Jill Valentine's. I prefer her storyline, her personality, and her interactions with other characters. She was vulnerable, but not weak (emotionally and physically), and had a calm collectedness. I loved the added depth to her experiences, such as Jill trying to save Joseph in the opening. None of her shots were being effective, and we can hear her trying to save him, as he's trying to save himself, until he runs out of rounds. Jill and Joseph weren't near the others, so Jill had the unique experience of seeing his death unfold firsthand. She became paralyzed in shock, seeing him being eaten alive, while STILL trying to fire her empty weapon. Hearing the clicking sound of her empty Samurai Edge, and then seeing the terror that comes upon her face, when the Cerberus turns around (snapping her out of her shock)...it just really set the tone for how much more realistic the remake would be over the original. This felt like something out of a genuine survivor horror theme.
I like the weapon options she has. I felt her having a stun gun was practical, and fit in line with her having other elemental damage with the grenade launcher. I actually really began to like it more, after Alyssa Ashcroft was given a stun gun in Outbreak file 2. I enjoy all the similarities they share.
I enjoy Jill is charming and compassionate, yet serious, and has no issue expressing her frustrations, questioning the actions of others, and demanding answers, all while still keeping her composure. I liked the way they established Jill's willingness to investigate on her own, and her reputation. For instance, Jill was willing to risk her life to go back outside for Chris, and didn't really care about the danger, because it was "Chris." Wesker specifically asks Jill to go, under the pretense that it might be Chris, rather than suggesting he's dead. Barry says he's going to go as well, because he and Chris go way back (he recruited Chris even). This tells us alot about the relationships between Jill/Chris/Barry already (a special connection that remains after this story).
Jill can be grateful Barry was around to save her from being crushed, and yet she still questions why he is where he is? Same with other instances. I like how Barry will offer Jill something "powerful", while he just hangs onto his trusty magnum. It shows that despite Jill being a woman, of a smaller stature than all the men on the team, she definitely is trusted to handle things. Same with having a lockpick given to her, it tells the player she's known to be useful with such a thing when it counts. Looking over her whole time in the series, you can come back to a moment like that, and notice the consistencies. Like Jill thanking Chris for a pulse grenade and grinning, or her telling Kirk, he sure knows how to treat a girl, when giving her the rocket launcher. Even Chris again in RE5, telling her she hasn't lost her touch with lockpicking, or bringing up her piano skills. It shows she's reliable, and people value her skills, without making a big deal about it. Though, I did miss Brad saying she was STARS Amazon from RE1.
Some may try to discredit Jill, because of the moments where she is/can be helped by others, but personally, I feel it enriches the storytelling. Characters have a little bit more action, usefulness and story. Take Richard for instance, he can be given a serum by Chris or Jill (Jill actually able to administer the shot herself and handle chemicals), but in Chris' campaign he just randomly pops up again, and then is killed right off. In Jill's story, Richard joins Jill against Yawn, talking about it's pay back time! He's not just assisting Jill, he's getting him some revenge! This was such a nice shift from how in RE1 he just dies regardless. It was nice to witness the comradery in combat, and him saving Jill felt more heroic, rather than come off like some cheap death. He was facing his fears, and fighting alongside his friend, vs just being another helpless victim who saves Chris, who Chris can blame himself over dying—eventhough he couldn't have done anything. Taking his assault shotgun then, I felt more attachment to its availability. Like you're carrying a piece of him with Jill. Honoring his courage and sacrifice. It carries a different tone from even using Forest's grenade launcher, because Richard was alive, and died having fought beside her.
I love how Jill can approach a scene, or look over Barry's shoulder and make him jump, or aim his weapon at her (esp given what happens later). It shows he's a bit jumpy, while she's a bit more together. It's nice to experience all the casual moments of genuine curiosity, and concern between them. You can tell they are close.
I love how after Chris saves Jill in the opening, the cerberus catch up, and when Chris was about to be attacked, he's saved by Wesker, but Jill stopped running when Chris did. You learn alot about her bond with Chris, without him even being present much. Likewise, her unwillingness to accept his death in the Jill/Barry ending is nice. She engaged with Barry about his family, happy for him (we even hear his OLDEST daughter especially was waiting up for him), but there's an unspoken sadness that Barry catches, and apologizes for going on about his family, given she clearly is thinking of Chris. This is echo'd in her RE3 epilogue, her diary, and by Chris in RE5. Jill never wants to believe Chris has died, and she shows concern about how he's dealing with things (giving him even more depth in the process). Rev1 has Parker completely aware of Jill's concern for Chris, while Chris, true to form, is very private about Jill. He doesn't open up to Rebecca, or tell Jessica about her, and doesn't really go into detail about Jill with Sheva either.
