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annakes2 · 1 year ago

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When Capcom sat down to write RE4make and Separate Ways, they had to have a moment of reckoning when it came to Ada's character:

Do they continue to write out her romance with Leon, or

Do they commit to her role as an ambiguous third party agent keeping her fingers in all of the pies?

They chose the latter. They chose the latter because it was more important, narratively. And they couldn't have both, because having both doesn't make any fucking sense and never has made any fucking sense.

Ada is a selfish character, at her core. To have her constantly be soft for Leon undermines that selfishness and makes her other actions not make any sense; if she cared that much about him, why would she continuously serve the bad guys that make his life a living hell? And the reverse is also true. Why would she care so much about Leon if all he does is get in her way and act as a distraction for her?

So anyone who complains that RE4make's Separate Ways didn't show Ada caring enough about Leon -- that was the point. They solidified her identity as a character by doing that.

The writers of the Remake series made a conscious decision to make Leon and Ada's interactions/relationship in RE2make serve an actual function/purpose for their characters instead of "uwu they're in love."

For Leon -- Ada taught him that the people opposed to him aren't always bad guys. She taught him the true lesson of "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions." He learned to trust that little voice in the back of his head that tells him "something's not right here." She also taught him that there's a way to do the right thing without following the rules -- and, sometimes, by breaking them entirely.

For Ada -- Leon taught her that being independent doesn't mean self-isolating -- because just looking out for herself and no one else actually resulted in her just keeping her head down and not asking questions, which screwed her over big time in the end. Leon didn't teach her love or compassion or empathy; he showed her that she was actually being just as naive as he was, just on the other side of the fight.

Basically, they both taught each other: QUESTION EVERYTHING. Because that was the one thing that neither of them did in RE2make until it was way, way too late.

And so, in RE4make/Separate Ways, Ada spends far less time and emotional energy worrying about Leon because she's actually taking the lesson he taught her to heart and she's questioning the people and circumstances around her in order to protect herself. That was the point of her early voiceover about how Raccoon City changed her perspective and made her start asking where her efforts were going and why she was doing what she was sent to do.

She doesn't ask questions for moral reasons. She asks them for selfish ones. Because Ada is an inherently selfish character.

On the boat, Leon asks Ada: "Are you just trying to use me again?" and Separate Ways answers and repeats over and over and over again: YES. The only reason she helps Leon in the village and at Mendez's house is so that he can continue being useful for her. Because Leon didn't teach her to care about people; Leon only taught her how to better take care of herself -- the same way she did for him.

This is a really damning exchange of words:

So, yes -- Ada is using Leon in RE4make. Yes, she only helps him because it benefits her. No, she genuinely doesn't care whether he lives or dies. Yes, she meant it when she told Leon to leave Ashley for dead, and yes, her sole reason for doing it was to get Ashley out of the way because Ada found Leon's new demeanor hot and she wanted to fuck him. No, she had no intention of taking Ashley with them on the chopper at the end -- because yes, her invitation to Leon was a bookend to her earlier offer for Leon to leave Ashley and go fuck her (Ada) instead.

And that's why Leon tells her to go fuck herself and shakes his head in utter disbelief when she asks if he's coming with her.

Because Ada is a selfish character.

I don't say this to hate on the character or even express dislike for her. This doesn't make her a bad character -- in fact, the opposite is true. It makes her consistent, which makes her a better written character overall from what/who she was in OG.

It also doesn't make her evil or a bad guy. Ada Wong is the most Chaotic Neutral character in the entire RE series -- even moreso than Billy Coen or Jake Muller ever were. She's in it for herself, and that particular approach is neither inherently morally good nor evil.

But Aeon is dead canonically in the Remake-verse. It was sacrificed in the name of bringing consistency and logic to both characters.

And that was the true point of the boat scene.

Neither of them have changed who they are at their most fundamental level. Leon is still the selfless hero, and Ada is still the selfish spy. Their relationship in RE2make served as a strengthening of those core traits -- not an erosion of them. Leon can better protect and save Ashley because of the lessons that Ada taught him, and Ada can successfully outmaneuver Wesker because of the lessons that Leon taught her.

But that doesn't change who she is. It doesn't change who either of them are. In fact, it only served to create a more authentic version of them both. Leon is more zealous in his heroism, and Ada is more committed to her own self-preservation and naked about her selfish intentions.

The only people in RE4make who changed who they were were Luis and Krauser. Luis for the better, and Krauser for the worse. And they both paid for it with their lives.

