There are few video game series that celebrate women as often as Resident Evil. The series began with two campaigns, one featured Chris and his partner Rebecca while the other focused on Jill and Barry. There is a good balance between male and female heroes in the series, and even the villain side gets celebrated every so often.

One such example would be the much-adored Lady Dimitrescu from the most recent entry in the series, but there are also many other characters of note from the Resident Evil series. Let’s rank them out to see who is the best of the best.

Updated May 9, 2024, by Mara Cowley: Resident Evil still reigns as one of Capcom's most beloved series. They deliver fantastic games with every release, be it a new game or a remake. With news of a Resident Evil 9 and another remake in the works, fans are clamoring for a new or refurbished RE experience, and are hoping to see some legacy characters reprising their roles. Undoubtedly one of the draws of the series is the characters. Many Resident Evil girls are the most popular among the fanbase. To honor the fantastic Resident Evil girls, this article has been updated to highlight to include a few more entries of the many fantastic Resident Evil women from the large catalog of games.

24 Excella Gione

Strong Enough to be a Match for Chris and Sheva

When Albert himself approaches another character, that is definite proof of their worth. Originally in the lower ranks of Tricell's pharmaceutical division, her partnership with Wesker elevated her to new heights, and she became a force to be reckoned with, gaining control of the company she was once a runt for, and controlling the mind-controlled Jill Valentine.

Inevitably double-crossed by Wesker, Excella transformed into a monstrous mass of flesh and tentacles that very almost cut Chris's and Sheva's mission short with her terrifying strength and speed.

23 Ingrid Hunnigan

Provides Invaluable Support to Leon

Infiltrating a remote Spanish village to rescue the President's kidnapped daughter is a tall order, and Leon might not have been able to do it without the support of Ingrid Hunnigan. Though she only communicates with Leon periodically throughout the game to keep track of his progress and offer advice, she still acts as a key character for most of the game.

Though it is unlikely players will ever see Hunnigan return in a later title, the role she played in RE4 will stay in the minds of players. Her intelligence and straight-forward attitude shined in every conversation, and she even resisted Leon's joking attempt to flirt with her.

22 Annette Birkin

Where She Fails as a Mother, She Shines as a Scientist

Though most will remember the twisted Dr Birkin or terrifying Mr X when thinking about Resident Evil 2 villains, there is another equally deserving of praise, as she is a very underappreciated character. That is Annette Birkin, wife to William, mother to Sherry and an accomplished scientist.

She cares about researching the effects the virus had on her husband first and foremost, even above the life of herself and even her child. But her character shows more complex depth here than a single-minded research, as she seems genuinely sad to abandon Sherry in her hour of need as she pursues her work. These nuances are really what make her shine as a character, and remind players that this villainous woman is just as human as they are.

21 Alexia Ashford

Gifted with Supreme Intelligence and Lofty Ambitions

Mad scientists are nothing new to the world of RE, as they serve as the main antagonists in nearly every game, and Alexia Ashford stands out as one of the best with her calculating demeanor and her goals to rise up as Queen of the entire world.

Created as a clone of Dr Alexander's ancestor Veronica, Alexia was blessed with supreme intelligence that saw her graduate from a prestigious university at the age of 10 and join Umbrella as a virologist, her intellect on par with her colleagues even at such a young age. Her attention eventually shifted to experimenting with certain infamous viruses, resulting in a horrid creature known as Nosferatu, eventually infecting herself to become an even greater being.

20 Moira Burton

Grows and Matures Throughout the Game

Introduced in the spin-off titled Revelations 2, Moira acts as a side-kick to the franchise famous Claire Redfield, and eldest daughter to Barry Burton. An incident involving a gun and the injury of her younger sister Polly, a rift opened up between Moira and Barry, resulting in her rebelling against her father. At the urging of Claire, Moira joined TerraSave, and coincidentally was at the party that acted as the catalyst for the rest of the game.

Though she acts as a typical surly teen at the beginning of the game, Moira's arc that sees her grow and mature as the game progresses is what makes her such a special and enjoyable character. She even reconciles with her father in a genuinely touching scene at the games' conclusion.

