Naturally, any discussion of merchants and Resident Evil is going to make fans fondly remember the merchant from Resident Evil 4 and how his cry of “got something that might interest you” preceded what could very well be the only welcome trench coat flash in human history. In this instance, though, the mere mention of a merchant in a Resident Evil game isn’t triggering flashbacks to Resident Evil 4’s merchant for the simple sake of nostalgia. In fact, some fans suspect that the merchant in Resident Evil Village could be the same merchant featured in RE 4. On the surface, that seems impossible. Not only is the new character specifically referred to as The Duke, but a quick glance at the two characters side by side reveals some shocking physical differences. Even the phrasing of the merchant’s reveal creates some room for doubt. Capcom says “the merchant makes a return” but that “this time he’s known as ‘The Duke.’” The wording of that statement could easily imply that the merchant we know and love has returned, is going by a different name, and may have used his profits to leave a life of luxury best exemplified by his generous proportions. What about the voices, though? Well, the merchant in Resident Evil 4 certainly seems to have a deeper voice, but if you really wanted to train your ear to justify an argument for the similarities, I suppose you can hear them. The most compelling argument for the two being the same character may just be the overall vibe of Resident Evil Village. The game’s setting, tone, and inventory system have led some to go so far as to suggest that Resident Evil Village could be a kind of soft remake/reimagining of Resident Evil 4 that may have replaced the more “formal” remake the studio was reportedly working on. As compelling as all that evidence, though, the fact is that too many more signs strongly suggest that the two merchants are indeed different characters. While it’s true that Capcom drastically changed Chris Redfield’s physical appearance for Resident Evil 7, they explained that the change can be attributed to their decision to render the character to more closely resemble the voice actor. Unless Capcom found a particularly large individual to portray The Duke, that same explanation wouldn’t quite justify such a drastic physical difference. Besides, the geographic location of the original merchant and his “rotting” design suggests fundamental design differences that go beyond phsyicality. So while it’s possible that Capcom will surprise us and try to argue that the two merchants are indeed the same character, most of the practical evidence available so far strongly suggests that they simply work in the same field. Of course, that doesn’t rule out the possibility that they know each other, have shared some drinks at the annual merchant convention, and perhaps even agreed to keep in touch only to find that the obligations of work and life caused them to forget about each other in a way that shouldn’t discount the beautiful social moment of two ships crossing in the night on the ocean of life. Subscribe to Den of Geek magazine for FREE right here!
