History Main / TheHashshashin

*** Hassan of the Shining Star later appears. Instead of using bombs, this version specializes in LightEmUp attacks and SuperSpeed. He uses Zabaniya: Thoughtless Framework to drastically increase his speed and surround himself in light before ramming the opponent like a shooting star, but if he uses it for more than 10 seconds, he will burn out and die.

*** True Assassin is Hassan of the Ghostly Weft, a man outside the 19 known Hassans because he was the First Hassan's "Shadow". He has the power of a ShadowWalker. His Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya: Meditative Sensitivity, only activates when he is about to die. It causes him to become a concept of death and [[TakingYouWithMe drag his opponent to the afterlife]].

** ''Franchise/KingOfFighters'' has Kukri, who is believed to be North African (possibly Moroccan) and is identified as an Assassin with sand powers.

The Hashshashin were an Islamic community in UsefulNotes/TheMiddleEast around the time of UsefulNotes/TheCrusades, who both [[TropeNamer named]] and [[TropeCodifier codified]] the [[ProfessionalKiller Assassin]] archetype[[note]]Notice the similarity between the words "assassin" and "hashshashin"? [[TropeNamer That's not a coincidence]][[/note]], though only a few know to what extent their image has been {{Flanderized}} since then.

* The ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'' series posits that the Hashshashin order seen in the [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI first game]] was simply one part of the Crusades-era incarnation of a secret society of professional killers who have existed throughout human history, whose primary goal has been to use their skills and methods to preserve peace and protect the innocent from those who would abuse power, which allows the series to cover virtually any era of recorded human history. Their primary enemy are UsefulNotes/TheKnightsTemplar, another secret society with similar reach, but with [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans wildly]] [[TheEvilsOfFreeWill different]] [[TakeOverTheWorld ideals]]. It turns out that the Assassins are the successors to the legacy of [[spoiler:Adam and Eve]], [[spoiler:who were {{Half Human Hybrid}}s created by [[{{Precursors}} the First Civilization]] and who were immune to the effects of the Pieces of Eden, allowing them to lead a rebellion against their masters]]. ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedOrigins'' reveals that the organization had previously existed as the Hidden Ones who were established by Bayek and his wife Aya/[[spoiler:Amunet]] during the final years of [[UsefulNotes/CleopatraVII Cleopatra's reign]] over AncientEgypt.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Illuminati}}'', in which players control {{Ancient Conspirac|y}}ies, the Assassins are one.

* This forms the backstory to the ''The Fraternity of the Stone'' by David Morrell -- the eponymous Fraternity is a ChurchMilitant originally formed in response to the Hashshashin. Their first recruit was a Middle Eastern man who had converted to Christianity.

Originally they were an esoteric UsefulNotes/{{Islam}}ic {{cult}}--usually classified as a radical offshoot of the Isma'ili sect of Shi'a Islam--founded by Hassan-i Sabbah, who was born of a Twelver Family, who had converted to Isma'ili, and then later broke off from them to form Nizariyya, an Isma'ili offshoot. They were a society of [[TropeNamer assassins]] operating from the mountain fortress [[SupervillainLair Alamut]] and terrorizing the region's rulers with their attacks. Despite their fearsome reputation, the Hashshashin were said to be [[WouldNotShootACivilian quite friendly towards common folk]], since their killings were actually carefully targeted and planned, rather than random acts of violence.

In fiction, UsefulNotes/TheKnightsTemplar are often positioned as the {{Rival}}s and [[ArchNemesis Arch-Nemeses]] of the Hashshashin (and the two are often found alongside each other in {{Conspiracy Kitchen Sink}}s); this can be quite frustrating to people who know the region's history, since Crusaders--though not necessarily the Templars themselves--were often ''allies'' of the Shia Assassins, since they shared a common enemy (i.e. the Sunni Turkish and to a lesser extent Kurdish and Arab lords who ruled the region, including Zengi and [[UsefulNotes/TheCrusades Saladin]]). Compare {{Ninja}}s, the Japanese counterpart.

For more historical information see UsefulNotes.TheHashshashin.