19 Jessica Sherawat

Behind Her Playful Demeanor is a Calculating Triple Agent

A supposed member of the BSAA, Jessica debuts as Chris's new partner as they are tasked to work with investigating Veltro. She always seems to have a very casual attitude towards her missions, heckling Chris on the exact depth of his relationship with Jill, but this could all be an elaborate distraction from the truth of her character.

Jessica is actually a triple agent, working for Tricell while masquerading as a BSAA agent, shooting Jill's new partner Parker, and activating the self-destruction mechanism of the Queen Zenobia to destroy the labs, and the evidence that would implicate Morgan Lansdale.

18 Angie

A Mouthy Doll That Provides Comedy and Terror

Resident Evil Village introduced the player to the Four Lords, who each are responsible for a piece of Rosemary and a section on the map. The Beneviento house was considered the scariest among fans, veering into psychological horror as Ethan suffered vivid hallucinations.

Part of the boss "fight" here was hunting down Donna Beneviento's doll, Angie. Angie is more than a creepy looking doll — she houses part of the megamycete, which imbues her with a brash, childish, immature personality. This side of her offers some comedic relief, without making her any less terrifying. Angie could be a contender for one of the scariest dolls in gaming.

17 Natalia Korda

Introduces Mechanics Unique to Revelations 2

Another character introduced in Revelations 2, Natalia was surrounded with more mystery than Moira. Originally part of an experiment as part of the Wesker Project to achieve godhood, Natalia gained heightened senses that could detect the location of nearby mutated beings.

Natalia provides unique gameplay that is rarely explored in Resident Evil, trading guns for stealth mechanics to avoid detection, and highlighting enemies for Barry to shoot and opening up locked boxes. Taking control of Natalia offers refreshing gameplay for when fans want to put down the gun and try a different approach.

16 Helena Harper

A Flawed and Nuanced Character

All good characters have flaws, and this is very true of RE6 companion Helena Harper, an ex-CIA agent who ends up assigned to the Secret Service charged with keeping the President safe. With a troubled early life that saw just her and her sister surviving parentless, Helena is particularly protective of her younger sister, and would resort to any means to keep her safe.

This weakness is exploited in a plot to kill the President, resulting in his death and kick-starting the events of RE6. Forced to partner up with Leon Kennedy, she voices herself as someone with little concern for the well-being of others, but as they progress through the arc, Helena does show some growth in her character, solidifying herself as a multi-faceted and intriguing character.

15 Mia Winters

A Caring Mama Bear With Some Dark Secrets

The Winters family arc kicked off in RE7. Ethan traveled to the Louisiana outback in hopes of finding his wife, who had gone missing three years prior. He encounters her infected by the same parasite that had driven the Baker family to depths of madness and violence.

When not influenced by Eveline's "gift," Mia is in fact a caring wife, and eventually a mother. She cares about her family, but she is far more than just an ordinary woman with some secrets tying her to a crime syndicate known as The Connections. There is a lot more to Mama Winters than meets the eye.

14 Mother Miranada

The Enigmatic Cult Leader Has Sympathetic Motivations

Though most remember Lady Dimitrescu from Resident Evil 8: Village, she and her daughters only took up a small section of the game time. Mother Miranda was the overarching enemy, and the last obstacle between Ethan and saving his baby daughter Rosemary.

Though her actions are condemnable, Mother Miranda has some sympathetic motives, as she only wished to be reunited with her own daughter. Not to mention, she is an underappreciated villain who offers a memorable boss fight with her awesome final form.

13 Ashley Graham

The Remake Makes Her Likable and Charming

Many fans remember her character from the original as a loudmouthed nuisance with a penchant for getting kidnapped, but the annoyance faded over the years to become a popular joke among the community. The RE4 remake improved upon many things of the original, including the character of Ashley Graham.

With improvements made to her appearance, words, and demeanor, Ashley Graham became a character players wanted to defend right through to the end, as she showed much more compassion and trust for her savior, checking in with Leon on multiple occasions to see how he is handling their situation, despite being terrified herself. These small changes made a huge impact, solidifying Ashley as a fan favorite.

12 Marguerite Baker

A Terrifying and Disgusting Boss that will Traumatize Players

Marguerite Baker is one of the main villains of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, and the matriarch of the family, trying to provide her Baker kin with food and love in her own way. Every member of the Baker family is terrifying, but Marguerite is somehow more threatening, since the unassuming visage of a kindly, old mother disguises a truly grotesque monster.

