One of the core staples of theResident Evilfranchise is a viral outbreak of some sort, whether it results in flesh-eating reanimated corpses or supernatural abilities. The T-Virus was the catalyst that begins the majority of events in the games and is probably the virus most casual fans are familiar with. While there are many T-Virus derivatives in theResident Evilgames, it is itself derived from the Progenitor Virus which is at least hundreds of millions of years old. However, the T-Virus was not the only retrovirus that is a descendent of the Progenitor Virus. The G-Virus, also known as Golgotha Virus, is a distinct virus that posed a much bigger threat in the game’s canon.
Whilethe T-Virus caused the majority of eventsfrom the first few games of theResident Evilseries, it was never quite as impressive as the G-Virus. One of the biggest factors in comparing the two is necrosis, which the T-Virus causes in any infected. The G-Virus, on the other hand, actually repairs dead cells. However, an examination of the history of the two viruses reveals the reasons why the G-Virus didn’t work, and the T-Virus did.
Discovery of Resident Evil’s G-Virus
The G-Virus was first isolated by Dr. William Birkinin the late ’80s, who was also one of the leading scientists behind the T-Virus. Umbrella’s CEO at the time, Oswald E. Spencer, authorized research into the G-Virus independent of the T-Virus development project, as he hoped the G-Virus’s ability to genetically alter hosts would be useful for eugenics purposes. As such, while the T-Virus was always intended to be a bioweapon, the G-Virus had the potential to genetically mutate the human race.
Initial experiments with the G-Virus, which were carried out on abducted locals, proved the virus’s ability to genetically mutate human subjects, albeit with highly unpredictable results. In 1998 though, when both the T-Virus and the G-Virus were in their final stage of testing, Dr. Birkin became paranoid about Umbrella’s intentions. Birkin attempted to broker a deal with the US military, which Umbrella quickly found out about. The Umbrella Security Service then broke into NEST, where the viruses were being worked on. Birkin was mortally wounded, injected himself with the G-Virus, and transformed into the grotesque monsterencountered inResident Evil 2.In his mutated form, Birkin slaughters the Umbrella team and then releases both the T and G-Virus into the Raccoon City sewers.
T-Virus vs G-Virus
One of the most significant differences in the T and G-Viruses is that the G-Virus is much more equipped to quickly reproduce and propagate. Once infected, Birkin wanders around Raccoon City seeking to propagate the virus, and it’s not known how many were infected with theG-Virus in Raccoon City. However, unlike the T-Virus, the G-Virus can not transmit through the air; while the G-Virus has much more extreme mutative effects, it is slower to spread than the T-Virus. Throughout the Raccoon City outbreak, multiple attempts are made to steal the virus, with Umbrella’s Alpha Team leader HUNK ultimately succeeding.
Research on the G-Virus post-Raccoon City is pretty scarce, though it does contribute to the t+g Virus seen inResident Evil: Dead Aim.A cure was developed (before Raccoon City’s destruction) by Birkin’s wife, Dr. Annette Birkin. The cure, or rather a vaccine known as DEVIL, can halt the virus but cannot reverse the drastic mutations that it has caused. Dr. Birkin’s daughter, Sherry, is treated with this vaccine after William Birkin infects her.
The regenerative capabilities of the G-Virus far outweigh the T-Virus’s. The BSAA,Resident Evil’sBioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance, has not had to deal with an outbreak of the G-Virus to date, and the more recentResident Evilgames seem to be focusing more on the mysterious mold seen in the last two games. While the G-Virus poses a greater threat than the T-Virus in theory, no one has yet adapted it to spread as efficiently as the T-Virus does.
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