The ancestral character of Assassin's Creed II. After his blissful life as the young son of a Florentine banker is destroyed, Ezio sets out an epic decades-long quest for vengeance, hunting down — as well as adding to — names from a list his father Giovanni wrote. The plot of both games show Ezio's progression and growth, as he goes from an enraged teenager seeking revenge and cursing those he kills, to a mature and patient hunter of his foes, to a wiser man who eventually rises to lead the Assassin order through wisdom, personal skill and leadership.Voiced by Roger Craig Smith.
Adorkable: Once upon a time, Ezio really was just a kid. We get to see him make his first approach to a pretty girl (Cristina Vespucci) in a flashback in Brotherhood. He walks up, flashes a goofy grin, and completely freezes.
Animal Motifs: The eagle, as is standard for our Assassin protagonists.
Aura Vision: His "gift", Eagle Vision (upgraded to Eagle Sense in Revelations), allows him to identify targets and important items in the area, as well as, in the case of Eagle Sense, track the movements of people long gone by their traces and mark off areas to look for things from his View Points. In effect, this makes him a Scarily Competent Tracker.
Badass Halfcape: Which also serves to conceal his left-forearm Hidden Blade bracer, the Short Blade, and the hilt of his sword, axe, or bludgeon, as whenever he walks in Low Profile he pulls it over his left shoulder. Sadly, it gets shot off by an arrow in the opening cutscene in Assassins Creed Revelations.
Badass Longhair: Not seen too often, but long enough to be tied back into a ponytail. As with the cape, it's no longer so in Revelations, though it's still long enough to blow around in the wind.
Been There Shaped History: Takes part in various famous Renaissance events, such as the Bonfire of the Vanities and the hunt for the Pazzi conspirators.
BFS: The best sword in the game is a gigantic 2-hander 3/4th the size of Ezio himself.
Big Good: Ezio is the reason why Monteriggioni (briefly) returned to its former glory between II and Brotherhood. Also, more prominently after becoming head of the Assassin Order in Brotherhood, because of his leadership, tutelage and actions, he very much single-handedly resulted in the Order continuing to prosper for centuries, right up until the present day. Gamewise, he also takes up this role in Revelations.
This can especially be seen as his story continues and his reputation amongst the Templar grows. By the time he retires, Ezio is essentially the Templars' boogeyman.
Catch Phrase: Requiescat in Pace, which he says to (almost) all of his targets during their final moments. He teaches this to his followers in Brotherhood and Revelations.
Character Focus: He's the primary ancestor in three games and an extremely important mediator in the over-all conflict of the series. Not only do his adventures affect the Assassin order in the Renaissance era, but they are also a large part of Desmond's journey in the present time. The sum of all the media in the Assassin's Creed franchise with Ezio in it chronicles his entire life from age 17 onward.
Charles Atlas Superpower: More than any other Assassin in the series, he is incredibly strong and resilient. In his fifties he's strong enough to dead-lift a heavily armored soldier with one hand, and can survive a straight hundred-foot drop uninjured(landing hard enough to buckle the wooden platform he lands on). Presumably, this is to hint at his 1st Civilization genetic heritage, making him borderline super-human anyway.
The Charmer: Develops into a textbook example. All the lady-killing magnetismo of The Casanova, none of the callousness.
Combat Pragmatist: A tradition for Desmond's bloodline, even more so in Brotherhood.
Cool Old Guy: Ends the second game at his 40's and by the end of Brotherhood is 48 years old. By Revelations he's a Badass Grandpa at age 55. By Embers he is around his sixties and can still pick up a sword, yet his age has finally caught up to him at this point and can't go around running like he used to. Still, for a man nearing the end of his life, he sure has a lot of fight in him.
Grumpy Old Man: Initially in Embers when confronted by Chinese Assassin Shao Jun.
Denying The Dead Parents Sins: Subverted. After the initial shock, he excepts the fact that his father was indeed an assassin.
Dual Wielding: Carries two Hidden Blades; also applies to the Medium Weapon/Hidden Gun and the Short Blade/Throwing Knives combinations in Brotherhood. Upgraded to some sort of hook/grapple hook in Revelations.
Due to the Dead: Utters "Requiescat In Pace" to (almost) all of targets during their final moments.
Averted in his initial assassinations where he violently slaughted his targets and continued beating Vieri de' Pazzi even after his death, earning him a harsh rebuke from Mario as it was against the rules of etiquette the assassins abide by.
Even the Guys Want Him: Gets quite a bit of this. Leonardo is only the most prominent example.
Half-Human Hybrid: It is heavily implied that Ezio, just as everyone in his bloodline, has genetic material from one of "Those Who Came Before" in his DNA, which gives him his Eagle Vision ability.
Handsome Lech: Even during his 20-year Roaring Rampage of Revenge, he still tries to find time for the ladies and is pretty much confirmed to have bedded at least one countess in Forlì... until the Siege of Monteriggioni (begun while in bed with Caterina Sforza), after which he doesn't so much as look at a woman suggestively for the next three years. He eventually settled down with Sofia Sartor, whom he met in Constantinople, fathering Desmond's line in his fifties, though according toWord Of God Ezio has fathered many illegitimate children in his lifetime.
Heartbroken Badass: The repressed memories of his old flame Christina show that during the Bonfire of the Vanities she was mortally wounded and died in his arms. His later writings state that something in him "withered" after her death.
Persona Non Grata: He is banned from Constantinople by order of the Sultan Selim, likely for wrongly killing Tarik, who was Selim's close friend and Captain of the Janissaries as well as sinking an entire Ottoman navy fleet. It's only because Suleiman put in a good word for him that Ezio is not attacked on the spot. Though with some negotiation, Ezio was able to come back to finish his business in Constanopoli.
Really Gets Around: At the beginning of the game has something of this reputation, though he eventually ends up Happily Married. It's also confirmed that Clay Kaczmarek was related to Ezio through an illegitimate child he fathered at some point during his life and likely never knew about.
Silver Fox: In Revelations. Despite the fact that he's past fifty, most of the women (and some of the men) in Istanbul can't keep their eyes off him.
To put it another way, Sofia, his eventual wife was born in 1476; the year that Ezio, (then 17), first became an Assassin.
Suddenly Always Knew That: Sure is handy that he picked up French from a couple girls in Florence. Let him get past some guards thirty years later.
Sword and Gun: In Brotherhood Ezio can use a longsword or bludgeon (Medium Weapons) and his Hidden Gun together in combat while the Medium Weapon is equipped by holding down the Attack button (effectively switching to the Hidden Gun, though in a kill streak this will cause him to aim at a different person); the Short Blade and Throwing Knives have a similar relationship.
Tempting Fate: During sequence 1 of AC2, he wishes for his life to never change.
Also by sparing Rodrigo's life, and then by assuming at the beginning of Brotherhood that "our work is finished."
Averted in "Brotherhood" when he spares Micheletto in order to save the actor. Micheletto does not become a threat from that point on and is arrested off-screen according to his portrait, though his fate is unknown.
Walking Armoury: One of the iconic examples. By the end of Revelations, he's packing a hidden blade, a hookblade, a sword/axe/hammer, a dagger, a poison dart launcher, a pistol, a crossbow, and a couple of dozen throwing knives. All these are modelled on his body. In addition, his unseen Hyperspace Arsenal includes ammo (10 bullets for the gun, 10 darts and 25 crossbow bolts), 15 parachutes and a dozen grenades of various types. Good grief.
What the Hell, Hero?: Machiavelli is pissed when he finds out Ezio did not kill Rodrigo at the end of Assassin's Creed II. He's shown to be right when as soon as Ezio gets home his villa is burned down and his uncle killed by Borgia retaliation. On the other hand, this was done by Cesare against Rodrigo's orders and probably would have happened anyway.
Would Hit a Girl: Some of his targets have been female, and he killed "The Smuggler" Lia de Russo. He also has no problem tackling Lucrezia to the ground and holding her hostage.
I am Giovanni Auditore, and like my ancestors before me, I am an Assassin.
Ezio's father, a prominent Florentine banker and noble, as well as the personal Assassin of Lorenzo de' Medici. He is executed in a Templar plot at the start of Assassin's Creed II.Voiced by Romano Orzari.
