James Marcus did not develop the t-Virus.

[News Bot]

Yeah.

Well, he did. He developed a t-virus, but not the t-virus. There really is no singular t-virus, there are multiple ones. And we're not just talking about mutations or varied strains. Here's a translation of Alexander's Memo, written before 1971.

My father, Edward, and Lord Spencer, a fellow nobleman, cooperatively discovered the Progenitor virus and studied it for the purpose of military utilization. Eventually, research results were produced and a mutation of the original Progenitor virus was created, generally called T-Virus.

To cover up their research, the founders, my father, established the pharmaceutical company, Umbrella.

In order to support my father's secret research project, I, the son, specialized in genetic engineering. However, results became tangled midway through the project and my father died, also.

In my generation, we lagged behind the other researchers in the field of T-Virus study and the Ashford family name, established by our ancestor Veronica, was reduced to dirt. This is when Umbrella fell under the control of Spencer.

To compete with Spencer, it became necessary to advance the project as quickly as possible. I considered everything and decided to utilize the South Pole transport terminal, an abandoned site, by making a large-scale move of the most modern research equipment.

At the facility, I wish to build one of the rooms based on my private residence, which was designed by the late Trevor.

For confidentiality reasons, this top-secret project has been given a code name: Veronica, my beautiful ancestor, who established the Ashford family.

With suitable research results, she will be resurrected and her name will once again bring glory to the Ashford family.

Spencer and/or Ashford had already created a t-virus in the 1960s. How they did it is unknown, but it obviously wasn't by combining leech DNA with the Progenitor virus. This t-virus was studied extensively, but could not produce B.O.W.s immediately. Spencer initiated the t-Virus Project at the Arklay Laboratory. This t-virus only managed to create zombies in 1982 after having been developed much further by Birkin and Wesker.

Marcus completed his t-virus in 1978, and it was able to create zombies right from the beginning. Spencer acquires this t-virus in 1988 to advance his own project at the Arklay Laboratory.

The t-Veronica virus created by Alexia is also a t-virus, hence why it even has the "t" in the name.

I realize that this is very confusing and I still have to flesh it out a lot more. I think this is the basic idea though. The confusion stems from the fact that they have been pretty adamant about the t-virus being a singular virus. In actuality, it is many different viruses under the same name, with even more different mutations and strains all over the world.

[TheBatMan]

Hmm, are we sure this isn't just a simple mistake in the file? I always assumed Alexander was referring to Progenitor Virus study. After all, Spencer and Marcus had their own teams working on Progenitor as well as the Ashfords yet their research fell behind after Edward died as Alexander was not deemed skilled enough to compete with the others.

With Progenitor not discovered until late 1966 and Progenitor being used against the Trevors in 1967, if what you say is true than this would mean this t-Virus would have been created in 1968 as this file is obviously written in 68/69 just before Alexander begins to build his new base. There is no other evidence whatsoever to support this and it would mean major revisions across the whole series.

Whilst I agree this file makes little sense in the general scheme of things, unless there is some other evidence to back this up I chalk it down to a simple mistake by the writers. These files were written before Bio 0 which retconned everything we previously knew about the t-Virus origins anyway.

[Guest]

Which file is this from? Retail disc?

[News Bot]

Hmm, are we sure this isn't just a simple mistake in the file? I always assumed Alexander was referring to Progenitor Virus study. After all, Spencer and Marcus had their own teams working on Progenitor as well as the Ashfords yet their research fell behind after Edward died as Alexander was not deemed skilled enough to compete with the others.

With Progenitor not discovered until late 1966 and Progenitor being used against the Trevors in 1967, if what you say is true than this would mean this t-Virus would have been created in 1968 as this file is obviously written in 68/69 just before Alexander begins to build his new base. There is no other evidence whatsoever to support this and it would mean major revisions across the whole series.

Whilst I agree this file makes little sense in the general scheme of things, unless there is some other evidence to back this up I chalk it down to a simple mistake by the writers. These files were written before Bio 0 which retconned everything we previously knew about the t-Virus origins anyway.

I see no indication for it to be a mistake. As much as I dislike his contributions to the series, Hiroki Kato corroborates it:

Question 4

In Resident Evil 2, William Birkin developed the T-virus, but why in Resident Evil Code: Veronica, T-virus is the general term of the virus variation of the founder virus?

Answer 4

William Birkin made the T-virus that was developed in the Arklay facility. Other T-virus were developed in different facilities and are not related to Birkin's work.

