Alexia Ashford, using her unnatural intelligence, created the Tyrant-Veronica Virus using Progenitor, queen ant genes, plant genes, and another ancient virus. It is a t-Virus exclusively due to it being developed under the t-Virus project, and it is based on Progenitor, not the t-Virus created by Marcus. It is named after Veronica Ashford, whom Alexia was a clone of, and was designed to accomplish her ambition modelled after ant society, where the colony lives in dependence to it's Queen.
Alexia discovered an ancient, natural virus that produced insect properties in hosts. It is inferred that, like Progenitor, this virus was involved in the development of insect life on Earth (although Progenitor's ability to infect and mutate arthropods suggests it had a more universal role. It could even be that the two viruses are related. The same applies to the Abyss with deep sea life). This virus was combined with Progenitor, along with the queen ant genes it was discovered in, to create the prototype t-Veronica. t-Veronica and viruses derived from it (like the C-Virus) therefore develop insect-like properties. The queen ant genes could result in a prolonged lifespan in hosts.
Plant Genes
t-Veronica was fused with plant genes to establish it's primary purpose and function: control. It is commonly assumed the queen ant genes gave the virus this ability, but queen ants have no primary means of control over subjects - they are simply held in reproductive slavery. Many plants, however, produce pheromones and volatiles that affect insect behavior - typically to repel or attract them. They also use these to communicate with other plants, typically to warn of infestations. Alexia used these plant characteristics in conjunction with the Insect Virus to produce a complex relationship in hosts. A single, dominant host could produce such chemicals and manipulate lesser hosts, be they insect, plant, or even human. These "Veronica Queens" or "Veronica Humans" would need to adapt to the virus like Wesker did with the t-Virus, although the qualifications are different thanks to Alexia's modifications. But more on that in a bit.
Like the Insect Virus with arthropod traits, plant genes cause t-Veronica mutants to develop plant characteristics. Veronica mutants commonly have green skin because of this.
Environmental Effects
The secondary reason for the plant/insect properties is to enhance the virus' infectious potential in environments rife with insect and plant life. Humidity and temperature also affect it. This is why research was held in Antarctica. But once Alexia decided it was time to release it, she would use this to her advantage to infect the world.
Being a Progenitor Virus (which created plant and animal life in the first place), t-Veronica will alter the ecosystem dramatically, especially in turning plants into intelligent animals like the t-Virus does. However, a Veronica ecosystem would be entirely in harmony and operate according to the will of the "Queen".
Adaption
The key to adaption with any Progenitor Virus is regulating how the virus spreads. But how this is done alternates from strain to strain. Progenitor, t-Wesker, and Uroboros rely on genes, G on a vaccine, and t-Phobos on mental strength in relation to fear. t-Veronica must be slowed using outside intervention via cryogenic freezing or constant organ transplants, and this must be done for 15 years. During this time the virus slowly rewrites genes while maintaining cellular integrity.
A Veronica Human, as said before, operates as a Queen in a Veronica Ecosystem, controlling host behavior through will. Veronica Humans suffer no necrosis or brain cell rejection, and it is unknown if they aquire other Virus Human traits, like biological immortality. Alexia seemed to be very strong, able to lift an adult human with a single arm. Veronica Humans lack any visible eye mutations.
Unique Mutations
Mutations caused by t-Veronica tend to be dramatic, fast, and explosive, particularly in favorable environments. Mutants become plant/insect hybrids even farther removed from what they once were than t-Virus mutants, yet not as far removed as G-Virus mutants. It's incredible mutation speed is carried over into C.
t-Veronica's abilities border on the psychic. Hosts can transform at will and sometimes revert back to human form, and this combined with the ability to control host minds suggests some unknown mechanism at work in the brain. This could be related to Wesker's "Peculiarity Regarding Transformation" theory, and the series treats the human mind in similar ways throughout the series.
The virus can expand intelligence, as seen in Progenitor Humans and Mary Gray, so it could also augment the mind in other ways or unlock hidden abilities.
The ability to revert to human form and control mutations is carried over into Enhanced C.