Ezio's uncle, he commands a large number of mercenaries from his villa in Tuscany. He is the leader of the Italian Assassins.Voiced by Fred Tatasciore.
Uncle Pennybags: Despite the state of decay Ezio finds Monteriggioni in, Mario does pretty much own the place. He also set Ezio up with a room, and some money to buy armor, free of charge. Also in Project Legacy, it's shown that he actively interacts with and helps out the various communities in his village to try and learn more about what they do.
Claudia Auditore
You here to look at the book?
Ezio's little sister. After the remaining Auditores flee Firenze, she becomes Monteriggioni's bookkeeper, helping Ezio set up his business empire. Come Brotherhood she takes a more direct stance in assisting her brother, managing a Roman brothel and joining the Assassins in full.Voiced by Angela Galuppo.
Action Girl: In Brotherhood, she takes on at least three Borgia guards and kills them without taking a scratch.
Woman Scorned: Famously and hilariously goes from crying over her unfaithful boyfriend one minute to vindictive and terrifying the next.
"It's Duccio. I fear he's been unfaithful. ...He should suffer for what he's done."
And much later on in life, Ezio would encounter the exact same guy (now an art dealer who came across a few of Leonardo's paintings) and once again beat the hell out of him for bad-mouthing his sister.
And again in Constantinople, where he's found chatting up Sofia Sartor. He's gotten a bit Genre Savvy about it, too:
Duccio:[recognizes Ezio] Le diavolo in persona! ("The devil himself!")
Ezio: Duccio. A pleasure.
Bartolomeo d'Alviano
My Bianca hungers for more skulls to crush!
Assassin and mercenary leader who Ezio rescues in Venice, later becoming a major ally during Brotherhood.Voiced by Alex Ivanovici.
Attack! Attack! Attack!: What most of his strategies boil down to. Ezio and his wife help him plan some more complex battle plans.
-Nothing hangs between your thighs. In fact, there is a hole there so deep it reaches into the maledetto inferno (fucking underworld)!
-I'll kill you, fottuto francese (French fuck)!
-I will get you, you pezzo di merda figlio di puttana (piece of shit son of a bitch)!
Happily Married: In Brotherhood, though thanks to "Bianca," when Bartolomeo calls for his wife Ezio only half-jokingly asks, "Did you check behind the table?" before finding out to his surprise that the wife is an actual human woman.
They call me many things: Murderer, Tagliagole, Thief, But you may call me La Volpe.
The leader of the Florentine thieves and an Assassin, he moves to Rome during Brotherhood, becoming a major ally for Ezio.Voiced by Vito De Filippo.
Animal Theme Naming: Literally "The Fox," later worked into the name of his inn.
The Complainer Is Always Wrong: In Brotherhood, he perpetually suspects Machiavelli of being The Mole due to the lack of progress against the Borgia regime, especially after he and Ezio see Machiavelli accept a message from a Borgia guard, and only lays off when Ezio vouches for Machiavelli — who later confirms that the Borgia guard (unwittingly killed by one of La Volpe's thieves) was his own mole. La Volpe eventually moves to kill Machiavelli himself after Borgia troops try to move on the Thieves' Guild, but Ezio stops him in the nick of time, having found the real mole... a thief, presumably having been in La Volpe's employ.
Honor Among Thieves: When they first meet La Volpe returns Ezio's money, which was deliberately pickpocketed to lure him to the meeting spot. His thieves also watch out for each other, protecting their fellows when they're in danger.
Impossible Thief: His database entry mentions that he once managed to rob the Pope's carriage — while the Pope was still inside it.
Legitimate Businessmen's Social Club: The tavern he and Ezio build in Brotherhood, La Volpe Adoramentata ("The Sleeping Fox"), a favorite of the Borgia guards who provide coin in more ways than one.
We must walk the streets freely: seen, but unseen.
The madame of a Florentine brothel, she protects Ezio's family after they are betrayed, teaching Ezio how to use his hidden blade and disappear in the crowd.Voiced by Claudia Ferri.
What Happened to the Mouse?: She isn't seen after ACII's final sequence, although the novelization of Revelations has Claudia mention that she is still a Assassin leader in 1512.
Teodora Contanto
Also known as Sister Teodora, she is former member of a convent and the madame of the La Rosa Della Virtù, "The Rose of Virtue", in Venice. She assisted Ezio in assassinating Templar Doge Marco Barbarigo.Voiced by Nadia Verrucci.
Fellow Assassin, assisting Ezio during both the Battle of Forlì and the Bonfire of the Vanities and becoming his chief advisor during Brotherhood.Voiced by Shawn Baichoo.
Fashionable Asymmetry: His Brotherhood outfit's outermost garment is missing its right sleeve.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: His explanation of his cynicism to Ezio is that he merely describes the conditions in Rome as they are.
Knight in Sour Armor: The games don't even try to downplay the cynicism he was famous for in Real Life (i.e. destroy the enemy without mercy and hesitation), yet he fights against the Borgias' tyranny for the people of Rome.
Machiavelli Was Wrong: Direct example. Ezio's actions tend to screw around with Machiavelli's rather cynical outlook. Eventually thanks to this, Machiavelli steps down as the Roman leader of the Assassins in favor of Ezio.
The Mentor: Ezio's recruits are essentially handed off to Machiavelli for their initial training, and he was probably supervising them when they were not acting as Ezio's personal security detachment.
The Mole: Suspected of being this by La Volpe — hence his withholding of the Thieves' Guild's support — and evidence seems to mount. He's not. The Borgia guard he accepted a letter from was his own spy in the Borgia regime, who was killed by one of La Volpe's unwitting thieves. The actual mole, another thief, is found later.
The suspicion isn't helped when he appears to have been ineffective of making progress against the Borgia — having driven away the Thieves' Guild, unable to relieve the pressure on Bartolomeo's army, unable to get the madam of the Rosa in Fiore brothel to actually support the Assassins (a Database entry reveals that she was actually selling out the Assassins to the Church cardinals in the Borgias' pocket), being unaware that both Caterina Sforza and the Apple of Eden were held by the Templars, and otherwise being spectacularly unprepared for going after Cesare and Rodrigo Borgia.
In Machiavelli's defense, not only was he a newcomer to the city but the Borgias had thoroughly ground down the populace. Machiavelli, of all people, is about the worst person you want for a popular people's revolution.
Worthy Opponent: He gives some kudos to Cesare for how he manages to keep Rome under his iron-fisted rule. A nod to how historically he had good relations with the Borgia, and in particular seemed to admire Cesare in his writing.
This ends up being part of what casts suspicion on him as The Mole.
Antonio de Magianis
The leader of the Venetian Theives Guild and Assassin, he assisted Ezio in fighting the Templar presence in the city.Voiced by Carlo Mestroni.
Ambiguously Gay: Leonardo does say "I've been seeing quite a bit of him lately- errr... as mutual friends...".
You are the man I've longed to meet. Renowned Master and Mentor, Ezio Auditore de la la la!
The Grand Master of the Constantinople Assassins. He was a former thief who was recruited into the Brotherhood by former Guild leader Ishak Pasha.Voiced by Chris Parson.
An Ottoman naval commander, Haci Ahmed Muhiddin Piri is also a Master Assassin. He prefers not to engage foes directly, instead providing bombs and technical information to Brotherhood.Voiced by Alex Ivanovici.
Demolitions Expert: He creates all of the bombs for the Ottoman Brotherhood.
Four Star Badass: Not in the game, but at the age of 80 he will be made a admiral by the Sultan.
Historical In-Joke: He was not an admiral by the time of the game, but the Assassins of Constantinople do jokingly call him "Reis" (Ottoman for "Admiral").
Knight in Sour Armor: Like most Assassins, he is fairly cynical of how the world functions, but hopes that it will get better.
The Perfectionist: He describes himself as one, having been working on a map for the Sultan for ten months, and figures that with the Sultan being so old his successor will be the one to get it.
I want to understand, like you do, to help my people.
