Ganado (Spanish: "Los Ganados", meaning 'the herd/mob' or 'the cattle') were originally humans who became hosts to the mind-controlling Plaga parasite. All members of the fanatical religious cult Los Illuminados are infected with the parasites and it was the cult who originally discovered the Plagas centuries ago in rural Spain. Since the resurrection of Las Plagas in modern times, Los Illuminados has converted many subjects using the parasites, bending them to the will of Osmund Saddler.
Ganados types[]
Villagers[]
These people were once the ordinary, peaceful residents of the rural village of Valdelobos until they were exposed to Las Plagas. When the village was initially infected by the parasites, the people became savage and violent toward each other, but the Illuminados were able to bring them under control. The children of Valdelobos could not accept the parasite and were killed by it, explaining their absence during Resident Evil 4.
With no contact with the outside world, the villagers go about their daily lives as normal, though their living conditions seemed to deteriorate somewhat. While no longer hostile to each other, the Ganados villagers are still extremely aggressive toward anyone uninfected by the Plagas. They will savagely attack using whatever tools are on hand, usually farming tools such as pitchforks, sickles and hatchets, though they possess heightened strength and can attack with their bare hands, grappling a victim and slamming them to the ground singlehandedly. Some villagers even wield chainsaws and sticks of dynamite.
Zealots[]
The monks of the Los illuminados who reside in Castle Salazar. They all wear clerical robes and all appear to be bald (whether they shave their heads or their baldness is a symptom of Plaga infection is unknown) and some also bare facial markings or scars. They often lumber toward enemies in a zombie-like fashion, with slow yet deliberate steps, murmuring sinister mantra to themselves. They wield medieval weapons such as flails and scythes, even crossbows.
The cultists have a distinct ranking system: standard cultists wear plain black robes whereas those of higher ranks wear more decorative robes and sometimes iron masks that can deflect bullets. The commanding zealots all wear red robes and also helmets made from goat skulls.
Militia[]
These soldiers are "elite" Ganados, members of Saddler's private army, assigned to protect his island complex. They are generally better equipped and smarter than other Ganados and can also run faster than most. They can be seen using many of the weapons of the zealots, with some unique weapons of their own such as electric stunrods. A few burly soldiers carry massive hammers and wear thick bullet-proof metal armour. With the exception of J.J. and some rocket launcher-equipped troopers, no soldier carries a firearm. The militia form Saddler's "Plan B" whereby if the Ashley Graham plan failed they would be sent to the United States to ferment chaos and disorder from within, no doubt gaining converts as they went.
Special Ganados[]
There are a number of Ganados unique to the common Ganado horde, which are considerably more difficult to defeat.
Desnucado[]
A Desnucado (Spanish for "broken neck") is a Ganado variant that appears in the 2023 remake of Resident Evil 4. Encountered throughout the game, they are standard Ganados that remain active even after sustaining fatal injuries. Oftentimes, when a Ganado is downed, it will start convulsing on the ground as the Plaga within its body attempts to repair the damage and restore motor functions. After a moment, the Ganado will get back up, sporting a noticeable neck fracture with the head tilting at an angle. The Plaga's tendrils can also be seen sprouting from the neck wound.
Once back on its feet, the Desnucado will charge towards Leon with arms outstretched and attempt to throttle him. The creature can be killed with additional gunfire, but in order to spare ammunition, Leon can stop the Desnucado from rising by stabbing it in the neck while it is in the midst of mutating. Ambushing any Ganado with a knife to the neck will also ensure that they do not mutate.
Dr. Salvador[]
A member of the Valdelobos village easily recognisable by the burlap sack over his head. Stronger than the other villagers, he savagely attacks Leon Kennedy with a chainsaw. Being struck by Salvador's attack results in instant death. He seems to take little notice of handgun fire, so shotguns or higher caliber weaponry is recommended for dealing with this psychopath.
In Resident Evil 4's Mercenaries mini-game, an enhanced version of Dr. Salvador appears in the Waterworld stage. This version is taller, faster and carries a double chainsaw. As it moves, it is constantly swinging its chainsaw around so going near it guarantees death. Worst of all, this monstrosity can only be harmed by shots to the head as shooting him anywhere else will not even slow him down.
Bella Sisters[]
Two female Ganados that Leon encounters as he tries to escape the village with Ashley Graham. They both wear bandages over their heads and charge at Leon with chainsaws. They are both equally strong as Dr. Salvador.
Lead Cultist[]
Lead Cultists command the legions of cultists that populate Castle Salazar. They are distinct from the regular zealots as they wear red robes and hide their faces behind hoods adorned with goat skulls.
In the original RE4, the lead cultists would try to escape from a battle rather than get involved, running away and leaving the regular cultists to deal with Leon. In one section of the castle, a lead cultist would run towards a raised dais in the centre of the room that concealed a hidden machine-gun turret. The player would have to kill the lead cultist before it reached the turret, otherwise they would have a more difficult time dealing with them and taking the key the cultist held, which was needed to progress.
In the remake, the lead cultists are encountered in a few areas of the castle along with many lesser zealots. They are shown to be carrying staves which emit an eerie ringing sound. When a lead cultist rings its staff and utters the chant "¡GLORIA A LAS PLAGAS!", the nearby zealots react and the Plagas within their bodies erupt from their heads, making it that much more difficult for Leon to defeat them. As in the original, the lead cultists tend to avoid confrontation, but will attempt to strike Leon with their staves if he gets close to them.
J.J[]
A well-built Ganado commando in Lord Saddler's private army, this enemy is easily recognised by his large stature, bulletproof vest and the Gatling gun he carries around. The Gatling gun allows him to strike enemies from a distance and he can quickly cut down Leon's health. Headshots are, of course, the best way to bring him down quickly, with TMP's, sniper rifles or grenades being the best weapon choices. This enemy only appears in the original 2005 version of Resident Evil 4.
Brute[]
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The Brute is a Ganado variant exclusive to the 2023 remake of Resident Evil 4. These enemies are recognised by their large, muscular bodies and the animal masks concealing their heads. There are two Brute variants, the first of which wears a mask made from the head of a cow and carries a large sledgehammer. This first variant will attack by swinging its hammer wildly, smashing through whatever obstructions are in its path and inflicting heavy damage on Leon.
The second Brute variant wears a mask made from the head of a wild boar and is only encountered on Saddler's island. It is armed with an automatic crossbow that can flaming bolts in rapid succession, cutting down Leon's health in very little time. This enemy replaces the Gatling gun Ganado from the 2005 original version of the game.
Brutes are hardy enemies, but can be killed with any of the weapons that Leon can obtain throughout the game. Of course, higher caliber weapons such as shotguns and Magnums are the most effective. Brutes can also be ambushed from behind and killed instantly with a knife.
Plaga Types[]
Listed below are the different Plaga types known to infect the Ganados.