That said, I really enjoy the improvements to the whole betrayal story-line with Wesker and Barry in this version. Them making it impossible to have Barry with Jill, when Enrico is killed was a nice touch, as well as him abandoning her as she comes to back. She's left down there with Lisa. It gives Jill more of a reason to not trust Barry (there's no grabbing another rope for instance, she's literally watching him abandon her). I love how when she catches up to him. She is silent, and catches him off guard again. She approaches him slowly, as he lies to her face. She's furious, but she's not making an outburst. She's anticipating him trying to pull his weapon on her, and snatches it the moment he makes his move. She's mad, and only wants to hear the truth, else she shoot him wear he stands. This, all in spite of any times you can allow him to assist Jill. Lisa, the same person, he left Jill to fend for herself against, is now approaching them.
I Just LOVE everything about this segment in Jill's story. This isn't about a failed experiment, or taking a piece of the "
action." This is a moment of truth for three victims of Wesker and Umbrella. Lisa was used and tortured in ways that were tragic and sad. She ended up being experimented on (I enjoy that something introduced in RE3 is being reflected in this game through her even), and living a tortured existence (again something Jill would later experience because of Wesker). This room is where her mother's body was left, along with her letter to Lisa from decades prior. She can finally find closure on her mom, even taking her skull with her. The only reason Barry went along with Wesker's plan was because he wanted to protect his family, and yet doesn't get have a chance to explain himself. Jill can refuse to give him any trust, which leads to him dying, unable to redeem himself. There is emphasis on Barry's death, by not only his magnum being left behind, but also his family photo.
I honestly like that Barry doesn't get to make it to the lab in this version of RE1. There is no asking for forgiveness, or final requests, and only Jill can witness it, it's just something unspoken, that Jill would have to deal with when she escapes. Interacting with the photo, will indicate that the photo fell out of his shirt, which to me symbolized he carried his family close to his heart, and the fact Wesker would control him by threatening their lives, even sadder. It reveals another twisted aspect of the kind of man Wesker is. Given Jessica Trevor and Barry both kept photos of their families with them, with their daughter's being left alive, the undertones, with all of that in mind, to me, it really gave this room such a richly dark atmosphere to it. On the flipside, Jill can choose to place some faith in Barry, which leads to him saving her from being shot. Jill can give Barry forgiveness, and we can see that it bothered him a great deal turning his back on his friends, even for his family. It made Barry coming back for Jill in RE3, and the e-mails in Rev2 have even more of an impact to me.
I enjoyed that either way you go, Wesker comments on the situation with Barry, and it pisses her off, on top of what he's done to STARS. I thought it was all very compelling. I loved watching the emotions brewing, and seeing what it was like for Jill to question people who's she's known for a couple of years, while also taking in the horrors she's seeing (she can even vomit after crushing a Zombie's skull). Still keeping her emotions together. Her anger is displayed differently from Chris.
Jill's confrontation with Wesker is entertaining. Jill doesn't question for how long he's been with UB, she just demands to know why STARS was eliminated. She shows such a great disgust over what he's done to Barry, the fact that what he did to Barry had nothing to do with UB's orders, and he was just using Barry for his personal purposes. Wesker, in one version of events will even outright tell Jill that he is actually moving on from Umbrella, and Jill demands to know what he's planning. He reveals the tyrant to her (thus revealing Tyrant is part of his plans).
I like that Wesker physically assaults Jill when she attacks his character verbally. She calls him a bastard for taking Barry's family hostage, he punches her in the face. When he reveals tyrant to her, she scoffs at him, saying it was all for the sake of this "thing" that he called magnificent. Sounding unimpressed. Wesker actually gets pissed off, and attempts to kill her before collecting any data. In her solo encounter, she says in a very scoffing manner, that
he's like all the other things, a slave of umbrella, and he punches her stomach and face. I like that Jill is also particularly stunned by the fact that humans had been experimented on as well, and her comment about it all being for this thing, isn't delivered in an angry/mocking tone, but disbelief. Wesker finding out he was a human experiment himself, Jill becoming one of his personal human experiments, and Chris telling him he was just another Umbrella leftover, always takes me back to these moments with Jill and Wesker.
