Among characters in the Resident Evil franchise, Ada Wong has origins so mysterious that no one almost knows anything about her. First serving as one of Leon Kennedy’s love interests, the revelation of her true nature as a secret agent has transformed her into one of the most compelling characters to grace the series. Compared to hard-headed Claire Redfield, resilient Jill Valentine, and optimistic Rebecca Chambers, it’s Ada Wong’s sheer confidence in what she does that sets her apart from the rest of the protagonists.

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It’s also this mysterious nature that makes Ada Wong the best in what she does. Her appearance in Resident Evil games is often tied to companies hiring her to do a variety of missions, often having her cross paths with the series’ main cast. However, with Ada Wong’s appearances and objectives differing whenever players encounter her, some might wonder just which of Ada’s iterations is the best in the series.

10 Resident Evil: Damnation (2012)

While Leon Kennedy is stopping a country from using BOWs to fight a civil war in Resident Evil: Damnation, Ada is traveling under the guise of a BSAA Agent to steal a rogue sample of the Las Plagas virus. As she’s there “for business,” Ada’s attire consists of a black blazer and pencil skirt with a red inner shirt and a pair of red heels.

This “toned down” appearance was a departure from her iconic red dress, although this does signify her capability to dress for the occasion. However, considering the film released within a month after RE6 (and the events occurring a year prior to the game’s events), this corporate style Ada didn’t have that “pizzazz” often associated with her character designs.

9 Assignment Ada (2005)

When players complete the main story of RE4, they unlock a minigame called Assignment Ada that walks through Ada’s journey to acquire Las Plagas samples for antagonist Albert Wesker. This iteration of the character also comes dressed for the occasion, sporting a black shirt and black leggings topped with heeled combat boots, a bulletproof vest, tactical gloves, and an assortment of weapon belts.

While her tacticool concept comes close to the visual designs of RE4’s Leon Kennedy and Jack Krauser, the lack of reds defeats this version of Ada’s style philosophy. This Ada iteration focusing on gunning down zombies instead of an ulterior agenda seems out of character.

8 As Carla, Resident Evil 6 (2012)

Trailers for Resident Evil 6 back then teased Ada as the mastermind of the recent bioterror attacks in New York and China, with protagonists Leon and Chris Redfield putting each other at gunpoint to discuss her future. However, as players soon find out, this blue-clad Ada is Carla Radames, a researcher-turned-clone. Opposing the fashionista Ada with the red blouse and black pants was Ada-Carla with a blue corporate-style dress, high-heeled boots, and an imposing red scarf.

This outfit choice seems to reference her RE4 appearance, as both feature long dresses with left-side slits that reveal a gun holster. The large red scarf of Ada-Carla seems to call back to her character’s color scheme, although the predominant blues should’ve given it away that this Ada was fake and, in real Ada’s words in the game, “a cheap knockoff, at best.”

7 Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (2009)

The “Memories of a Lost City” scenario in 2009’s Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles abridges RE2 for the on-rails shooter, this time giving fans an opportunity to see Ada fight zombies with Claire Redfield. While Ada still sports her signature red dress, stockings, and heels, she’s now more tactically “dressed” for the occasion. Completing her look is a chest belt that accommodates two handguns, a bullet strap over her right arm, a pair of tactical gloves, and a belt.

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While this outfit allows her to sport a more combat-ready attire like the other characters, this approach might be too “on the nose” for her style. Ada’s design concept seems to resonate more with the “show not tell” adage in terms of details, with the belts just screaming her nature as a firearms expert, hence betraying her air of mystery.

6 Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (2007)

After Ada’s presumed “death” in RE2, events in Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles reveal she’s survived her ordeal. Being the in-story continuation of DSC, Ada sports a damaged version of her combat-ready outfit. However, she loses the chest belt as her partially tattered dress is also adorned with bandages.

The addition of white visuals to her heavy reds makes her more vibrant compared to other characters in the title. Moreover, whereas the DSC outfit may have over-equipped her, Ada surviving Raccoon City despite her implied injuries is visual proof of her adaptability as a spy.

5 Resident Evil 2 Remake (2019)

Being a modernized version of the 1998 classic, it’s no surprise that Ada Wong’s design in 2019’s Resident Evil 2 Remake was more of a graphical update. This modernized classic outfit affirms that she wore a form-fitting red dress as well as reveals that she wore black stockings instead of leggings. Remaked Ada comes with a pistol holster, reflecting her skill with the handgun.

What makes Remaked Ada more worthwhile is the inclusion of Ada in a brown coat depicted in one of her older RE2 concept art. Ada was wearing this coat when she introduced herself as an FBI Agent to Leon, retconning her original entrance with her spy narrative. This also makes Ada giving her coat to Leon a more memorable scene as this shows her finally opening up to the protagonist.

4 Resident Evil 4 Remake (2023)

As though in a bid to revamp Ada’s appearance with a more reasonable outfit evolution, Resident Evil 4 Remake features a wildly different take on the character. Compared to her iconic flowy dress, Ada’s familiar RE2 Remake attire is given a breathable upgrade. In place of a red dress is a red sweater that still ends above the knees, and outside her black stockings are a pair of thigh-high-heeled black boots. Completing this outfit is a pair of black gloves and a chest holster with room for two handguns.

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At first glance, this “covered-up” take on RE4 Remake Ada might seem like an attempt to make her a more “conservative” character. However, the design makes sense from an evolutionary standpoint, especially if players use RE4 Remake as the transitory point towards Ada’s red blouse and black pants design in RE6.

3 As Ada, Resident Evil 6 (2012)

With the RE4’s red dress practically becoming synonymous with Ada, it’s evident that her return to a major title needs a new design that helps her stand out. Fashion Ada does this in RE6 by directly opposing the corporate garb of Ada-Carla. RE6 Ada boasts form-fitting pants and an imposing red flared shirt that calls back to her original RE2 design. Completing her sleek look is a Crossbow, her new signature weapon that accompanies her classic Hook Gun.

This design leans away from the red dress’s sensual physicality and instead culminates all previous appearances into a bold scarlet that acts as an official character color. Compared to the more “realist” appearances of other characters, Ada’s emphasis on style rather than armor maintains her “adaptable agent” concept.

2 Resident Evil 4 (2005)

While Ada Wong already appeared in RE2, it was her reappearance in Resident Evil 4 that was her claim to fame. As RE4 steered towards action horror, so too did Ada have the room to show her charm and prowess as an agent. Whereas Leon and Jack Krauser wowed fans with their knife play, Ada straight up astonishes the player base with her acrobatics showcase and her rather revealing attire.

The butterfly adornment on her flowy red dress may represent the character’s metamorphosis into a full-fledged femme fatale, taking inspiration from 1990’s La Femme Nikita. The red dress establishes a design philosophy attached to Ada’s most notable appearances: being “under-equipped” to fight zombies means they were never her first objective, and that she’s always in a game for her agenda.

1 Resident Evil 2 (1998)

Red becomes the color tied to the partner of Leon’s police blue color scheme in Resident Evil 2, which explains why alternate player Claire Redfield wears a prominent red jacket and why the debuting Ada Wong has a predominant red top. Despite her brief stint in the game, Ada made a mark in player’s hearts for being an alluring spy that directly clashes with the franchise’s current female protagonists.

Ada’s mysterious identity became a driving force in her original design. The choice of a stylish outfit positions her as more noticeable than other characters. Moreover, the implied impracticality of a red dress makes her survival all the more impressive. This design’s emphasis on sleekness makes Ada “not belong” in the context of appearances, perfectly encapsulating her nature as an agent.

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