Finally, since first introduced in the 1996 survival horror game; Resident Evil, brought to us by Shinji Mikami, the character of Albert Wesker is receiving mainstream attention. In the beginning, the character was introduced as the Captain of S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Squad), a man of composure and style which some argue was nigh unnecessary, mostly due to his now vintage sunglasses (which he even wore at night). Playing through the Playstation exclusive game, gamers soon discovered that Wesker wasn't quite what he made himself out to be. Eventually, it would be discovered by the protagonists of the game that Wesker himself had involvement with the evil corporation disguised as a pharmaceutical company; Umbrella. It would then be discovered that Wesker himself had orchestrated the events which caused the disaster of the Spencer Estate.
Albert Wesker would then become a machiavellian villain, the proverbial "man behind the curtain." From then on, fans of the series would realize Wesker's involvement in nearly every game of the Resident Evil series. If not for Albert Wesker, the plot for Resident Evil 4 never would have come to fruition. Wesker's clandestine involvement, along with an upgrade that would see him become a greater threat than any B.O.W. in the series, caused a fanship to revolve around the character. More and more, fans of the series would come to grow comfortably fond as Wesker being the main villain of the series, yet still unknown to those who hadn't played the Resident Evil games.
As of recently, Albert Wesker was introduced as one of the characters of the highly anticipated Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. Thus far, the only information of his involvement has been that he, in actuality, is one of the main antagonists of the game, teaming up with the infamous Marvel villain: Doctor Doom. Since the events of Resident Evil 5, and his involvement in the new crossover fighting game, more comic fans have been introduced to Wesker's fanship, increasing his popularity.
Personally, as a fan of the Resident Evil series since it's 1996 introduction, i'm absolutely thrilled that writers have given Albert Wesker newfound attention. There has also been speculation that the upcoming fighting game may have its own limited comic series, produced by UDON.
I was sad to see Wesker killed off in the climactic ending of Resident Evil 5, and i'm one of many who consider the writing of his end to be controversial. In my own personal opinion, the character of Wesker was miswritten by the writers simply to give Resident Evil 5 a dramatic ending with a staple final boss. Although, there have also been those who accepted it for what it was, which is fine.
I hope that Albert Wesker's fame continues to grow, and that more people are introduced to him as a character, because I think he's one of the top villains written in video games. Intriguingly, throughout the series, Albert Wesker could easily be comparable to the likeliness of the " Aryan " myth.
*An intertitle from the silent film blockbuster The Birth of a Nation (1915). "Aryan birthright" is here "white birthright", the "defense" of which unites " whites" in the Northern and Southern U.S. against " coloreds". In another film of the same year, The Aryan, William S. Hart's "Aryan" identity is defined in distinction from Mexicans.
* Arno Breker's 1939 neoclassical sculpture Die Partei (The Party), which flanked one of the entrances to the Albert Speer designed Reich Chancellery of the Third Reich, encapsulated the National Socialist ideals of the Aryan master race, with Die Partei as the physical embodiment of the spirit of the Nazi Party. By applying eugenics to the Nordic Aryan master race itself, the Nazis believed, it would be possible to create a super race.
Whether the writers intended on having an underlying message of Albert Wesker being compared to an Aryan, it should also be noted that Lord Spencer's dream could also be comparable to that of Adolf Hitlers. Destroying the weak, and creating a master race to rule a new world. Bear in mind, this is all simply speculation, yet I can't help but see similarities. Albert Wesker was part of Lord Spencer's secret program; The Wesker Project, where children of promising genetics were taken and given the surname "Wesker," named after one of the project's designers. Eventually, the children of superior genetics were tested by being administered the Progenitor Virus. Albert Wesker was the sole survivor. With blue eyes (prior to his cat-like reddish orange eyes), blonde hair, superior intellect, and nigh perfection in his physicality, Albert was seen by Lord Spencer as the prototype of the homo superior he sought to create in his dream of a new world.
General discussion of this by any long-time fans of Wesker, or new fans, is most definitely encouraged!
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