I do also like the unique twist in Jill's version where Wesker is impaled, in which Tyrant stabs him from behind. There's no surprised look on his face, it just happens as he looks at Jill. Literally "stabbed" in the back, by something he sought to control for his own gain (loaded irony), just like he backstabbed all of STARS. Unlike Chris, Jill doesn't call out his name, or start to run over to him. I felt like she probably never respected him as much as Chris may have. Knowing what happens to Jill as the series progressed, I just enjoy seeing a darker, more twisted side to him. He has no problem killing someone, but the stuff he does to Barry revealed more of his nature.
Regarding the whole Wesker Thing - I think he has sworn to take a revenge on all living STARS members: Jill, Rebecca, Barry and Chris because they all foiled his plans. However, considering Chris was the only STARS member in CV, it's natural he'd say that he's salty over Chris. I don't think he needs to drop all names. It's never really specified whom he hated the most.
I'm so glad you brought this up.
I've grown beyond tired of the nonsense I've seen come out of some in the fandom over the years. Tons of people who claim to know the lore and characters so well, and yet what comes out of their mouths/keyboards is often biased headcanons that ignore what's actually established officially, and sometimes skips rational logic. None of us know it all, but some folks take things way too far at times.
Like, I can't tell you how many times I've seen people trying to downplay Jill's story, her skills, etc. to prop up another character(s). I mean it's nothing exclusively done to her, and fans of any char (even Jill's) can be overbearing, but some really take it too far. Guess that's the nature of fandom though. Still, seeing utter crap about how Jill didn't really interact much with Wesker in RE1, or how Chris' story is supposedly more canon because Wesker always gets impaled in his version.
Seriously, how the heck is Chris' story more canon, when Barry's role is quite literally, the most significant thing we get involving Wesker and his plans, and revealed even more about his character? Like seriously, did people even read/watch Wesker's CANON report I wonder at times. I've seen people try to bring up UC, and how Rebecca was in it, so that must mean Chris' story was more canon. UC, you know, an outsourced and rushed title, that completely omits Barry for obvious budget/time reasons, but still mentions him, and the fact he came to RC to save Jill, and survived the mansion.
Wesker's own words about his plans:
I miscalculated, Chris and Jill harbored potential beyond my expectations.
But the plan progressed smoothly due to Barry's "work."
Enrico would discover the truth, but wasn't much to take care of.
I disposed of that nuisance and awaited the arrival of the victims Barry would bring to me in the "Tyrant" lab.
From the most current version of his Report from the remastered REmake:
My biggest miscalculation in this plan was the "Tyrant" being defeated at the hands of S.T.A.R.S.
I lost my biggest bargaining chip and was forced to change the plan ahead.
I won't allow anyone to interfere with my plan.
It's been that way for a long time and will be for years to come. Eventually I will make the surviving S.T.A.R.S. pay the price.
alternative versions say:
By any means, I will corner S.T.A.R.S. and annihilate them.
So Wesker himself,
BEFORE CV takes place, says STARS destroyed Tyrant, and says that he is going to eventually kill each of the STARS members. Where is his emphasis on Chris again?
Let's say Jill wasn't booted from CV as the lead, and Wesker still got in, Wesker would've displayed his hatred toward Jill, based on the actual facts. Wesker never encounters Rebecca and Barry again, so they aren't ever a factor naturally. Wesker never actively sought out any of the STARS, so yes, I agree with the sentiment that the only reason Chris had any noted emphasis was because of CVX, which setup them having an inevitable fatal encounter.
I'll take a qoute from the kaitai shinsho book for Bio5:
UN UNMATCHED VILLAIN AGAINST CHRIS AND CO.
In the "Mansion Incident", he lured the S.T.A.R.S. officers into Umbrella's Arklay Laboratory, disguised as a mere mansion, targeting bioweapons and acquiring combat data, attempting to bring them together with B.O.W.'s to a different company. Because of Chris' success, this plan was derailed and he bore equal hatred of the S.T.A.R.S. survivors.
**Do note the book (translation) is not saying everything was a success because of Chris, thing are just written with him as the lead of RE5 in mind. Point here is that it's emphasized that Wesker's hatred was not more targeted on any single person from STARS. Jill is still credited for foiling Wesker's plans as well.
