History Fridge / AssassinsCreedI

* The Apple of Eden is a gigantic (and fairly {{anvilicious}}) metaphor for information control. Anyone who touches it sees visions of the past, the present, and the future -- the ''truth''. But by showing you the truth, it turns you into a pawn, controlling you. Even better: those with some power over it can make illusions appear, and control other people -- in other words, they mold the truth to their liking and benefit, and their victims just go along with it. This is the whole reason why the assassins' creed is "Nothing is true": they know that by admitting truth as something unchangeable, they allow themselves to be controlled by that truth.

* Why does Maria tell Altaïr about Robert De Sable's true mission and location? It sounds like a VillainBall at first blush because that is what enables Altaïr to find him and kill him. It's a ''second'' trap. Obviously Altaïr would rush there as soon as possible to prevent the Crusader+Saracen alliance and forgo stealth, which attracts more attention to him than normal. Robert De Sable can plant ambushes along the road that Altaïr would have to travel. Even if Altaïr successfully reaches King Richard, Robert can just say, "he's just a lying Assassin" and kill Altaïr then and there.

* Why does Maria tell Altaïr about Robert De Sable's true mission and location? It sounds like a VillainBall at first blush because that is what enables Altaïr to find him and kill him. It's a ''second'' trap. Obviously Altaïr would rush there as soon as possible to prevent the Crusader+Saracen alliance and forgo stealth, which attracts more attention to him than normal. Robert De Sable can plant ambushes along the road that Altaïr would have to travel. Even if Altaïr successfully reaches King Richard, Robert can just say, "he's just a lying Assassin" and kill Altaïr then and there.

* After Robert throws Altair out of Solomon's Temple, Malik somehow manages to escape with the Apple, despite the fact he's outnumbered, his brother was killed, his only escape is climbing back the tunnel he came in through and his arm was cut open. [[FridgeLogic How did he do it?]] [[spoiler: The Apple did it for him. If the Apple is sentient and can influence others, it can make people act as it wants without them even knowing or realizing it, ever. It's entirely possible it controlled Robert to let Malik escape, but killed Kadar and injured Malik's arm([[NightmareFuel Or even worse, make Malik CUT HIS OWN ARM OPEN WITHOUT REALIZING IT]]), just to make it look like Malik escaped all by himself, as well as brainwash both Robert and Al Mualim to make Altair act as Juno wanted him to. [[ParanoiaFuel The implications]] [[BrownNote don't]] [[AwfulTruth stop]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone here]]. It's not made clear to what extent it can manipulate the human mind, but if it can program minds to act as it wants just from being close to it, then it made Altaïr its pawn for the rest of his days. If it can create illusions and manipulate one's mind and perception of reality, ''how much of Altair's memories seen by Desmond are real?! Or Ezio's?! Or Edward's, Haytham's or Connor's?!?!'' For all we know, they could have done horrible things under the Apple's influence that they don't remember! Since there are numerous Pieces of Edens that have come in contact with not just Assassins and Templars, but Kings, Popes, Generals and Prophets (i.e. Cain and Abel, Moses, Jesus, Joah of Ark, Alexander The Great, Myth/KingArthur, Attila The Hun, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington (and we get to see what the Apple does to him, just think about that), then not just the Assassin vs. Templar war, but ALL OF HUMANITY'S BLOODY HISTORY, has been under Juno's control! You know the Templars you killed that were AssholeVictim?! Well, What if they WEREN'T?! Rodrigo Borgia was Cardinal for years, and the Papal Staff was a Piece of Eden that could have very well made him become the monster he is, the same goes for Cesare! Charles Lee was a great guy, but he suddenly becomes a PoliticallyIncorrectVillain after spending time with Haytham, who held the Grand Temple Key with him for years and TookALevelInJerkass during the timeskip?! That means that, through all the games, the Assassin has been a brainwashed puppet, killing people who themselves were turned into brainwashed puppets of an AbusivePrecursor. GoneMadFromTheRevelation already?!]]

* Al Mualim spends quite a bit of time explaining to Altaïr about how he needs to "pierce the illusion" and how Assassins are trained to be highly perceptive, and how their creed is intended to make them wise and see the truth in all things. The real significance of this escaped this troper until he realized that Al Mualim was specifically talking about Eagle Vision, and how Altaïr uses Eagle Vision to ''literally'' pierce the illusions created by the Piece of Eden. - @/UnknownTroper
* We tropers have turned Altaïr into a MemeticBadass, and while most of that is based on the game's attempt at justifying RegeneratingHealth, not all of it is. To wit, the synch bar's length increases as Desmond grows closer to Altaïr, by doing things Altaïr remembers doing. However, the synch bar does not increase when Desmond kills one of the sixty [[EliteMooks Templars]]. He can kill every Templar in the game without increasing the synch bar in the slightest. In other words, Altaïr may have killed every single Templar in the Holy Land, and ''he doesn't even remember it''. [[ButForMeItWasTuesday Just another day at the office]]. (Of course, it could also be FridgeHorror if the senility that he showed during his final days in ''Revelations'' took those memories away).
** Even if Altair forgot those memories, they would still be stored in his DNA.