A talented young Assassin from China. She appears in Assassins Creed Embers. Shao Jun seeks guidance from Ezio in order to learn how best to lead and rebuild her order.
Action Girl: Excels in both Wushu martial arts and swordplay.
The Apprentice: She was this to her Assassin mentor before he was killed and now wants Ezio guidance to help aid her people.
Evil Is Petty: Ezio's father was opposing the Pazzi conspiracy that Rodrigo Borgia was behind, but Rodrigo also had Ezio's brothers killed just to make a point.
Foregone Conclusion: If you knew your history, his ascension to the Papacy shouldn't be of any surprise, though it does come off as a Player Punch in AC2 due to the eleven-year time skip between Sequences 11 and 14, that game's last two chapters. The "setting drop" in Brotherhood ("1503 - Rome") was enough to show the history aware that this was when Rodrigo would die.
Hoist by His Own Petard: He tries to poison his son Cesare, when the latter shows to be too ambitious. However, it ends the other way around, with the poisoned apple being forced into his mouth.
Ink Suit Actor: He is modeled after his voice actor, who portrays him in the Live Action prequel video.
In the Hood: he spends much of the game wearing a Palpatine-style black hood that conceals his upper face, and his name and identity aren't revealed for quite a while too. He eventually ditches it after becoming Pope, though.
Laser-Guided Karma: One of the reasons why he remains in the background in Brotherhood.
Let's Fight Like Gentlemen: In the final battle, he agrees to Ezio's challenge to a brawl without weapons. Earlier in the game during their first confrontation, he opts to fight Enzio one-on-one rather than calling for help from his guards (although the guards do attack once it becomes clear he's going to lose).
Only Known by Their Nickname: Before his identity was revealed, he was only referred to as either "the Spaniard" or "Maestro".
Orcus on His Throne: Chose to remain hiding during Brotherhood, primarily out of fear of Ezio, and a decision to focus on consolidation of Templar gains.
This was also consistent with his behavior in II where he let the Pazzi (in Florence and San Gimignano) and Barbarigo (in Venice) families and their allies take credit — and thus the brunt of the Assassin's attention. Until about the time that the Apple of Eden arrived from Cyprus, Ezio was almost never in a position to kill Rodrigo.
Parental Incest: Rumors abound about him and his daughter, Lucrezia, though this only appears in Brotherhood as an accusation by Caterina Sforza. A comment by Cesare in Brotherhood implies it is true (with a comment about "persuading" the Pope to give more money), and it is also deliberately mentioned in his Assassins Creed IIdatabase entry.
Perfect Poison: Tries to kill Cesare with some, but is killed by it himself instead.
The Pope: In both the game and Real Life, he became Pope Alexander VI. He wasn't much better of a Pope in real life than he was in the game.
Uberto Alberti
A Florentine lawyer and friend of Giovanni, Uberto betrayed his friend and oversaw his execution on behalf of the Templars. He was the first victim of Ezio's campaign of revenge against the Templars.Voiced by Michel Perron.
Face Heel Turn: Formerly a ally of the Assassins, he joined the Templars due to his resentment of the Medici for depriving his family of its wealth.
Famous Last Words: "You would have done the same, to save the ones you love..."
My God, What Have I Done?: He's ashamed and horrified at the way he betrayed Giovanni, but believes that he had no other choice to ensure his families saftey and fortune.
The father of Vieri and a member of the Templars, he was the head of the Pazzi Conspircy, which aimed to remove the Medici from power in Florence and install a Templar allied regime.
Aristocrats Are Evil: As shown in his Database Profile, he hates the Middle and Lower Classes, as well as anyone who tries raising their social status.
Ax Crazy: Just watch him killing Lorenzo's brother. And both in Real Life and the Novel, he's so crazed up that he STABS HIS OWN LEG WITHOUT REALIZING IT!
Pride Before A Fall: He got so overconfident about the conspiracy that he ignored the threat posed by Ezio, not to mention he got so bloodthirsty he killed Lorenzo's brother and left Lorenzo with time to recover and defend himself(Though it could be blamed on the two monks, since they failed to stab him fatally and ran away)
A young Florentine noble, his family has always been at odds with both the Medici and the Auditore houses. Vieri is later revealed to be a member of the Knights Templar.
Aristocrats Are Evil: Like his father, he's shown to be extremely brutal, cruel and hateful towards the lower classes and everyone else.
Attempted Rape: He tries this on Cristina Vespucci, but Ezio intervenes.
Bad Boss: Apparently, he disfigures and maims his own soldiers if they piss him off, or if he feels like it, with one mentioned Eye Scream occasion. It's implied in a letter that he just wants his father's attention.
Berserk Button: He does not take kindly to Ezio sleeping with his sister.
Dirty Coward: All of your early encounters with him end with him running away with his tail between his legs after you kill the soldiers he was hiding behind.
Evil Counterpart: He's what Ezio could've been if not for his parents and Mario.
Nobles Who Actually Do Something: Unlike most other Templars, who will run at the sight of Ezio(though some of them are just being Dangerously Genre Savvy), Vieri was willing to stay his ground and fight against Mario Auditore's mercenaries. In the novel, he even wears full body armor, fights and nearly kills Ezio with an axe.
Sore Loser: According to Shaun's Database Profile, Vieri would often make up rigged competitions to flaunt himself over others. And on the rare occasions when he lost, he would invite the winner's entire family for "a meal to die for". Not to mention how he swears to kill Ezio and his entire family, both during Ezio's rescue of Cristina during the Attempted Rape mentioned above, and after Francesco's arrest, during which Vieri keeps slandering the Auditore's name and triggers the first chapter's fight. In fact, during the first part of the game, your enemies consist of Pazzi Family's Guards (Or relatives, since they dress like Vieri) trying to find and beat you down on Vieri's orders.
Revenge: One of his main motivations is getting payback against the Medici after witnessing their mercanaries raiding Volterra.
Sanity Slippage: After the plot failed, he fled to San Gimignano and resided in one of the highest towers, yelling down scripture at the citizens while also firing arrows at some.
Dangerously Genre Savvy: While he at first dismisses Carlo's warnings about Ezio, he quickly decides that it's better to be safe than sorry and orders his assistant to load a boat for his departure. Unfortunately, Carlo's warning was a bit too late, as Ezio was overhearing all along.
Token Good Teammate: Downplayed, as Emilio is still treacherous and cruel, but he's more in line with the traditional Templar ideology of "peace through progress and control", rather than Rodrigo Borgia's line of conquest for power's sake.
Villain with Good Publicity: While the thieves' guild was aware of his tyranny, Emilio was quite popular because of his funding the Venetian police force, keeping the streets safe from crime(One of those subtle and rare moments in Ezio's saga where Templars are doing a good thing, even if the Assassins don't admit it).
Well-Intentioned Extremist: Claims he was working to establish unity, stability, and order, and that doing so demanded some sacrifices.
Large Ham: His speech during Carnevale, after becoming Doge of Venice.
Murder the Hypotenuse: He wanted Dante's wife, so he tried to have him killed. When that failed and left Dante retarded, he had him sign a document to cancel his marriage and took his wife for himself... all the while Dante kept guard on the door.
Spoiled Brat: Was one in his youth, according to Shaun, as he had everything he wanted from his family.
Irony: He introduced Rodrigo Borgia to cantarella in order to kill their enemies. Rodrigo would later die by this same poison when he tries to poison Cesare.
Jerkass Woobie: He has some shades of it. For starters, his father was killed by his uncle and he, his mother and his sister was forced to live with him, thus needing to become cruel and malicious in order to survive.
Master Poisoner: He's implied to be one, and is the one who introduced Rodrigo Borgia to cantarella, the infamous poison often used by the Borgias(And the one that would kill Rodrigo and destroy the Borgias' authority in Roma), in the first place.
Revenge: His father was killed by his uncle, and Silvio planned revenge since childhood. After becoming an adult, he had his mother and sister(Or two courtesans, it's unclear in the database) to stab him. He later covered up the details to make it appear his uncle just "died in bed".
Every Man Has His Price / Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: When Ezio beats the other competitors in the tournament, Silvio bribes the ring leader to give the prize to Dante Moro. Even though everyone saw Ezio kick his ass.