All this talk I've seen for years saying Chris is the 1st choice character, he narrates the intro, he had more focus shots in the endings, etc. Yeah, and STILL Jill's scenario was utilized more in Wesker's report, because it had the most involvement in Wesker's actual narrative. There was no one TRUE LEAD, or one "more canon" story. A mashup of both is canon, with Chris and Jill being the the ones who resolved everything. Even in Chris' profile in RE5, Chris AND Jill are both credited for defeating tyrant. One could discuss the footage used for Wesker's report, and you'll see alot for Jill's campaign, and Chris' will be used for the helipad fight, but neither would work in canon. Chris has to find out about Wesker's betrayal as he intended on all of the survivors to be present, and Jill is not NOT present, nor unconscious during the final fight. The real thing of significance here is that
Wesker did not witness who killed tyrant. He was in the lab, and we later find out how he actually escaped in the Rebirth chapter in UC. So what is actually FACT is that
he blamed all of STARS for ruining his plans. He said
he underestimated Jill and Chris, and
this would continue to be what led to his ultimate downfall.
Also, if we're REALLY gonna bring up the Chronicles series, then that's hilarious how Wesker and Chris don't even confront each other in the CV re-telling, and that's supposed to be a huge event. DC came out the same year as RE5 no less. How ironic is that? It's almost as hilarious as Chris, in RE6, saying it had been 3 years since he killed Wesker, when it had been over 4.
I mean if we really want to get technical, we got UC's novelization, the Archives, strategy guides, a comic from the 90s, etc all having Jill as the one who took out Tyrant. On top of that there's well:
The fact that Jill is the only character who has consistently been associated with the original Rocket Launcher, even when depicted from later iterations, and cosplayed by other Capcom characters, I suppose I should be taking this as a sign from Capcom, that Jill killed Tyrant then? I mean that sure is a WHOLE lot of consistency for one character to have, but I understand they still do not ever say who got the final blow. Again, BOTH are credited for defeating it. Who knows, maybe the RE3 re-imagining will have a flashback or something giving clarity, but honestly it doesn't matter.
In CVX, we see Wesker contemplate the possibilities of what could happen upon seeing Claire. He didn't anticipate her being on the island, and he wasn't even looking for Chris at the time. Given the situation, now he knew he wouldn't have to, because Chris would come for Claire. He toyed with the idea of killing her, just to see Chris' reaction, but left her for the time being. When Wesker confronts Chris, he attacks him, taunts him, and then begins to choke the life out of him. Only thing stopping him was Alexia's behind giggling from one of the monitors. Wesker literally just tosses Chris aside like he got a new favorite toy to play with. Getting to her trumped him killing Chris. All that "hatred," and yet he was easily distracted by something of more importance to him at the time—which repeatedly happens in the series. Wesker has Steve's corpse transported, so he had time to kill, to get revenge on Chris. Instead of ending things quickly, he just flexed his power, Chris manages to use the environment to temporarily stop Wesker, and Wesker leaves due to the explosions. Chris dared to take him on alone, which Wesker even said he didn't know where Chris got his confidence from, and proceeded to beat him up, talking about the power he has gained.
At the end, Wesker told Chris it was his
lucky day, and that the next time they met, he wouldn't have another one. Yet Wesker never went out of his way to confront Chris, or anyone else from STARS. It didn't suggest he forgot the promise that he would kill him though. Even in that prelude to the fall manga, he was more focused on what he came for, than an actual confrontation with Chris or Jill, he commented on Chris' "dumb
luck" again, and also referred to when he left Chris to handle Alexia, by saying he'd leave him to handle the rest again. When Chris and Jill caught up to him again (Chris getting a grenade launcher at this point), Chris approaches Wesker as if he were about to stop him, if he didn't get some answers. Wesker tells them what he was there for, and what role the villiage had for UB, and then told Chris he could try to use his weapon if he wanted (daring him to try something). Bare in mind Chris was the one who attempted to initiate combat (with his gun) in CV. Before Chris could initiate any action, Anna steps in, and this ultimately ruined Wesker's plans further. When they all are approaching the chemical plant hiding the UB facility, Wesker comments on their fates being intertwined, and makes it clear that he plans on using an old friend/pawn to destroy a common enemy.
Bare in mind, UC was made when RE5 was already well into production, so of course Wesker would be emphasizing Chris more. As far as fans would know, Chris was the last one to confront him, but with CV not being represented in the game, there needed to be something that reflected that conflict. Wesker's narration was post CV, and thus, when Chris is relevant he was going to remember their confrontation. Keep in mind, when Chris was telling Jill they dealt a fatal blow to UB, Jill was the one focused on the fact Wesker was still out there. This showed this was their enemy.
