Fans of Capcom's Resident Evil admire the series, not just for its over-the-top zombie action, but for its unique take on zombies and the biopunk genre. In turn, the franchise makes prominent use of viruses, viral outbreaks, and even bioterrorists. In turn, Resident Evil not just explores the lives of its protagonists, but also the machinations of the company that started it all: Umbrella Corporation and its agents.
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Additionally, Resident Evil found its heroes - and eventually villains - from various walks of life. And sometimes, some of the franchise's most interesting characters come from a combination of their most sinister antagonists and an otherwise extremely minor character. For instance, just who is the mysterious agent HUNK? Moreover, what role does he play throughout the entire series?
10 The True Survivor
Players refer to the game's protagonists as the "sole survivors" of their respective stories, courtesy of plot armor. After all, the game can't progress when protagonists like Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, and Leon Kennedy die prematurely, right? The case isn't exactly the same with HUNK, as the Umbrella Operative seems to have a knack for survival regardless of the circumstance.
Save for the equally-enigmatic Ada Wong, HUNK arguably has the best record of survival lore-wise. Outside minigames across some titles in the series' 20+ games, players almost never get to play HUNK. However, HUNK still happens to find ways to survive whatever dangers he's encountered, without player interference nor assistance from the plot.
9 The Grim Reaper
Due to his mysterious origins and track record, a lot of people refer to HUNK as "The Grim Reaper" or a "Shinigami" in Japanese. Unfortunately, the games haven't done a great job translating this throughout the titles. In turn, HUNK also received nicknames such as "Dr. Deat," "Mr. Death," "Death," or "God of Death." This mistranslation even led to the rather funny quote, "The death cannot die."
Additionally, fans can remember that they can play as HUNK in Resident Evil 2's "The 4th Survivor" scenario. Interestingly, this naming convention may also serve as a reference for his "Grim Reaper" nickname. After all, in Japanese culture, the number four most commonly finds itself associated with bad luck. In terms of language, that's because both "death" and the number four have the same pronunciation in Japanese.
8 No Pleasant Encounters
Despite HUNK's reputation, the lone soldier seems to have piles of bodies always following his wake. The only known detail about HUNK's past is his training in Rockfort Island's Military Training Center back in 1996. Somehow, HUNK remained the sole survivor of all his missions, earning him the "Grim Reaper" nickname.
Moreover, HUNK always shuts down or ignores praise received from colleagues. When Rachel receives HUNK as a partner in Revelations' Raid Mode, she'll say "Pleasant to work with you, Dr. Death," but HUNK quickly dismisses her.
7 The Definition Of Tacticool
Fans of Resident Evil find mutual adoration over HUNK's rather cold personality due to his arguably "cool" appearance. Of all characters in the franchise, HUNK boasts quite the most intimidating yet tactically-appropriate appearance. For instance, aside from his gas mask with the signature red lens, HUNK populates his body with protective gear and plenty of combat pouches. In turn, his design philosophy dictates that, if any Umbrella Operative will survive an outbreak, it's HUNK and his many weapons.
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Moreover, it's perhaps HUNK's appearance that inspired the overall appearance of Umbrella Secret Service's Delta Team in Operation Raccoon City. In this non-canon title, Umbrella's team has to secure confidential data from Raccoon City before its destruction. Opposite the more military-like Echo Six, Delta Team boasts black overalls and almost all members wear face-coverings, from gas masks to partial masks, as though taking from HUNK's design.
6 Always A Powerhouse
Interestingly, given HUNK's reputation as a minigame character, his appearance always denoted the arrival of some "perks" as well. Throughout his appearances, HUNK always boasted some form of increased firepower or skillset that denoted his specialized training. For instance, in 1998's "The 4th Survivor," HUNK boasts some of the highest base HP for a playable character in the game. Moreover, he begins with eight inventory slots with a Magnum, Shotgun, Handgun, and even some herbs.
