Assassin’s Creed debuted over a decade ago, in 2007. Since then the series has managed to tell an array of intertwining stories throughout almost all of human history. From ancient Egypt to the present day we’ve been given many protagonists, but which one is the best of them all?
The Protagonists
Altair Ibn-La’Ahad
Altair was where it all began. He’s the architect, well, one of them anyway. After the events of Assassin’s Creed he was left to rebuild the Creed from the outside in. He formed smaller guilds that ruled themselves. These pockets would become the standard way the Creed is run for three centuries. Feats alone aren’t enough to claim the throne of greatest protagonist however.
His feats are just as impressive. He managed to overthrow multiple tyrants, completely rebuild and reform the Creed, and managed to spread the Creed farther than anyone else in the franchise. Before Ezio, the Atlantic had never been touched by their influence. While he didn’t directly go there either, due to the Creed’s renaissance under him, his kin eventually made it over.
I considered not including Ezio at all. The advantage he has is extreme. He was clearly crafted with the purpose of being the hero of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Since then, almost no one has come close to his influence or character depth.
The Kenways
The protagonists of Assassin’s Creed III and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag are related. Edward Kenway is the grandfather of Conner Kenway. Edward was a notorious pirate who would later go on to lead the British Brotherhood. His character was interesting due to the general disconnect he had to the Creed. His goal was to return home to Caroline, and he remained focused.
Conner was a master Assassin during the era of the American Revolution. His struggle with being a native and the role identity in his story was just about the only good part of his game. His father was a Templar, so not only did he struggle with his cultural identity, but with his role in the world itself. Unfortunately, his overall impact was basically non-existent. His game only serves as a way to kill off Desmond.
Bayek of Siwa
Bayek was introduced in Assassin’s Creed: Origins. As the name of the game implies, the story was about the foundation of the Creed. Bayek is regarded as the founder of the entire order. Which is an extremely hefty role for a universe such as this.
Pair that with the heart breaking revenge story over the death of his son, and you have an elite protagonist. His high standards towards duty and family, and the peaceful, selfless nature that he embodies, makes his character on a level of quality the series has rarely come near.
Kassandra & Alexios
From the latest instalment, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, comes the siblings Kassandra and Alexios. You get to pick which one you play as before the game begins, and overall the experience is the same. The game gives a lot more freedom when it comes to what kind of person you want to be, which makes comparing their personal qualities with other protagonists difficult. Whichever you choose, they are considered one of the early precursors to the Creed. Otherwise their actual impact is non-existent.
It is important to note that the novel adaption confirms that Kassandra is the canon protagonist. She recovered the Staff of Hermes and gained immortality until giving the staff to the current modern day protagonist, Layla Hassan.
The Verdict
At the end of the day, no other Assassin comes close to Ezio. He revolutionized the Assassin’s Creed, was the true spark that caused the franchise itself to become one of the biggest AAA series of our generation. He also has an incredibly in-depth story that explores his entire life. The story does so with interesting power dynamics and personal struggles. Ezio is the first character that should come to anyone’s mind when Assassin’s Creed is mentioned.
Protagonists Ranked
- Ezio Auditore
- Kassandra
- Bayek of Siwa
- Alexios
- Aya of Alexandria
- Edward Kenway
- Evie Frye
- Conner Kenway
- Jacob Frye
- Shay Cormac
- Altair
- Arno Dorian
Who do you think is the greatest Assassin’s Creed protagonist?
