The Resident Evil 4 remake has plenty of upgrades and differences when compared to the 2005 original, many of which refine and elevate an already excellent gaming experience. Other differences are more subtle, such as Ashley Graham’s appearance and personality in the 2023 version. These changes to the previously infamous side character sparked an unexpected meme known as “Mouse Ashley,” which has captivated the Resident Evil community. The meme became so popular that it actually led to the creation of a Mouse Ashley mod that some players are using for fun. But what exactly is the Mouse Ashley meme, and what are its origins?
Ashley Mouse Meme, Explained
While the 2023 version of Ashley looks similar to her 2005 counterpart, there are some key differences. In the original, her hair is brushed behind her ears, making them clearly visible. In the remake, Ashley sports more of a bob cut that covers her ears completely.
Ashley’s ears are clearly visible in the original.
For whatever reason, some players began to wonder about the status of Ashley’s ears in the remake, and it eventually got to the point that someone drew the character with large ears.
The artist, Salomoncallee on Twitter, shared the comic on March 22, 2023, which you can see below:
This comic clearly references the original version of Ashley from 2005 based on the overall design.
Then, a Twitter user by the name of Agrimmora apparently referenced the drawing in a now-viral tweet featuring a comic of Mouse Ashley.
The comic shows Ashley as a mouse who craves cheese.
“What if you booted up Resident Evil 4 remake and Ashley was just a tiny mouse, what would you do?” the artist asked on Twitter.
Once the tweet went viral, countless drawings and even videos of Mouse Ashley (Moushley) emerged.
The fan art runs the gamut, with various depictions of Moushley in lots of different situations.
Mouse Ashley became so popular that even the official Resident Evil Twitter account tweeted a mouse and cheese emoji, referencing the meme. It seems the Resident Evil community members are embracing the meme and haven’t stopped sharing their renditions of Mouse Ashley.
After the meme gained popularity, a player created a Moushley Graham mod for the Resident Evil 4 remake, bringing the joke into the game itself. While the mod doesn’t actually turn Ashley’s character model into a mouse, it does give Leon an interesting hair replacement.
The mod places a cartoon version of Moushley atop Leon’s head, with the idea that she’s controlling the game’s protagonist Ratatouille-style.
“This is Moushley Graham, she's cheesed to meet you, and she craves violence,” reads the mod’s description. “Take control of Moushley as she takes control of Leon, Ratatouille-style, and lay waste to some backwater Spanish village to rescue your human counterpart!”
We wouldn’t be surprised if someone is working on a full mouse mod for Ashley in the Resident Evil 4 remake.
The Resident Evil series is known for its absurdities and the Mouse Ashley meme seems fitting, offering some silliness to offset the game’s horrors.
