⚠️ Major endgame spoilers ahead. Only read on if you want to know how Resident Evil Requiem ends.
TL;DR
- Release Elpis = Good (canon) ending. More content, final boss, post-credits scenes.
- Destroy Elpis = Bad ending. Leon dies. Short cutscene. Game asks you to reload.
- Elpis is not a weapon — it’s an antiviral cure created by Oswell Spencer.
- You can see both endings back-to-back without replaying the game.
- “Hope and Requiem” trophy only unlocks on the Release Elpis ending.
Should You Destroy or Release Elpis in Resident Evil Requiem?
You’ve made it to the end of RE9. Grace is standing at the ARK facility terminal and the game asks: Destroy Elpis or Release Elpis?
Short answer: Release Elpis. That’s the right choice.
Releasing Elpis gives you the canonical good ending. Elpis turns out to be an antiviral agent — not a weapon — capable of curing all forms of viral infection. Destroying it means losing that cure forever.
The good news? You can pick either choice and then immediately reload from your last autosave — right before Grace finds Leon and the final cutscenes begin. So you can see both endings without replaying the whole game.
What Is Elpis? The Big Twist
Most of the game, everyone — Zeno, Victor Gideon, The Connections — believes Elpis is a powerful bioweapon. They’re all wrong.
Elpis isn’t a bioweapon at all. It’s an antiviral cure created by Oswell Spencer as an act of redemption. The name “Elpis” means “Hope” in Greek — a clear hint that it was never the doomsday weapon anyone expected.
Spencer didn’t create Elpis to destroy. He created it as a cure for the T-Virus that once brought Raccoon City to ruin. Grace was raised as a symbol of this hope — intended to one day return and free the world from viral destruction.
That’s the whole point of Grace’s story arc. She was never just a protagonist. She was Spencer’s plan all along.
What Happens if You Release Elpis? (Good Ending)
When Grace selects Release Elpis, audio of both Spencer and Alyssa Ashcroft referring to Grace as their “hope” plays before the secondary confirmation. Grace types “Hope” into the terminal, which opens to reveal vials of Spencer’s final project.
Here’s how it plays out:
Zeno takes the vials, thinking Elpis is a super weapon. Instead, it strips him of his powers entirely — the Raccoon City Syndrome marks on his skin vanish. Dr. Victor Gideon then appears, beheads Zeno, and transforms into a super-powered form. Leon steps in for a two-stage final boss battle against Gideon.
After the fight, Leon and Grace are rescued by Umber Eyes from Chris Redfield’s squad. Leon is cured. Sherry Birkin potentially gets cured too thanks to Elpis. Grace saves Emily. The game ends with Grace catching up with Leon over the phone, closing on two meaningful pictures — one with Grace and Alyssa Ashcroft, another with Grace and Emily.
There are also two post-credits scenes that clearly set up the future of the series.
Only the Release Elpis ending unlocks Grace’s Report — an important lore document that summarizes key Resident Evil timeline events. You’ll also need it for the all-files completion trophy and bonus content point rewards.
If you’re working through the game’s tougher puzzles and collectibles, these guides will help:
- All Safe Codes & Locations in RE9
- Resident Evil Requiem Examination Room Safe Code
- Resident Evil Requiem Bar Lounge Safe Code
- Basement Safe Code RE9
What Happens if You Destroy Elpis? (Bad Ending)
If Grace selects Destroy Elpis, audio of Spencer regretting his life’s work plays before a secondary confirmation. Grace types “Destruction” into the machine, triggering the facility’s self-destruct sequence.
The ARK facility begins to collapse. Leon manages to get Grace onto a walkway above the platform. But then Zeno catches him. Leon tells Grace he’s glad he saved her — and Zeno shoots him in the head. The platform plummets and explodes.
No final boss. No post-credits scenes. No closure. Just a brutal, abrupt end.
There’s no trophy tied to the bad ending either. The game immediately asks if you want to reload and try the other choice. Take it.
Can You See Both Endings?
Yes, and it’s easy. If you pick Destroy Elpis first, the game will immediately offer to reload your save so you can try the Release Elpis path. You can watch both endings back-to-back without replaying the entire level.
Many players recommend doing the bad ending first just to see Leon’s death scene, then reloading for the full good ending experience.
Destroy Elpis vs Release Elpis – Quick Comparison
| Destroy Elpis | Release Elpis | |
|---|---|---|
| Ending type | Bad / Alternate | Good / Canon |
| Leon’s fate | Dies | Survives, cured |
| Zeno’s fate | Dies in explosion | Killed by Gideon |
| Final boss | None | Victor Gideon (two phases) |
| Post-credits | None | Two scenes |
| Trophy unlocked | None | “Hope and Requiem” |
| Grace’s Report | No | Yes |
| Emily saved | No | Yes |
Tips Before You Reach the Ending
Make sure you’ve explored everything before triggering the final sequence. Once you’re in the endgame, backtracking is not possible. Here are some guides for things you might have missed:
- All BSAA Container Locations & Rewards
- BSAA Container Key Location
- Antique Coins – Care Center & Parlor Prizes
- How to Collect All 3 Detonator Parts
- RPD Scavenger Hunt Puzzle Solution
- VIP Suite Puzzle – Hourglass & Double Helix
- How to Get a Gun Playing as Grace
Other Things Worth Knowing
How long does RE9 take to beat? Check out our Resident Evil Requiem how long to beat guide before you commit.
Playing on PC? Make sure your rig is ready with the Resident Evil Requiem PC requirements.
Stuck on puzzles or locked doors? These guides cover the trickiest moments in the game:
- How to Open ARK Key Reader Doors
- How to Open Level 3 Doors
- How to Open the Isolation Ward
- Corpse Puzzle – Examination Room
- Chairman’s Office Puzzle Box
- East Wing Keycard
- West Wing Keycard Location
- How to Open the Pantry
- How to Break Open Warped Closets
- How to Open the Door Without a Handwheel
- How to Destroy the Sturdy Padlock – Researcher’s Office
- How to Open Organ Transport Box
- Level 1 ID Wristband Location
- Care Center Fuse Location
- Joint Plugs Basement Locations
- Monitor Control Room Safe Code
- Sterilization Chamber Safe Code
- Dump Control Room Override Key
- How to Get Mechanic Jack & Open Rusted Shutters
- How to Open Emergency Exit Door – Rec Room
- How to Get Generator Fuel
Where to Buy Resident Evil Requiem
RE9 is available on all major platforms:
Final Verdict: Always Release Elpis
If you only play one ending, make it the Release Elpis ending. It’s longer, more satisfying, and it’s clearly the direction Capcom intends the story to go. Leon lives. Emily is saved. The series has a future.
The Destroy Elpis ending is worth watching once — especially if you want to feel the weight of losing Leon — but always reload and go back for the real finish. That’s what the game itself tells you to do.