In RE5, Chris initiates the combat between Chris, Jill, and Wesker. They show how powerful Wesker is, by causing both of them to drop their weapons, both need brief moments to recover from the impact of his blows. Chris was more aggressive, trying to rely on his physical strength, while Jill created distance with the rest of her bullets, and then attempts to use her knife. Wesker showed pleasure in choking the life out of both. For all we know, Wesker would've just killed Jill after killing Chris. We don't know. My point is, people talk about Wesker hating Chris more, but he didn't display any more hatred towards Chris there, than Jill. Wesker's own file in RE5, stated that Wesker thought it was a sign of what was next for him, that the
two humans who interfered with his plans multiple times, had arrived when they did. This emphasizes again this wasn't just about Chris. Capcom's info states that the things that Wesker would do to Jill, was very personal towards her (not at Chris like some try to claim). It was revenge based, and frankly, it was the worst thing ever done to any of protagonists.
Bio5 Kaitai Shinsho:
That day, when she stepped into the mansion where the founder of Umbrella, Oswell E. Spencer, resided, she chose the route of death together with her rival. To save Chris, she leaped without hesitation, and fell down the cliff with her enemy. That was from a height where if you fall, there's no way you will survive.
The man who should have died with Jill, had gotten used to the virus that had changed his DNA, turning into a super human surpassing anyone's imagination. This man was Jill's superior during her S.T.A.R.S. period, as well as an Umbrella spy - Albert Wesker. With his superb reflexes and strength, he used the cliff to decrease the falling speed and survived, not forgetting to save Jill too. He carried her to his personal laboratory, stepping into the holy ground stained by darkness. Wesker's actions had one reason - He wished to give this lady, who resented him as much as Chris did, a taste of a suffering worse than death, by injecting the Uroboros Virus, which hadn't been completed yet, into her body.
Jill was placed in a long cyrogenic sleep in a low temperature chamber for the virus to take effect. This greatly changed her fate of heading into the direction of destruction though. The t-Virus which went dormant during the treatment she received in the "Raccoon City Destruction" incident, had been awakened due to her extended cyrogenic sleep.
Wesker discovered it, and he extracted the antibodies. He used it to control the poison in the Uroboros Virus, which uses the Progenitor Virus as its basis. Ironically, the antibodies from Jill's body have accelerated the completion of the Uroboros Virus.
Jill, with her antibodies, has been administered P30 - Gifted with superhuman abilities, she has been given a strong drug which controls her mind too. This evil drug has been continuously injected into her body, and torturing her to no end. Just like Wesker's intention, Jill is getting a hell-like suffering.
.......
Unknown chemicals are injected into her body continuously, some makes her heart pump excitedly, others made her feel as if she's at the calm before death... some make her feel confused. These medicines will not only cause people to have illusions, enhanced nerve sensory, but also false feelings where they will treat a second as a few minutes. Her spirit is being played with, her body continuously being tortured. For the TRICELL scientists who have long abandoned human sense, she's not a human, but a toy identified as Test Subject 0084-6237.
But someone is hating the fact that her personality is getting wiped away. This man is the mastermind behind this human experiment, and he's not simply just viewing her as an experimental subject. Besides a target for studying, he also used a special kind of drug to control her, and treated her as his loyal right hand man. For this to happen to her, who have felt tired fighting against the evil plan, this is an insult to the justice in her.
Again, "Wesker hates Chris more," which is never actually stated anywhere in the lore, and yet, Capcom's own material is telling us, Wesker CHOSE to save Jill, because he was ready to begin enacting his revenge on her. He was about to kill Chris, and she stopped that, and now his focus was still on his bigger plans, but not without making Jill pay for screwing up his plans as well. He threatened to kill Chris multiple times, and yet here it's saying Wesker wanted to give Jill a SUFFERING WORSE than death. Living up to what HE told us himself, he would make anyone who got in his way PAY. All this talk about rivalry, and yet this is saying Wesker is her rival, and her enemy too.
Even MVC3 showcased this difference. Wesker only cared about killing Chris, and let him know he wouldn't live to see him take over as a God, but with Jill he taunts her by saying she'd be under his control forever.
From Jill's profile in Bio5:
When the "Uroboros Project" was completed, he planned to use her as the first test subject.
This was Wesker's modest revenge.
Jill continued being kept alive as a living factory for the anti-bodies.
