Nemesis, real name Joe Smith, is the secondary protagonist of the 2022 film Samaritan. He was once a supervillain who terrorized Granite City, battling his brother Samaritan, but abandoned his life of villainy after their final battle, which led to his brother's death, eventually saving Granite City from a new threat.

In the context of the Resident Evil universe, Nemesis is undeniably a "bad guy"—specifically a "biological weapon of mass destruction." Created by the Umbrella Corporation, Nemesis is a specialized Tyrant model designed with superior intelligence to hunt down and eliminate S.T.A.R.S. members. Unlike a mindless zombie, he is a calculated assassin. However, in 2026 pop-culture analysis, some fans argue he is a "tragic figure" because he is a victim of extreme genetic torture and has no free will; he is essentially a slave to his programming. In Greek mythology, however, Nemesis was the goddess of divine retribution—a "gray" character who punished those with "hubris" (excessive pride). In both cases, whether as a relentless stalker or a mythological force, Nemesis represents an inescapable consequence, though the video game version is strictly the terrifying antagonist of Jill Valentine’s nightmare.