You Have Failed Me / You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Both he and Dante are abandoned by the Templars when Ezio comes after them. Even then, he refuses to confess to Ezio about where they were sailing to.
Dumb Muscle: His brain damage took most of his mind from him, making him little more than a brute that the Templars order around.
Cesare Borgia
Rodrigo Borgia's ambitious son and Captain General of the Papal armies, who becomes the main villain of Brotherhood.
Ambition Is Evil: Really wants to take over Italy, while his father merely wanted to consolidate the power they held. Moreover, while his father has some measure of patience (having been at this for almost thirty years) and is willing to work behind the scenes, Cesare wants to do it openly (albeit only disguising the Templar angle under the guise of the Church), quickly and by overt military force.
During the final boss fight in Viana, Spain, Cesare claims to intend to conquer Spain as well, even though Cesare was now in the service of one of his relatives, King John III of Navarre.
Authority Equals Asskicking: He's actually a very skilled swordsman and as a military commander he leads from the front, although there's nothing to back up his claim of being "the greatest fighter who ever lived". In the actual final battle, he fights like the Elite Mook Papal Guards and is immune to insta-kills, but doesn't counter, grab, or kick to break your defenses, making fighting him a simple matter of continuously smacking him to death while occasionally breaking off to fight his respawning mooks. He's certainly got nothing on Robert de Sable or Al-Mualim from the first game.
''If I want to live, I live. If I want to take, I take. If I want you to die, YOU DIIIIIIIEE!
Doubles as a Villainous Breakdown though, since this is said after he finds out that daddy won't pay his warmaking bills, didn't tell him that his French ally is dead or about the extent of the Assassins' liberation of Rome, blames their troubles on Cesare's "Moment Of Awesome" that was razing Monteriggioni, refuses to let him use the Apple of Eden... oh, and poisoned that apple Cesare just bit.
Brother-Sister Incest: Kisses his sister Lucrezia in a lover's fashion before a military expedition in Romagna, is receptive to his sister's... suggestions, and it's implied that the whole chain of Memories where Ezio must save Pietro, Lucrezia's admirer, from Cesare's personal assassin Micheletto Corella are all because of Cesare's jealousy, albeit deliberately provoked by Lucrezia who mistakenly believes that he's cheating on her with the captured Caterina Sforza.
Determinator: He's poisoned by Rodrigo and is still visibly suffering from it by the time he is arrested, but still continues to push his forces onwards, albeit from behind.
Humiliation Conga: The latter half of Sequence 7 and the whole of Sequence 8 are just one disaster after another for Cesare, ending with him arrested for "murder, betrayal and incest" by a general whose family he'd pressed into his service, at the order of the new Pope who'd opposed his family, and Cesare being dragged away by his former elites the Papal Guards. Sequence 9 has Ezio finding him fighting on the front lines at the castle of Viana, now in the service of a relative.
Worse yet, it's his downfall because it's been a long time coming — while it's not revealed how much progress Cesare made in Romagna, it probably wasn't worth the Assassins stealing Rome out from under him and Rodrigo, which causes him to have a Villainous Breakdown.
Star-Crossed Lovers: Had a son with an Assassin in Project Legacy, whether or not she recognized him as such, but the father ends up taking the son away when he's born malformed.
What the Hell, Hero?: Gives a rather ineffectual one to Ezio when he holds her hostage in his rescue of Caterina. According to her, Lorenzo wasn't kidding when he vowed to "erase" the Pazzi family from Florence. It doesn't stop Ezio from dragging her to Caterina's cell though.
Yandere: Goes nuts on Caterina for the possibility that Cesare might have done something with her. According to Caterina, he didn't.
Micheletto Corella
Cesare's right hand man and assassin. He has known Cesare since their childhood together, and was inducted into the Templar Order due to this connection.Voiced by Tony Calabretta.
What Happened to the Mouse?: He disappears from Brotherhood after Ezio spares his life, with only a few mentions. In the novelization, he is killed by Cesare after attacking him for being insulted too many times.
Leandros
A Byzantine captain and Templar in charge of excavating Mysaf, he is killed by Ezio in 1511.Voiced by Steve Blum.
Bad Boss: He constantly insults his men, pulls one who'd come to his rescue from his carriage out of mere spite (the guard not even having done anything against Leandros) and throws another off a rooftop in an attempt to slow Ezio.
Even Evil Has Standards: Is personally disgusted by Shahkulu's brutality, stating that there's no need to spit upon those lower than themselves. The fact that the end result stinks up to high heaven also doesn't help.
"I have not lived long, but I have lived long enough to know that the world is a tapestry of many colors and patterns. A just leader would celebrate this, not seek to unravel it."
The Wise Prince: Widely admired for his intellect, even by the Janissaries who dislike Ahmet for sharing the same traits.
Young Future Famous People: When Ezio met him, Suleiman was just a 17 years old prince with low standing in the Ottoman courts. Eventually he will go on to become of the most successful Sultans in the Ottoman Empire.
Prince Ahmet
One of Bayezid's sons and the uncle of Suleiman, he is the favored son to becoem the next Sultan. He also happens to be the new Grand Master of the Templar Order.Voiced by Tamer Hassan.
Affably Evil: Generally shows respect to Ezio, even stating that he's disappointed that two men who should be friends have to be working together. Doesn't stop him from hanging Sofia from a tree however.
Cain and Abel: It's unclear if he planned on killing his brother, but Ahmet winded up being killed by Selim, making him an rare case of Evil Abel, though Selim isn't exactly good either.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The blue to his brother Selim's red. Ahmet is intelligent, calm and scholarly while Selim is a hot-tempered and bellicose warmonger. Because of this, the Janissaries primarily favor Selim.
The Unfavorite: Ahmet is disliked for being the choice for next sultan. While Tarik comments how Ahmet is too soft when it comes to war, but too paranoid when it comes to peace, it should be noted that the only shown dislikers of Ahmet are the Janissaries, who are shown and described through the entire game to be close to an entire Praetorian Guard of Complete Monsters and Culture Police, so their opinion might not be the most trustworthy. Plus, Ahmet's Database seems to imply the Janissaries are also hoping for a sultan who leads them into a holy war against all other countries, making Ahmet's decision to join the Templars more comprehensible.
Villainous Valor: Say what you will about the man, but to keep trying to fight and kill Ezio while they're falling off a cliff shows just how much this guy is bent on finding the Grand Temple and fulfilling his goal. The guy is falling to his probable death, and he just keeps fighting.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: He wishes to destroy the feuds and lines that divide men, but wants to conquer and take away peoples free will to do so.
Tarik Barleti
The Captain of the Janissaries, Tarik supports Prince Selim I over Prince Ahmet to be the next Sultan. He is suspected of collaborating with the Templars to discredit Ahmet by Suleiman and Ezio, while he is actually trying to draw them out and destroy them.Voiced by JB Blanc.
Permission to Speak Freely: Tarik requests this before telling Ahmet why he thinks he'll be a poor Sultan.
Poor Communication Kills: At the request of Prince Suleiman, Ezio assassinates Tarik, who had secretly been working against the Templars. Would've been nice if he had shared that info. In the end, his plan succeeds only because Ezio intervenes.
Even he admitted that in hindsight it was sorta his fault:
Tarik: "I blame myself. Not for treason, but hubris."
A budding young painter and friend of Maria Auditore. He later befriends Ezio and assists the Assassin by decrypting Codex pages and building the fantastic weapons detailed on certain pages, as well as eventually having his own designs constructed.
A Dorkable: He just gets so excited over those Codex pages, it's hard not to smile.
Deadpan Snarker: In the DLC, he gets captured by Hermetic monks and beaten up for information. His response? Snark at them.
Platonic Life Partners: Although it's all but explicitly stated that he is gay in the Brotherhood DLC, and in a relationship with his apprentice Salai, which would make Ezio and Leonardo's relationship this instead.
Man Hug: Shares several with Ezio throughout their friendship.