In other games, HUNK also has special melee moves when facing zombies. He has exclusive instant-kill moves, knockback kicks, and even special moves that involve hidden blades.
5 May Have Started The Global Bioterrorism Scare
If it wasn't for the virus outbreak in Raccoon City, the global black market wouldn't be interested in the potential of bioweapons as a marketable commodity. However, while people point towards Umbrella as the root cause of the virus, HUNK may have been the person who lit the fuse.
Essentially, HUNK's stay in Raccoon City led him to secure the G-Virus samples from William Birkin. After some resistance, HUNK acquired Birkin's briefcase, which also contained some T-Virus samples. Unfortunately for HUNK and his team, Birkin injected himself with a G-Virus sample, mutating him in the process. Birkin, now "G," slaughtered HUNK's team in his mutated form. In the process, G crushes a T-Virus sample, infecting nearby sewer rats which then infected Raccoon City's water supply.
4 A Legendary Mercenary
When Umbrella Corporation "fell" in 2003, HUNK gained a reputation as a deadly mercenary. In particular, HUNK gained notoriety for his specialization against bioweapons. This specialty helped HUNK create the Close Quarters Quarantined Battle Zone (CQBZ) fighting style, and specifically designed against bioweapons. These weapons include the custom Bite Guard, Zombie Jammer, Zombie Eizen, and Zombie Bell equipment.
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In fact, HUNK left such a lasting legacy that various mercenary groups and corporations trained agents in CQBZ. For instance, the unnamed protagonist in Resident Evil: Umbrella Corps used CQBZ and HUNK's specially-designed equipment to deal with bioweapon threats to gain samples for their enigmatic faction.
3 The Original Star Of Resident Evil 3
After the success of Resident Evil 2, Capcom had a lot of projects under their belt. Unfortunately, the lifespan of the PlayStation didn't make room for a core title. Moreover, the team didn't have time to upgrade to the PlayStation 2, either. Meaning, the original Resident Evil 3 concept had to be shelved. Another supposed-RE3 eventually became Code: Veronica, and it's the third project that featured Jill that became the core title.
Moreover, the original concept of RE3 actually continued HUNK's story from the second game. Should Capcom have the time for this concept, players need to guide HUNK as he delivered the G-Virus sample back to Umbrella. According to Yasuhisa Kawamura, RE3's scenario writer, HUNK's game would have him on a cruise ship.
2 Opposite The Stylish Ada
Interestingly, fans of the series will associate HUNK with another mysterious minor character, Ada Wong. After all, the two characters do have similarities. For one, both serve as minor characters that work for either an enemy faction (HUNK with Umbrella) or a mysterious benefactor (Ada with the Corporation). Moreover, both characters boast incredible fighting ability, capable of handling various zombies and bioweapons on their own.
However, their similarities end there. Whereas HUNK has a more tactical appearance, Ada boasts a more elegant and seductive appearance. In turn, this gives them a unique contrast. HUNK has a more soldierly appearance, while Ada is more femme fatale.
1 Losing A Human Touch
Players can find more insight regarding HUNK in some additional media, particularly in the promotional campaign for Operation Raccoon City. In this campaign, a fictional psychological report notes that HUNK kept a "soldier side" and removed any traces of a "human side." However, HUNK shows reaction to the name "Bella," albeit the reason remained unknown.
Moreover, HUNK's rather "robotic" nature is questioned in some interactions with him in the game. In the original Resident Evil 2, HUNK doesn't show remorse when his subordinate accidentally shot William Birkin. Instead, HUNK advised his soldier to hold fire to avoid damaging the G-Virus sample. However, there seems to be an additional shot where HUNK shows visible anger to Birkin's accidental shooting, noting some humanity within HUNK. Interestingly, The Darkside Chronicles adjusts this canon when it's shown that HUNK himself peppered Birkin with bullets in a retelling of that encounter.
