Resident Evil celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Though the core of the brand remains Capcom’s excellent action/horror games, the series has blossomed into a media empire of movies, TV shows, books and even stage shows. But despite the many different directions the franchise has gone in, some things remain constant. For example, using herbs and first aid sprays as healing items.
A couple of ongoing motifs are only spotted by players who’re truly paying attention, though, with one thing seen in Resident Evil Village present since the very first title. This is a statue known as “Woman Drawing Water,” first encountered early on in the Exhibition Room in the original Resident Evil (see below).
It then goes on to pop up in Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis as a background element, in the replica Spencer Mansion in CODE: Veronica and in Resident Evil HD. More recently, it’s appeared in the Resident Evil 2 remake and as a random statue in Resident Evil Village. There are probably more instances of it I’m missing, so if you’ve seen it elsewhere, then let us know down below.
What does it mean, though? Well, it’s likely that the recurring appearances are simply a fun nod to the original game from the developers and a wink at long-term fans. But there are theories that it has a thematic significance, too. Some interpret the statue as a depiction of Aquarius, a Zodiac sign representing the granting of knowledge and life. That sounds a bit like the Umbrella Corporation’s ethos, though the life they tend to bring into the world is of the slimy, tentacled and carnivorous variety.
It’d also be cool if the statue popped up in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City in November. The movie is partly set in the Spencer Mansion, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns up in the background there. In any case, let’s hope we continue to see it in Resident Evil games for many years to come.
