My eyes are dry, I’m running on fumes, and I have various neglected tasks to attend to, but I have finally beaten Resident Evil Requiem—and what an experience it was. It will be interesting to see how broader public opinion solidifies as the dust settles on the game over the next few weeks, but I can confidently say that this ninth mainline entry is well worth anyone’s time, as it expertly balances the high action of Resident Evil 4 Remake with the slower horror of the Ethan Winters games.
Spoilers ahead for Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil 6, and Resident Evil Requiem.
Naturally, the most notable parallel between Resident Evil Requiem and previous titles is the return of Leon Kennedy, whose last canonical appearance was in 2012’s Resident Evil 6. This means that there’s been a notable “Leon gap” of fourteen years within the Resident Evil timeline (RE games usually take place in the year of their release). With the character gaining newfound relevance courtesy of the RE2 and RE4 remakes, a lot of gamers, myself included, were looking forward to catching up with Kennedy in Requiem. But while there are a lot of fun references, callbacks, and Easter eggs pertaining to Leon’s legacy, there is one major omission.
Ada Wong Has Been Leon’s Partner in Crime Since 1998, but She’s Nowhere to be Found in Resident Evil Requiem
Ada Debuted Alongside Leon in Resident Evil 2
Ada Wong is the quintessential femme fatale: flirtatious, deadly, and never to be trusted. She meets Leon while the latter is in the midst of the worst job start date in history: the Raccoon City G-virus outbreak. As rookie cop Leon is being attacked by a mutated dog in the RPD’s parking garage, he’s saved by the enigmatic and aloof Ada, who claims to be an FBI agent, though she doesn’t get much more specific than that.
Eventually, they join forces and make their way to an Umbrella lab deep underground. During their journey, they each save each other’s lives at various points, solidifying their bond. They even share a kiss before RE2’s climax, igniting one of the most persistent “ships” in gaming history. This honeymoon period doesn’t last long, though, as it’s revealed that Ada is not actually an FBI agent, but a spy sent to steal the G-virus. This sparks a major quarrel, but Ada still saves Leon once more during his final fight with Mr. X, before disappearing, not to be seen again for several years.
It’s worth noting that “Ada Wong” is actually only an alias; Ada’s true name has never been officially revealed.
Resident Evil 4 Reunites Leon and Ada
About seven years later, Leon and Ada cross paths again during the Las Plagas outbreak in rural Spain. This time, though, Leon is wiser to Ada’s tricks, is immediately less trusting of her, and is able to guess her motives more easily. Still, there’s some residual warmth between them, and it’s clear that they don’t exactly want to be opponents. More than this, the two again fall into their old rhythm of repeatedly saving each other and splitting up.
Ultimately, Leon and Ada’s time together in RE4 ends in much the same way as it did in RE2: their individual actions ensure the other’s survival, though they part ways rather than walk hand-in-hand into the sunset. Resident Evil 4 may not have made Leon and Ada’s relationship official, but it certainly intensified their “will they, won’t they” dynamic, which would persist in Resident Evil 6.
Resident Evil 6 Marks the Last Time We’ve Seen Leon and Ada Together
The third and final time that Leon and Ada teamed up in the mainline Resident Evil franchise was in Resident Evil 6, one of the series’ most maligned entries. They once again follow the usual pattern of one saving the other, though Leon is far more protective of Ada this time around, even threatening to shoot Chris Redfield when he believes the latter plans to kill Ada. He also nearly sacrifices himself to save her at one point.
Resident Evil 6 represents the height of Leon and Ada’s relationship, their instinctive protectiveness of one another being at its most pronounced. And although they go their separate ways once again, it’s strongly implied that things will progress further between them. Perhaps we would have gotten a closer look at this, had RE6’s poor reception not prompted Capcom to start over from square one.
Where Is Ada Now? Resident Evil Requiem’s Wedding Ring Theory Explained
It should be clear by now that Leon and Ada are inextricably linked, and that Resident Evil was seemingly building toward some sort of payoff with them. With Resident Evil Requiem finally updating audiences about Leon Kennedy post-RE6, it would have been a great time to bring Ada back into the fray. But unfortunately, Ada is nowhere to be found in Requiem. She’s not even mentioned, at least in any obvious way.
But there’s an emerging theory that could explain Ada’s whereabouts, if only somewhat. In a piece of Resident Evil Requiem’s concept art, we get a look at Leon’s uninfected left hand, which very clearly has a ring on the fourth finger. More than this, right after Requiem’s finale, Leon throws off his gloves and removes something from his back pocket. The editing of the scene makes it hard to see, but there does appear to be a glint of something metallic on his left ring finger as he walks away. There’s been some debate about whether this metallic glint is actually a ring, but I’m convinced that it is: the concept art (which is included in Requiem—it’s not a leak or anything of that nature) and the ditching of the gloves are both so in-your-face that I can’t imagine Capcom didn’t want players to come to the wedding ring conclusion.
The question is, does this mean he is married to Ada Wong, or did he abandon their nascent romance in favor of someone else? There’s always the chance that this will be answered in Resident Evil Requiem DLC. It would definitely make more sense for a potential expansion to follow Leon rather than Grace, whose story seems more or less wrapped up by Requiem’s conclusion.
- Released
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February 27, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
