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There are a bunch of unusual characters in theResident Evilgames. After all, this series is home to monsters,people who turn themselves into monsters, and buff heroes who are strong enough to punch giant boulders. So, Resident Evil is filled with all sorts of unique figures.
Resident Evil 4contains the most mysterious of them, though. Even his name is a mystery as he’s only known as The Merchant. Fans don’t know much about this man as RE4 doesn’t dive deep into his backstory or who he is. And he hasn’t appeared in any other game in the series. Here is everything known about him.
The Merchant’s Biology
The Merchant’s origins are completely unknown. Nobody knows where he came from, and there are plenty ofquestions regarding whether he is human or a Ganado. This question is posed because, in the original Resident Evil 4, he looks a bit like one of the infected beasts. His eyes glow red, and what skin you can see doesn’t look exactly healthy.
This would also serve as an explanation as to why hedoesn’t have problems getting past Ganados. Yet, it wouldn’t explain why he acts so differently to the other infected beings unless he was given the special dominant Plagas like some of the other creatures in the game. But then, that creates questions as to why Saddler gave him a dominant Plagas.
A dominant Plagas allows the host to keep their intelligence and free will while infected.
All of these questions are irrelevant now because of the remake. Thenew version of The Merchant looks far more humanand he dislikes the infected beasts. There’sno hint of him being a Ganado at all.
How The Merchant Gets Around
One thing people always wonder about The Merchant is how hegets to so many different places throughout RE4 so quickly. You leave him in one area, fight through a bunch of Ganados and other beasts, just to find him waiting for you in a different place. So, how does he beat you there?
Some people believe there is more than one of him, and you keep speaking to and interacting with different versions. In the remake, he even uses terms like ‘we’ and ‘us,’ which further supports this theory. However, there isno definitive proof that there is more than one of him. After all, every time you meet him, he looks exactly the same and uses the same mannerisms.
There is an explanation for how he gets around without needing to fight through all the Ganados.The answer lies in the blue torcheshe always has near his shop. Those flames seem to be the same ones inside Ashley’s lantern during the remake. And that lantern is capable of stunning Las Plagas parasites, so it’s believable that it would also make them stay away from The Merchant and his wares.
The Merchant uses some purple torches in the remake, which may work similarly to the blue ones.
Add this to the fact that he’s also a local to the region, meaninghe has better knowledge of how to get around than Leon, and it is believable that he would get places quicker than the hero.
The Merchant’s Purpose In Resident Evil 4
The Merchant hasno bearing on the overall story of Resident Evil 4, nor does he impact any of the character’s arcs, either. He is merely there to be a walking shop.
This is why he’s called The Merchant. Hetravels from place to place, selling you his waresso that you have all the resources you need to survive the game.