** You also see a hint of this at the very very very beginning of the game, when they try to drop Desmond at the last memory and it starts rejecting him. Altair is clearly in that garden and a group of (faceless) maidens are flocking around him. We're witnessing Altaïr's own indoctrination. Apparently the Animus pushed us to a much further back memory than we first anticipated.
*** This legend is actually mentioned in-game, and makes it clear that it's completely false.
*** Besides the fact that the farther back the Animus boots you, the ''clearer'' a memory would become.
* For a while, Altair voice bugged me. In the first game he's the only character in the animus who doesn't have an appropriate accent. At first I thought it was Desmond's voice, but it's not, it's a completely different voice actor. Why bother getting an American accent for Altair when everything else was made as historically accurate as possible? Then it hit me: it's Desmond's voice AS HE IMAGINES IT SOUNDS. This troper has a mild speech impediment and can confirm that your own voice sounds a lot different in your head then it does in real life, I always get a shock when I listen to recordings of myself speaking. To Desmond, his voice sounds more badass than it actually is, so when in the animus, he naturally has a cooler sounding voice.

* Acre seems to be the worst off out of all the cities you visit, especially its poor district. Whole buildings have been damaged or completely destroyed. It is also the only city where you see dead bodies that were not killed by Altaïr. This was probably deliberate in order to demonstrate how the Muslim world was more advanced than the Christian world at the time and so would most likely have better sanitation.
** It's much more likely to be damage resulting from the siege of Acre (in-game dialogue suggests that the game takes place in August 1191). Look at the approach to the city and you can see the remnants of siege machines surrounding it. The Poor district is nearest the gates, hence all the wrecked buildings that have had trebuchet boulders thrown through them. The devastation's probably caused by war, rather than poor sanitation (not sure that causes house to collapse!)

* A bit of FridgeHorror too. We are revealed in the ending that [[spoiler: Al Mualim is a Templar, and has apparently been for some time]], but we are given no further explanation. There's no FreudianExcuse, no DarkAndTroubledPast, not even a recollection of when and how [[spoiler: Al Mualim joined the Templars]]. It's just something Robert says and it's confirmed when Altaïr goes back to Masyaf. However, for those who played ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations'' and ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'', may realize the truth: [[spoiler: Al Mualim was being controlled by Juno through the Apple. The Pieces of Eden are sentient, and anyone who comes in contact with them is also put under their control, however unconsciously. Al Mualim claimed the Apple couldn't control Altaïr, but that's because Juno needed him to continue her plan. Now, why Robert de Sable would claim Al Mualim is a Templar? Because he might have not touched the Apple, but he was in Solomon's Temple when Malik took it (which, by the way, is never explained HOW he escaped, but more of that below); it's entirely possible the Apple programmed Robert to tell it to Altair as his FamousLastWords, while it brainwashed Al Mualim to become what it wanted him to be. So, in reality, Altair was Juno's UnwittingPawn, and he killed his innocent mentor who was BrainwashedAndCrazy. Then Mualim goads Altair to destroy the Apple; Altair says he can't, to which Al Mualim ominously replies before dying "Yes you can, Altaïr. But you won't". He can't destroy the Apple ''because it now controls HIM''!]]
*** After Robert throws Altair out of Solomon's Temple, Malik somehow manages to escape with the Apple, despite the fact he's outnumbered, his brother was killed, his only escape is climbing back the tunnel he came in through and his arm was cut open. [[FridgeLogic How did he do it?]] [[spoiler: The Apple did it for him. If the Apple is sentient and can influence others, it can make people act as it wants without them even knowing or realizing it, ever. It's entirely possible it controlled Robert to let Malik escape, but kill Kadar and injure Malik's arm([[NightmareFuel Or even worse, make Malik CUT HIS OWN ARM OPEN WITHOUT REALIZING IT]]), just to make it look like Malik escaped all by himself, as well as brainwash both Robert and Al Mualim to make Altair act as Juno wanted him to. [[ParanoiaFuel The implications]] [[BrownNote don't]] [[AwfulTruth stop]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone here]]. It's not made clear to what extent it can manipulate human mind, but if it can program minds to act as it wants just from being close to it, then it made Altaïr its pawn for the rest of his days. If it can create illusions and manipulate one's mind and perception of reality, ''how much of Altair's memories seen by Desmond are real?! Or Ezio's?! Or Edward's, Haytham's or Connor's?!?!'' For all we know, they could have done horrible Altair under the Apple's influence that they don't remember! And since there are numerous Pieces of Edens that have come in contact with not just Assassins and Templars, but Kings, Popes, Generals and Prophets (i.e. Cain and Abel, Moses, Jesus, Joah of Ark, Alexander The Great, Myth/KingArthur, Attila The Hun, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington (and we get to see what the Apple does to him, just think about that), then not just the Assassin vs. Templar war, but ALL OF HUMANITY'S BLOODY HISTORY, has been under Juno's control! You know the Templars you killed that were AssholeVictim?! Well, What if they WEREN'T?! Rodrigo Borgia was Cardinal for years, and the Papal Staff was a Piece of Eden that could have very well made him become the monster he is, the same goes for Cesare! Charles Lee was a great guy, but he suddenly becomes a PoliticallyIncorrectVillain after spending time with Haytham, who held the Grand Temple Key with him for years and TookALevelInJerkass during the timeskip?! That means that, through all the game, you've been a brainwashed puppet, killing people who themselves were turned into brainwashed puppets of an AbusivePrecursor. GoneMadFromTheRevelation already?!]]
* Tropers often compare the Abstergo Animus to "Baby". Abstergo completely ignores backstory and most of the character development, everything seems completely sterile and stern, just like Abstergo itself. "Baby" has everything the other lacks. Also, the Templars Altaïr kills in the first game all seem to be doing great things in the way they explain themselves and Altaïr seems to have misunderstood everything. Every Templar is like that, with the exception of Majd Addin. His only objective was killing people and gaining more power. Now, if we think this through it could be the Abstergo Animus manipulated Desmond's genetic memory somehow to make the Templars seem like better people than they really were. Except Majd Addin, who did not get that makeover. In other words, even the Templars thought he was an ass.

