(Capcom's primary storyline)
The first Tyrant developed by the Umbrella Corporation
The Tyrant was a series of experimental and mass-produced Bio Organic Weapons developed by the Umbrella Corporation to serve as potential supersoldiers.
Development
- Main article: Tyrant Project
In the 1960s, Lord Oswell E. Spencer, Dr. James Marcus and his student Brandon Bailey discovered the Progenitor virus in West Africa.[1] The Progenitor virus possessed mutagenic characteristics, which would drastically alter the physical and mental makeup of its host.
Marcus and Spencer planned to use the virus to create biological weapons, forming the Umbrella Corporation along with their mutual friend, Sir Edward Ashford. Following Ashford's death, Marcus soon began to work on the prototypes of a malicious biological weapon.
After years of experimentation, Marcus and Spencer realized that the Progenitor virus experienced trouble bonding with its host's DNA. Marcus managed to resolve the issue by infecting a parasitic organism that had a simple-minded purpose in life (to feed, specifically) with the virus and allowing the organism (in this case, a leech) to attach to another organism. This groundbreaking discovery led to more research, eventually leading up to the creation of the t-Virus, named by Marcus. Once an organism is infected with the new virus, it will eventually mutate into a deadly organism.
Characteristics
According to research conducted by the Umbrella Corporation, only one in ten million (0.0000001%) hosts exposed to the t-Virus possesses the potential to mutate into a Tyrant. This is a unique characteristic carried over from the Progenitor virus's own genetic compatibility to certain subjects. 10% of the total population will retain natural immunity to the t-Virus, even if directly exposed.
If the virus is able to find a suitable host, it will dramatically increase one's size, strength, speed and agility. It will also lead to the massive development or reconfiguration of bone structures causing large claw-like formations to rise from the host's body. While t-Virus is rather advantageous to its host, it should be noted that the subjected host will be forced to endure a prodigious increase in adrenaline, causing the heart to expand and protrude through the chest. Furthermore, most of the original breeds of Tyrants were plagued with grotesque facial deformities, as well as an acute decline in intelligence.
The first human to ever exemplify the characteristics of a Tyrant was Lisa Trevor. During her teenage years, Lisa was abducted by a group of Oswell Spencer's henchmen. Ever since the abduction Lisa has undergone a plethora of experiments with the Progenitor virus and its many variants, which have led to her immense physical enhancement and mental deterioration. Albert Wesker, James Marcus' protegé, ordered that Lisa be slain in an undisclosed portion of the Arklay Mountains in order to avoid future "mishaps".
Many Tyrants have been seen to possess a heart on their right side. This is not an indication of Dextrocardia, but is actually the result of Umbrella's experimentation. In order to support the body to acceptable parameters, Umbrella researchers grafted one or more hearts to the body, either taken from larger animals such as rhinoceroses or cultured in the lab.
Super Tyrant
A "Super Tyrant" or "Tyrant Reborn" is the product of a Tyrant bypassing its Power Limiter, a device developed by Umbrella that prevents a Tyrant from experiencing out-of-control mutations. Usually, this only happens when a Tyrant suffers significant damage, and results in the tyrant in question gaining more muscle mass as well as claws. Super Tyrants are noticeably more difficult to dispatch than regular Tyrants. The Super Tyrants also lose the capacity to follow any orders that they were given, instead deteriorating into a berserker-like state.
Models of Tyrant
Experimental Tyrants
- T-001 - Released unintentionally, defeated by Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen - killed by Albert Wesker.
- T-002 - Released by Wesker, killed by Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Barry Burton, and Rebecca Chambers.
- 091 - First t+G virus Tyrant, killed by Bruce McGivern.
- T-011 - Experimental prototype of T-A.L.O.S.
- Hypnos-T Type - Experimental Tyrant being created in order to establish a more ferocious series of Tyrants following the success of the T-103. Killed by Ark Thompson.
- Bandersnatch - An offshoot variation of the Tyrant line developed on Rockfort Island, released to kill Claire Redfield.
Mass produced models and variants
- T-103 - First mass-produced Tyrant. Six were deployed in Raccoon City. One, batch number T-00, was sent to retrieve the G-virus sample; it was killed by Leon S. Kennedy with the help of Ada Wong. The other five were sent in to help Umbrella Security Services, and to fight off the United States Army Special Forces.
- Tyrant C - Similar to the T-103 (only appears in a non-canon minigame).
- Nemesis-T Type - A T-103 used to host the NE-α Type parasite and retain higher level intelligence, an off-shoot of the Tyrant project. It was sent into Raccoon City to hunt and kill all surviving S.T.A.R.S. members and anyone who got between it and its objective. Killed by Jill Valentine.
- Tyrant (T-103 Mass Produced Type) - A T-103 variant released by Alfred Ashford and killed by Claire Redfield. Despite its name and the apparent clarification that "T-078" refers to its batch number, this Tyrant seems to have been an experimental model and only one has been seen so far.
- T-0400TP - A variation of the T-103, was released by Carter, absorbed by Nyx, defeated by David King and killed by Ada Wong.
- Ivan - Highly intelligent and human-appearing T-103 variant able to integrate better into human society. At least two were created, serving under Sergei Vladimir. Both were killed by Albert Wesker.
- T-A.L.O.S. - Heavily armoured Tyrant outfitted with cybernetic implants and a multiple-rocket launcher. Killed by Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine.
- Thanatos - Created by Greg Mueller as a more effective, unique Tyrant, it was released during the outbreak of Raccoon City. Killed by George Hamilton and his allies.
- Unidentified Tyrant series - A model of Tyrant with a strong resemblance to the T-103 model that appeared in the Eastern Slav civil war. Identified only by the presence of the numbers 013 on the shoulder of one specimen, presumably a batch or model number.
Further notes
- Although no Tyrants were present in Resident Evil 5, there was supposed to be a Tyrant-like creature infected with Uroboros in the initial stages of RE5 development. Excella Gionne was originally scripted to die by, literally, the hands of this creature, by getting stabbed in a similar way to Wesker's Rhino Charge.
- Tyrant is present on one of the cards in SNK vs. Capcom: CardFighters DS.
- Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars was going to have a Tyrant as a playable character but the idea was dropped.[2]
- The T-0400TP, Thanatos, and Nemesis (3rd mutation) are the only Tyrants to survive a rocket launcher hit.
Gallery
Further notes
Outside of the Mainstream canon, there are a number of other creature said to be Tyrants. In the Perry universe a creature named "Fossil" appears which is a dinosaur-like Tyrant. Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City features "Parasite Super Tyrant", the result of the NE-β Type parasitizing a T-103.