Another unique mutation caused by t-Veronica is blood that combusts once coming into contact with oxygen, creating organic flamethrowers. This also causes some hosts to burst into flames upon death. Veronica Humans and Mutants both have this trait, and it may be a random mutation that arose in t-Alexia (a recombinant strain of t-Veronica found in Alexia's body). This trait is also carried over to the C-Virus, and actually serves as a weakness in J'avo.
t-Veronica (standard)
The original strain of t-Veronica created Nosferatu (immortal). After infection, Alexander Ashford's skin paled and his intelligence was diminished, like a Zombie. Despite being an inferior host, he survived in confinement for 15 years without sustenance, living up to his namesake and boasting the vitality of Veronica Mutants. After hearing his "son" scream, he flew into a passion and mutated, as per t-Veronica's mutations via willpower. He grew three insect-like arms to compensate for his arms being bound, which in TDC resemble the limbs of a praying mantis, or scythes. His heart became exposed, a common symptom of Progenitor Viruses, and he secreted a purple mist containing a powerful poison, which could be due to the plant or insect characteristics of the virus.
His initial mutation was very much tame compared to other mutants, possible due to lower compatibility and greater necrosis in the initial t-Veronica strain. Other hosts to this strain would presumably become Nosferatus as well.
Alexia cultured the virus in a large plant known as the Alexia Pod. It possessed vine-like tentacles like those seen on t-Virus plants. Veronica Ants (which are larger, breed explosively, and are far more aggressive than regular ants) act as ideal virus carriers, and used the Pod as an ant hill, demonstrating the perfect ecosystem t-Veronica creates. The Pod went dormant while Alexia slept, waiting for a "Queen" to arrive and control it.
t-Alexia
After adapting to t-Veronica, Alexia's body contained a weakened strain of the virus, dubbed "t-Alexia" by Wesker. This strain lessened brain cell rejection to a degree, allowing Steve Burnside to temporarily resist Alexia's influence. This strain also developed the fire blood attribute and greatly enhanced t-Veronica's mutagenic potential, resulting in creatures farther removed from humans than Nosferatu was.
Steve's mutation would presumably be the typical t-Alexia reaction in hosts, giving us an idea what Alexia's "soldier ants" would look like. His skin turned green due to plant genes, he developed somewhat vestigial insect limbs like Nosferatu, and his neck became long and drooped over the top of his torso like a worm. His eyes turned red and his muscle mass and size increased greatly, both common Progenitor traits.
Alexia herself retained her human form, and only mutated when she willed it to be so. Her clothes burst into flames yet did not burn her, showing the control she exerted over her "pyroblood".
Her skin changed tone, and she grew moss-like or chitin-like growths to act as armor and clothing. She could revert to her human form if she so wished. Alexia was capable of vomiting an acidic substance, similar to some insects.
After being hurt, Alexia merged with the Alexia pod. Not only can t-Veronica produce plant mutations in human hosts, but Veronica animals and Veronica plants can fuse together. Alexia in this form resembled an insect queen with three large oviducts that birthed her "children" (like Marguerite Baker). She possessed multiple insect arms.
Alexia's "children" were insect/plant hybrids that crawled on the ground. These "children" could sprout tentacles similar to those seen on the Alexia Pod from their backs and use them to whip at prey.
After her Oviduct/the Alexia Pod was damaged, Alexia tore free and mutated into a dragonfly form. She had passed the point of no return, and her genetic structure was compromised. Her face was twisted into a permanent scowl at what she had become, and she was obliterated by the Linear Launcher. Her remains burst into flames.
After Albert Wesker recovered the virus in Steve's corpse, Umbrella's Rival Organization used t-Alexia in B.O.W. experiments. Alexia didn't design the virus with marketable weapons in mind, and it's extreme infectious capacity in certain environments made selling the virus itself too dangerous. The Rival Org were able to create at least one B.O.W., and Wesker had uses of his own for it.
The Jabberwock S3 was created by the Rival Org using t-Alexia. They reproduced the Bandersnatch experiments by Umbrella, which involved creating Tyrants at the embryonic stage. t-Alexia was fused with a fertilized human ovum, which created the Jabberwock. This creature appears as a smaller version of the mutant Steve became, but with more functional Nosferatu-like limbs and less human features. It has an exposed heart like Nosferatu, which it protects with it's arms at the expense of it's attack power, like the Bandersnatch. They are reasonably intelligent, and have metal plates on their heads which have an unknown function (although it was made by the people who created the Hunter IIs, so it is probably related to control). Jabberwocks entered the black market as the only known t-Veronica B.O.W..
