Desmond Miles

Desmond Miles (Voiced by Nolan North^[1] and modelled after Canadian fashion model Francisco Randez) is the main protagonist of the Assassin's Creed series. He was born March 13th, 1987. He is a descendant of both Altaïr ibn La-Ahad, and Ezio Auditore da Firenze.

Desmond was born at an Assassin hideout, much like Masyaf, a modern day Assassin enclave called "The Farm"^[2], which was based in The Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. Isolated and living "off the grid", Desmond was born and raised as an Assassin. He was unable to leave this small community of thirty or so people, but desperately sought escape, as he believed that they were "just a bunch of hippies who wanted to stick it to the man." Desmond later facilitated his desired escape, claiming that he wanted to see the rest of the world. Desmond states that he has no regrets leaving his father or mother; at one point when accused of being an assassin, he responds "I'm not an Assassin…not anymore." At some time in his life, Desmond became a bartender, but lived under assumed names to protect himself. He used cash only, but was finally found by Abstergo via his fingerprint (needed for a motorcycle license).

Desmond is later put into the Animus, a machine that allows him to relive the memories of his ancestors stored in his DNA, by scientists Dr. Warren Vidic and Dr. Lucy Stillman, employees of Abstergo Corporation. They explain that they are searching the memories of Desmond's ancestors, specifically Altaïr ibn La-Ahad, for a certain piece of information, which they refuse to disclose. Without much choice, Desmond agrees to help them. Some time later, after recovering the information for which Vidic was searching, Abstergo's executives order Desmond killed; Lucy's quick thinking saves him, and she persuades Vidic to keep him alive until they know for certain that he's of no further use. Upon returning to his room, Desmond discovers that the Bleeding Effect has given him Altair's 'Eagle Vision', allowing him to discern friend from foe and read cryptic messages left on the walls and floor by Subject 16, another Animus subject.^[3]

In Assassin's Creed II, Desmond escapes from Abstergo with the help of Lucy, an undercover Assassin. Shortly afterwards, he goes into another Animus, supervised by Lucy and her team, consisting of Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane, in order to be quickly trained as an Assassin via the bleeding effect. This time, he goes into the memories of Ezio Auditore de Firenze, an ancestor from the Renaissance.

After successfully navigating Ezio's early memories (with help from Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane on the outside), Desmond is extracted from the Animus to avoid the mental degradation that Subject 16 suffered as a side-effect of the Bleeding Effect. Shortly after extraction, Desmond flashes back to one of Altaïr's memories, despite not being linked to the Animus. Here, Desmond learns of Altaïr having a lover, Maria, a Templar used as decoy by Robert de Sable in the first Assassin's Creed. As Altaïr leaves, Desmond wonders why he isn't following the Assassin; instead, he moves towards Maria, where he enters her womb, showing that Altaïr's child (and another of Desmond's ancestors) has just been conceived.

After spending more time in the Animus 2.0, Desmond begins to adjust to his newly developed skills, becoming highly agile and an expert in whatever weapons Ezio learned to use. The last segment of Ezio's memories brings an astonished Ezio (and by extension, Desmond) to a futuristic chamber underneath the Vatican, where a goddess, Minerva, addresses Desmond by name and, through Ezio, warns him of an impending cataclysm that has the potential to destroy all life on Earth. Desmond is pulled from the Animus quickly afterward, after Abstergo discover their hideout. The team escape, Desmond using the skills acquired from the bleeding effect to help fight off Abstergo's forces. Desmond enters the Animus while in transit, knowing that Ezio—and perhaps Subject 16—may have the answers they seek.^[4]

In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (the events of which are set only 2 weeks after Desmond was initially captured by Abstergo), Desmond, Lucy, Shaun and Rebecca arrive at Monteriggioni, where Villa Auditore was located. They set up a safe house in the Villa's sanctuary, and Desmond re-enters the Animus, in order to discover the location of the Apple of Eden, an artifact obtained by Ezio and one of the "Pieces of Eden". After finding the location of the Apple through the Animus, Desmond and the others learn that the Apple is hidden under the Colosseum. The assassins find a way inside an ancient Vault, where the Apple is located. He then takes the Apple and Juno takes control of his body and forces him to stab Lucy for reasons which are unclear. After Desmond passes out, he gets put back into the Animus by William Miles and an unknown man, who are assassins. The events and assignments for the assassins seem to end after this and Desmond falls into a coma.^[5]

In Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Desmond finds himself in the Black Room, a "back door" in the Animus. There, Desmond must find a specific memory that links him with Altaïr and Ezio so that he can reintegrate his shattered subconscious and awaken from his coma. In the Black Room he sees Subject 16, and often speaks with him about how to reawaken from his coma. Desmond can also hear the voices of Bill Miles (His father), Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane while he is in this state. After awakening from his coma Desmond sees Shaun, Rebecca, and Bill (His father) around him and once he sees the apple he says he knows what to do.^[6]

Ancestry

Top to bottom: Altaïr Ibn La'Ahad, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, Demond Miles

• Adam (ancestor) is part of a previous civilisation that lived on Earth.
• Eve (ancestor) is part of a previous civilisation that lived on Earth.
• Altaïr ibn-La'Ahad (ancestor) was a Syrian assassin during the Middle Ages, around the time of the Third Crusade.
• Maria Thorpe (ancestor) was a British noble who was married Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.
• Lucius (ancestor) was a member of the Assassin Order during the Roman Empire.
• Aquilus (ancestor) was the son of Lucius, and followed his father's footsteps in becoming an assassin.
• Domenico Auditore (ancestor) was the first member of the Auditore family.
• Giovanni Auditore da Firenze (ancestor) was a member of the Assassin order.
• Maria Auditore da Firenze (ancestor) was the wife of Giovanni and the mother to Ezio Auditore da Firenze.
• Ezio Auditore da Firenze (ancestor) was an Italian who took the place of his father as an assassin during the Renaissance time period, where he later became a mentor and legend to the other assassins.
• Sofia Sartor (ancestor) was the wife of Ezio.
• William "Bill" Miles (father) is Desmond's father.
• Unknown (mother) is the progenitor of Desmond who remains unknown throughout the series.
• Clay Kaczmarek (distant relative) is more commonly referred to as Subject 16, and like Desmond is a descendant of Ezio Audiore da Firenze.

References

1. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1201133/
2. ^ http://uk.ign.com/wikis/assassins-creed-revelations/Desmond_Miles / IGN profile for Desmond
3. ^ Assassin's Creed
4. ^ Assassin's Creed II
5. ^ Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
6. ^ Assassin's Creed Revelations

External Links

• Assassin's Creed UK website
• Assassin's Creed Wikia
• Assassin's Creed IGN page