The mutation of Progenitor which Alexander refers to is more specifically the e-type of the Clay Virus (renamed Progenitor virus in CV), which was commonly referred to as the Tyrant Virus. The whole thing makes sense in the end, Wesker's Report II also makes it evident. Spencer does not acquire Marcus's research until 1988, and his virus is much different from Spencer's.

If I had to describe it, think of it as a race to develop a new virus named the "Tyrant Virus" with the best version giving the creator all of the credit, and thus, more power and control of Umbrella. Of course, Spencer cheated and killed the other two working on it and ended up giving all that credit to Birkin. Even taking into consideration the possibility of it being a mistake, other sources (CV Kaitai Shinsho for example) make reference to the fact that "t-virus" is a general term for the virus variations of the Progenitor virus, which includes t-Veronica, which is officially classed as a t-virus.

EDIT: Archives also references Marcus creating "a new type of t-virus".

[Mr. Spencer]

I told you this was damning.

[TheBatMan]

I'm still not convinced and see it as a headache we don't really need. Unless t-Virus is some sort of code word for the variants of the Progenitor in general.

In the pre-Remake days the e-type Clay Virus was actually the strain that got loose in the mansion in 1998 which seems strange if that particular strain had first been created in the 1960's and several superior strains of said virus had been created later down the line.

Spencer also acquired plenty of Marcus' work in 1978 after the training facility had closed down. In 1988 he gathered more, including the data on the Plague Crawlers, Lurkers and Eliminators.

Plus Marcus himself noted in his diary 'I call this new virus T - for Tyrant'. This would seem strange if a t-Virus had already been around for 10 years or so.

[News Bot]

t-Virus being a code word is pretty much what I meant haha. There is nothing to actually indicate that Spencer acquired any of Marcus' work in 1978. Marcus was fiercely defensive and thwarted most of Spencer's attempts to acquire it. It's never been stated anywhere if it ever fell out of his hands aside from 1988 once Spencer's t-Virus Project had hit a brick wall.

Also, doesn't it seem even mildly weird to you that Marcus' t-virus, which can create zombies and other B.O.W.s pretty much immediately (as documented even before the training facility was shut down), would need to be "stabilized" just to create zombies? Birkin and Wesker only managed to get zombies in 1982. Marcus got them virtually immediately (anyone who so much as touched his leeches became a zombie, for example). That's something that has always bugged me.

And again, there is still t-Veronica, which is a pretty glaring example of the whole thing.

[Smiley]

Oh I'm sorry Mr. News Bot. You don't know what you're talking about. You see it says quite clearly over at the Resident Evil wiki:

On December 4th, 1966, the Progenitor virus (also known as the Mother or Founder virus)[1] was discovered by Lord Ozwell E. Spencer and James Marcus.[2] These gentlemen, along with Sir Edward Ashford, a family friend of Spencer, held a certain economic position and decided to begin research upon the virus. Most of the research was carried out by Marcus, after Ashford died in July 1968[3] and Spencer was already occupied by his burgeoning chemical corporation, Umbrella. Marcus had little resources to pool into the investigation, until Spencer agreed to employ him as a researcher and later Director of his corporation's Training facility, putting the vast resources of Umbrella into his hands.

Marcus overbid his hand, greedy for the power to finally invest serious amounts into his research, demanded numerous resources to perfect and improve what he envisioned was his life's work. This led to friction between Marcus and Spencer who, to compensate from the crippling economic demands laid by Marcus, demanded that he create a virus with a 100% effectiveness rate,[4] much to the confusion of Marcus and his assistants, new Umbrella Trainees Albert Wesker and William Birkin.

The Umbrella Corporation used its finances to secretly develop the virus under the radar of international authorities. In time, Marcus further evolved the virus, creating the first effective bio-weapon to be produced in large quantity and be closely studied by the Umbrella Corporation. By adding Pepsi Blue to the leeches, the attributes of both were combined, and the t-virus soon saw the light in 1978.[3]

[alexdz]

By adding Pepsi Blue to the leeches, the attributes of both were combined, and the t-virus soon saw the light in 1978.[3] [/I]

It all makes sense now!

[Smiley]

Doesn't it? It's a very simple formula.
Spoiler:

show spoiler

[alexdz]

And for the G-virus they fused Pepsi Green and the Nemesis parasite.

[Darkmoon]

Smiley, you got fairly pissed off when Kevstah went loopy in your thread. Please have the decency to let News Bot have his thread without grief. I have to ask you this every fucking time News Bot starts one of these things, and it's getting old.