Wesker sold t-Alexia to crime syndicate leader Javier Hidalgo, despite the fact he was an unstable man in the worst possible environment (the Amazon) for that virus, which risked a global biohazard and the destruction of the Amazon's oxygen output. Albert was already toying with his end goal - the eradication of the human race. He even stuck by himself to see what would happen.
When Uroboros development began in 2006, TRICELL used the t-Alexia sample given to them by Wesker in 2003 as a reference, along with the G-Virus sample recovered from G-Curtis.
Javier used t-Alexia to strengthen his daughter to survive her illness, using organ transplants as a substitute for cryosleep. He cultured the virus in a plant in his botanical garden, and like the Alexia Pod it went dormant without a Queen. When threatened by Leon and Krauser, he somehow "awoke" the Pod and it began consuming everything around it, including Javier, and grew uncontrollably due to the Amazon climate. It became the V-Complex, an amalgamation of flesh, bone and plant that resembled a cell, and was large enough to block out the sky.
It's head was very similar to the Anubis B.O.W.s, which were present at Javier's compound, probably a result of V-Complex consuming them. It had many bladed tentacles on it's body and legs, and it's "feet" had Progenitor eye growths. Inside it's skull was Javier, who was initially in control of the monster, but was gradually consumed, like Steve. If Javier's dialogue is to be believed, it could potentially regenerate any non-fatal wound. It's underside could unleash spores that contained the virus, making it a giant, walking biohazard like HAOS. Had Krauser, Leon, and Manuela not destroyed it, it would have accomplished Wesker's goal after all. Like Alexia, upon death, it burst into flames, conveniently preventing the corpse from starting an outbreak.
t-Manuela
After becoming even weaker in Manuela's body, t-Alexia became t-Manuela. This strain reduced host damage to such a degree that Manuela could suppress the virus temporarily through will, despite only being infected for a fraction of the required 15 years for adaption. She was even able to produce "pyroblood". Part of her arm had green skin common to Veronica Mutants, likely the spot she was injected in. From this arm she could lob fireballs strong enough to incinerate bone and dismember V-Complex. In the bad ending, when Manuela dies, she disintegrates like other t-Veronica hosts.
After being taken into US custody, t-Manuela was extracted from her by the Family. Carla fused it with the isolated "DNA Mutation Factor" of the t-Virus, creating t-02. This strain weakened t-Manuela even further, and eliminated the need for a 15-year adaption period. This led to J'avo, intelligent Veronica mutants with a human form and Tyrant qualities.
Overview
Insect Virus Alexia discovered an ancient, natural virus that produced insect properties in hosts. It is inferred that, like Progenitor, this virus was involved in the development of insect life on Earth (although Progenitor's ability to infect and mutate arthropods suggests it had a more universal role. It could even be that the two viruses are related. The same applies to the Abyss with deep sea life). This virus was combined with Progenitor, along with the queen ant genes it was discovered in, to create the prototype t-Veronica. t-Veronica and viruses derived from it (like the C-Virus) therefore develop insect-like properties. The queen ant genes could result in a prolonged lifespan in hosts.
Plant Genes
t-Veronica was fused with plant genes to establish it's primary purpose and function: control. It is commonly assumed the queen ant genes gave the virus this ability, but queen ants have no primary means of control over subjects - they are simply held in reproductive slavery. Many plants, however, produce pheromones and volatiles that affect insect behavior - typically to repel or attract them. They also use these to communicate with other plants, typically to warn of infestations. Alexia used these plant characteristics in conjunction with the Insect Virus to produce a complex relationship in hosts. A single, dominant host could produce such chemicals and manipulate lesser hosts, be they insect, plant, or even human. These "Veronica Queens" or "Veronica Humans" would need to adapt to the virus like Wesker did with the t-Virus, although the qualifications are different thanks to Alexia's modifications. But more on that in a bit.
Like the Insect Virus with arthropod traits, plant genes cause t-Veronica mutants to develop plant characteristics. Veronica mutants commonly have green skin because of this.
Environmental Effects
The secondary reason for the plant/insect properties is to enhance the virus' infectious potential in environments rife with insect and plant life. Humidity and temperature also affect it. This is why research was held in Antarctica. But once Alexia decided it was time to release it, she would use this to her advantage to infect the world.
Being a Progenitor Virus (which created plant and animal life in the first place), t-Veronica will alter the ecosystem dramatically, especially in turning plants into intelligent animals like the t-Virus does. However, a Veronica ecosystem would be entirely in harmony and operate according to the will of the "Queen".
