Plaga

**Plaga**are a species of parisitic organisms in the *Resident Evil*franchise. Victims of the Plaga become much stronger and resistant to pain, while working collectively to pursue their targets. Another side effect is a loss of higher reasoning, except in select subjects and the full compliance to the Dominant Species Plaga.

## Forms

* **Embryo:**The early stage of the Plaga shortly after hatching from the egg within it's host.
* **Plaga A:**These Plagas are most commonly found in Villagers and Combatants. These Plagas wield a scythe-like blade on the end of a long tentacle which they use to slash at their enemies at some range. They are however the weakest of the Plagas and can control weaker Armaduras.
* **Plaga B:**These Plagas are mostly commonly found in the lower ranking Zealots and control more stronger Armaduras. The version of the Plaga can extend it's entire body towards the prey and devour their head. Other than this move, it bears no other attacks.
* **Plaga C:**These Plagas are mostly commonly found in the higher ranking Zealots and Combatants. They are the most durable, they can spit acid over some distance and detach themselves from the host following death. They are roughly equal in terms of threat to Plaga A while attached, and are relatively weak when detached. While detached, they have a leaping grapple which lacks an animation for attacking from the side or rear, much like Colmillos, meaning they can only use it when directly in front of it's enemy. They may also die when anyone doesn't even attack them.
* '*Leech:'*These Plagas are exclusive to Regenerators and Iron Maidens. They are not visibly externally, being entirely contained inside the host's body, and are only visible through thermal imaging. These Plagas rebuild organic matter and must be eliminated in order to kill the host.
* **Crab:**This form of the Plagas only appears within Garradors. Since they cannot attack and are visible at all times, they serve as the Garrador's weak point. They do not possess any form of self-defense.
* **Tentacle:**The form of the Plagas can be found in Colmillos. These wolves bear the ability to not only use the tentacles to whip their target, they will use their tentacles at will. When engaged in combat, Colmillos will automatically trigger the Plaga infestation.
* **El Gigante Plaga:**The gigantic Plaga is located between thee host's shoulder blades, will only emerge after sufficient amounts of damage have been inflicted on the host and serves as the El Gigante's weak point.
* **Del Lago Plaga:**The mouth of the Del Lago is filled with flailing bladed tentacles, bloating it's body and grossly increasing it's size.
* **Queen Plaga:**The plant-like Plaga that grew within the walls of the castle's ceremonial chamber with it's giant tentacles, which then merged with Ramon Salazar and his remaining Verdugo.
* **Dominant Species (Stable):**These are complex types of Plagas. They have three distinct abilities which seperates them from subordinate Plagas; they allow the host to retain their free will, control other Plagas and cause dramastic mutations in their host at will. The only known subjects of this Plaga are Osmund Saddler, Bitores Mendez, Ramon Salazar, Jack Krauser and Ricardo Irving.
* **Dominant Species (Unstable):**These Plagas is similar to the more stable version and they are unstable, as they later revert to a subordinate Plaga.

## Plaga Type 2

A genetically engineered form of the Plaga parasites, Type 2 was created by TRICELL. It is formed by a sample of the regular parasite being combined with leech DNA and the original Plaga had to find a way into the host in it's egg and take time to develop within the host. Type 2 was developed to mature much, much faster. Infestation of Type 2 occurs by force-feeding an already mature parasite into the mouth of an unwilling host.

In this way, the growth rate was dramastically increased and the host was under total control of the Plaga in a matter of seconds. After being ingested, the host was then instructed to kill and infect others, but could seemingly go about their everyday business. While the original Plagas required the compliance of the host to completely take over control, the type of Plagas does not require it, instantly turning even unwilling hosts into little more than mindless puppets.

* **Hatchling:**
* **Cephalo:**
* **Kipepo:**

## Plaga Type 3

Plaga Type 3 was an experimental bio-engineered form of the naturally evolved Plaga developed by TRICELL in an attempt to remove the weaknesses of the Plaga Type 2 while enhancing it's strengths. It was created when TRICELL implanted a subordinate-strain Plaga with a gene from the control-strain Plaga. Like the normal Plagas, the adherance rate in adult and adolescent males is approximately 92 percent, but for women and young children, it has a 0 percent adherance rate. Due to this, TRICELL found problems with the type, but their goal to have dramatic enhancements were somewhat realized.

Although it's limited range of potential victims left something to be desired, the Type 3 succeeded in it's original purpose: vastly increasing the physical abilities of the host. They showed a remarkable improvement in both jumping power and size, with some hosts of reaching the height of almost 3 meters. On the other hand, the hosts developed far more visible mutations such as arms with flayed appearance and visibly protruded hearts.

## Incidents

* **Los Illuminados (2004):**
* **Kijuju Incident (2009):**
* **Eastern Slavic Civil War (2011):**

## Known Infected

* **Osmund Saddler:**Los Illuminados cult leader and was injected with the Dominant Species Plaga. He later transformed into a four-legged creature with a giant eye in Saddler's mouth. Killed by Leon S. Kennedy.
* **Ramon Salazar:**Los Illuminados high ranking member and was injected with the Dominant Species Plaga. He later transformed into a parasitic plant-like creature. Killed by Leon S. Kennedy.
* **Bitores Mendez:**Los Illuminados high ranking member and was injected with the Dominant Species Plaga. He later transformed into a a grotesque, mutated creature with sharpened nails and his torso was split by a thick, spinal column-like structure edged by tiny, moving legs. Killed by Leon S. Kennedy.
* **Jack Krauser:**Albert Wesker's henchman and was injected with the Dominant Species Plaga. His arm was mutated into a large blade claw. Killed by Ada Wong.
* **Ricardo Irving:**TRICELL Researcher and injected himself with the Dominant Species Plaga. He transformed into a massive tentacle sea monster. Killed by Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar.
* **Alexander Kozachenko:**Former Rebel and injected himself with the Dominant Species Plaga and controlled the Lickers. His Plaga was later removed by Leon S. Kennedy.
* **JD:**Former Rebel and mutated into a Ganado. Killed by Leon S. Kennedy.
* **Mr. Chenkov:**Former Teacher and mutated into a Ganado. Killed by Leon S. Kennedy.
* **Ivan Judanovich:**Former Rebel Leader and mutated into a Ganado.
* **Allyson:**Young woman and mutated into a Majini. Killed by Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar.

## Known Creatures

### Ganado

Ganado were originally Humans that became hosts of the Plaga parasites. Unlike Zombies, Ganado appear outwardly Human and possess much of their intelligence and sentience, being quite capable of speaking and carrying day to day tasks however more complex tasks are beyond them such as hygiene, but are nonetheless utterly devoted to the Dominant Species Plaga host who are able to control the lesser Ganados. Because of the Plaga, Ganados have little, if any, fear of death and can be seen continuing attacking an armed opponent with little more than melee weapons despite the high chance of being shot to death in any encounter. Almost all Ganados carry only melee weapons and if a Ganado is carrying the apropriate weapon, they will sometimes throw the weapon at their target.