Edward Kenway

Last updated

Edward Kenway
Assassin's Creed character
EdwardKenway.png
First appearance Assassin's Creed: Forsaken (2012)
First game Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (2013)
Created by Ubisoft
Adapted by Oliver Bowden
Portrayed by Matt Ryan
In-universe information
Origin Swansea, Wales, Great Britain
Nationality Welsh

Edward James Kenway is a fictional character in Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed video game franchise. He was introduced as a supporting character in Assassin's Creed: Forsaken , a companion novel to the 2012 video game Assassin's Creed III . He subsequently appeared as the protagonist of the 2013 video game, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag , and its novelization, Assassin's Creed: Black Flag. In the former, he is portrayed by Welsh actor Matt Ryan through performance capture. Since Black Flag's release, the character has made further appearances in several other works within the franchise.

Contents

Within the series' alternate historical setting, Edward was born in 1693 into a family of Welsh farmers, but his ambitions to improve his lifestyle eventually prompt him to become a privateer and later a pirate, operating in the Caribbean during the final decades of the Golden Age of Piracy. During this time, he plays an important role in the establishment of a short-lived Pirate Republic, and inadvertently becomes caught in the conflict between the Assassin Brotherhood (inspired by the real-life Order of Assassins) and the Templar Order (inspired by the Knights Templar military order). Initially helping both sides for personal gain, he eventually has a change of heart and joins the Assassins following his retirement from piracy. Later in life, he settles down in London, becoming one of the co-leaders of the local branch of the Brotherhood, until his murder by the Templars in 1735. Edward is the father of Haytham Kenway, who would go on to become a high-ranking Templar and the main antagonist of Assassin's Creed III; the grandfather of Ratonhnhaké꞉ton / Connor, Haytham's son and the protagonist of Assassin's Creed III; and an ancestor of Desmond Miles, the protagonist of the modern-day sequences of the first five main games in the series.

Edward has received a positive reception for his charm and characterization as a morally ambiguous protagonist and self-made man and is considered to be one of the series' most popular characters. Various merchandise for the character, as with other of the series' protagonists, has been released.

Creation and development

The lead scriptwriter for Black Flag, Darby McDevitt, observed that previous series protagonists have joined the Assassin Brotherhood without much deliberation, often as part of a coming of age moment, as their personal goals are already naturally aligned with that of the organization's. For Black Flag, the developmental team wanted to explore the Assassins' tenets, their "creed", from a new perspective. The idea of a talented and shrewd pirate, a cynical and jaded man who comes into contact with the Assassins, was mooted and proposed as the protagonist who presents this different point of view and who may not share the Assassins' worldview or adherence to a higher purpose or ideal. [1] The whole thrust of the story then became a constant conflict within Edward over the very idea of the Creed, even as he co-opts some of the Assassins' methods and tactics for his personal gain. [2] [3]

McDevitt explained that Black Flag is at its core a story of immorality and repentance, and Edward Kenway is a married man whose strained relationship with his wife is one of the central struggles in the game. [4] McDewitt describe Edward as a "raucous and bawdy chap" who also has a few significant close relationships with other women in the story, and that his primary motivation in Black Flag is to get rich and prove himself a "man of quality' to his family and betters". [4] As for his personality, McDevitt said Edward "is a pirate who yearns for freedom much like the Assassins do, but loathes the sense of responsibility that a truly functional freedom requires" and that the narrative intends to explore "at what point would Edward realize his brand of freedom is too chaotic to function for very long.” [2] McDevitt compared Edward to his grandson Ratonhnhaké꞉ton, better known as Connor, the protagonist of Black Flag's antecedent Assassin's Creed III, and described his character arc as a counterpoint in someway.

Portrayal

Ryan provided the voice and likeness for Edward Kenway Matt Ryan, Constantine, 2014 Comic Con.jpg
Ryan provided the voice and likeness for Edward Kenway

Edward Kenway is voiced by Matt Ryan, who also portrayed the character in a motion capture studio. [5] McDevitt admitted that the character and his back story became far more influenced by the culture of Wales than he had originally intended; the developmental team only decided to build their story around a Welsh pirate when they cast Ryan as the voice and image of the character. McDevitt originally envisioned Edward to hail from an English port town like Bristol, Portsmouth, or Manchester, but deliberately left his background blank prior to the finalization of the casting process because he wanted to draw from whichever actor was chosen. McDevitt praised Ryan for the charisma and the personality he brought to the character, but recalled that he initially read his lines in a West County accent. Ryan was then asked to speak in his natural Welsh accent, which ultimately prompted McDevitt to finalize Edward as a Welsh character from Swansea, which matches his actor's cultural background. McDevitt consulted Ryan's father for ideas as he wanted to include some colloquial Welsh phrases into the game's dialogue. [6]

