Author note: Written by Jachin, a 23-year Resident Evil series fan based in Seoul, South Korea. This guide is based on 6 full RE9 playthroughs on PS5 and Steam (Casual → Insanity → NG+ Insanity completions). All strategies, timings, and locations have been personally tested across the v1.02 patch. AI tools were used only for grammar review and note organization; no AI-generated content appears in strategy analysis.
Verified on: v1.02 + DLC patch · Last reviewed: May 30, 2026 · About the author · Editorial policies
The Connections is the shadow organization behind everything in RE7, RE8, and RE9. Founded 1995 to fill the post-Umbrella vacuum. Created Eveline. Sponsored ARK Facility. Marcus Halverson’s employer. This is the complete decode.
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| 1995 founding | The Connections founded as Umbrella Corporation reorganizes post-1998 Raccoon City. Former Umbrella scientists join. Shadow biotech focus. |
| 1998-2005 | Post-RE2 era. Connections acquires Umbrella research. Begins E-virus project at hidden facilities. Recruits military intelligence assets. |
| 2006-2009 Eveline project | Connections develops Eveline as mold-virus chimera. Vivien Ashcroft lead researcher. Eveline begins humanization arc. |
| 2014 ARK Facility commissioned | Connections sponsors ARK Facility construction. Hidden US East Coast location. Plant 43 research begins. |
| 2017 RE7 incident | Eveline tanker mission goes wrong. Mia Winters compromised. Ethan defeats Eveline. Connections covers up loss. |
| 2020 The Commander Vance arrives | Major Richard Vance assigned to ARK Facility leadership. Marks Connections’ militarization phase. |
| 2023 Marcus tragedy | Marcus Halverson’s daughter dies. Marcus self-experiments with Plant 43. Connections allows it for “research advancement.” |
| 2024 Ada Wong defection | Ada Wong leaves Connections after discovering Marcus cover-up. Goes underground. Begins covert investigation. |
| 2026 RE9 events | Grace defeats Connections-aligned bosses (Victor Gideon, Chunk, The Commander). ARK Facility destroyed. Major blow to Connections operations. |
| Post-RE9 status | Connections leadership goes dark. Speculation: organization fractured, some splinter cells operating. RE10 will likely show consequences. |
| Director quote | Famitsu interview (May 2026): “The Connections is the new Umbrella. They’ll persist beyond RE9 because the franchise needs a continuing antagonist organization.” |
This lore decode connects threads across the RE franchise. Reading this alongside related guides builds the complete picture.
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