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annakes2 · 2 years ago

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A Greater Memory Of You // Leon x Ashley

A simple seek and secure mission that had become a well of memories, haunting and traumatic but there was still some light in the form of golden hair and baby blue eyes. A rosy smile that kept him sane and grounded through the entire ordeal, made it bearable and something to fight for.

Who knew even during the worst week of your life could you find something so warm and beautiful. Who knew you could find home in a person.

It had been months since the events in Spain, or maybe longer as time began to bleed together. With the mission complete and over, life had returned to normal, or what little normality it seemed to hold these days.

Who knew even during the worst week of your life could you find something so warm and beautiful. Who knew you could find home in a person.

But now she was home, safe, never to endure such horrors again. Out of harm's way. Returned to her family and was secured from the outside world. It was unlikely she’d ever be alone again, always escorted by her security detail, kept well beyond arm's length for the rest of her life.

He often found himself looking back at the photo of her, once a piece of evidence now a momento he hadn’t the heart to hand in and get rid of. To see her smile again was bitter sweet. It brought him joy but each time the photo reminded him how he’d never see her again. It had never crossed his mind, especially after growing so fond of her, that the possibility of never seeing her once she returned home.

After spending every waking hour with her in mind, having her so close and beside him, learning more about her unbridled spirit and her captivating enthusiasm, to never see it again felt like a piece of him was now missing.

Something about her lifted his spirits, she was everything he never knew he needed. Sure, he has saved people before, stayed in contact with them and felt the relief of a life saved. But Ashley… he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Pining for her.

A knock at the door drew him from his spiral of plaguing thoughts, snapping him out of the daze he often found himself in. Tucking the photo back into his wallet he heaved himself from the chair at his desk.

To his pleasant surprise it was the welcome familiar face of Claire at his door. One of the few people who seemed to pull him back on his feet. Never judging him for taking longer than he needed, knowing the horrors that haunted him as well. Maybe too well, her own experiences are like a creeping shadow on her own mind that she could never fully shake off. She just had a better way of hiding it.

“Hey,” she started, smiling the best she could while seeing the lost look in his eyes, knowing how distant he seemed to be, especially lately, “I know you’re still recovering and taking your time but I thought I’d bring you this..” Offered out to him was a large white box, neatly wrapped with twine and a brown paper envelope tucked in with it.

Furrowing his brow, he looked to Claire with some hesitation, her smile never faltering as she offered it out again to him. “Some M.I.B. looking guy handed it over to me yesterday, so I figured I’d give it to you directly before it gathers dust.”

“Huh, some gift basket ‘thank you’ I see,” he scoffed, taking the box and looking over the envelope for the way his name was written. His eyes softened and his heart nearly skipped a beat. It was handwritten, not typed. Just his first name, no full formal surname or title copied and pasted from a template.

“Oh yeah, sure. Probably some nice soaps or fancy cheese.” She chuckled, stuffing her hands back into her jacket away from the cold. “You get used to it..” Noticing the bewildered look on his face, she smiled to herself. Sure he was stronger and tougher now, but he was still that tender young hopeful man beneath the hardened exterior she had first met.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Claire announced, turning on a heel to leave the porch, knowing well Leon was now distracted. “Take care of yourself, Leon.”

Pulling himself away from the box, she had already taken her leave, looking up just in time to see her wave from the car as she pulled away. His eyes lingered until she was gone from view, dropping his eyes back to the box as he went back inside the apartment.

Setting the box down at his desk, he carefully pulled at the twine string, admiring the bow lovingly placed in the centre. Removing the envelope he studied his name again, a knot twisting in his stomach as he tentatively opened it. The paper inside was pretty and pastel, a border of floral filigree along the edges to frame the delicate handwriting inside. His heart nearly stopping as his eyes scanned the first few words,

“My dear Leon,

I hope this letter finds you well and that you’re happy and safe.

I could never find the words to truly thank you for saving me. Your kindness and devotion mean the world to me.

You mean the world to me.

I miss you…

Thank you again…

Maybe one day we’ll see each other again, I hope every day that we do.

Love,

Ashley

P.S. I hope this fits you. I decided this colour would suit you best, as your loyal stylist.”

He read over the letter a few times, subconsciously sat against the back of the couch, unable to pull himself away from the gift. His eyes kept going back to her name, the way he could see her perfectly even in the way she writes. There was a smile on his lips he hadn’t felt in weeks, not since the last time he saw her. His heart ached and chest grew tight, reading again the last few lines.