Ryan noted that unlike the majority of the game's cast of characters who are fictionalized versions of historical figures, Edward is an original character. To prepare for the role, Ryan was asked to read books recommended by McDevitt as part of their research of the time period, as the game's developmental team wanted to avoid the usual tropes and archetypes associated with the depiction of piracy in popular fiction. [5]

Appearances

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

In Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag , the player experiences Edward's life and exploits in the West Indies and the western African coast as part of a simulation played by a silent protagonist who works as a research analyst at Abstergo Entertainment, a corporate front of the Templar Order in the modern era. Abstergo is interested in Edward's memories because of his involvement with both Assassins and Templars during the Golden Age of Piracy, as well as his pursuit of the Observatory, an ancient site built by the First Civilization.

The game's backstory establishes that Edward comes from a low socio-economic background and married a wealthy girl named Caroline Scott, though their relationship became strained over time due to Edward's ambitious dreams of earning a fortune as a privateer. After Caroline eventually lost faith in him and left, Edward decided to pursue his dream and traveled to the Caribbean, where he quickly turned to piracy. He also befriended a number of fellow pirates including Blackbeard, Benjamin Hornigold, Charles Vane and Mary Read, and helped them establish an independent Pirate Republic in Nassau.

In 1715, Edward inadvertently becomes caught in the Assassin-Templar conflict after killing a rogue Assassin, Duncan Walpole, who planned to defect to the Templars. Impersonating Walpole, Edward attends a Templar meeting in Havana, where he learns that the Caribbean Templars, led by Laureano de Torres y Ayala, seek the Observatory, which will allow them to rule the world from the shadows. Mistakenly believing the Observatory to be housing a vast treasure, Edward decides to seek out Bartholomew Roberts, the only man who knows its location. During his search, Edward is introduced to the Assassins by Mary, revealed to be an Assassin herself, who tries to push Edward to abandon his selfish ways and join the Brotherhood. He also witnesses the collapse of the Pirate Republic due to an ideological split between its leaders, and the deaths of most of his friends over the following years.

Edward eventually secures an alliance with Roberts, who takes him to the Observatory, revealed to be a surveillance facility. However, Roberts then betrays Edward and turns him over to the British authorities, who imprison him in Kingston, Jamaica. Edward escapes with the help of Ah Tabai, the Assassin Mentor, and has a change of heart after witnessing Mary's death, deciding to join the Assassins in her honor. After assassinating Roberts and the Templars to prevent them from misusing the Observatory, Edward receives a letter informing him of Caroline's passing and the existence of his hitherto unknown daughter, Jennifer Scott. Wishing to make amends for his past actions, Edward retires from piracy in order to focus on his new Assassin duties and raising Jennifer, and returns to England. Years later, he fathers a second child, Haytham Kenway, and becomes a leader of the British Brotherhood based in London.

Other appearances

Edward's first appearance in the franchise was in the 2012 novel Assassin's Creed: Forsaken by Oliver Bowden, which follows the perspective of his son, Haytham, and recounts the events leading up to Edward's eventual fate. The novel establishes that Edward kept a journal documenting his extensive research on the First Civilization, which was sought by Reginald Birch, his property manager and, secretly, the Grand Master of the British Templars. In 1735, Edward was killed by mercenaries sent by Birch to break into his mansion in Queen Anne's Square and steal his journal. This also allowed Birch to take Haytham under his wing and indoctrinate him into the Templar Order. Although Haytham eventually discovered the truth years later and avenged his father, he chose to stay a Templar.

Edward is also featured in Assassin's Creed: Black Flag, the novelization of the 2013 video game, and Assassin's Creed: Awakening, a non-canonical manga adaptation of the game, written by Takashi Yano and illustrated by Kenji Oiwa. In 2017, Edward appeared in the third issue of the Assassin's Creed: Reflections comic book miniseries, which recounts his encounter with infamous pirate Edward "Ned" Low. He is also the protagonist of the webtoon Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple, which follows his search for Pieces of Eden in Southeast Asia a few years after the events of Black Flag and began publishing in April 2023.

Edward's legacy and his mansion serve as a plot point in the 2015 game Assassin's Creed Syndicate , in which the protagonists search for a Shroud of Eden found by Edward during his travels. He is also featured in Dead Men's Gold, a story arc from the 2018 mobile spin-off game Assassin's Creed: Rebellion , which serves as a prequel to the introduction sequence of Black Flag. Like other series protagonists, Edward's outfit has been an unlockable cosmetic option in most subsequent releases, including the remastered version of Assassin's Creed III, released in 2019.