[Smiley]

You're lucky I don't know what a "Kevstah" is. I might have been offended.

[TheBatMan]

t-Virus being a code word is pretty much what I meant haha. There is nothing to actually indicate that Spencer acquired any of Marcus' work in 1978. Marcus was fiercely defensive and thwarted most of Spencer's attempts to acquire it. It's never been stated anywhere if it ever fell out of his hands aside from 1988 once Spencer's t-Virus Project had hit a brick wall.

Also, doesn't it seem even mildly weird to you that Marcus' t-virus, which can create zombies and other B.O.W.s pretty much immediately (as documented even before the training facility was shut down), would need to be "stabilized" just to create zombies? Birkin and Wesker only managed to get zombies in 1982. Marcus got them virtually immediately (anyone who so much as touched his leeches became a zombie, for example). That's something that has always bugged me.

And again, there is still t-Veronica, which is a pretty glaring example of the whole thing.

But his research was stolen in 1978. That is what the Leech Growth records suggest when he knows someone has been in his labs. This is what prompts him to formally announce the creation of the t-Virus in the first place before his work gets shut down.

From the keywords in Archives: Page 250

'However when Dr. Marcus' research bore fruit, it gave Spencer the chance he had been waiting for. A man Dr. Marcus trusted, Albert Wesker, and William Birkin stabbed him in the back. Then, the results achieved by Marcus were stolen and used to push Spencer's own research ahead, even though Dr. Marcus's main reason for continuing his research was his violent opposition to Spencer.
Dr. Marcus was able to use the T-Virus to further his research on mutated leeches and create his own B.O.W. He believed that was the best way to take revenge on Spencer. However, in 1988 before he could complete his research, his life was taken by Wesker in exchange for Spencer's money.'

I don't think Marcus' t-Virus did necessarily create zombies to begin with. I think only a handful of people infected would become a zombie. It was only when Birkin began working on it Spencer wanted a virus that would be 100% effective that he was able to create a variant in 1981 that was more effective and stable, something that transformed 90% of people into a zombie with 10% having a natural immunity. Perhaps Marcus' initial version was nowhere near as potent and it was only during his exile in the 1980's that he was able to create the B.O.W.s.

[News Bot]

According to the glossary section of BIOHAZARD CODE:Veronica Kaitai Shinsho:

T-Virus

The general term of a variant of the Progenitor virus developed for the purpose of B.O.W. production.

Progenitor Virus (= Clay Virus)

As a result of having repeated research for military use, a variant called T-virus was developed, and it was used for the production of B.O.W.

Progenitor was absolutely worthless for B.O.W. production, so it makes sense that they would focus their efforts on a mutated strain with that potential. Otherwise they were twiddling their thumbs for 10 years while Marcus did all the work. Yet supposedly there is some astounding corporate rivalry going on over it? I really doubt they were all having a go at each other over a useless virus.

But his research was stolen in 1978. That is what the Leech Growth records suggest when he knows someone has been in his labs. This is what prompts him to formally announce the creation of the t-Virus in the first place before his work gets shut down.

From the keywords in Archives: Page 250

'However when Dr. Marcus' research bore fruit, it gave Spencer the chance he had been waiting for. A man Dr. Marcus trusted, Albert Wesker, and William Birkin stabbed him in the back. Then, the results achieved by Marcus were stolen and used to push Spencer's own research ahead, even though Dr. Marcus's main reason for continuing his research was his violent opposition to Spencer.
Dr. Marcus was able to use the T-Virus to further his research on mutated leeches and create his own B.O.W. He believed that was the best way to take revenge on Spencer. However, in 1988 before he could complete his research, his life was taken by Wesker in exchange for Spencer's money.'

I don't think Marcus' t-Virus did necessarily create zombies to begin with. I think only a handful of people infected would become a zombie. It was only when Birkin began working on it Spencer wanted a virus that would be 100% effective that he was able to create a variant in 1981 that was more effective and stable, something that transformed 90% of people into a zombie with 10% having a natural immunity. Perhaps Marcus' initial version was nowhere near as potent.

It does say that, but he doesn't seem too concerned, there's no implication anything was stolen. And if Marcus' version was not as potent, then that means that there would hardly be any zombies, if any, in BH0. On the other hand, you have an executive candidate touching one of his leeches and going through the same phase as the Keeper in BH1, and this is before the training facility is shut down.