Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine have been recurring characters ever since the first Resident Evil in 1996. The playable pair explored the Spencer Mansion and escaped the zombie-infested halls after completing puzzles, fighting giant creatures, and losing several members of their squad. Since then, they have changed and developed far from their green debut uncovering the secrets of the Umbrella Corporation.
They have appeared in numerous titles and spin-offs, and even as playable characters in Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. There are many facts about the two that are missable in any venture through the games or even in other Resident Evil content like the manga, but what do we know about their history and relationship with each other?
10 They Relied On Each Other To Expose The Truth
After the Spencer Mansion incident, the surviving members of S.T.A.R.S. went to Chief Irons reporting on Umbrella's involvement with the bio-weapons. Irons denied the allegations and the two, along with Rebecca Chambers, and Barry Burton, went to Europe in search of Umbrella's headquarters.
Unfortunately, Jill, one of the only members that wasn't suspended, ended up being ordered to go back to the city and stay home. Chris stayed in Europe while Barry spent this time relocating his family to Canada for their safety. Under constant surveillance, Jill would investigate the location of Umbrella's underground facility before the events of Resident Evil 3 took place.
9 They Are Good With Children Together
In Europe, Jill and Chris reunited and spent a few years investigating Umbrella. They joined a private anti-biohazard service, equipping themselves for any threat. When the two found themselves in the town of Caucasus, they found that the entire town had been infected. The population of the village was all Umbrella employees, and only a little girl named Anna remained. Her father hid her in a bar while many others escaped to the flour silo for two days before Chris and Jill found her.
The pair had to convince the traumatized child that she was safe, after having seen her mother transform along with the entire town. Jill even hid with Anna to make her feel safe while Chris fought off zombies. They all escaped the nightmare again after encountering Wesker and him triggering an explosion that destroyed Anna's home.
8 They Helped Create The BSAA
After Umbrella's bankruptcy, Jill and Chris lamented that both Wesker and several ex-Umbrella scientists had succeeded still. Wesker escaped, even cleaning up loose ends behind the scenes, and several scientists sold research and information to other bio-terrorist organizations and rivals of Umbrella. In response to this, the two helped create the BSAA in 2003, originally with only eleven members.
Although the Federation of Pharmaceutical Companies initially planned the creation to save their own necks after allowing Umbrella so much free reign over the years, Chris and Jill jumped on this opportunity to keep fighting bioterrorism. Their sole purpose was to stop the usage and creation of bio-weapons, and after two years, they would even uncover just how corrupt people within these organizations could be.
7 They Both Fell Into Traps In Hopes Of Saving Each Other
During the events of Resident Evil Revelations, Jill and BSAA member Parker Luciani, are fed false information that Chris and BSAA member Jessica Sherawat were kidnapped by terrorists. The pair jumped into action, boarding a ship filled with mutated bioweapons. Unbeknownst to them, Chris and Jessica were fed the same information and boarded a similar ship nearby.
The four meet up after discovering some richer conspiracies surrounding the FBC, but this just goes to show how willing they are to save each other. After arresting the FBC director in the game, Chris and Jill would continue to take down bio-terrorism rings and laboratories under the newly reformed BSAA as a United Nations special operations unit.
6 Jill Went Through Hell To Save Chris's Life
The raid to find Oswald Spencer had Jill and Chris facing Albert Wesker again after several years. This encounter proved to be too much for the pair, as Wesker was virally powered with superhuman strength and agility. Before Wesker could take out Chris, Jill tackled Wesker through the mansion window and both were thought to be dead or missing for some time.
Of course, in Resident Evil 5's story, Jill is revealed to have not only survived but been brainwashed and controlled by Wesker. Fully conscious of her actions, but unable to have any control of her actions. This trauma would hinder Jill's ability to get back into the field, as she had to be monitored for any long-term effects of the brainwashing.
5 Chris Buried Himself In Work In Search Of Jill
After Jill's disappearance in 2006, Chris became the most active and renowned member of the BSAA. He went on countless missions in the three years leading up to the events of 5, distancing himself from any partner he was assigned. Once he got wind of Jill being alive during his assignment in Africa, he continued his mission but went against protocol in search of her.
He and Sheva found and fought the brainwashed Jill, removing her brainwashing device attached to her chest to Wesker's dismay. Whatever poetic end he wanted for the two's demise was unfulfilled and Sheva and Chris continued to chase and eventually kill Albert Wesker.
4 Barry Burton Joined The BSAA Because Of Chris And Jill
Fan-favorite character, Barry Burton came back to fight bioterrorism thanks to Chris and Jill's involvement. During Jill's rehabilitation, Barry e-mailed them both, happy to hear that Jill was alive. Chris and Jill both asked him to join the BSAA several times, but it was during Jill's treatments while she was bored that she broke through to him.
She gave him advice on how to make up with his daughter, Moira, and once things were off to a better start, he joined the team. Without convincing from both of them, Barry's involvement in Resident Evil Revelations 2 never would have taken place.
3 Both Jill and Chris Have Suffered Mentally
As evident from Resident Evil 3 Remake, Jill has PTSD from the events in the mansion. Although she has not been seen since her brainwashing in 5, it could be inferred that the trauma suffered from taking orders from Wesker left her unstable then as well. During the events of 5, Chris often has flashbacks of Jill's sacrifice during the raid in the copy of the Spencer Mansion, and his ability to cope with loss only gets worse in the other titles.
His attitude and personality switch in Resident Evil 6's campaign after he sees his entire platoon killed in a trap by a woman resembling Ada Wong. He gets amnesia, only getting his memories back in the middle of a mission with his new partner Piers Nivans.
2 They Trained Together Before The Spencer Mansion Incident
The S.T.A.R.S. team working under the Raccoon City Police Department comprised military veterans and weapons experts, working independently while still under the RPD's jurisdiction. Jill was one of the only women who had been working under Delta Force, a special counter-terrorism unit she joined after serving for the US Army. Albert Wesker recruited Jill for her strong sense of justice and her special skills, and it's through this recruitment she met Chris.
Even though the two made friends within the team, they developed a closer friendship than that of their teammates. Chris would help Jill in Marksman Training; Something he did for his sister Claire previously and was the only thing that Jill didn't excel at. Along with Forest, who Jill knew from her Army days, Chris was her closest friend on the force.
1 They've Never Been Romantically Involved
To the disappointment of many fans of the two characters, Chris and Jill have never been confirmed as having any romantic feelings towards each other. The two are close and care about each other a lot, even going as far as to stake their lives to protect the other, but there has never been any evidence to support them being anything more than friends. The closest scene that could suggest any romance between the two was during the end scene of Resident Evil 1 where Jill rests her head on Chris's shoulder while they fly away from the Spencer Mansion.
The pair would be willing to do anything for each other, and there doesn't have to be anything read from that. Of course, it hasn't stopped plenty of fans from hoping.