Outside the Assassin's Creed series, Edward has been referenced in the 2020 game Watch Dogs: Legion , where a statue of the character can be found in an underground Assassin Tomb in London, as part of a non-canonical crossover between the Assassin's Creed and Watch Dogs franchises.

Promotion and merchandise

In conjunction with Ubisoft, Todd McFarlane and his McFarlane Toys Design Group designed a highly detailed, hand-painted, and cold-cast resin limited-edition statue of Edward Kenway. Only one thousand pieces were created and distributed worldwide, and each statue includes a Certificate of Authenticity hand-signed by McFarlane. [7]

Reception

A cosplayer recreating Edward Kenway's unhooded appearance. WW St Louis 2014 - Assassin's Creed (14019411076).jpg
A cosplayer recreating Edward Kenway's unhooded appearance.

Edward Kenway has been well received by video game journalists, with high placements on several "top character" ranking lists of Assassin's Creed series protagonists. [8] [9] [10] [11] VideoGamer.com ranked him among the best pirates in video games. [12]

Matt Purslow from IGN described Edward as the "true secret weapon" of Black Flag, the central element that binds the game's disparate elements and features together, and argued that it manages to avoid the pitfalls of over-reliance on MacGuffin plot devices like its predecessors due to the narrative focus on Edward's personal journey. [13] He found the character's privateer-turned-pirate background, a chancer looking for profit whose decision to steal the robes of a member of the Assassins sparks his growth from rebel to honorable captain, to be a "fresh perspective to the overarching narrative of the series". [13] Andrei Dobra from Softpedia interpreted McDevitt's statements about Edward in an interview with VG247 as indicative of a belief that the popularity of Black Flag is largely because the character is an unusual protagonist who trumps many established tropes concerning heroes in the franchise. [14] In an article which offers an impression of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla Jordan Ramée from GameSpot reflected on his gameplay experience with Edward in Black Flag fondly, where combat sequences often involved head-on confrontation of foes and that Edward solves many of his problems as a pirate that's making the most of the tools of an Assassin. [15] Evan Stallworth Carr from The Daily Californian found Edward Kenway to be "a deeply interesting character" who displays a "charismatic and outgoing personality" for his pirate persona. On the other hand, Carr opined that he does not fit well into the lore of the series, which in his view ultimately hurt the plot of Black Flag. [16] Stephen Totilo was of the opinion that while the subplot involving the wife he left behind paid off beautifully at its conclusion, Edward is a "forgettable lead" and his character arc is "shallow". [3]

The ending sequence of Black Flag has attracted praise for its depiction of Edward's character development. Tom Phillips from Eurogamer found it to be a "surprisingly mature conclusion for a series all about stabbing people in the neck", as Kenway finally gives up a life of piracy to settle down with his newly discovered daughter, and that it took the entirety of the narrative of Black Flag where his experiences of the deaths of all of his close friends and loved ones lead him to making a sensible decision about his life. [17] Erik Kain from Forbes found the final moments of Black Flag to be "surprisingly beautiful", describing the finale as an "oddly sad and redemptive" contemplation of the character's loss which segues to his conversation with his daughter which is both playful and regretful in tone. [18]

Analysis

Nick Dinicola from Pop Matters found the narrative approach by Black Flag to be interesting, as its lead character does not become an official member of the Brotherhood of Assassins by the ending of the game; instead, the story explores both sides of the long-running Assassin-Templar conflict from the perspective of an indifferent protagonist, and allows players a better sense of the Assassins' code of conduct as Edward gradually becomes sympathetic to their cause and acknowledges that their creed is “the beginning of wisdom.” [19] In his paper which examines the representation of female characters in the Assassin’s Creed Series published by St. Mary's University of Minnesota, Stephen J. Fishburne described Edward Kenway as "capturing the ideal of masculinity and the self-made man to the greatest extent" amongst other male protagonists in the series, and noted that "the consequences of his irresponsibility are really only felt by those around him" because he is still considered the "hero of Black Flag". [20] In a paper which analyzes the cultural depiction of piracy in video games, Eugen Pfister said the depiction of pirates as rebels but not revolutionaries in Black Flag is historically accurate. Pfister noted that while Edward mostly acts ethically and adheres to his own code of conduct as he tries to do the “right thing”, he becomes a “gentleman of fortune” of his own volition in the first place, and that even more importantly, he seeks no redemption for his violent actions when it comes to exploring and hunting for victims. This is reinforced by the game's mechanics, which encourages constant pillaging and raiding of merchant ships to improve the performance of Edward's flagship and offers the character "no incentive to ponder the possibility of becoming an honest man again". [21]

Related Research Articles

<i>Assassins Creed</i> (video game) 2007 video game

Assassin's Creed is an action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the first installment in the Assassin's Creed series. The video game was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2007. A Microsoft Windows version titled Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition containing additional content was released in April 2008.