* Al Mualim spends quite a bit of time in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI'' explaining to Altaïr about how he needs to "pierce the illusion" and how Assassins are trained to be highly perceptive, and how their creed is intended to make them wise and see the truth in all things. The real significance of this escaped this troper until he realized that Al Mualim was specifically talking about Eagle Vision, and how Altaïr uses Eagle Vision to ''literally'' pierce the illusions created by the Piece of Eden. - @/UnknownTroper

* A bit of FridgeHorror too. We are revealed in the ending that [[spoiler: Al Mualim is a Templar, and has apparently been for some time]], but we are given no further explanation. There's no FreudianExcuse, no DarkAndTroubledPast, not even a recollection of when and how [[spoiler: Al Mualim joined the Templars]]. It's just something Robert says and it's confirmed when Altaïr goes back to Masyaf. However, for those who played AssassinsCreedRevelations and AssassinsCreedIII, may realize the truth: [[spoiler: Al Mualim was being controlled by Juno through the Apple. The Pieces of Eden are sentient, and anyone who comes in contact with them is also put under their control, however unconsciously. Al Mualim claimed the Apple couldn't control Altaïr, but that's because Juno needed him to continue her plan. Now, why Robert de Sable would claim Al Mualim is a Templar? Because he might have not touched the Apple, but he was in Solomon's Temple when Malik took it (which, by the way, is never explained HOW he escaped, but more of that below); it's entirely possible the Apple programmed Robert to tell it to Altair as his FamousLastWords, while it brainwashed Al Mualim to become what it wanted him to be. So, in reality, Altair was Juno's UnwittingPawn, and he killed his innocent mentor who was BrainwashedAndCrazy. Then Mualim goads Altair to destroy the Apple; Altair says he can't, to which Al Mualim ominously replies before dying "Yes you can, Altaïr. But you won't". He can't destroy the Apple ''because it now controls HIM''!]]