She, who hated bioterrorism more than anyone else and had prevented many sinister schemes, was going to be used for the worst plot. She wasn't free from irony.
Then the Uroboros Virus was completed.
Jill became unnecessary, but was unsuitable as a test subject for the Uroboros Virus.
Her body was full of virus antibodies with high purity.
Therefore, Wesker decided to use her for something else.
I qoute this to point out that Wesker literally took all of Jill's experiences and her luck, and flipped it all against her. Her efforts to stop UB, surviving RC and infection, saving Chris. He was going to make her be the very thing she said he was in the beginning, a SLAVE! He didn't need to keep her around, but did so, just to experiment on her, control her, and make her do everything that was an injustice to her, all while having her completely aware of what he was making her do, and what her survival allowed to happen. Jill doesn't tell Chris all the heavy stuff for why he needed to leave her behind, but one can imagine Jill probably thought of how the world would've been ruined by Wesker, and she would've be part of why he was successful.
After being released from the laboratory facility, she was given a suit which allows her to execute missions in secret. A mask which makes people think of a night hunting animal, as well as a dark cloak which covers the body that didn't get degenerated, but further enhanced during to the long term training in the prison - assuming an underground mystery identity, she is now a subordinate of a terrorist. She appears actively in the dark corners of the streets, striking fear and leaving a trail of disaster wherever she goes.
This right here is all capturing what is the subtext of RE5. The very things that Jun Takeuchi was stating about how Jill's role was what would make people question if this was REALLY an RE game. She was tied to every aspect of the game, the partner system, Chris' story, etc. She was the centerpiece of it all. Jill was left isolated from her friends, she had no reason to believe anyone would believe she alive (heck Wesker was presumed dead, even by Chris). She had chosen death to protect someone, only to find herself surrounded by people who did not see her as a human, but a "thing." Some experiment or toy. The drugs were making her suffer like no other protagonist has ever had to experience. Her appearance changed, she was made responsible for what killed her affiliates and other innocent people. Literally the FIRST thing we see in this game, is Jill having infected a man with Uroboros....the virus that SHE was used to complete. Her allies, being setup to be killed as a result. All of this, because she had opted to try and kill herself with Wesker for Chris. No goodbyes there. She once feared what it meant for her to become infected, was saved, and now all of this happens to her? That's pure hell.
I feel like people get so caught up on all the action, that they don't pay attention to the dark story Jill had. Jill is around Chris multiple times in the game. She cannot control her actions, and Chris cannot see it's her. She even finds out that Chris is only around because he's been trying to find her. He's asking for her, when she's right there, and she has to stand there with no ability to reveal herself. That is hell. Wesker reveals himself, and allows Jill to be revealed (she HID her face when the mask was shot off!), before continuing to have Jill fight Chris. Her orders were to kill Chris. She resisted, and then Wesker decided to overdose her (which Jill had Chris do to Wesker in return). Wesker eventually realized, he continued to underestimate both of them, always feeling like they were inferior beings. He put Jill through a physical and psychological hell, and tried his best to physically end Chris. Sure Wesker screamed Chris' name at the end, but in truth, I think that all goes back to him regretting not killing Chris years, ago as he said. Chris never would've found him, or stopped his plans, if he had've just killed Jill after uroboros was complete. He underestimated their bond, and their willpower.
A shame, seeing people over the years, argue over who is better, who Wesker hates the most, who's the best etc. cause in truth I feel Chris and Jill are both the best. BOTH have a rich history with major things that take place in the series. They symbolize the unrelenting will of those who choose to fight back at injustice by choice. They were both used in RE1, which made everything involving UB personal for both, they weren't just involved by random chance. It's one reason why I love Jill's opening monologue in RE3. Chris built himself up to take on Wesker, and instead of retiring, dared to face his fear of losing people on the field. He left his comfort zone with Jill. Sheva was a sign of the kind of people who were needed to follow in their footsteps. Jill is the one we got to witness a whole life being taken away from (TWICE), direct attempts at her life from UB, infection happening after her initial means of escape was destroyed, all before seeing her town (the town she was a protector of) be wiped off the map. When clouds of hopelessness, were removed she came back swinging against everything thrown at her. She goes through hell and back to make sure Wesker was killed. She gave her knowledge, and the orders to kill him. I swear, eventhough RE5's ending was from Chris' POV mostly, there is a satisfaction I find, in seeing Chris staring at Jill at the end, and for once, both are able to smile over the outcome.
I honestly don't think Chris' part is actually hard.