No Sell: When Ezio accidentally triggers the Apple in the "Battle of Forli" DLC for AC II, Leonardo is the only person in the room not overcome by the Piece of Eden's power. Mario and Machiavelli are both brought to their knees, and even Ezio (who has First Civilization DNA in him) is visibly pained. It's hinted that Leo's mind is just that strong.
Straight Gay: He doesn't have any 'gay' mannerisms and it's not confirmed outside of his database entry (which only mentions that he was tried for sodomy in 1476 and was "probably" homosexual), but in the Brotherhood DLC, Ezio tells Leonardo that he "approves" of Salai, leaving Leonardo speechless. (Though given the way Salai treats Leonardo, it makes no sense for Ezio to approve of the little brat.) Among other hints in the DLC, he is all but confirmed to be gay.
There is also the discussion between him and Ezio about the Mona Lisa. Ezio immediately says he shouldn't be distracted by young ladies, to which Leonardo replies that women were never a distraction for him (followed by Ezio's reaction: "Wait, I don't get it"). The scene chronologically takes place after the DLC... So Ezio should get it. That's what happens when you don't add continuity to your DLC.
A Florentine noble who eventually became a merchant. He was once engaged to Claudia, but was having an affair with various other women and Ezio does not take kindly to those who cheat on his sister.
Butt Monkey: "...Whenever he would show himself, my fist would find his face."
Casanova Wannabe: "There once was a man named Duccio. A rat with lecher's taste..."
Straw Loser: He's only in the story to act like a complete jerk, only for Ezio to put him in his place.
Lorenzo de' Medici
"Francesco de Pazzi! I'll kill him! I'll wipe his entire family from the city! They'll be ERASED!"
The de facto ruler of Florence, both Giovanni and Ezio served him as his personal Assassin. He became friends with Giovanni after the Assassin saved him from drowning as a child, leading to his close ties with the Assassin Order.Voiced by Alex Ivanovici.
Bus Crash: Dies off-screen around the time of the spin-offDiscovery.
Cold-Blooded Torture: He routinely uses this on captured opponents to gain information.
Deliberate Values Dissonance: His use of torture and retaliation against the entire Pazzi family, even those members who did not conspire against him.
Historical Hero Upgrade: Comes off a lot more benevolent than his historical record would imply, although in Lineage he attends the interrogation-by-torture of a Borgia henchman and according to Lucrezia utterly obliterates the Pazzi after their assassination attempt. On the other hand, it's implied that he looks better in comparison to his counterpart Francesco de' Pazzi.
The Purge: He destroys every trace of the Pazzi after their attempt to assassinate him.
Caterina Sforza
The countess of Forlì, Caterina is a significant ally (and a bit more than that) to Ezio.Voiced by Cristina Rosato.
Action Girl: During the siege of Forli picks up a butcher knife without hesitation.
Bus Crash: She does not appear again after Sequence 4 of Brotherhood, which ends with her riding to Florence to petition for the return of her rulership of Forlì, as she felt that she was useless as a political/military ally to the Assassins otherwise. According to Shaun, she would be unsuccessful in this and die of pneumonia.
Dark Action Girl: Her Brotherhood biography mentions she doesn't have much of a problem with infanticide, just like the Real Life Caterina Sforza, a woman described by Badass of the Week as an Evil Overlord in her own right.
Noodle Incident: In the game proper we never find out how she got stranded out on an island where Ezio finds her, though in the novelization of the game she's having an argument with her husband and he pushes the boat she's on out into the water when he gets sick of arguing with her. It can be safely assumed that roughly the same thing happened offscreen in the game.
Rescue Romance: With Ezio, since she's instantly charmed when he comes out by gondola to rescue her.
We Have Reserves: After the Orsi brothers kidnap two of her children, she taunts them that she can make more. Subverted, since she asks Ezio to save them immediately afterwards. And according to Badass of the Week, with the obvious exception of Ezio's involvement, Sforza did this for real.
Rosa
A member of the Venetian thieves guild who teaches Ezio how to grab higher ledges and eventually joins the Assasins. Implied to have also had an intimate relationship with him.
Lady Swears-A-Lot: To the point that if they hadn't kept much of her dialog in Italian while they're treating her wound the game's rating would likely have had to be bumped up.
An exiled monk who stumbles upon a wounded Ezio and the Apple of Eden, taking it for himself to begin a reign of terror in Florence — and one of the only people in the whole series to wield a Piece of Eden without being Assassin or Templar-aligned.
Chekhov's Gunman: Appears in the background in several cutscenes during the "Battle of Forli" chapter, before stealing the Apple of Eden at the end and rising to prominent as the Big Bad of the "Bonfire of the Vanities" chapter.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: May have actually been unaware of both the Assassin and Templar agendas — and is the only antagonist to be simultaneously targeted by both.
Giovanni Borgia
The bastard child of an Assassin and Lucrezia Borgia in Project Legacy. Was raised to be a prick by his uncle (posing as his father), but later switched sides. Later accompanies Hernan Cortez and his conquistadors to South America.
Came Back Wrong: The Shroud saved him from death, but left him with severe Bleeding Effect-like symptoms, and "Consus."
Half-Human Hybrid: Giovanni was able to manifest Eagle Vision as a five-year-old child; due to this being strongly implied in AC2 about Altaïr Ibn La'Ahad and his ancestors, it may be inferred about Giovanni and his father Perotto Calderon.
Hearing Voices: At times (often in proximity to the Apple of Eden) he saw/heard "Consus," who would tend to give him advice relating to the use of Pieces of Eden, though Consus also interpreted a letter and guided him to joining the Assassins.
Name's the Same: Shares the same first name as Ezio's father. Ironically, he ends up marrying a woman named Maria Amiel, who shares the same first name as Ezio's mother.
Dante Moro
Once the captain of Venetian city guard, Dante was subjected to failed assassination attempt by Marco Barbarigo, who wanted to steal his wife. Despite surviving, Dante ended up heavily brain damaged, and Marco exploited this and turned him into his personal bodyguard.
A Venetian bookstore owner and scholar currently running her uncle's shop in Constantinople. Ezio enlists her help with finding the keys to Masyaf's vault.Voiced by Anna Tuveri.
It's Not You, It's My Enemies: The reason that Ezio originally hesitate to have a romantic relationship with her. It turns out that his concerns were totally justified as the Templars kidnapped her to threaten Ezio near the end of the game. But they still ended up getting together in the end.
Last Girl Wins: Given how the animus and genetic memories work, that's not really a surprise.
Meaningful Name: 'Sofia', at its root, derives from 'sophos', the Greek for 'wisdom'. Quite appropriate for the resident bookworm. Also, the theme of the game is Ezio's search for wisdom which he finds, in both forms.
"I am done with Cesare. Done with the mad people who surround him."
A former prostitute who was recruited by Cesare to serve as his underworld liaison, she turned against him after several years due to his abuse, threats, and constantly putting her into dangerous situations. She allied with the Assassins to dismantle his power base, which she helped establish.
Bi the Way: Willingly services a female customer in Project Legacy.
Dark Is Evil: Her elite gear dyes a large portion of her outfit in pure black.
The Dragon: She was one of Cesare's Dragons, and his main connection to his "underworld" allies.
Hooker with a Heart of Gold: A Subversion. Despite later allying with the Assassins, Cavazza had quite the mean streak and is implied to regret little of what she's done for Cesare.
Hero of Another Story: In Project Legacy. The "Rome" memory set's first chapter is devoted to reliving her genetic memories.
Heel Face Turn: After being pushed a little too far by Cesare (in terms of who she had to put up with), Malfatto being the last straw, she decided to cut her losses and join the Assassins, providing them with details on Cesare's other agents.
Due to this, she tries to cover her ass — a glorious ass it is — and kill off Il Lupo and Baltasar because they (if somehow taken alive or otherwise talking) could reveal to the Assassins the extent to which she'd helped Cesare. Later, to prove her devotion to the Assassins, she tries to steal the Apple of Eden from Borgia custody. She fails.
Hair Decorations: Her superior gear has her wear a floral headpiece.
Left Hanging: Her last appearance is immobilized, at the feet of a very pissed Cesare Borgia, after she tried to steal the Apple of Eden. Given that it's not her memory we see this in, but Cesare's son Giovanni's, it's likely it didn't end well for her.