*** After Robert throws Altair out of Solomon's Temple, Malik somehow manages to escape with the Apple, despite the fact he's outnumbered, his brother was killed, his only escape is climbing back the tunnel he came in through and his arm was cut open. [[FridgeLogic How did he do it?]] [[spoiler: The Apple did it for him. If the Apple is sentient and can influence others, it can make people act as it wants without them even knowing or realizing it, ever. It's entirely possible it controlled Robert to let Malik escape, but kill Kadar and injure Malik's arm([[NightmareFuel Or even worse, make Malik CUT HIS OWN ARM OPEN WITHOUT REALIZING IT]]), just to make it look like Malik escaped all by himself, as well as brainwash both Robert and Al Mualim to make Altair act as Juno wanted him to. [[ParanoiaFuel The implications]] [[BrownNote don't]] [[AwfulTruth stop]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone here]]. It's not made clear to what extent it can manipulate human mind, but if it can program minds to act as it wants just from being close to it, then it made Altaïr its pawn for the rest of his days. If it can create illusions and manipulate one's mind and perception of reality, ''how much of Altair's memories seen by Desmond are real?! Or Ezio's?! Or Edward's, Haytham's or Connor's?!?!'' For all we know, they could have done horrible Altair under the Apple's influence that they don't remember! And since there are numerous Pieces of Edens that have come in contact with not just Assassins and Templars, but Kings, Popes, Generals and Prophets (i.e. Cain and Abel, Moses, Jesus, Joah of Ark, Alexander The Great, KingArthur, Attila The Hun, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington (and we get to see what the Apple does to him, just think about that), then not just the Assassin vs. Templar war, but ALL OF HUMANITY'S BLOODY HISTORY, has been under Juno's control! You know the Templars you killed that were AssholeVictim?! Well, What if they WEREN'T?! Rodrigo Borgia was Cardinal for years, and the Papal Staff was a Piece of Eden that could have very well made him become the monster he is, the same goes for Cesare! Charles Lee was a great guy, but he suddenly becomes a PoliticallyIncorrectVillain after spending time with Haytham, who held the Grand Temple Key with him for years and TookALevelInJerkass during the timeskip?! That means that, through all the game, you've been a brainwashed puppet, killing people who themselves were turned into brainwashed puppets of an AbusivePrecursor. GoneMadFromTheRevelation already?!]]

* Tropers often compare the Abstergo Animus to "Baby". Abstergo completely ignores backstory and most of the character development, everything seems completely sterile and stern, just like Abstergo itself. "Baby" has everything the other lacks. Also, the Templars Altaïr kills in the first game all seem to be doing great things in the way they explain themselves and Altaïr seems to have misunderstood everything. Every Templar is like that, with the exception of [[CompleteMonster Majd Addin]]. His only objective was killing people and gaining more power. Now, if we think this through it could be the Abstergo Animus manipulated Desmond's genetic memory somehow to make the Templars seem like better people than they really were. Except Majd Addin, who did not get that makeover. In other words, even the Templars thought he was an ass.

* Al Mualim spends quite a bit of time in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI'' explaining to Altair about how he needs to "pierce the illusion" and how Assassins are trained to be highly perceptive, and how their creed is intended to make them wise and see the truth in all things. The real significance of this escaped this troper until he realized that Al Mualim was specifically talking about Eagle Vision, and how Altair uses Eagle Vision to ''literally'' pierce the illusions created by the Piece of Eden. - @/UnknownTroper
* We tropers have turned Altair into a MemeticBadass, and while most of that is based on the game's attempt at justifying RegeneratingHealth, not all of it is. To wit, the synch bar's length increases as Desmond grows closer to Altair, by doing things Altair remembers doing. However, the synch bar does not increase when Desmond kills one of the sixty [[EliteMooks Templars]]. He can kill every Templar in the game without increasing the synch bar in the slightest. In other words, Altair may have killed every single Templar in the Holy Land, and ''he doesn't even remember it''. [[ButForMeItWasTuesday Just another day at the office]]. (Of course, it could also be FridgeHorror if the senility that he showed during his final days in ''Revelations'' took those memories away).

** You also see a hint of this at the very very very beginning of the game, when they try to drop Desmond at the last memory and it starts rejecting him. Altair is clearly in that garden and a group of (faceless) maidens are flocking around him. We're witnessing Altair's own indoctrination. Apparently the Animus pushed us to a much further back memory than we first anticipated.

* For a while, Altair's voice bugged me. In the first game he's the only character in the animus who doesn't have an appropriate accent. At first I thought it was Desmond's voice, but it's not, it's a completely different voice actor. Why bother getting an American accent for Altair when everything else was made as historically accurate as possible? Then it hit me: it's Desmond's voice AS HE IMAGINES IT SOUNDS. This troper has a mild speech impediment and can confirm that your own voice sounds a lot different in your head then it does in real life, I always get a shock when I listen to recordings of myself speaking. To Desmond, his voice sounds more badass than it actually is, so when in the animus, he naturally has a cooler sounding voice.

* Acre seems to be the worst off out of all the cities you visit, especially its poor district. Whole buildings have been damaged or completely destroyed. It is also the only city where you see dead bodies that were not killed by Altair. This was probably deliberate in order to demonstrate how the Muslim world was more advanced than the Christian world at the time and so would most likely have better sanitation.

