Nosferatu (Resident Evil)

Nosferatu is Alexander Ashford mutated by the T-Veronica virus and an antagonist from Resident Evil - Code: Veronica.

Early Life
Alexander Ashford was the son of Edward Ashford and helped his father study the Progenitor virus. However Alexander did not possess outstanding skill in the field of virology and eventually became a researcher for the Umbrella Corporation using his knowledge of genetic engineering. Alexander never became a notable scientist for Umbrella, though he did discover the gene that regulated intellect. He tried to use his discovery to revive the Ashford family’s reputation and took DNA from Veronica Ashford, the family’s matriarch, who he’d become obsessed with. Alexander combined Veronica’s DNA with a dangerous gene that increased intelligence and his own to “resurrect” Veronica. The result was twins, Alfred and Alexia and while Alfred had only slightly above average intelligence, Alexia was a child prodigy with incredible intellect, becoming Chief Senior Researcher at Umbrella when she was only 10. However Alexander was horrified by the two and determined that no one ever find out the truth, hiding the records of his experiment in a secret chamber in Umbrella’s Antarctic Base.

T-Veronica
But over ten years later, Alfred found the room and began working to get inside, needing the three Ashford family gemstones to unlock it. The first two were easy to obtain, since he and Alexia owned them, and eventually tricked Alexander into giving him the other one. However when Alfred accessed the room, what he found out made him snap, since it revealed that he was just an unintended by-product of Alexander’s experimentation and the disturbing nature of the experiment. It was around this time that Alexander became concerned with Alexia, who’d become obsessed with the T-Veronica virus, a strain of virus that had been developed from a rare strain of virus found in ancient queen ants and the Progenitor virus. Alexia had also become determined to use it on herself and release it upon the world. Eventually Alexander created an anti-B.O.W. weapon called the Linear Launcher, which he installed in the Antarctic base to be use as a last resort if Alexia ever did do through with her plans. However Alfred, bitter that his father hadn’t created him with the same intelligence as Alexia, captured Alexander. He used his father as a test subject for Alexia’s T-Veronica virus and eventually Alexander had mutated into the psychotic monster, Nosferatu. Deeming him a failed experiment, Alfred and Alexia chained him in a secret chamber in the Antarctic base out of disgust.

Code Veronica
For 15 years, Nosferatu remained in the chamber, but was freed after Claire and Redfield and Steve Burnside activated a large drilling machine to escape the Antarctic base. Nosferatu freed himself from most of his bonds and headed after the two, eventually catching up to them at the base’s helipad. He knocked Steve off of the helipad, leaving him hanging onto a ledge, and attacked Claure. However she was able to kill Nosferatu by targeting his exposed heart.

Abilities
Before his mutation, Alexander possessed great intellect in genetics and was a somewhat skilled scientist. As Nosferatu, he possesses a large tentacle-like appendage that sprouts from his back, which he can use to attack, making up for his arms being bound behind his back. Nosferatu can also expel a deadly poisonous gas that can only be cured with a special serum. In the Darkside Chronicles, he possesses three appendages with scythe-like ends that he also uses to move quickly and can leap high into the air. Nosferatu also spits a bile-like substance as opposed to expel poisonous gas and attacks by hurling chunks of ice and explosive barrels. However Nosferatu’s heart is exposed through an opening in chest, which serves as a major weakpoint.

Trivia

 * The name Nosferatu comes from the Greek term, “nosophoros”, which means “diseased” or “plague carrier”.


 * Alexander appears in The Darkside Chronicles untransformed in a video where he talks about his concern over Alexia’s obsessions.


 * In Code Veronica, Nosferatu can be killed with one shot to the heart using a sniper rifle, but it takes high accuracy. If this is accomplished, a cutscene will play where Claire says “Gotcha”, before she shoots Nosferatu in the heart. Another cutscene plays if Claire kills him with multiple shots, where she instead says “I got you now!” before shooting him in the heart. If the player kills Nosferatu with the knife, Claire says the same thing, but stabs him in the heart instead.


 * While Nosferatu fights Claire and Steve on the helipad in Code Veronica, he fights them in the compound below it in Darkside Chronicles.


 * Nosferatu’s poison in Code Veronica can’t be cured with blue herbs, unlike other poisons, and if Claire is poisoned during the fight, Chris has to search the base for the cure.