* The ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'' series posits that the Hashshashin order seen in the [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI first game]] was simply one part of the Crusades-era incarnation of a secret society of professional killers who have existed throughout human history, whose primary goal has been to use their skills and methods to preserve peace and protect the innocent from those who would abuse power, which allows the series to cover virtually any era of recorded human history. Their primary enemy are UsefulNotes/TheKnightsTemplar, another secret society with similar reach, but with [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans wildly]] [[TheEvilsOfFreeWill different]] [[TakeOverTheWorld ideals]]. It turns out that the Assassins are the successors to the legacy of [[spoiler: Adam and Eve]], [[spoiler: who were {{Half Human Hybrid}}s created by [[{{Precursors}} the First Civilization]] and who were immune to the effects of the Pieces of Eden, allowing them to lead a rebellion against their masters.]] ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedOrigins'' reveals that the organization had previously existed as the Hidden Ones who were established by Bayek and his wife Aya/[[spoiler:Amunet]] during the final years of [[UsefulNotes/CleopatraVII Cleopatra's reign]] over AncientEgypt.

* ''Franchise/FateSeries'': One of the standard classes of Heroic Spirit is directly called Assassin, and in almost all of the Holy Grail Wars (at least [[RetCon originally]]) the Assassin figure was none other than Hassan-i Sabbah, one of the most famous leaders of the historical Hashshashin. (More precisely, it was one of the 19 leaders of the order who in ''Fate'' continuity [[LegacyCharacter all bear the title of Hassan]]).
** The original ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' features Hassan of the Cursed Arm who ascended to the title by grafting the arm of an evil spirit onto his body to gain the Noble Phantasm Zabaniya: Delusional Heartbeat, which allows him to cast a curse that creates a replacement of his target's heart which he can then [[AttackOnTheHeart crush to destroy the real heart]] or he can flat-out eat his victim's heart after replacing it with the fake. In ''Fate/Grand Order'', it is revealed that he originally lived during the time of the Crusades and that his real name is Hanam. He regretted becoming Hassan because in his quest to become one, he alienated his wife and son.

*** The First Hassan aka King Hassan is the original Old Man of the Mountain who far exceeds the capabilities of all of his successors and can even kill ideas or bestow the concept of death upon undying beings. He does this through his Noble Phantasm, Azrael, his sword named after the Angel of Death. He was skilled enough to be granted the title of [[WorldsBestWarrior Grand Assassin]]. He apparently travels through time and space to punish Hassans who lose their way; it was implied back in ''Prototype'' that he killed Hassan of Serenity for falling InLoveWithTheMark and trying to spare him. However, he shows mercy to Hassan of the Cursed Arm and allows him to retire and be with his surviving family. At one point, he hints that his true identity is Ziusudra, a king from Sumerian mythology who survived TheGreatFlood, though it is ambiguous if he is telling the truth.

** Battle Arena Toshinden features Chaos though unlike most examples he is Sri Lankan [[note]] Sri Lanka is South Asian not Middle Eastern [[/note]]
** Killer Instincts Sadira has an Iranian name, dresses like a Bedlah Babe and is part of an Assassin order with a Spider motif. Though she speaks Thai in game, its mentions she is a refugee.
** Mace the Dark Age features Al-Rashid who is generically Arabian and is explicitly an Assassins.
** Tekken has an Egyptian Zafina whos occupation is being part of an Assassins Order
** King of Fighters has Kukri whonis believed to be North African (possibly Moroccan) and is identified as an Assassins with Sand powers.

** The sequel ''VisualNovel/FateHollowAtaraxia'', features an unnamed Hassan encountered in a vision quest to the Third Holy Grail War. This guy is a midget who uses poison needles and the Noble Phantasm Zabaniya: Cyber Phantasy, where with one touch, he converts his victim's brain to gunpowder and blows their head up.

*** The Camelot Singularity introduced Hassan of the Quaking Pipe, Hassan of Shadow Peeling, and Hassan of Intoxicated Smoke. Sadly, the former two were killed before anything could be learned about them. Hassan of Intoxicated Smoke could turn her body to smoke to avoid attacks.