* If you take too long in the battle against Al Mualim, he'll use an unvoidable attack to blind you. When this happens, you automatically begin to desynchronize. If that's the case, then that means Altair never got blinded. Curb-stomping Al Mualim with a counter from the hidden blade is what actually happened!

* A bit of FridgeHorror too. We are revealed in the ending that [[spoiler: Al Mualim is a Templar, and has apparently been for some time]], but we are given no further explanation. There's no FreudianExcuse, no DarkAndTroubledPast, not even a recollection of when and how [[spoiler: Al Mualim joined the Templars]]. It's just something Robert says and it's confirmed when Altair goes back to Masyaf. However, for those who played AssassinsCreedRevelations and AssassinsCreedIII, may realize the truth: [[spoiler: Al Mualim was being controlled by Juno through the Apple. The Pieces of Eden are sentient, and anyone who comes in contact with them is also put under their control, however unconsciously. Al Mualim claimed the Apple couldn't control Altair, but that's because Juno needed him to continue her plan. Now, why Robert de Sable would claim Al Mualim is a Templar? Because he might have not touched the Apple, but he was in Solomon's Temple when Malik took it(Which, by the way, is never explained HOW he escaped, but more of that below); it's entirely possible the Apple programmed Robert to tell it to Altair as his FamousLastWords, while it brainwashed Al Mualim to become what it wanted him to be. So, in reality, Altair was Juno's UnwittingPawn, and he killed his innocent mentor who was BrainwashedAndCrazy. Then Mualim goads Altair to destroy the Apple; Altair says he can't, to which Al Mualim ominously replies before dying "Yes you can, Altair. But you won't". He can't destroy the Apple ''because it now controls HIM''!]]
*** After Robert throws Altair out of Solomon's Temple, Malik somehow manages to escape with the Apple, despite the fact he's outnumbered, his brother was killed, his only escape is climbing back the tunnel he came in through and his arm was cut open. [[FridgeLogic How did he do it?]] [[spoiler: The Apple did it for him. If the Apple is sentient and can influence others, it can make people act as it wants without them even knowing or realizing it, ever. It's entirely possible it controlled Robert to let Malik escape, but kill Kadar and injure Malik's arm([[NightmareFuel Or even worse, make Malik CUT HIS OWN ARM OPEN WITHOUT REALIZING IT]]), just to make it look like Malik escaped all by himself, as well as brainwash both Robert and Al Mualim to make Altair act as Juno wanted him to. [[ParanoiaFuel The implications]] [[BrownNote don't]] [[AwfulTruth stop]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone here]]. It's not made clear to what extent it can manipulate human mind, but if it can program minds to act as it wants just from being close to it, then it made Altair its pawn for the rest of his days. If it can create illusions and manipulate one's mind and perception of reality, ''how much of Altair's memories seen by Desmond are real?! Or Ezio's?! Or Edward's, Haytham's or Connor's?!?!'' For all we know, they could have done horrible things under the Apple's influence that they don't remember! And since there are numerous Pieces of Edens that have come in contact with not just Assassins and Templars, but Kings, Popes, Generals and Prophets(i.e. Cain and Abel, Moses, Jesus, Joah of Ark, Alexander The Great, KingArthur, Attila The Hun, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington(And we get to see what the Apple does to him. Think about that.), then not just the Assassin vs. Templar war, but ALL OF HUMANITY'S BLOODY HISTORY, has been under Juno's control! You know the Templars you killed that were AssholeVictim?! Well, What if they WEREN'T?! Rodrigo Borgia was Cardinal for years, and the Papal Staff was a Piece of Eden that could have very well made him become the monster he is, the same goes for Cesare! Charles Lee was a great guy, but he suddenly becomes a PoliticallyIncorrectVillain after spending time with Haytham, who held the Grand Temple Key with him for years and TookALevelInJerkass during the timeskip?! That means that, through all the game, you've been a brainwashed puppet, killing people who themselves were turned into brainwashed puppets of an AbusivePrecursor. GoneMadFromTheRevelation already?!]]

* There is an unflattering legend about the real Assassin Order that says that the members of the order indocrinated promissing young men into becoming assassins by taking them to a beautiful garden while they were under the effects of hallucinogenic drugs and then telling them that what they had just witnessed was Paradise itself, and that they could go live there one day if they did exactly what their mentors told them to. Apparently, that was the source of their suicidal dedication to the order. In-game, behind Masyaf castle there is a beautiful garden, which is also where the final boss fight takes place.

