Jill Valentine Is an Original Playable Character up Until the End of 'Resident Evil 5'

Although the Resident Evil movies don't stay true to some of the beloved characters in the games, like Jill Valentine, and their importance in the storylines, fans of the games are ever faithful to the plot that they provide. So when Jill, who was a huge part of the original game and subsequent games that came after, was no longer such an important part of the series, they wanted to know what happened to her after Resident Evil 5.

If it wasn't bad enough that Jill was sort of sidelined in the live action Resident Evil movies, her character's importance was seemingly cut down more and more as the game franchise went on. While there is something to be said for other characters, who are playable in later iterations of the Resident Evil games and who are important in their own ways, longtime gamers have a soft spot for the Jill Valentine.

After Resident Evil 5, Jill was no longer an important playable character for the storylines. But, in the context of what happened in the games that came before Resident Evil 6, it makes sense, even if some fans still miss being able to play as Jill, an original survivor and soldier. In Resident Evil 5, Jill was presumed dead at the end of the game after seemingly sacrificing herself to save Chris Redfield, her partner.

She was actually captured and brainwashed, though. She endured years of experiments and torture, essentially, which took her out of the game as a playable character. She was later rescued and made a recovery, but with other playable characters, Jill was sidelined. Jill popped up in the 2023 CGI movie Resident Evil: Death Island, proving to the fandom that she is alive. But her role as an important playable character ended with what some thought was her death in Resident Evil 5.

Because Jill is such an important part of the Resident Evil game's lore, fans hold a special place in their hearts for her. Well, most do, anyway. Some even consider Jill to be one of the most important and influential female characters in gaming overall, according to a Reddit thread about her. It kind of makes you wonder why the programmers and storytellers behind the Resident Evil series don't bring her back as a central playable character.

As with the few games that came before it, the 2026 Resident Evil 9 game didn't include Jill as a playable character. Even before its release, though, there were leaks that confirmed Jill would not be part of the game as a playable character or as someone with an important storyline. There is the hope that Jill might be part of other future games or prequel games. However, at this time, her more important roles in the franchise are all in the first few Resident Evil games.