T-Veronica virus
From Resident Evil Wiki
The T-Veronica virus is a variant of the Progenitor virus created by Alexia Ashford which, under the correct conditions, allows the host to retain full intellectual capabilities. It is named after Veronica Ashford, the Ashford family's Matriarch.
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[edit] History
In the early 1980s, Alexia began experimenting with the Progenitor virus that Ozwell E. Spencer and her grandfather Edward Ashford discovered and eventually managed to create a new strain of the virus by combining it with a rare viral strain found in the genes of an Ant Queen, referred to as the "ancient virus".[1]
In March 1983, Alexia administered this prototype to her father, with the help of her brother, Alfred. The result however was unstable and her father degenerated into a mindless being named "Nosferatu". Claire Redfield encountered this creature in the December of 1998. It had light-green skin and branching projections that sprouted from the shoulders, and lacked eyes. The shoulder projections also had the ability to generate a poisonous substance that could only be counteracted by a special antidote.[2]
Alexia thought that her virus should be able to mutate the host without causing loss of the higher brain functions. After studying the mistakes that occurred with her father, she realized that the host body needed time to adapt to the T-Veronica. This is when Alexia officially named the virus as the T-Veronica virus, naming it after her great-great-great-grandmother. In December, 1983, Alexia injected herself with her newly named virus and used a hibernation capsule to sleep for nearly fifteen years. This being the time frame that she calculated was necessary to fully adapt to the virus.
[edit] Effect with adaptation
After the fifteen years Alexia awoke and immediately exhibited immense powers due to the T-Veronica virus. She had the ability to control enormous tentacles from any distance which she used quite effectively. Eventually the mutating aspect of the virus took effect and Alexia effectively shed her skin and became a pale nearly white human, with blood that instantly combusted upon exposure to air. The mutation caused in Alexia was very fast, like Progenitor's. She, who spontaneously combusts and has mutated, didn't show pain, unlike William Birkin or Morpheus D. Duvall, who both screamed while mutating. She also possessed increased strength and agility.
After sufficient damage was done to this body Alexia mutated again, her lower regions transforming into an amorphous blob while her upper torso took on the form of a dragonfly. This second form is similar to the Alien Queen in Aliens in that the lower half produced young and her upper half could detach itself. The dragonfly version of Alexia still possessed the ability to produce flammable blood, and due to a double set of wings it could also fly. This was an extremely resilient being, and was only able to be destroyed with the use of a new device called the Linear Launcher. A sort of a portable plasma cannon.
The interesting thing about the T-Veronica virus in Alexia is that in every stage she did seem to retain full intelligence. While the grotesque mutations were probably an unexpected outcome, the core of the virus did function. Not only did Alexia maintain her knowledge, but she also gained full control over many of the creatures around her. These included ants, and the amoeba-like young that she produced. It is believed that this level of control is due to the use of the ancient virus in the creation of the virus. Alexia acted very much like a queen ant ordering around her drones. Alexia may have also been able to control what she mutated in to, at least as her first form.[3]
[edit] Effect without adaptation
It is known that when administered without the fifteen year hibernation period, the T-Veronica virus creates advanced mutations and quickly degenerates the brain tissue. It is unknown though if the virus would have similar effects as it did on Alexia should someone else enter hibernation as she was the only one to ever be infected and continue on this course. It is unlikely that this question will ever be answered since fifteen years is a long time for a company to wait on a single sample when much more fast acting viruses are available.
[edit] Infection and Samples
The transmittance rate of the virus is very low, as it is only transmitted by direct injection. There is no known anti-virus made to combat t-Veronica's infection, as the mutation caused by it is very fast when administered with or without the adaptation process. It is believed that Wesker obtained a sample of the T-Veronica, through Steve Burnside's body after his death.
