The plot-driven Resident Evil 4 remake culminates in a spectacular, adrenaline-pumping climax, so it’s easy to miss certain details in the heat of the moment. The ending wraps up the main story, showing the final outcome of Leon Kennedy’s mission to rescue the US President’s daughter, Ashley Graham. The final boss also closes the book on the fight against Lord Osmund Saddler and his brainwashed, parasite-infected zealots. The ending also prominently features recurring Resident Evil character Ada Wong, and hints at what’s coming next for all three main characters – even if it doesn’t provide all the answers.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for the remake of Resident Evil 4.]
The final chapter of the Resident Evil 4 remake takes place in and around an island lab facility, where the parasite Lord Saddler used to take control of the villagers was developed. Leon arrives there in pursuit of Major Jack Krauser, his former commanding officer. There, it’s revealed that Krauser was responsible for kidnapping Ashley, and did so in retaliation for the US government’s poor handling of a mission he and Leon barely survived. Leon defeats Krauser, then uses a key given to him by the late Luis Serra to access the lab and cure his and Ashley’s parasitic infections. He then searches for a way off the island, and in the process, runs up against the final boss.
A Monstrous Lord Saddler Is The Resident Evil 4 Remake’s Final Boss
In a waterside docking and shipping area, Leon encounters a tied-up Ada. He knows it’s a trap, but proceeds anyway, leaving Ashley behind. Leon unties Ada, but is soon attacked by Lord Saddler, who grabs him by the neck. Ada swoops in from behind to kick Saddler in the back, freeing Leon from his grasp. They both fire their pistols repeatedly at Saddler, who seems unfazed by the onslaught. Saddler curses Leon for rejecting the “gift” of his parasitic infection as hard-shelled, pointed legs begin to sprout out of his back. Saddler morphs into a giant insect, replete with glowing eyes and sharp mandibles, a fittingly shudder-inducing final boss to cap off the Resident Evil 4 remake’s series-goriest gameplay.
The Resident Evil 4 remake’s final boss uses a common trope: players need to shoot the giant eyes first. Destroying all the eyes will expose Saddler’s weak point, a smaller eye located inside his mouth, at which point players should rush in for a melee attack. After attacking the smaller eye, the larger ones regenerate, and the cycle repeats. Saddler has a large arsenal of attacks at his disposal: he’ll swing his appendages, spit black bile, and summon swarms of giant insects. Players should follow the prompts to evade, and use the platforms of the shipping bay to put some distance between themselves and the monstrous Saddler – but he’ll frequently destroy parts of the platforms to make that more difficult.
Eventually, Lord Saddler will fall off the platform, but it’s not the end; this is where the second phase of the fight begins. Saddler transforms again into a mass of writhing tentacles, surrounding an amber core. Players will have to dodge his sweeping appendages, occasionally firing off a couple of rounds at his core, until Ada throws Leon a powered-up rocket launcher. To end the fight, players must shoot Saddler with the rocket launcher, at which point Leon will rush him, wrest away his scepter, and stab it into the corrupt Lord’s eye. This puts an end to the Resident Evil 4 remake’s final boss fight.
The Resident Evil 4 Remake’s Ending Hints At Leon, Ashley, & Ada’s Futures
As his mutated body crumples, Lord Saddler drops a sample of the parasite. Ada quickly snatches it up, and Leon asks what she wants with it. Ada states that she had an arrangement with Luis, as a helicopter arrives to pick her up. She offers Leon a ride, but he insists they go their “separate ways,” referencing the title of an Ada-focused chapter included in re-releases of the original Resident Evil 4. Dataminers have already revealed files in the Resident Evil 4 remake that suggest a Separate Ways DLC, but unlike the Mercenaries DLC, it’s not yet official. As she pulls away, Ada tosses Leon a key and advises him to start running – she’s about to blow up the island.
Ashley catches up to Leon, and at this point, a timer begins counting down. Players have roughly two minutes to escape the island. Leon and Ashley run and jump through the crumbling cave, stepping over villagers made powerless by Saddler’s death. Eventually, they come upon a jet ski, which Leon uses Ada’s key to start up. They swerve around debris as the walls cave in around them. This is the final playable sequence in the Resident Evil 4 remake. Finally, they escape into the open water. Ashley thanks Leon, and offers him a position as her bodyguard, but he declines, saying she’s proven she can handle herself. Finally, the two ride off into the sunrise.
A final scene has Ada aboard her helicopter, making a call to the recurring Resident Evil antagonist she’s been working for: Umbrella researcher Albert Wesker. She asks about his intentions for the parasite, and Wesker explains that he plans to usher in a new dawn by forcing humanity to evolve. He says he anticipates billions to die as a result of his research, and Ada abruptly hangs up. She proceeds to hijack the helicopter at gunpoint, and with that, the credits roll on the Resident Evil 4 remake. In the original Separate Ways chapter, it’s revealed that Ada is a double agent in her dealings with Wesker, and always planned to give the parasite to a rival corporation.
The Resident Evil 4 Remake’s Ending Is Slightly Different From The Original
The Resident Evil 4 remake’s ending differs from the original’s only in details; the broad strokes are identical. The final fight against Lord Saddler is mostly unchanged, although the remake replaces the original’s moving platforms and weaponized cranes with a second phase. In the original Resident Evil 4, Ada takes the parasite from Leon at gunpoint; in the remake, he willingly allows her to take it. The scene with Ada in the helicopter is all new. The remake also removes a scene where Ashley falls off the jet ski before Leon rescues her, replacing her romantic gesture with a job offer. The Resident Evil 4 remake cut Ashley content, changing her character arc and dialogue to give the game a more satisfying conclusion.
After the original Resident Evil 4 and Separate Ways, Leon and Ada briefly took a backseat in the franchise. It wasn’t until Resident Evil 6 that Leon and Ada reappeared on screen. The original Resident Evil 4 was Ashley’s only appearance in the series; she likely won’t be seen again. While a Separate Ways remake looks likely, it’s impossible to say whether Capcom plans to give Resident Evil 5 and 6 the remake treatment next. First-time players of the Resident Evil 4 remake who don’t want to wait to find out what happens next will have to seek out the original versions of Resident Evil 5 and 6.