Only in It for the Money / Punch Clock Villain: That's one way of looking at her characterization. Her change of heart - going so far as to join the Assassins, the Templars' sworn enemies - appears to suggest that Fiora did not really care about Templar ideals, and was only part of the organization for the benefits (power, money, etc.) it brought her. Once working for them proved to be more trouble than it was worth it (Cesare sending her to meet with Malfatto being the final straw), she allied herself with the Assassins because she knew they were the group that could better protect her from the Templars.
Too Many Belts: They seem to grow in amount as her gear progresses.
Running Gag / Big Lipped Alligator Moment: There's an achievement called "Clowning Around" that involves fighting a jester using The Harlequin's character model at six different locations. He'll be doing some acrobatics on the street, and once Ezio gets close enough, he'll engage him on a fist-fight out of nowhere. Whether the Harlequin in question is Cahin or not is debatable, but seeing as you must defeat him with your bare hands (killing him does not count towards the achievement, and that includes dropping him on water), it's possible that Ezio fights Cahin at six different places instead of fighting six different Harlequins.
One of Cesare's assassins, she and her brother Cahin lure their victims to their deaths while putting on a show for them.
Aluminum Christmas Trees: No, her title of "hellequin" isn't a play on the word "harlequin", substituting the "harl" with "hell". A hellequin was a real French performer that preceded the harlequin.
Emotionless Girl: At least, according to her character model. Subverted when Cahin is killed; she immediately loses all sense of self-preservation and fights her way to his body, removing his mask and cradling his body until an Assassin shoots her in the back of her head with a crossbow bolt.
An Templar assassin used by Cesare, he worked with Fiora Cavazza and Baltasar de Silva in studying the Assassin Order and began using their own techniques to hunt them.
Evil Has a Bad Sense of Humor: When Fiora Cavazza delivers him a list of people to kill from Cesare, he tells her that she is on the list. He then laughs and reassures her he can't even read.
Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: Ezio learns of Il Carnefice when he finds a man crying over his executed wife, who Il Carnefice had raped and then hung. Ezio goes after the bastard immediately.
A thief who leads the Cento Occhi, Lanz turned to a life of crime after his wife suffered a miscarriage. He was forced to serve Cesare after his gang raided a Templar convoy. He murders people by shoving them off of roofs.
Poor Communication Kills: Ezio is never told the full extent of his background, and believes he is simply a Templar killer who happened to lose his child.
The Smuggler (Lia De Russo)
A Templar agent who provides the Order with ancient relics and artifacts, often killing those in possesion of them.
Blade Below the Shoulder: Actually winds up being more true to the Assassin's version of the weapon than Il Lupo's. Well, she is a smuggler, after all.
A serial killer who hunted courtesans in the streets of Rome, he was recruited by Cesare into his personal army after learning of his skill at killing.
Dirty Coward: He drugs Fiora Cavazza in her sleep, only to seem to panic when she manages to get up and fight back. He also runs on sight from Ezio, but that's just being smart.
A Templar and Cesare's master spy, he gathered intelligence on the Assassin's for his master alongside Fiora, passing his findings along to Il Lupo to create the Templar's own copycat assassin.
Genius Bruiser: Fiora Cavazza (the Courtesan) is surprised when he is revealed to be quite attentive to detail and a mechanical designer.
Hidden Depths: Not only is he a master blacksmith, he also designs Borgia propaganda.
The Engineer (Gaspar de la Croix)
A engineer with a dark past who works for the Templars. He is used by Cesare to repress civilian uprisings in Rome and to eliminate vital targets on the battlefield.
Ax Crazy: By the time Ezio finds him, he's finally snapped and has begun to fire at people indiscriminately.
An expert horseman and Templar, he refused to throw a race to Cesare and was punished heavily for it.
Armor Is Useless: Despite wearing a full breastplate, he dies just as easily as his squishier opponents.
Honor Before Reason: Wouldn't take a bribe to throw a horse race to Cesare, though it may have been arrogance rather than honor.
More likely arrogance, as Mancini ended up vandalizing the selling stall of Rocco, a rider who did beat him, and then wanted him to report to the Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo) to be cut down. When Ezio arrives at the Circo Massimo, Mancini is on his horse wondering where "Rocco" is.
Nobody Calls Me Chicken: Took a severe beating from the Officer just for winning the race against Cesare on principle.
The Officer (Teodor Viscardi)
A Templar and one of Cesare's most loyal henchmen.
Nice Hat: He gets a beret in his later gear, a freakin' beret.
What Happened to the Mouse?: His only appearance is a cameo in Fiora's memory of Donato Mancini (The Captain); Project Legacy doesn't mention him again, nor does he appear in Brotherhood single-player.
The Pariah (Ilaro Lombardi)
A Templar who barely survived an Assassin attack, his face is now badly scarred and he lives in constant fear of another attack.
Cheese Eating Surrender Monkey: Played straight at first. He appears as an arrogant jerkass who can't back off his assertions with proofs. When he's found challenging Italians knights to a duel with his, even if the match is rigged by assassins, their performance is described as so underwhelming, the match didn't need to be rigged to begin with. When he appears some time later harrassing Romans with his troops, Assassins have an easy time to kill them. Then he subverts the trope hard. The whole thing was a move to draw them out of their hideouts where he could crush them with sheer force and firepower. It was a complete success.
Blade Below the Shoulder: All characters have hidden blades for Silent/Incognito kills, but with leveling, can turn them into smaller blades from a pike, then to a katar.
I Shall Taunt You: They also all have unique taunts that can be used at any time during a match, and are necessary to earn certain achievements.
The Bombardier (Kadir)
A member of the Ottoman artillery corps, but has secret ties to the Qizilbash, a rebellious group of anti-Ottoman dissidents. He provides the Templars with information and weapons in exchange for money and power.
Knife Nut: One of his belts has a permanent supply of Throwing Knives, even if you don't have said ability selected.
Knuckle Cracking: His promotional render has him engaging in this activity.
The Mole: Secretly a member of the Qizilbash, which was a rebellious, anti-Ottoman group that had close ties to the Templars, Kadir sought to sabotage the Ottoman Empire's artillery corps from within by trading vital information for wealth and power.
Nice Hat: Can wear two kinds of turbans, or a more modern fez.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Despite being part of the original multiplayer character ensemble, Kadir does not make an appearance in the singleplayer storyline.
The Brigand (Samilia Khadim)
A noblewoman who joined the Templars and used her connections to destroy opponents and gather information and wealth for the Order. Despite her high status, Samila would gladly hunt down and kill traitors herself, having "a thirst for murder".
Ax Crazy: It is said that the only reason she continued to do her own dirty work was because of "an insatiable bloodlust".
Character Tics: She's rather fond of putting a finger to her lips apparently; this gesture appears in both her promotional render and the custom animation she has when she's chosen as your character.
Expy: Has a few things in common with the Smuggler from Brotherhood. Both of them wear primarily green clothes and were known for trading in valuable items and secrets, which earned them wealth from the Templars. As well as a fair amount of bloodlust.
Giant Poofy Sleeves: Her third Arms skin gives her quite a long variant of these.
Roundhouse Kick: Of sorts. One of her custom kill animations has her quickly force her spear up her target's throat, before she delivers a roundhouse kick to their face. This violently dislodges her weapon from her target's throat and sends them falling to the ground, dead.
The Champion (Georgios Kostas)
"Are you proud of your kill, Assassin? Do you expect praise for murdering a better and braver man? You have taken my life, but you cannot erase my legend, my power, my influence. Men feared me, even as they did my bidding… that is the mark of a true leader."
Hailing from Greece, Georgios gained fame by winning tournaments of strength in Thrace, where he was recruited into the Templar Order with promises of greater power and fame.
Wrestler in All of Us: Both of his unique kill animations have him killing his target with his bare hands, instead of his weapon. When coming from the front, in high profile, he even executes a Fireman's Carry, which is a reference to The Executioner from Brotherhood.
The Corsair (Eveline Guerra)
A highly successful pirate that associated with the Templars, Eveline Guerra and her crew would ambush ships that were returning from treasure-hunting expeditions. With this highly effective strategy, she would acquire a lot of wealth for the Templars' causes.
