The final choice in Resident Evil Requiem decides everything. Near the end of the story, Grace Ashcroft reaches the Elpis terminal inside the ARK facility beneath Raccoon City. She must choose between destroying Elpis or releasing it. Only one of these leads to the canon outcome.
If you are wondering which Resident Evil Requiem ending is the real one, the answer is simple. Releasing Elpis unlocks the true ending. Destroying it triggers a non canon bad ending.
What Happens If You Destroy Elpis?
Image via Capcom.
If you destroy Elpis, ARK begins to collapse very quickly. Although Leon is physically at a weak point due to the Raccoon City Syndrome, he attempts to hold off Zeno while Grace escapes. Unfortunately, he is unsuccessful in his efforts as Zeno overpowers him and shoots him in the head. As a result, Leon dies immediately and the structure begins to break down.
At this point in the story, the game ends with Grace surviving. There is no longer any extended epilogue, no completion of the larger conspiracy, and no tease at the end of the game. You are then able to load your game and attempt the previous choice again. Because of the option to reload your game after the failed attempt, it is clear that this option is not the intended conclusion of the game’s storyline, but rather a failed state.
This unsuccessful attempt at completing the game is not associated with any achievements, and there are no continuing storyline threads left over that may carry on to future games. The ending exists solely for entertainment value to demonstrate the effects of destroying Elpis; thus, it does not serve any purpose in the development of the franchise.
Why Releasing Elpis Is the Canon Resident Evil Requiem Ending
Releasing Elips reveals the truth behind Elips and is not a deadly weapon, but an antivirus that was created by the founder of Umbrella, Ozwell E. Spencer trying to redeem himself. When Grace uses it to activate it, Zeno injects himself expecting to gain powers from it, but instead loses his enhancements and a result of the Elpis virus destroys the infection inside him.
Grace is able to use the Elpis to heal Leon giving him his strength back and upon the arrival of Victor Gideon who kills Zeno and mutates into a Nemesis creature, Leon defeats him in a complete boss battle putting to rest the threat of ARK.
As escape seems impossible, the BSAA Hound Wolf Squad arrives to help Leon out. There is a message sent by Captain Redfield indicating that the wider fight is just beginning. Leon contacts Sherry Birkin and assures her that he will send her a dose of Elpis. News reports detail the hidden truth about Umbrella and the government cover up regarding Raccoon City.
In the epilogue, Emily is cured and living with Grace. The story concludes with a post-credit scene showing some unknown operatives performing some sort of internal elimination of BSAA operatives inside of the ARK. This is done in order to secure the next chapter of the franchise.
The next instalment of Resident Evil is also known as Resident Evil 10. As Leon was able to survive, Elpis is a curable illness and With the conspiracy behind The Connections carries on, this constitutes the true Resident Evil Requiem Ending.