*** After Robert throws Altair out of Solomon's Temple, Malik somehow manages to escape with the Apple, despite the fact he's outnumbered, his brother was killed, his only escape is climbing back the tunnel he came in through and his arm was cut open. [[FridgeLogic How did he do it?]] [[spoiler: The Apple did it for him. If the Apple is sentient and can influence others, it can make people act as it wants without them even knowing or realizing it, ever. It's entirely possible it controlled Robert to let Malik escape, but kill Kadar and injure Malik's arm([[NightmareFuel Or even worse, make Malik CUT HIS OWN ARM OPEN WITHOUT REALIZING IT]]), just to make it look like Malik escaped all by himself, as well as brainwash both Robert and Al Mualim to make Altair act as Juno wanted him to. [[ParanoiaFuel The implications]] [[BrownNote don't]] [[AwfulTruth stop]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone here]]. It's not made clear to what extent it can manipulate human mind, but if it can program minds to act as it wants just from being close to it, then it made Altair its pawn for the rest of his days. If it can create illusions and manipulate one's mind and perception of reality, ''how much of Altair's memories seen by Desmond are real?! Or Ezio's?! Or Edward's, Haytham's or Connor's?!?!'' For all we know, they could have done horrible things under the Apple's influence that they don't remember! And since there are numerous Pieces of Edens that have come in contact with not just Assassins and Templars, but Kings, Popes, Generals and Prophets(i.e. Cain and Abel, Moses, Jesus, Joah of Ark, Alexander The Great, KingArthur, Attila The Hun, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington(And we get to see what the Apple does to him. Think about that.), then not just the Assassin vs. Templar war, but ALL OF HUMANITY'S BLOODY HISTORY, has been under Juno's control! You know the Templars you killed that were AssholeVictim?! Well, What if they WEREN'T?! Rodrigo Borgia was Cardinal for years, and the Papal Staff was a Piece of Eden that could have very well made him become the monster he is, the same goes for Cesare! Charles Lee was a great guy, but he suddenly becomes a PoliticallyIncorrectVillain after spending time with Haytham, who held the Grand Temple Key with him for years and TookALevelInJerkass during the timeskip?! That means that, through all the game, you've been a brainwashed puppet, killing people who themselves were turned into brainwashed puppets of an AbusivePrecursor. GoneMadFromTheRevelation already?!]]

* A bit of FridgeHorror too. We are revealed in the ending that [[spoiler: Al Mualim is a Templar, and has apparently been for some time]], but we are given no further explanation. There's no FreudianExcuse, no DarkAndTroubledPast, not even a recollection of when and how [[spoiler: Al Mualim joined the Templars]]. It's just something Robert says and it's confirmed when Altair goes back to Masyaf. However, for those who played AssassinsCreedRevelations and AssassinsCreedIII, may realize the truth: [[spoiler: Al Mualim was being controlled by Juno through the Apple. The Pieces of Eden are sentient, and anyone who comes in contact with them is also put under their control, however unconsciously. Al Mualim claimed the Apple couldn't control Altair, but that's because Juno needed him to continue her plan. Now, why Robert de Sable would claim Al Mualim is a Templar? Because he might have not touched the Apple, but he was in Solomon's Temple when Malik took it(Which, by the way, is never explained HOW he escaped, but more of that below); it's entirely possible the Apple programmed Robert to tell it to Altair as his FamousLastWords, while it brainwashed Al Mualim to become what it wanted him to be. So, in reality, Altair was Juno's UnwittingPawn, and he killed his innocent mentor who was BrainwashedAndCrazy.]]
*** After Robert throws Altair out of Solomon's Temple, Malik somehow manages to escape with the Apple, despite the fact he's outnumbered, his brother was killed and his arm was cut open. How did he do it? [[spoiler: The Apple did it for him. If the Apple is sentient and can influence others, it can make people act as it wants without them even knowing or realizing it, ever. It's entirely possible it controlled Robert to let Malik escape, but kill Kadar and injure Malik's arm([[NightmareFuel Or even worse, make Malik CUT HIS OWN ARM OPEN WITHOUT REALIZING IT]]), just to make it look like Malik escaped all by himself, as well as brainwash both Robert and Al Mualim to make Altair act as Juno wanted him to. [[ParanoiaFuel The implications]] [[BrownNote don't]] [[AwfulTruth stop]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone here]]. It's not made clear to what extent it can manipulate human mind, but if it can program minds to act as it wants just from being close to it, then it made Altair its pawn for the rest of his days. If it can create illusions and manipulate one's mind and perception of reality, ''how much of Altair's memories seen by Desmond are real?! Or Ezio's?! Or Edward's, Haytham's or Connor's?!?!'' For all we know, they could have done horrible things under the Apple's influence that they don't remember! And since there are numerous Pieces of Edens that have come in contact with not just Assassins and Templars, but Kings, Popes, Generals and Prophets(i.e. Cain and Abel, Moses, Jesus, Joah of Ark, Alexander The Great, KingArthur, Attila The Hun, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington(And we get to see what the Apple does to him. Think about that.), then not just the Assassin vs. Templar war, but ALL OF HUMANITY'S BLOODY HISTORY, has been under Juno's control! You know the Templars you killed that were AssholeVictim?! Well, What if they WEREN'T?! Rodrigo Borgia was Cardinal for years, and the Papal Staff was a Piece of Eden that could have very well made him become the monster he is, the same goes for Cesare! Charles Lee was a great guy, but he suddenly becomes a PoliticallyIncorrectVillain after spending time with Haytham, who held the Grand Temple Key with him for years and TookALevelInJerkass during the timeskip?! That means that, through all the game, you've been a brainwashed puppet, killing people who themselves were turned into brainwashed puppets of an AbusivePrecursor. GoneMadFromTheRevelation already?!]]