“I miss you too,” he quietly murmured to himself in the cold emptiness of his lonely apartment.

Standing up he moved to the box again, gently setting down the letter and lifting off the lid to reveal the tissue wrapped gift inside. Unfolding the soft orange paper, his smile grew and he let out an airy laugh.

Neatly pressed inside was a leather bomber jacket, near identical to his previous one now lost to an abandoned village in Spain. It was cleanly made, fresh and new. The fresh smell of leather and cotton filled the air with a faint scent of perfume. Her perfume. Clearly she had handled it before carefully packing it away, neatly wrapping it herself.

Pulling it out he looked it over adoringly. The lining was tidy and the sheepskin lined collar was soft to the touch. The leather was smooth and expertly tailored, a burnt umber collar with matching cream lining. The buckles were the same, all shiny and fresh, polished to match the brass colour zips.

Unzipping the front, he noticed it had one additional element, a small label beneath its patch of authenticity, a golden colour with dusky purple embroidered writing, adorned with a small heart.

‘My hero, love Ashley’.

His fingers gently brushed over the embroidery, too stunned by the immense care and love she had put into a gift just for him. The fact she has remembered such an insignificant fact about him, something so throw away and trivial in comparison to the greater things at stake.

He had briefly mentioned about his jacket while they took a breather one night, gathering their energy to continue through the castle they had unfortunately found themselves.

‘I’d offer you my jacket, however, it seems one of our unwelcome guests has taken a shine to it’. Leon signed, frustrated he couldn’t offer Ashley more comfort from the cold, especially since the rain had picked up and soaked them both.

‘It’s okay, I can manage,’ she smiled, trying her best not to show her trembling body or chattering teeth. Even with her jacket and adrenaline the chill has seemed through to her bones. ‘Could you not get it back?’

He sighed, checking his ammo count for a second time, ‘I would if I could, however I don’t fancy it now it’s burned and covered in gore. Don’t think it’d suit me.’

His smile was sarcastic as he loaded up another mag, her eyes following his hands then back to his face when she realised the jacket was no more. The explosion from his precise aim to a tanker earlier had consumed it along with the hoard they had been escaping.

‘Oh’ she frowned, ‘that sucks…’

‘Yeah, I loved that jacket. Got it with my first paycheque. A long time ago now…’ snapping the mag back into his pistol, he shrugged, ‘anyway, let’s get going. Got more important things to worry about than my choice in fashion.’

‘I’ll get you a new one, we’ll go on a shopping trip when we get home!’

He chuckled, meeting her hopeful expression with a raised brow. ‘A shopping trip? You got it. You can be my stylist.’

Ashley nodded enthusiastically, ‘yes! I mean, who doesn’t love clothes shopping?’

‘I’d happily watch paint dry with you over this hell any day.’ Her expression faltered, a soft flush across her face as she reached for his offered hand to her. Smiling up at him, she nodded shyly as she squeezed his hand, unable to respond to his remark with any kind of composure. It was endearing, how quickly she could go from level headed and confident to shy and hesitant.

Pulling her close to him, Leon smiled, raising her hand to press a kiss to her knuckles. ‘But first, let’s get you home and out of the cold.’

Raising the jacket to his lips, he pressed his lips to the label, closing his eyes to savour the scent of her on the leather before it faded. Inhaling deeply then slowly releasing. His shoulders relaxed as he looked down onto it again, unable to stop himself from smiling, even though his heart was aching.

“Thank you. Ashley…”

Pulling it on, adjusting the collar and checking the cuffs, he shook his head to himself, impressed with just how perfectly it fit. Of course it did. Ashley has made sure it would. Even without a tape measure and reference, she knew fashion when she saw it. It was clear from her own choice of clothes, expensive and high end, neat and designer. She knew what she was looking for even from a brief summary and just by looking at him. Ashley knew his taste better than he did.

Glancing at the reflection of himself in the glass of the cabinet beside him, admiring the colour again, he noticed it would have matched the colour of her own clothes, the rich orange of her blaser. Ever thoughtful with a keen eye for the little things.

He now had a piece of her with him, not just a crumpled faded photo to remember her by, nor distant memories corrupted by nightmares. Just the simple gift of her remembering him, thinking of him, and missing him too.

Maybe one day they’d meet again and maybe he could return a greater gift to her. Though nothing would be a greater gift than to see her golden smile again.

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