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This has been one confusing issue for me for a while but I think I figured it out, and I think the confusion stems from poor choice of words. In BIOHAZARD THE DARKSIDE CHRONICLES, Leon references the fact that Umbrella has since collapsed... by Summer 2002. Most people figure by "collapse" he means "destroyed/gone/dismantled" etc. He's actually referring to something completely different.
First, Umbrella's entire history can be broken down into several main segments.
The primary source of confusion to the whole destruction of Umbrella thing is the middle part, "Collapse (1998~2002)". Collapse implies that it has already been destroyed, but we already know it doesn't totally die out until 2003~2004 at least. I've revised my short timeline from a previous topic:
In the DIRECTORS VOICE segment for Javier Hidalgo in the INSIDE OF BIOHAZARD THE DARKSIDE CHRONICLES, Yasuhiro Seto actually talks extensively about this very issue and mentions that while Umbrella has practically collapsed (not destroyed) by the time of Operation Javier, it continues acting secretly through its dummy companies and branches outside the U.S. Essentially, collapse refers to the period between when the company's business is suspended and where it is shut down. In between those two events, the company is still functioning, just not entirely. It's stagnating. This is what the "revivals" are all about. Without getting funds elsewhere (auction, B.O.W. sales to pretty much anyone with money and T-A.L.O.S.), the company wouldn't have to be ordered to shut down, it'll just cease to exist. It does not help that the BIOHAZARD UMBRELLA CHRONICLES ~Hōkai e no Jokyoku~ manga can be translated as "Prelude to the Collapse". A more accurate translation would be "Prelude to the Fall" (which we use on Project Umbrella) or "Prelude to Destruction". Also, in the opening of biohazard 4, Leon is still talking about the period of collapse rather than Umbrella's actual dismantlement. Stock prices had nothing to do with Umbrella's dismantlement, but they were the cause of the collapse.
First, Umbrella's entire history can be broken down into several main segments.
Founding (1968)
Expansion & Consolidation (1968~1998)
Collapse (1998~2002)
Revitalization Attempts (2002~2003)
Bankruptcy & Dismantlement (2003~2004)
Expansion & Consolidation (1968~1998)
Collapse (1998~2002)
Revitalization Attempts (2002~2003)
Bankruptcy & Dismantlement (2003~2004)
Spring 1968: Ozwell E. Spencer, Edward Ashford and James Marcus establish "Umbrella Pharmaceutical".
Unknown Dates: Two more companies named "Umbrella Medical Equipment" and "Umbrella Industries" are established. The companies form a konzern; a conglomerate named the "Umbrella Corporation".
1984: Umbrella Japan Co., Ltd is established.
May~October 1998: The biohazard caused in the Arklay Laboratory leads to a string of events which seal the corporation's fate.
1999: Many lawsuits are filed against Umbrella. The U.S. Government issues a business suspension order to the company preventing it from conducting business. The company manages to place some blame on the government and drags out the legal proceedings for another 4 years.
February 1999: Umbrella U.S.A. stocks crash and the company goes bankrupt, no longer operating in America. Business begins to stall for the rest of the company and sales steadily decline. Some of Umbrella's dummy companies and branches outside the U.S. continue acting secretly.
September 18~23, 2002: Umbrella lose many valuable samples and customers due to the bioterrorism incident on the Spencer Rain. The secret auction planned by Ozwell E. Spencer to procure funds for the revival of the corporation fail.
February 18, 2003: The T-A.L.O.S. Interdiction Operation takes place. Both T-A.L.O.S. and Sergei Vladimir are destroyed, and the U.M.F.-013 data is stolen by Albert Wesker, who makes a copy and erases the original.
2003: Albert Wesker turns in data from the U.M.F.-013 as evidence against Umbrella to the Supreme Court. The corporation loses all of its cases.
2003, 4th of unknown month: Umbrella Headquarters announces that it is close to being placed in receivership.
2003, unknown date: The U.S. Government orders for the Umbrella Corporation to be shut down.
March 10, 2004: The Umbrella Japan board of directors decide the dissolution of the subsidiary company.
March 14, 2004: The "Announcement of Company Dissolution" of Umbrella Japan is posted, and the last facet of the Umbrella Corporation ceases to exist.
Unknown Dates: Two more companies named "Umbrella Medical Equipment" and "Umbrella Industries" are established. The companies form a konzern; a conglomerate named the "Umbrella Corporation".
1984: Umbrella Japan Co., Ltd is established.
May~October 1998: The biohazard caused in the Arklay Laboratory leads to a string of events which seal the corporation's fate.
1999: Many lawsuits are filed against Umbrella. The U.S. Government issues a business suspension order to the company preventing it from conducting business. The company manages to place some blame on the government and drags out the legal proceedings for another 4 years.
February 1999: Umbrella U.S.A. stocks crash and the company goes bankrupt, no longer operating in America. Business begins to stall for the rest of the company and sales steadily decline. Some of Umbrella's dummy companies and branches outside the U.S. continue acting secretly.
September 18~23, 2002: Umbrella lose many valuable samples and customers due to the bioterrorism incident on the Spencer Rain. The secret auction planned by Ozwell E. Spencer to procure funds for the revival of the corporation fail.
February 18, 2003: The T-A.L.O.S. Interdiction Operation takes place. Both T-A.L.O.S. and Sergei Vladimir are destroyed, and the U.M.F.-013 data is stolen by Albert Wesker, who makes a copy and erases the original.
2003: Albert Wesker turns in data from the U.M.F.-013 as evidence against Umbrella to the Supreme Court. The corporation loses all of its cases.
2003, 4th of unknown month: Umbrella Headquarters announces that it is close to being placed in receivership.
2003, unknown date: The U.S. Government orders for the Umbrella Corporation to be shut down.
March 10, 2004: The Umbrella Japan board of directors decide the dissolution of the subsidiary company.
March 14, 2004: The "Announcement of Company Dissolution" of Umbrella Japan is posted, and the last facet of the Umbrella Corporation ceases to exist.
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