*** After Robert throws Altair out of Solomon's Temple, Malik somehow manages to escape with the Apple, despite the fact he's outnumbered, his brother was killed and his arm was cut open. How did he do it? [[spoiler: The Apple did it for him. If the Apple is sentient and can influence others, it can make people act as it wants without them even knowing or realizing it, ever. It's entirely possible it controlled Robert to let Malik escape, but kill Kadar and injure Malik's arm([[NightmareFuel Or even worse, make Malik CUT HIS OWN ARM OPEN WITHOUT REALIZING IT]]), just to make it look like Malik escaped all by himself, as well as brainwash both Robert and Al Mualim to make Altair act as Juno wanted him to. [[ParanoiaFuel The implications]] [[BrownNote don't]] [[AwfulTruth stop]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone here]]. It's not made clear to what extent it can manipulate human mind, but if it can program minds to act as it wants just from being close to it, then it made Altair its pawn for the rest of his days. ''How much of Altair's memories seen by Desmond are real?! Or Ezio's?! Or Edward's, Haytham's or Connor's?!'' For all we know, they could have done horrible things under the Apple's influence that they don't remember! And since there are numerous Pieces of Edens that have come in contact with not just Assassins and Templars, but Kings, Popes, Generals and Prophets(i.e. Cain and Abel, Moses, Jesus, Joah of Ark, Alexander The Great, KingArthur, Attila The Hun, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington(And we get to see what the Apple does to him. Think about that.). So, not just the Assassin vs. Templar war, but ALL OF HUMANITY'S BLOODY HISTORY, has been under Juno's control! You know the Templars you killed that were AssholeVictim?! Well, What if they WEREN'T?! Rodrigo Borgia was Cardinal for years, and the Papal Staff was a Piece of Eden that could have very well made him become the monster he is, the same goes for Cesare! Charles Lee was a great guy, but he suddenly becomes a PoliticallyIncorrectVillain after spending time with Haytham, who held the Grand Temple Key with him for years and TookALevelInJerkass during the timeskip?! That means that, through all the game, you've been a brainwashed puppet, killing people who themselves were turned into brainwashed puppets of an AbusivePrecursor. GoneMadFromTheRevelation already?!]]

* A bit of FridgeHorror too. We are revealed in the ending that [[spoiler: Al Mualim is a Templar, and has apparently been for some time]], but we are given no further explanation. There's no FreudianExcuse, no DarkAndTroubledPast, not even a recollection of when and how [[spoiler: Al Mualim joined the Templars]]. It's just something Robert says and it's confirmed when Altair goes back to Masyaf. However, for those who played AssassinsCreedRevelations and AssassinsCreedIII, may realize the truth: [[spoiler: Al Mualim was being controlled by Juno through the Apple. The Pieces of Eden are sentient, and anyone who comes in contact with them is also put under their control, however unconsciously. Al Mualim claimed the Apple couldn't control Altair, but that's because Juno needed him to continue her plan. Now, why Robert de Sable would claim Al Mualim is a Templar? Because he might have not touched the Apple, but he was in Solomon's Temple when Malik took it(Which, by the way, is never explained HOW he escaped, but more of that below); it's entirely possible the Apple programmed Robert to tell it to Altair as his FamousLast Words, while it brainwashed Al Mualim to become what it wanted him to be. So, in reality, Altair was Juno's UnwittingPawn, and he killed his innocent mentor who was BrainwashedAndCrazy.]]

