Billy Coen

Billy Coen is a convicted ex-marine, sentenced to death for allegedly murdering twenty-three people, which managed to escape from a military transport vehicle en route to his execution. He seeks refuge in the Ecliptic Express, a stranded train, where he meets Rebecca Chambers. Despite their radically different backgrounds, the two form an alliance in order to secure their survival. The two use their talents to pass through many of the obstacles they face, and discover the Umbrella Corporation’s secrets.

Both characters are monitored by James Marcus, who sends various creatures to subdue the two. Coen never explicitly states what he did to merit his court martial, though he has two flashbacks that show memories from his past. The manner in which he escaped from the authorities is also undisclosed. Nevertheless, he proves his loyalty by saving Chambers several times during the game. Coen and Chambers eventually meets Marcus towards the latter portion of the game. After revealing the details of his mortal demise, Marcus mutates into a Queen Leech.

The two manage to temporarily stop the creature, only to discover that a self-destruct protocol has just been activated. Matters become even more complicated when the leech returns. In the final battle sequence, Chambers exposes the leech to sunlight, thus making it vulnerable to attack. Coen proceeds to deliver a final shot, which instantly destroys the leech. In wake of the destruction, Chambers allows Coen to escape, by telling her authorities that Coen subsequently perished in the Arklay Mountains after their encounter. The two bid farewell, and go their separate ways. Later files in the Nintendo 64 version of Resident Evil 2 makes a reference to Coen, though the game was released before Resident Evil 0.

Coen also appears in Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles for the Wii. His scenario is a retelling of the events of Resident Evil Zero, and has him again fighting for survival alongside Rebecca Chambers.