Ganado

Ganados are the main enemies of Resident Evil 4. They were originally humans who became hosts to the mind-controlling Plaga parasite.

Unlike Zombies, Ganados appear outwardly human and possess much of their intelligence and sentience, being quite capable of speaking and carry out normal day to day tasks (more complex tasks are beyond them such as hygiene) but are nonetheless utterly devoted to their master, Osmund Saddler, who is able to control the lesser Ganados, most likely with the use of high pitched sound waves issuing from his Plaga-devoted staff. Because of Las Plagas, Ganados have little, if any, fear of death or injury as can be seen by their continued attacking of an armed agent with often little more than melee weapons despite the high chance of being killed in any encounter, though some will carry shields, wear masks or wear armor to protect themselves from gunshots. Almost all Ganados carry melee weapons and if a Ganado is carrying the appropriate weapon, they will sometimes attempt to throw the weapon at their target. Ganados armed with firearms are rarely encountered however some do carry explosives.

Although marginally less durable than the Zombies, injuries which would severely injure or cripple a normal human do little more than annoy a Ganado due to their super-humanly high pain tolerance. They are seen to be strong enough to throw an adult man over their head with ease, Ganados are also somewhat tactically aware and will attempt to surround the player and even try to ambush or flank the player by creeping around cover to attack from behind. All Gandos carry a Plaga organism with them and when a Ganado is killed, a Plaga may manifest from their neck, controlling the host body directly until it itself is killed.

There are three main types of Ganados found in the game, all members of Los Illuminados cult sworn to Osmund Saddler. These are in order of appearance: the Villagers, the monk-like Cultists and the Combatants of Saddler's private militia. Plaga-infected humans also appear in the Resident Evil: Damnation film, where they closely resemble Majini.

Villagers
The Villagers were once peaceful residents of an unnamed rural community in Spain until they were exposed to Las Plagas. Once infected, they became ruthless savages under Saddler's direct control. They continue to carry out their farming duties, although their living conditions have deteriorated significantly.

The Villagers' arsenal is comprised mostly of farming tools and household items including pitchforks, hatchets, sickles, knives, torches, dynamite and chainsaws. As befitting by their presence early in the game, they are the easiest Ganados to face in combat, though in some levels they can attack in great numbers. The children of the villagers died after they were injected with the Plaga parasites. Incidentally, the villagers' language is particularly foul-mouthed compared to the other Ganados, albeit still spoken in Spanish.

Cultists
The Cultists are the most devoted members of the Los Illuminados cult and are based in Ramon Salazar's castle. They are dressed in clerical robes and habits bearing the cult's insignia. Black is worn by the regular cultists, with purple and red worn by the high-ranking members, who often wear goat-skull masks or cult amulets around their necks. The cultists are better equipped than the villagers, carrying a variety of medieval armaments such as scythes, flails and crossbows. Cultists with RPG-7's and dynamite sometimes appear as well and some cultists carry heavy wooden shields or wear iron masks to protect themselves from gunfire.