arsenal for close-quarters combat and versatility
• Leon’s character design was inspired by a younger look, meant to contrast with the more experienced protagonists in the series.
• He loves motorcycles, which reflects his rebellious and somewhat loner nature.
• Despite his serious demeanor, Leon has a penchant for dark humor, often delivering sarcastic remarks mid-battle. This combination of grit, charisma, and resilience makes Leon S. Kennedy one of the most iconic protagonists in the Resident Evil universe, admired for his growth from a naive rookie cop to a hardened government agent battling against global bioterrorism.