Assassin’s Creed is a series that has taken us to many different times and places containing many faces and stories throughout history. Of course, the games themselves are fictional but the settings and events they are based around are mostly real. To celebrate the release Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, we’ll take a look at those whose stories have already taken us through some of history’s most known events.
NB: The entries in this list will consist of main-game historically based characters only.
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad
Altaїr – The man who started it all. Altaїr reached the rank of “Master Assassin” as a member of the Levantine Brotherhood of Assassins during the Third Crusade at the young age of just 24 which was an accomplishment unheard of throughout the order. First introducing us to the assassin’s trademark weapon (The Hidden Blade), the free-running parkour style of travel, the Pieces of Eden and the Assassin’s sworn enemies The Templar Order which are prevalent through all (or most, in the case of the former) of the games; we first meet Altaїr attempting, and failing, to retrieve an Apple of Eden from the Templar Grandmaster: Robert de Sablé. He is subsequently stripped of his status and demoted to Novice for his failings. Through the rest of Assassin’s Creed you journey with Altaїr on his path to redemption and his rise to eventually become the Mentor of the Order of Assassins.
Appears in: Assassin’s Creed, AC: Altaїr’s Chronicles, AC: Bloodlines, Assassin’s Creed II, AC: Brotherhood (flashbacks only), AC: Revelations, Assassin’s Creed III, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (appears in video)
Ezio Auditore da Firenze
Perhaps the most recognisable Assassin in the entire franchise, Ezio’s story is told through multiple entries to the series beginning with discovering his heritage as an Assassin following the hanging of his father and two brothers in Assassin’s Creed II at just 17 years old. Living during the renaissance in Italy, Ezio eventually rose to the rank of Mentor in the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins and introduced us to the Dual Hidden Blades which quickly became a trademark of his. Also starring in Brotherhood and Revelations, Ezio has been the only one so far to have multiple main games with him as the main character and you can relive the entire journey with the aptly named The Ezio Collection.
Appears in: Assassin’s Creed II, Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery, AC: Brotherhood, AC: Revelations, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (appears in video), AC Chronicles: China (appears in flashbacks), AC: Odyssey (appears in a vision)
Connor Kenway / Ratonhnhaké:ton
Ratonhnhaké:ton (yes, that’s his name) is the primary focus of Assassin’s Creed III which is set during the American Revolution. Born to a Native American woman and British Templar Haytham Kenway (yes, THOSE Templars), he eventually adopted the name “Connor” after joining the Assassin Brotherhood as a pseudonym as it was more Western-sounding. In his hunt for the Templars he aided the Patriot movement whose forces were helmed by George Washington. Ratonhnhaké:ton’s story takes us up and down the frontier as he unwittingly becomes an important part of the American Revolution whilst simultaneously rebuilding the Colonial Assassin Order.
Appears in: Assassin’s Creed III, Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (mentioned only)
Edward Kenway
A Welsh-born British privateer-turned-pirate; Edward James Kenway eventually joined the British and West Indies Brotherhoods of Assassins during the Golden Age of Piracy. His Surname should already be familiar to those who have read the previous entry in this list and yes they are related! Edward is the father of Haytham Kenway and grandfather to Ratonhnhaké:ton. Edward spent most of his life on the sea asd either a privateer or pirate; eventually becoming mixed up in the conflict between Assassins and Templars until he sided with the former once he realised his quest for riches and glory had pushed away everyone he ever cared about. He later returns to England and joins the Brotherhood there eventually obtaining the rank of Master Assassin and becoming its leader.
Appears in: Assassin’s Creed III (mentioned only), Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Assassin’s Creed: Rogue (indirectly mentioned), Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate (mentioned only), Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (appears in Vision)
Shay Patrick Cormac
Starring in Assassin’s Creed: Rogue Shay Cormac was an assassin-turned-templar and member of the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order During the 18th Century. Shay is the first templar main protagonist in the franchise. He switched sides after he inadvertently causes a massive earthquake in Lisbon whilst exploring a precursor ruin. He kills many assassins of the order in that region whilst active there. Because of this, Cormac is one of the reasons the Order is in such a disarray in Assassin’s Creed III. Shay also kills a notable assassin later in life by the name of Charles Dorian which brings us nicely to our next entry.
Appears in: AC Rogue
Arno Victor Dorian
Dorian was a member of the French Brotherhood and was a Master Assassin during the French Revolution. Arno’s father was murdered by the Templar Shay Cormac Causing him to become a ward of François de la Serre; Grand Master of the French Rite of the Templar Order. Eventually de la Serre was murdered by another member of the Templars but Arno was framed for his murder. Whilst imprisoned, Arno met Master Assassin Pierre Bellec who told Arno of his assassin heritage. This helped convince Arno to join the Brotherhood in the hopes he could avenge his father and adopted father.
Appears in: AC: Rogue (as a child), AC: Unity
Evie and Jacob Frye
Jacob and Evie Frye were members of the British Brotherhood of Assassins during the Industrial Revolution in London. Initially from Crawley, the twins head to London to help the local leader loosen the templar’s grip on the city. Jacob wishes to accomplish this by forming a gang known as The Rooks to oppose the templar-controlled gang The Blighters. Evie wishes to focus on locating the Pieces of Eden. Jacob himself is more of a brawler than a typical stealthy assassin and completing missions as him will usually be done this way. Evie, however, is based more on typical Assassin’s Creed gameplay involving stealth and careful planning to get the job done. Luckily, you are able to switch between the two on the fly in all but a few situations.
Appears In: AC: Syndicate, AC: Odyssey (mentioned only – Evie appears as a simulated Lieutenant)
Bayek of Siwa
Assassin’s Creed: Origins has us join Bayek on his journey through Egypt during the Alexandrine Civil War. He eventually establishes the Hidden Ones to combat the proto-templar organisation The Order of the Ancients. His journey is kick-started when his son, Khemu, is murdered by the order due to Bayek and his wife, Aya, refusing to open the Siwa Vault for them. Grief-stricken, decides to kill each member of the order who was responsible for the death of his son. In doing so learns their reach is far greater than he anticipated. In creating the Hidden Ones, Bayek also creates the first draft of the Assassin’s creed and the rest is history!
Appears in: AC: Origins, AC: Odyssey (simulated Lieutenant).
Kassandra
Assassin’s creed: Odyssey has us follow the Misthios Kassandra. Known as Eagle Bearer, she is a Mercenary who opposed The Cult of Kosmos and The Order of the Ancients. Kassandra is the older sister of Alexios (who is also playable in the game), and granddaughter of Leonidas I. Throughout Odyssey, Kassandra learns Alexios is the member of the Cult of Kosmos known as Deimos. He joins them after surviving being thrown off a mountain as a child following the cult’s false prophecy. The cult then took him and forced him to endure a torturous childhood to mold him into a stone-cold killer.
Appears in: AC: Odyssey
So there we have it, a quick rundown of the ones who came before our new Viking warrior Eivor. What adventures will they take us on in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla?
For more information on Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Click Here
Want to check a review of Valhalla? Click Here
For AC related cosplay content Click Here
Want to see how the original plays today? Click Here
For a look at overlooked but equally important handheld games in the series, Click Here
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla was released on 10 November 2020 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Stadia, with a PlayStation 5 version being released on the 12th or 19th, depending on the region.
