Relax, Resident Evil’s Carlos Oliviera isn’t a zombie, and he’s certainly not dead yet – and we’re pretty glad about that, who would want to live in a Carlos-less world? Ever since his first appearance in the series way back in 1999, this former merc with a mouth has cemented himself in the Raccoon City history books. So let’s dive into our RE Carlos guide, as we take a look at his biography, appearances, voice actors, and more.
If you like your residents with a pinch of evil, be sure to check out our other guide to the Resident Evil games, or familiarize yourself with iconic Resident Evil characters like Resident Evil Leon, Resident Evil Jill, and Resident Evil Ada. We’ve also got a pretty cool PT History Lesson on Resident Evil 4 for your perusal.
Here’s everything you need to know about Resident Evil Carlos:
Who is Resident Evil’s Carlos?
Carlos Oliviera is a former mercenary, who held the rank of corporal of the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service. He served in the Delta Platoon as rear security for Alpha Squad, while also acting as their heavy weapons specialist. During the Raccoon City Destruction Incident, Carlos was one of the few survivors of the deployed squads.
We don’t know much about where he grew up aside from the fact that he likely comes from South America, though we do know that his home was torn by paramilitary and street violence throughout the 1970’s to the 1990’s.
He’s the fifth of seven brothers, and he saw much strife throughout his life, leading him to become involved in gang violence at a very young age. Around 1987, he was captured by a nationalist paramilitary group but later found himself saved by a communist group backed by either Cuba or the Soviet Union, who welcomed him into their front.
Carlos spent most of his teens training in guerrilla techniques, which saw him rise to become a prominent guerrilla leader. However, by the 1990s, the political landscape shifted, and Carlos found himself captured. Umbrella Corporation saw potential in his skills and bribed the government to secure his release as a UBCS mercenary.
A few years later, Umbrella mobilized the UBCS to prepare for a big operation in Raccoon City during the Resident Evil virus outbreak. Little did Carlos know that the outbreak was much worse than expected – and that Umbrella’s nose wasn’t as clean as he first thought.
What is Resident Evil Carlos’ personality like?
Carlos’ personality has seen some minor shifts across his multiple, in-game appearances, though his core traits have remained the same. He immediately comes across as a tough, cocky mercenary who’s very confident in his skills, but he also shows himself to be charming, dutiful, and loyal.
While his affiliation with UBCS may initially make you question which side he’s on, he quickly proves himself to be an honorable man who was completely unaware of Umbrella’s nefarious schemes.
Upon uncovering the truth, he displays a deep hatred for Umbrella, hinting towards a sense of guilt that they used him as a pawn, and sets about making amends – often going so far as to risk his life in order to save Jill and the civilians of Raccoon City.
Resident Evil Carlos appearances
Carlos plays a role in multiple games and other media across the Resident Evil franchise. His most notable roles are:
- Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999)
- Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (2007)
- Resident Evil 3 remake (2020)
Beyond that, Carlos shows up in many other retellings of the Resident Evil 3 story, and in cameos or as a supporting character in videogames, card games, books, films, and more.
Who is Resident Evil Carlos’ voice actor?
Several different voice actors have lent their talents to bring Carlos Oliviera to life. In the original 1999 Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Vincent Corazza voices Carlos. Kim Strauss voices him in 2007’s Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, whereas in the 2020 Resident Evil 3 remake, Jeff Schine takes up the mantle. Carlos’ most notable Japanese voice actor is Hiroki Yasumoto, who has taken to this role multiple times.
How old is Resident Evil’s Carlos?
Through his backstory, we estimate that Carlos was born around 1977. That makes him around 21 to 22 during the events of Resident Evil 3 and the Raccoon City Destruction Incident.
What is Resident Evil Carlos’ height?
According to the Resident Evil Nemesis manual, Carlos is 175cm (5ft 9”) tall. However, the Resident Evil Archives book (or Biohazard Archives in Japan) describes Carlos as 182cm (6ft) tall, weighing in at 83kg (183 lbs).
What happened to Carlos after Resident Evil 3?
Canonically, we last see Carlos in the aftermath of the Raccoon City Destruction Incident. He and Jill head to a coastal bar and share a drink before saying goodbye. After this, we know that he escapes the US via Mexico, returning to South America to live there.
The Resident Evil Archives suggests that he still harbors great hatred towards Umbrella, but, beyond that, we don’t know much about what he’s up to these days. Hopefully, he’ll make another appearance in a future mainline game. But, until then, we guess we’re stuck in this cold, cruel, Carlos-less world – that is, until we replay Resident Evil 3 for the thousandth time!
That’s all we’ve got on Resident Evil’s Carlos for now. If you fancy a bit more spooky action to sink your teeth into, check out our list of the best horror games. Or, if you need a little romance in your life instead, check out our lists of the best otome games or the best dating games.