Groin Attack: One of her animations has her slam the butt of her axe into her target's stomach, but this will occasionally turn into this trope, when her target is positioned just slightly higher than she is.
Hard Head: Seems to suffer no consequences from headbutting helmet-wearing characters like the Renegade, the Gladiator or the Crusader. Then again, neither do any of the other multiplayer characters.
Nice Hat: Both of her hats can qualify as this, but especially the second one (it even has a feather!).
Pirate Booty: Eveline and her crew were known for ambushing ships that came back from treasure-hunting expeditions, "redirecting" their loot into the coffers of the Templars.
She's Got Legs: And, given her standard outfit, she's most likely aware of it too.
Tomboy: Out of all the female multiplayer characters, Eveline is definitely the one that acts the least feminine. This is especially evident in her taunts; one of them even has her playfully slapping her butt as she makes fun of her target. Her voice also sounds a lot rougher than that of the other women.
A Wallachian lord, Vlad Tepes, also known as "Vlad The Impaler", was a secret member of the Templar Order that fought against the Ottoman Empire. He was eventually defeated and killed by the Master Assassin, Ishak Pasha, in 1476.
Dracula: Yes, indeed. They are based on the same historical character.
Drop the Hammer: His standard weapon. Although it's more an axe-like mace, rather than an actual hammer.
Fangs Are Evil: When Ezio opens his tomb to steal Vlad Tepes' signature sword, you get a brief glimpse of his skull... which has long, canine fangs. This ties in with the belief that he was a vampire.
Groin Attack: One of his animations has him slam the butt of his axe into his target's stomach, but this will occasionally turn into this trope, when his target is positioned just slightly higher than he is.
Apparently said name comes from his preferred torture method. He would put lard or some kind of lubricant on a large wooden spike and place his victims atop said spike, with the tip between their legs. They would continue sliding down the spike and eventually be impaled. And then he'd use their bodies to scare intruders away from his fortresses.
Nice Hat: The first two are helmets, with the last one being an actual hat.
Off with His Head!: When he was killed, the Ottoman Sultan wouldn't believe he was dead until his head was brought to him.
Fabiola Cavazza was a courtesan from the early 16th century that had connections with the Templar Order. Known for moving like "a whisper" among the sultry shadows of Constantinople, Fabiola could dispatch of targets with ease, thanks to her bladed fan.
Dark Is Evil: Fabiola's courtesan outfit is a striking black, which makes it sort of similar to that - the elite gear version, at least - of her predecessor, Fiora Cavazza. The sinister-looking mask, however, is absent.
Suspiciously Similar Substitute: The original Courtesan was quite popular, either because of her sexy appearance or her sympathetic background, which is most likely why they decided to bring her back in Revelations. Since the in-game model of Fabiola is basically identical to that of Fiora, barring some minor differences, many pople assume this is still the Courtesan from Brotherhood, even though they are different people.
"You put too much faith in the hearts of men, Altaïr. The Templars know the truth. Humans are weak, base and petty."
An ambitious individual, Haras was originally an Assassin apprentice, but he got dissatisfied with his slow progression through the Assassin ranks, and defected to the Templars.
Armor Is Useless: Despite wearing armor, he goes down just as easily as any of Altair's other victims, and is no more or less vulnerable than any other character in the multiplayer.
Badass Cape: It's a little shorter than most of the other multiplayer character, but still Badass enough.
Fish Out of Temporal Water: Is technically this in the multiplayer mode, since he's the only Crusades-era character, whereas all of the other characters are from the early 1500s.
Face Heel Turn: Haras was always quick to look for the easy way, instead of earning his place as an assassin. Thus, when he wasn't rising in rank as quickly as he had hoped, he became dissatisfied and jumped upon the chance to join the Templars.
Lightning Bruiser: Despite the fact that he's wearing what looks to be a full set of heavy, bulky armour, Haras can run around rooftops and clamber up walls with pretty much the same speed as the other multiplayer characters. Even if they're wearing much less than he is.
"What do you hope to hear, Assassin? That I regret my associations? Never. Rome abandoned us in our time of need, the west turned a blind eye to the Ottoman juggernaut. Is it any wonder that I should turn to men with more honor, more courage, and more vision? I regret nothing."
A disgraced member of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Cyril plots to kill the Patriarch of Constantinople in revenge for being publicly humiliated. He uses what authority he has left in the church to advance Templar goals.
Expy: He shares some characteristics with the Priest, Brother Ristoro, from Brotherhood, most noticeably the religious background and killing, or plotting to kill, those who know of their less savoury habits.
He Knows Too Much: The clergyman Ezio interrogates is killed by Cyril in the second part of the mission.
Murder by Mistake: In the first singleplayer mission tied to the Deacon, Ezio needs to use his Eagle Sense to find his real target among three similar-looking individuals. When the player has identified what looks to be the correct target, the accompanying apprentice immediately assassinates him, though it quickly turns out to be the wrong man, which allows Cyril to escape the first time around.
"Wealth, power, ambition… such things I have seen in my short time on earth, and reveled in them. Such things are the wonders of man. You may believe you have ended my life, but the truth is, you have completed it. To perish in this age-old struggle is an honor befitting a king."
A cousin of the Sultan of the Sennar Sultanate, Dunqas was driven from his homeland and became estranged from his family. Upon learning of the Templar philosophy, he whole-heartedly embraced the Order, naming himself "The Guardian of the Truth".
Fingerless Gloves: Made out of bandages and some leather gauntlets, but still counts.
Knife Nut: Not actually an available weapon, but, aside from whatever weapon you have equipped him with, he will have two daggers neatly tucked into the cloth that's wound around his midsection. Whether he's actually proficient with them is unknown; they may just be decorative.
Walking Shirtless Scene: Maybe a little less obvious than say, the Champion's second chest skin, but definitely counts. Whether it's a long-sleeved or a short-sleeved shirt, Odai Dunqas seems determined to show off his impressive pectorals.
The Gladiator (Anacletos)
An orphan that was sold into slavery and eventually became a gladiator, Anacletos' emerging talents were soon noticed by the Templars and they offered him a place among their order. Gladly accepting, he would, from then on, hunt his targets with dedication and ferocity.
The Faceless: All of his head skins have him donning a kind of gladiator helmet that completely covers up his face. Ironically, one of these helmets is shaped like an actual, Roman-looking face.
Lightning Bruiser: Despite the fact that he's wearing what looks to be a full set of heavy, bulky armour, Anacletos can run around rooftops and clamber up walls with pretty much the same speed as the other multiplayer characters. Even if they're wearing much less than he is.
A knight that lived during the early 16th century, Scevola Spina would eagerly lend his abilities to the Templar cause, wishing to follow in the footsteps of Verulo Gallo, whom he idolised.
Armor Is Useless: Plate armor can not stop a bullet. Or an icepick...
BFS / Cool Sword: It's just a standard broadsword, but it's definitely one of the biggest among the other personas.
Cool Helmet: He only has access to one though, unlike his Italian counterpart.
Lightning Bruiser: Despite the fact that he's wearing what looks to be a full set of heavy, bulky armour, Scevola Spina can run around rooftops and clamber up walls with pretty much the same speed as the other multiplayer characters. Even if they're wearing much less than he is.
Suspiciously Similar Substitute: For the original Knight, of course. Unlike Fabiola however, who basically looks identical to her predecessor, the similarity in looks between Scevola Spina and Verulo Gallo has a more sensible explanation. Scevola Spina was inspired by his Italian counterpart, and, wanting to follow in his footsteps, would don the same attire and use the same weapon.
Once dedicated to healing his patients, Seraffo now has more of a tendency to harm. An expatriate from Venice, he became a Templar agent that would gladly put under his designated victims through the use of his deadly syringe.
Improbable Weapon User: A sharp syringe filled with poison, just like his predecessor. The only difference is the poison in question, which is stated as being "a mercury solution of his own making". That, and there's a blade attached to the syringe.
Knife Nut: As mentioned above, he wields a bladed syringe, which allows him to use the syringe to inflict stab wounds as well.
Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Of the original Doctor from Brotherhood. The character model used for Seraffo is basically identical to the one that was originally made for Malfatto's elite gear, aside from the rather obvious switch from black to white.
The Ottoman Jester (Dulcamara)
A deadly, twisted killer, Dulcamara was a Venetian expatriate and jester that came into the employment of the Templars after his antics caused the ruin of a Sultan's beloved vizier.
Suspiciously Similar Substitute: As with the Courtesan, the popularity of the Harlequin from Brotherhood most likely prompted the game developers to have him return in Revelations, albeit under a different guise. The in-game model is mostly the same, although there are minor differences, such as the mask and hat, and a rather striking Palette Swap.
The Privateer (Blaise Legros)
A ruthless ship captain who will work for any that can afford his price, with those who can't often finding themselves stranded in the middle of the sea.
Cute Clumsy Guy: Another Rare Male Example. If you have them equipped with their standard weapon, the multiplayer characters will usually perform some kind of badass-looking animation when they are selected. The Privateer will attempt this as well, throwing his cutlass into the air, but, hilariously, fails to catch it when it comes down again.
Groin Attack: One of his animations has him slam the butt of his axe into his target's stomach, but this will occasionally turn into this trope, when his target is positioned just slightly higher than he is.
He Cleans Up Nicely: Both his default and second outfit have him dressed a little carelessly, like you would expect from a pirate. Surprise surprise, when he turns out to look quite sharp when you select most of the third options; a more clean-shaven look, an embroidered vest and some actual, decent pants can go a long way.
Nice Hat: Two of them being typical pirate hats, and the last a bandana.
Only in It for the Money: He'll work for the Assassins or the Templars; just depends on who pays him.
Pirate: Going off what little we know of him, he's most likely a Type I.
Sword and Gun: Possibly, considering he has a pistol tucked into his waistband. The pistol itself isn't actually usable in-game, but the Hidden Gun ability will allow him to use another. Theoretically, this could open up combinations such as Guns Akimbo, but there's no such option in the game itself.
A relentless individual, Shahkulu was left an orphan after an Ottoman ambush destroyed his tribe. As a youth, he came in contact with the Templar Order, which he quickly joined. His hatred of the Ottoman Turks was surpassed only by his fierce determination to eliminate all opposition of the Templar's ideology.Voiced by Tony Calabretta.
Knuckle Cracking: He's seen doing this right before he gets to beating up one of the Ottoman spies.
Lightning Bruiser: He's wearing some heavy armor, yet still opts to nimbly dodge your strikes - continuously - rather than defend. Not to mention the fact that he has a lot more health than your average Mook.
Made of Iron: Takes two grievous stab wounds, yet gets up immediately after with no visible difficulty.
No Sell: A rather frightening and unique example within the series. Being assassinated and then stabbed again, both times hard enough to send blood flying, just makes him laugh. Even Ezio is visibly shaken. He takes several more blows before finally going down in a regular fight.
No Kill Like Over Kill: He gets stabbed twice by Ezio, survives, and then finally goes down in a regular swordfight. Given his Made of Iron status, Ezio forces his foot down on his face, just to make sure.
"Once your Creed was as vital to me as air and water… but when the Turks marched into Wallachia, and you Assassins did nothing to stop it, how could I continue to believe? If a man's philosophy does not let him protect his people, his home, and his family… what good can it do for the world?"
A Wallachian noble, Vali cel Tradat was a loyal Assassin for many years, until the Brotherhood made peace with the Ottomans, who had invaded his home and killed his idol, Vlad Tepes. He betrayed them and joined the Templars to seek revenge.
Beat Them at Their Own Game: Aside from the similarity in attire, Vali cel Tradat now uses the techniques he once learned from the Assassins against them, which makes it difficult to find him... at first.
Face Heel Turn: Formerly a loyal member of the Assassins, he felt betrayed after they made a truce with the Ottomans, who had humiliated his people, conquered Wallachia, his home country, and murdered his secret idol, Vlad Tepes. Understandably, the guy wasn't very pleased.
"You do your duty well, Assassin… but you do it with such coldness that I almost pity you. The lives you fight to protect are dull, weak, and lacking luster. What a bland world it will be if you Assassins get your way."
A wealthy Byzantine, Lysistrata lived a life of luxury and nonchalance. She was schooled in the arts by the Templars, and in exchange she would use her "seductive charisma" on Ottoman officials and visiting monarchs.
Everything's Sparkly with Jewelry: Not overly present on her other outfits, but her default costume really takes takes the cake. Really, her targets ought to hear her coming from a mile away, with her wearing all that frippery.
Knife Nut: Throat slit optional, though she does impaled heads and severed spines just as well.
Modesty Shorts: Unless you have her wearing some practical pants and boots under her dress.
Of Corsets Sexy: Her third Chest skin features an opened one.
Smoke Out: Escapes Ezio and his apprentice the first time around, thanks to a well-timed Smoke Bomb, complete with Offscreen Teleportation.
Too Dumb to Live: After the apprentice's failed assassination of her, Lysistrata goes into hiding, knowing another brush with the assassins would probably end up fatal for her. However, her vanity gets the better of her, which causes her to participate in another play, making her a clean target for Ezio and the apprentice. Ezio lampshades this at the beginning of the mission.
The Trickster (Mirela Djuric)
"So dies another wretched Romani, is that what you are thinking, Assassin? Maybe your heart is filled with pity for me? Then leave me be, for I despise such charity. I took what was owed me, in spite of oppression, of hatred, of ignorance. I lived my own way, for myself..."
A Romani who was an expert thief and fortune teller, she provided the Templars with a vital link to the underworld of Constantinople.
Absolute Cleavage: Her third Chest skin employs this to great effect.
Groin Attack: One of her animations has her slam the butt of her axe into her target's stomach, but this will occasionally turn into this trope, when her target is positioned just slightly higher than she is.
I Regret Nothing: As she's dying, Mirela claims to regret nothing of what she's done. In her life as a Roma, she'd been the victim of oppression, of ignorance and of hatred. In retaliation, she simply took what she believed was owed to her.
Laser-Guided Karma: Mirela is assassinated through a dose of poison, her own preferred method of killing.
Modesty Shorts: Sort of a prerequisite; she just had to be the character that got the custom kill animation that involves vaulting over her targets before killing them, while the camera is, coincidentally, at just the right angle to look up her skirt. Averted with her third accessory skin, where there's not much skirt to speak of.
A Cossack from Odessa, she joined the Templars after they offered her a chance to strike back at the advancing Ottoman Empire, exchanging loyalty for wealth and power. She seemed to have primarily been an information gatherer, spying on the enemy, though she obviously knew her way around a weapon as well.
Every Woman Has Her Price: Switches loyalties for the wealth and power offered to her by the Templars. Initially, she served her home country of Odessa, but spying for the Templars turned out to be far more profitable. That, and it allowed her to strike right at the heart of the Ottoman Empire, something which her original occupation did not allow.
Groin Attack: One of her animations has her slam the butt of her axe into her target's stomach, but this will occasionally turn into this trope, when her target is positioned just slightly higher than she is.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Despite being part of the original multiplayer character ensemble, Oksana does not make an appearance in the singleplayer storyline.
The Vizier (Damat Ali Pasha)
"You Assassins are a plague on the hope of humanity, putting down every edifice of progress we manage to build up. Given enough time, I could have delivered my people into the arms of the Templars. But no more."
Initially a loyal servant of Sultan Bayezid II, Damat Ali Pasha turned to the Templar Order after the Sultan's ambition to conquer the world subsided. He sought to deliver the people into the arms of his order, so that order and glory could be brought to a world of chaos.
Dual Wielding: An interesting example, since the Vizier does not actually wield two swords. However, when you have him equipped with his speciality weapon, a sword, one of his kill animations has him slashing his target across the back with both the blade and the sheath in a kind of X-formation.
Real Men Wear Pink: Whereas the other male characters usually have access to dyes such as green, brown or dark blue, Damat Ali Pasha does not only have purplish-blue as his default colour, but also pink as an optional one. Luckily, this is compensated by the last option, which has him in pure black.