* ''Franchise/FateSeries'': One of the standard classes of Heroic Spirit is directly called Assassin, and in almost all of the Holy Grail Wars (at least [[RetCon originally]]) the Assassin figure was none other than Hassan-i Sabbah, one of the most famous leaders of the historical Hashshashin. (More precisely, it was one of the 19 leaders of the order who in ''Fate'' continuity all bear the title of Hassan).
** The original ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' features Hassan of the Cursed Arm who ascended to the title by grafting the arm of an evil spirit onto his body to gain the Noble Phantasm Zabaniya: Delusional Heartbeat, which allows him to cast a curse that creates a replacement of his target's heart which he can then [[AttackOnTheHeart crush to destroy the real heart]] or he can flat-out eat his victim's heart after replacing it with the fake. In ''Fate/Grand Order'', it is revealed that he originally lived during the time of the Crusades.

** Another AlternateUniverse prequel, ''Anime/FatePrototype: Fragments of Sky Silver'' features another Hassan, named "Hassan of Serenity", who is a female Hassan who exclusively specializes in poisons, using Zabaniya: Delusional Poison Body to make her skin, breath and body fluids toxic, emulating the Visha Kanya or poison girls from Hindu folklore. However, she cannot turn her ability off, causing her to be starved for love and desperately search for and fall in love with people who can withstand her poison. Author's notes reveal [[WhatCouldHaveBeen the original Assassin was going to be]] Hassan of the Shining Star, who specialized in bombs.

*** True Assassin is Hassan of the Ghostly Weft, a man outside the 19 known Hassans because he was the First Hassan's "Shadow". He has the power of a ShadowWalker. His Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya: Meditative Sensitivity, only activates when he is about to die. It causes him to become a concept of death and drag his opponent to the afterlife.

*** The First Hassan aka King Hassan is the original Old Man of the Mountain who far exceeds the capabilities of all of his successors and can even kill ideas or bestow the concept of death upon undying beings. He does this through his Noble Phantasm, Azrael, his sword named after the Angel of Death. He was skilled enough to be granted the title of [[WorldsBestWarrior Grand Assassin]]. He apparently travels through time and space to punish Hassans who lose their way; it was implied back in ''Prototype'' that he killed Hassan of Serenity for falling InLoveWithTheMark and trying to spare him. However, he shows mercy to Hassan of the Cursed Arm and allows him to retire.

** ''Manga/FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'': The Assassin Class Card can grant a person the powers of an Assassin Servant. When Illya uses it, she gains the powers of Hassan of the Hundred Faces. When Miyu uses it, she gains the power of Hassan of Serenity. When Shinji Matou uses it, he gains the power of an unnamed Hassan who uses Zabaniya: Dead Heartbeat Melody to somehow instantly [[TorsoWithAView punch holes in people]].

** Another AlternateUniverse prequel, ''Anime/FatePrototype: Fragments of Sky Silver'' features another Hassan, named "Hassan of Serenity," who is a female Hassan who exclusively specializes in poisons, using Zabaniya: Delusional Poison Body to make her skin, breath and body fluids toxic, emulating the Visha Kanya or poison girls from Hindu folklore. However, she cannot turn her ability off, causing her to be starved for love and desperately search for and fall in love with people who can withstand her poison. Author's notes reveal [[WhatCouldHaveBeen the original Assassin was going to be]] Hassan of the Shining Star, who specialized in bombs.

*** False Assassin, also known as No Name Assassin and Beautiful Assassin, was a member of the Hashshashin who aspired to become Hassan-i Sabbah. She was passed over for Hassan of the Hundred Faces, both because she was a religious zealot, and because, while she could copy the assassination techniques of previous Hassans, she could not come up with an original technique of her own. As a Servant, her Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya: Phantasmal Pedigree, allows her to copy the techniques of the 18 previous Hassans, except for Hassan of the Hundred Faces.

*** The First Hassan aka King Hassan is the original Old Man of the Mountain who far exceeds the capabilities of all of his successors and can even kill ideas or bestow the concept of death upon undying beings. He does this through his Noble Phantasm, Azrael, his sword named after the Angel of Death.