This juxtaposition provides a truly terrifying moment when she transforms into a spider-like creature, remaining as one of the most frightening and disgusting boss fights in the franchise.

11 Zoe Baker

A Helpful Voice that Guides Ethan Through the House

Zoe first arrives on the scene of Biohazard as a mysterious voice speaking to Ethan through the phone, directing him on where he should proceed next. She keeps her cards pretty close to her chest, as after what she has endured she is unsure who she can trust, and if Ethan can even survive her insane family.

The only Baker who has retained her sanity, Zoe is something of a lifeline for the player, acting as a guide to him. All she asks in return is a dose of the vaccine against the dreaded mold that turned her family. But whether players give it to her or not, is entirely up to them.

10 Lisa Trevor

A Horrifying Yet Tragic Figure

Introduced in the remake of the original Resident Evil, Lisa became one of the most infamous enemies in the game despite her ephemeral scenes. A slouched figure with a hunched back, elongated arms and a distorted face, Lisa stands out as one of the most terrifying bosses, even if her boss fight can be cheesed if players arm Jill with a specific weapon.

However, there is great tragedy in Lisa's story. Once, she was a normal little girl whose father devised all the traps in the Spencer mansion, and fell into the hands of Oswell Spencer who performed gruesome experiments, twisting her into a violent creature.

9 Sheva Alomar

One of the Best Partners Players Could Hope for

Sheva Alomar is Chris’ partner in Resident Evil 5, and since then she has not been in the series proper despite canonically alive, and a brilliant character in her own right. Sheva is just one of many Resident Evil characters waiting in the wings to fight evil once again be it zombies, mutants, or whatever creatures will be thrown at them.

She makes a decent partner for Chris but lacks any striking moments to cement herself in the higher echelon of Resident Evil femme-fatale badasses. But Sheva was provided with amazing alternative costumes such Red Riding Hood inspired attire, and was added as a legendary skin in Dead by Daylight.

8 Rosemary Winters

Loves Her Father Even in Death

The beloved daughter of Ethan and Mia Winters, Rosemary took the title of protagonist in the Shadows of Rose DLC for Village. The story features a now grown Rosemary retracing her father's steps exploring parts of the Village, guided by an invisible entity that names itself Michael.

Rosemary herself is instilled with the virtues of her parents, being a mostly good-natured soul, though isn't immune to typical adolescent behaviors such as swearing. Rose also has powers similar to her father, only with a greater connection to the Megamycete which adds further intrigue to her character.

7 Rebecca Chambers

One of the Kindest Souls in the Series

Rebecca Chambers could be considered the first female hero in this series. She became Chris’ partner after he discovered her in the mansion in the first game. Rebecca went to investigate the area first and had her own little adventure before turning up at the Spencer Mansion.

This was later explored in Resident Evil 0, which was a prequel leading right into the first game. She has a cool head and a great knowledge of medicine, making her an important member of any monster-fighting team.

6 Sherry Birkin

From a Young Helpless Girl to a Matured Agent

Sherry Birkin first appeared as a young girl in Resident Evil 2. She is the daughter of an umbrella scientist, William Birkin, who is driven to the insanity and transforms into a horrific monster. After her debut in Resident Evil 2, she departed from the series up until Resident Evil 6, in which she returned as a grown woman, partnered with Jake Muller.

Over the years Sherry trained hard to become an agent on the side of good and evolved to become on of the series greatest character. Despite maturing and learning how to handle herself when it comes to combat, Sherry held onto her good nature that popularized her in the first place.

5 Bela, Cassandra, And Daniela

Excellent and Thrilling Boss Fights

Lady Dimitrescu wasn't the sole lady of the house in Resident Evil 8. There were also her beloved daughters: Bela, Cassandra and Daniela. These three daughters stalk the hallways of the castle, announcing their intention to feast on Ethan's blood and changing into swarms of flies to cut off Ethan's escape routes.

Though from first glance they don't seem particularly intimidating, these stalking enemies can still provide surprising amounts of terror in-game, as well as some challenging and unique boss fights.