Adaption
The key to adaption with any Progenitor Virus is regulating how the virus spreads. But how this is done alternates from strain to strain. Progenitor, t-Wesker, and Uroboros rely on genes, G on a vaccine, and t-Phobos on mental strength in relation to fear. t-Veronica must be slowed using outside intervention via cryogenic freezing or constant organ transplants, and this must be done for 15 years. During this time the virus slowly rewrites genes while maintaining cellular integrity.
A Veronica Human, as said before, operates as a Queen in a Veronica Ecosystem, controlling host behavior through will. Veronica Humans suffer no necrosis or brain cell rejection, and it is unknown if they aquire other Virus Human traits, like biological immortality. Alexia seemed to be very strong, able to lift an adult human with a single arm. Veronica Humans lack any visible eye mutations.
Unique Mutations
Mutations caused by t-Veronica tend to be dramatic, fast, and explosive, particularly in favorable environments. Mutants become plant/insect hybrids even farther removed from what they once were than t-Virus mutants, yet not as far removed as G-Virus mutants. It's incredible mutation speed is carried over into C.
t-Veronica's abilities border on the psychic. Hosts can transform at will and sometimes revert back to human form, and this combined with the ability to control host minds suggests some unknown mechanism at work in the brain. This could be related to Wesker's "Peculiarity Regarding Transformation" theory, and the series treats the human mind in similar ways throughout the series.
The virus can expand intelligence, as seen in Progenitor Humans and Mary Gray, so it could also augment the mind in other ways or unlock hidden abilities.
The ability to revert to human form and control mutations is carried over into Enhanced C.
Another unique mutation caused by t-Veronica is blood that combusts once coming into contact with oxygen, creating organic flamethrowers. This also causes some hosts to burst into flames upon death. Veronica Humans and Mutants both have this trait, and it may be a random mutation that arose in t-Alexia (a recombinant strain of t-Veronica found in Alexia's body). This trait is also carried over to the C-Virus, and actually serves as a weakness in J'avo.
Strains and Hosts
t-Veronica has a long and detailed history, and three strains are used in the games:
t-Veronica (standard)
The original strain of t-Veronica created Nosferatu (immortal). After infection, Alexander Ashford's skin paled and his intelligence was diminished, like a Zombie. Despite being an inferior host, he survived in confinement for 15 years without sustenance, living up to his namesake and boasting the vitality of Veronica Mutants. After hearing his "son" scream, he flew into a passion and mutated, as per t-Veronica's mutations via willpower. He grew three insect-like arms to compensate for his arms being bound, which in TDC resemble the limbs of a praying mantis, or scythes. His heart became exposed, a common symptom of Progenitor Viruses, and he secreted a purple mist containing a powerful poison, which could be due to the plant or insect characteristics of the virus.
His initial mutation was very much tame compared to other mutants, possible due to lower compatibility and greater necrosis in the initial t-Veronica strain. Other hosts to this strain would presumably become Nosferatus as well.
Alexia cultured the virus in a large plant known as the Alexia Pod. It possessed vine-like tentacles like those seen on t-Virus plants. Veronica Ants (which are larger, breed explosively, and are far more aggressive than regular ants) act as ideal virus carriers, and used the Pod as an ant hill, demonstrating the perfect ecosystem t-Veronica creates. The Pod went dormant while Alexia slept, waiting for a "Queen" to arrive and control it.
t-Alexia
After adapting to t-Veronica, Alexia's body contained a weakened strain of the virus, dubbed "t-Alexia" by Wesker. This strain lessened brain cell rejection to a degree, allowing Steve Burnside to temporarily resist Alexia's influence. This strain also developed the fire blood attribute and greatly enhanced t-Veronica's mutagenic potential, resulting in creatures farther removed from humans than Nosferatu was.
Steve's mutation would presumably be the typical t-Alexia reaction in hosts, giving us an idea what Alexia's "soldier ants" would look like. His skin turned green due to plant genes, he developed somewhat vestigial insect limbs like Nosferatu, and his neck became long and drooped over the top of his torso like a worm. His eyes turned red and his muscle mass and size increased greatly, both common Progenitor traits.
Alexia herself retained her human form, and only mutated when she willed it to be so. Her clothes burst into flames yet did not burn her, showing the control she exerted over her "pyroblood".