* ''Franchise/FateSeries'': One of the standard classes of Heroic Spirit is directly called Assassin, and in almost all of the Holy Grail Wars (at least [[RetCon originally]]) the Assassin figure was none other than Hassan-i Sabbah, one of the most famous leaders of the historical Hashshashin. (More precisely, it was one of the leaders of the order who in ''Fate'' continuity all bear the title of Hassan).
** The original ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' features Hassan of the Cursed Arm who ascended to the title by grafting the arm of an evil spirit onto his body, which allows him to cast a curse that creates a replacement of his target's heart which he can then [[AttackOnTheHeart crush to destroy the real heart]] or he can flat-out eat his victim's heart after replacing it with the fake. In ''Fate/Grand Order'', it is revealed that he originally lived during the time of the Crusades.
** The prequel ''Literature/FateZero'' also features another Hassan-i Sabbah, dubbed "Hassan of the Hundred Faces" and is noted to be the last person to have ever taken up the name. This entity manifests as multiple separate bodies with different skills/purposes.
** Another AlternateUniverse prequel, ''Anime/FatePrototype: Fragments of Sky Silver'' features another Hassan, named "Hassan of Serenity," who is a female Hassan who exclusively specializes in poisons. Author's notes reveal [[WhatCouldHaveBeen the original Assassin was going to be]] Hassan of the Shining Star, who specialized in bombs.

*** False Assassin, also known as No Name Assassin and Beautiful Assassin, was a member of the Hashshashin who aspired to become Hassan-i Sabbah. She was passed over for Hassan of the Hundred Faces, both because she was a religious zealot, and because, while she could copy the assassination techniques of previous Hassans, she could not come up with an original technique of her own. As a Servant, her Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya: Phantasmal Pedigree, allows her to copy the techniques of the 18 previous Hassans, except for Hundred-Faced Hassan's.
*** True Assassin is Hassan of the Ghostly Weft, a man outside the 19 known Hassans because he was the First Hassan's "Shadow". He has the power of a ShadowWalker.
** ''Videogame/FateGrandOrder'' introduces the First Hassan aka King Hassan, the original Old Man of the Mountain who far exceeds the capabilities of all of his successors and can even kill ideas or bestow the concept of death upon undying beings.

** The prequel ''LightNovel/FateZero'' also features another Hassan-i Sabbah, dubbed "the Hundred-Faced Hassan" and is noted to be the last person to have ever taken up the name. This entity manifests as multiple separate bodies with different skills/purposes.
** Another AlternateUniverse prequel, ''Anime/FatePrototype: Fragments of Sky Silver'' features another Hassan, named "Hassan of Serenity," who is a female Hassan who exclusively specializes in poisons.

*** False Assassin, also known as No Name Assassin and Beautiful Assassin, was a member of the Hashshashin who aspired to become Hassan-i Sabbah. She was passed over for Hundred-Faced Hassan, both because she was a religious zealot, and because, while she could copy the assassination techniques of previous Hassans, she could not come up with an original technique of her own. As a Servant, her Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya: Phantasmal Pedigree, allows her to copy the techniques of the 18 previous Hassans, except for Hundred-Faced Hassan's.
*** True Assassin is a proper Hassan-i Sabbah. He has the power of a ShadowWalker.
** ''Videogame/FateGrandOrder'' introduces the First Hassan, the original Old Man of the Mountain who far exceeds the capabilities of all of his successors and can even kill ideas or bestow the concept of death upon undying beings.

* Fahd Alireza is a lesser known X-Men villain who is Saudi Arabian and an Asssassins by trade. He also claims to be a Djinn.

* Following the Monks and Mystics DLC, the Hashshashin have become a secret society for Shia Muslims in ''[[VideoGame/CrusaderKings Crusader Kings 2]]''. Membership makes getting help assassinating enemies much easier than normal, particularly if you become leader, while also giving you the chance to use Hashish for a random good (or bad) outcome.

** Tekken has Egyptian AZafina whos occupation is being part of an Assassins Order

* ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'' has the Assamites (or as they call themselves, the Banu Haqim), a vampire clan associated with the Hashshashin (a rogue [[TheRenfield Renfield]] of theirs in the 12th/13th centuries used the cult to help him hunt vampires). The Assamites believe themselves to be protectors of the mortals and "judges" of the Vampires, assassinating and "diablerizing" ([[MonstrousCannibalism vampire cannibalism]]) them. The clan is even based in Alamut (albeit not the Hashshashin's Alamut) and hires themselves out as assassins.
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Illuminati}}'', in which players control [[AncientConspiracy ancient conspiracies]], the Assassins are one.

* ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'' has the Assamites, a vampire clan associated with the Hashshashin (a rogue [[TheRenfield Renfield]] of theirs in the 12th/13th centuries used the cult to help him hunt vampires). The clan is based in Alamut (albeit not the Hashshashin's Alamut) and hires themselves out as assassins.

Allegedly (according to ''Literature/TheTravelsOfMarcoPolo'', anyway), Hashshashin recruits were drugged with hashish (the word ''hashish''[[note]]Which originally meant "grass" in Arabic--stoners everywhere think alike[[/note]] is the source of the name), led to a paradisical garden [[{{Fanservice}} full of lush greenery and beautiful women]] (supposedly [[MistakenForAfterlife a glimpse of the Islamic paradise]]), and then told that only the "Old Man of the Mountain" had the means to let them return (i.e. if they died as martyrs), which resulted in [[BrainwashedAndCrazy their fanatical devotion]]. There is no historical evidence whatsoever of hashish being used for anything but medicinal purposes, and the connotation of the Assassins being drug addicts was given to them by their enemies and by polemicists who were seeking to discredit the Assassins and the Nizari. Their downfall came when [[MuggingTheMonster one of their strikes reached]] [[AlwaysABiggerFish the Mongols]], who razed Alamut during their conquest of Persia.

* The ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'' series posits that the Hashshashin order seen in the [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI first game]] was simply one part of the Crusades-era incarnation of a secret society of professional killers who have existed throughout human history, whose primary goal has been to use their skills and methods to preserve peace and protect the innocent from those who would abuse power, which allows the series to cover virtually any era of recorded human history. Their primary enemy are UsefulNotes/TheKnightsTemplar, another secret society with similar reach, but with [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans wildly]] [[TheEvilsOfFreeWill different]] [[TakeOverTheWorld ideals]]. It turns out that the Assassins are the successors to the legacy of [[spoiler: Adam and Eve]], who were a pair of humans who [[spoiler: were {{Half Human Hybrid}}s created by [[{{Precursors}} the First Civilization]] and who were immune to the effects of the Pieces of Eden, allowing them to lead a rebellion against their masters.]] ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedOrigins'' reveals that the organization had previously existed as the Hidden Ones who were established by Bayek and his wife Aya/[[spoiler:Amunet]] during the final years of [[UsefulNotes/CleopatraVIIPhilopator Cleopatra's reign]] over AncientEgypt.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Gothic}}'' series features a blatant expy of them called the Hashishin, whose weapons are assassin style blades (and often coated with poison). Of course, they are also blatant stereotypes of classic Arabians in that they are very into economics as SeriousBusiness, not to mention a rather cliche habit of giving people [[OverlyLongName Overly Long Nicknames.]]
* The ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'' series posits that the Hashshashin order seen in the [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI first game]] was simply one part of the Crusades-era incarnation of a secret society of professional killers who have existed throughout human history, whose primary goal has been to use their skills and methods to preserve peace and protect the innocent from those who would abuse power, which allows the series to cover virtually any era of recorded human history. Their primary enemy are UsefulNotes/TheKnightsTemplar, another secret society with similar reach, but with [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans wildly]] [[TheEvilsOfFreeWill different]] [[TakeOverTheWorld ideals]]. It turns out that the Assassins are [[spoiler: the descendants of Adam and Eve]], who were a pair of humans who [[spoiler: were {{Half Human Hybrid}}s created by [[{{Precursors}} the First Civilization]] and who were immune to the effects of the Pieces of Eden, allowing them to lead a rebellion against their masters.]]

In fiction, UsefulNotes/TheKnightsTemplar are often positioned as the {{Rival}}s and [[ArchNemesis Arch-Nemeses]] of the Hashshashin (and the two are often found alongside each other in {{Conspiracy Kitchen Sink}}s); this can be quite frustrating to people who know the region's history, since Crusaders--though not necessarily the Templars themselves--were often ''allies'' of the Shia Assassins, since they shared a common enemy (i.e. the Sunni Turkish and to a lesser extent Kurdish and Arab lords who ruled the region, including Zengi and [[UsefulNotes/TheCrusades Saladin]]). Compare {{Ninja}}s, the Far Eastern counterpart.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* During the Holy Grail Wars in Fuyuki of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', only a Hassan can be summoned as an Assassin-class Servant.