* A bit of FridgeHorror too. We are revealed in the ending that [[spoiler: Al Mualim is a Templar, and has apparently been for some time]], but we are given no further explanation. There's no FreudianExcuse, no DarkAndTroubledPast, not even a recollection of when and how [[spoiler: Al Mualim joined the Templars]]. It's just something Robert says and it's confirmed when Altair goes back to Masyaf. However, for those who played AssassinsCreedRevelations and AssassinsCreed3,

* Just an extension of the Animus/genetic memory train of thought. Why are Acre, Jerusalem, Masyaf and Damascus apparently just a few minutes' horseback ride away from each other? Because all that Altaïr remembers from their vicinities are the landmarks saying that he's getting close to his destination, as well as other signs reminding him that he's leaving a certain city. The rest of the realistically days-long journey is promptly forgotten -- erased from his memories. Therefore, Desmond's experience with the geography is just those places more familiar to Altaïr stitched together to make them appear seamless.

* Considering the placement of all the major locations--Masyaf, Damascus, Jerusalem, Acre, and Arsuf--then the Kingdom must be mostly in Lebanon and northern Israel.

* If you take too long in the battle against Al Mualim, he'll use an unvoidable attack to blind you. When this happens, you automatically begin to desynchronize. If that's the case, then that means Altair never got blinded. Curb-stomping Al Mualim with a counter from the hidden blade is what actually happened!

* There is an unflattering legend about the real Assassin Order that says that the members of the order indocrinated promissing young men into becoming assassins by taking them to a beautiful garden while they were under the effects of hallucinogenic drugs and then telling them that what they have just witnessed was Paradise itself, and that they can go live there one day if they do exactly what their mentors tell them to. Apparently, that was the source of their suicidal dedication to the order. In-game, behind Masyaf castle there is a beautiful garden, which is also where the final boss fight takes place.

** You also see a hint of this at the very very very beginning of the game, when they try to drop Desmond at the last memory and it starts rejecting him. Altair is clearly in that garden and a group of (faceless) maidens are flocking around him. We're witnessing Altair's own indoctrination. Apparently the Animus pushed us to a much further back memory then we first anticipated.
*** This legend is actually mentioned in-game- and makes it clear that it's completely false.

** It's much more likely to be damage resulting from the siege of Acre (in-game dialogue suggests that the game takes place in August 1191). Look at the approach to the city and you can see the remnants of siege machines surrounding it. The Poor district is nearest the gates, hence all the wrecked buildings that have had trebuchet boulders thrown through them. The devastation's probably caused by war, rather than poor sanitation (not sure that causes house to collapse!)

* Acre seems to be the worst off out of all the cities you visit, especially its poor district. Whole buildings have been damaged or completely destroyed. It is also the only city where you see dead bodies that were not killed by Altair. This was probably deliberate in order to demonstrate how the Muslim world was more advanced than the Christian world at the time and so would most likely have better sanitation.

* The game was boringly repetitive for a reason. The designers wanted to show that no matter how cool a job may seem, it's still a dull routine after you keep doing it, day in and day out. A warning to people considering a potentially "cool" or "fun" career, demonstrating that even something as interesting as assassinations loses its entertainment value after seven or eight times.

* For a while, Altair's voice bugged me. In the first game he's the only character in the animus who doesn't have an appropriate accent. At first I thought it was Desmond's voice, but it's not, it's a completely different voice actor. Why bother getting an American accent for Altair when everything else was made as historically accurate as possible? Then it hit me: it's Desmond's voice AS HE IMAGINES IT SOUNDS. This troper has a mild speech impediment and can confirm that your own voice sounds a lot different in your head then it does in real life, I always get a shock when I listen to recordings of myself speaking. To Desmond, his voice sounds more badass than it actually is, so when in the animus, he naturally has a cooler sounding voice.

** If this I remember correctly, one of the first scenes in the game (During the Animus glitching, before you see Abstergo for the first time) takes place in a lush garden, full of beautiful, faceless women. This may in fact be Altair's own indoctrination, remembered in a scrambled way because of the drugs that he was given.
*** If you look at the memory log for the last mission, you'll notice that garden is actually called Paradise. Al Mualim also references this legend when you talk to him after Garnier's death.

* Al Mualim spends quite a bit of time in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreed'' explaining to Altair about how he needs to "pierce the illusion" and how Assassins are trained to be highly perceptive, and how their creed is intended to make them wise and see the truth in all things. The real significance of this escaped this troper until he realized that Al Mualim was specifically talking about Eagle Vision, and how Altair uses Eagle Vision to ''literally'' pierce the illusions created by the Piece of Eden. - @/UnknownTroper