Her skin changed tone, and she grew moss-like or chitin-like growths to act as armor and clothing. She could revert to her human form if she so wished. Alexia was capable of vomiting an acidic substance, similar to some insects.
After being hurt, Alexia merged with the Alexia pod. Not only can t-Veronica produce plant mutations in human hosts, but Veronica animals and Veronica plants can fuse together. Alexia in this form resembled an insect queen with three large oviducts that birthed her "children" (like Marguerite Baker). She possessed multiple insect arms.
Alexia's "children" were insect/plant hybrids that crawled on the ground. These "children" could sprout tentacles similar to those seen on the Alexia Pod from their backs and use them to whip at prey.
After her Oviduct/the Alexia Pod was damaged, Alexia tore free and mutated into a dragonfly form. She had passed the point of no return, and her genetic structure was compromised. Her face was twisted into a permanent scowl at what she had become, and she was obliterated by the Linear Launcher. Her remains burst into flames.
After Albert Wesker recovered the virus in Steve's corpse, Umbrella's Rival Organization used t-Alexia in B.O.W. experiments. Alexia didn't design the virus with marketable weapons in mind, and it's extreme infectious capacity in certain environments made selling the virus itself too dangerous. The Rival Org were able to create at least one B.O.W., and Wesker had uses of his own for it.
The Jabberwock S3 was created by the Rival Org using t-Alexia. They reproduced the Bandersnatch experiments by Umbrella, which involved creating Tyrants at the embryonic stage. t-Alexia was fused with a fertilized human ovum, which created the Jabberwock. This creature appears as a smaller version of the mutant Steve became, but with more functional Nosferatu-like limbs and less human features. It has an exposed heart like Nosferatu, which it protects with it's arms at the expense of it's attack power, like the Bandersnatch. They are reasonably intelligent, and have metal plates on their heads which have an unknown function (although it was made by the people who created the Hunter IIs, so it is probably related to control). Jabberwocks entered the black market as the only known t-Veronica B.O.W..
Wesker sold t-Alexia to crime syndicate leader Javier Hidalgo, despite the fact he was an unstable man in the worst possible environment (the Amazon) for that virus, which risked a global biohazard and the destruction of the Amazon's oxygen output. Albert was already toying with his end goal - the eradication of the human race. He even stuck by himself to see what would happen.
When Uroboros development began in 2006, TRICELL used the t-Alexia sample given to them by Wesker in 2003 as a reference, along with the G-Virus sample recovered from G-Curtis.
Javier used t-Alexia to strengthen his daughter to survive her illness, using organ transplants as a substitute for cryosleep. He cultured the virus in a plant in his botanical garden, and like the Alexia Pod it went dormant without a Queen. When threatened by Leon and Krauser, he somehow "awoke" the Pod and it began consuming everything around it, including Javier, and grew uncontrollably due to the Amazon climate. It became the V-Complex, an amalgamation of flesh, bone and plant that resembled a cell, and was large enough to block out the sky.
It's head was very similar to the Anubis B.O.W.s, which were present at Javier's compound, probably a result of V-Complex consuming them. It had many bladed tentacles on it's body and legs, and it's "feet" had Progenitor eye growths. Inside it's skull was Javier, who was initially in control of the monster, but was gradually consumed, like Steve. If Javier's dialogue is to be believed, it could potentially regenerate any non-fatal wound. It's underside could unleash spores that contained the virus, making it a giant, walking biohazard like HAOS. Had Krauser, Leon, and Manuela not destroyed it, it would have accomplished Wesker's goal after all. Like Alexia, upon death, it burst into flames, conveniently preventing the corpse from starting an outbreak.
t-Manuela
After becoming even weaker in Manuela's body, t-Alexia became t-Manuela. This strain reduced host damage to such a degree that Manuela could suppress the virus temporarily through will, despite only being infected for a fraction of the required 15 years for adaption. She was even able to produce "pyroblood". Part of her arm had green skin common to Veronica Mutants, likely the spot she was injected in. From this arm she could lob fireballs strong enough to incinerate bone and dismember V-Complex. In the bad ending, when Manuela dies, she disintegrates like other t-Veronica hosts.
After being taken into US custody, t-Manuela was extracted from her by the Family. Carla fused it with the isolated "DNA Mutation Factor" of the t-Virus, creating t-02. This strain weakened t-Manuela even further, and eliminated the need for a 15-year adaption period. This led to J'avo, intelligent Veronica mutants with a human form and Tyrant qualities.
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