Alfred Ashford, 7th Earl Ashford

Alfred Ashford is one of the main antagonists of Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and is also featured in extended scenes in Resident Evil: Code Veronica X.

Birth

He was born the son of Lord Alexander Ashford, and grandson of Sir Edward Ashford, the latter one of the original founders of the Umbrella Corporation, and the former his disgraced son. He was born in Rock Fort Island in the year of 1971, one of a set of twins, along with his twin sister Alexia. Both were the result of genetic tinkering of the ancient Ashford matriarch Veronica's DNA, infused with a dangerous intelligence-raising gene and the DNA of their so-called father, Alexander Ashford. While Alexia started displaying high-genius level intelligence, Alfred only showed signs of low-level genius intelligence. Both were raised in the first years of their lives in the lavish surroundings of Rock Fort Island, between classes unsuitable for kids so young, and Alfred grew idolizing Alexia.

Creating a Monster

Later on, he eventually found out about the Umbrella Corporation Antarctic Base. On a secret skirmish at the tender age of ten, he found a secret hall thet was to be opened with three family gems that rested within the Ashford family tree: one he kept himself, another was in his sister Alexia's hands, and the final one was in the grasp of his father. Reasoning that something extremely valuable was to be found, he found a way to secure his father's gem, and eventually, wielding all three gems, he opened the secret corridor, finding undeniable evidence of the truth behind his and his sister's birth. Growing insane because of this realization, he aided his sister in abducting his father and injecting him with the initial strains of the T-Veronica virus. This caused him to mutate into the corrupted abomination known as Nosferatu, hiding him to avoid suspicion from the family butler, Scott Harman. Realizing the mistakes she had committed during the experiments, the twins had a secret room added to hold their father. Eventually Alexia found out how to properly control the viral corruption, but the proccess involved fifteen years in cryostasis. Seeing no other choice but to go ahead to complete her mad dream of godhood, she had Alfred seal her in the desired stasis in the underground section of the Antarctic Laboratory and feign her death.

Nurturing the Insanity

He then grew more and more demented, without the guidance of his sister, who had helped him remain somewhat stable throughout the years. He became embittered, sadistic and psychotic, though this did not stop him from journeying to England to graduate from a respectable University to complete his education. Over the years, however, due to his already unstable mind and to the fact nobody ever expected him to be as smart as Alexia was, his mind shattered, creating a dual personality: one that remained the insane Alfred Ashford, and another figment took over Alfred's memories of Alexia and created a new personality closely resembling her. Due to the fact he remained oblivious as to the truth of Alexia's apparent return, he lived alone atop the highest tower in Rock Fort Island, often allowing the Alexia fragment to take complete control above his body, dressing up like her and speaking in her voice (which wasn't too difficult, due to his effeminate features and somewhat high voice). There, he, or the fraction of his mind that represented Alfred, had long conversations with the Alexia shard, and developed militaristic tendencies and a massive ego, as his mind eroded further.

1998

The true breakdown started when Rock Fort Island was attacked shortly after Claire Redfield was transferred. Relating the two facts, he considered them to be effect and cause. Because of this, clad in his military-style uniform, and wielding a sniper rifle, he tried to hunt her and Steve Burnside down, until he, fleeing in his Alexia state to the twins' connected rooms, was shown his madness, as he realized the Alexia he had known from after the cryostasis was nothing more than a schizophrenic delusion of his own mind upon gazing in a mirror while still smeared in makeup. Irrationally blaming Redfield and Burnside, he continued to attack them, both by releasing an experimental Tyrant to kill them, and by redirecting their escape plane to the Umbrella Corporation Antarctic Labs. There, he once again tried to snipe the couple down, but received a fatal wound from Burnside, who was merely retaliating in self-defense. He then was thrown down a long elevator shaft and ended in the cryostasic chamber where his sister lied. Crawling in agony, he lived long enough to greet his sister before expiring. To preserve his body, Alexia stuffed him into the cryostasic chamber, where Chris Redfield eventually found him.