<i>Assassins Creed</i> Video game series

Assassin's Creed is a historical action-adventure video game series and media franchise published by Ubisoft and developed mainly by its studio Ubisoft Montreal using the game engine Anvil and its more advanced derivatives. Created by Patrice Désilets, Jade Raymond, and Corey May, the Assassin's Creed video game series depicts a fictional millennia-old struggle between the Order of Assassins, who fight for peace and free will, and the Knights Templar, who desire peace through order and control. The series features historical fiction, science fiction, and fictional characters intertwined with real-world historical events and historical figures. In most games, players control a historical Assassin while also playing as an Assassin Initiate or someone caught in the Assassin–Templar conflict in the present-day framing story. Considered a spiritual successor to the Prince of Persia series, Assassin's Creed took inspiration from the novel Alamut by the Slovenian writer Vladimir Bartol, based on the historical Hashashin sect of the medieval Middle East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ezio Auditore da Firenze</span> Assassins Creed character

Ezio Auditore da Firenze is a character in the video game series Assassin's Creed, an Italian Master Assassin who serves as the protagonist of the series' games set during the Italian Renaissance. His life and career as an Assassin are chronicled in Assassin's Creed II, II: Discovery, Brotherhood (2010), and Revelations (2011), as well as the short films Assassin's Creed: Lineage (2009), Ascendance (2010), and Embers (2011) and various spin-off media of the franchise. In 2016, all three major games featuring Ezio, as well as Lineage and Embers, were re-released as an enhanced bundle titled Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection. Throughout most of his appearances, the character has been voiced by American actor Roger Craig Smith, while Canadian actor Devon Bostick portrayed him in live-action in Lineage.

<i>Assassins Creed III</i> 2012 action-adventure video game

Assassin's Creed III is a 2012 action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the fifth major installment in the Assassin's Creed series, and a direct sequel to 2011's Assassin's Creed: Revelations. The game was released worldwide for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, beginning in North America on October 30, 2012, with a Wii U and Microsoft Windows release in November 2012. A remastered version of the game was released in 2019 for Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, and in 2021 for Google Stadia.

<i>Assassins Creed: Brotherhood</i> 2010 video game

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a 2010 action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the third major installment in the Assassin's Creed series, and the second chapter in the "Ezio Trilogy", as a direct sequel to 2009's Assassin's Creed II. The game was first released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November and December 2010 and was later made available on Microsoft Windows in March and June 2011. A remastered version of Brotherhood, along with Assassins's Creed II and its sequel, Assassin's Creed: Revelations, was released as part of The Ezio Collection compilation for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on November 15, 2016, and for the Nintendo Switch on February 17, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Ryan (actor)</span> Welsh actor (b. 1981)

Matthew Darren Evans, known professionally as Matt Ryan, is a Welsh actor from Swansea, Wales. He is known for portraying Edward Kenway in the Ubisoft video game Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, and John Constantine in NBC's Constantine and The CW's Arrowverse, as well as voicing the character in the DC Animated Movie Universe and its spin-off web series Constantine: City of Demons.

<i>Assassins Creed Revelations</i> 2011 video game

Assassin's Creed Revelations is a 2011 action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the fourth major installment of the Assassin's Creed series, and a direct sequel to 2010's Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, concluding the "Ezio Trilogy". The game was released on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows in November and December 2011. A remastered version of Revelations, along with Assassin's Creed II and Brotherhood, was released as part of The Ezio Collection compilation for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on November 15, 2016, and for the Nintendo Switch on February 17, 2022.

The Assassin's Creed series is a collection of novels by various authors, set within the fictional universe of the Assassin's Creed video game franchise created by Ubisoft. The books are set across various time periods and, like the games, revolve around the secret war fought for centuries between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order. The series includes both direct novelizations of several Assassin's Creed games, and books that function as standalone narratives, although some of these tie-in with one or more of the games in the franchise. British publishing house Penguin Books was responsible for the publication of most of the novels in the series, as well as their respective audiobook versions, until 2020, when Aconyte Books took over as the main publisher of the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ratonhnhaké:ton</span> Assassins Creed character

Ratonhnhaké:ton, commonly known by his adopted name Connor, is a fictional character in the video game series Assassin's Creed. A half-British, half-Mohawk Master Assassin who serves as a central character in the games set around the American Revolution, he first appears as the main protagonist of Assassin's Creed III (2012), in which he is portrayed by Native American actor Noah Watts through performance capture, and voiced by Jamie Mayers as a young child. He also makes a minor appearance in the tie-in game Assassin's Creed III: Liberation. The character has made further appearances in various spin-off media of the franchise.

<i>Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag</i> 2013 video game

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a 2013 action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the sixth major installment in the Assassin's Creed series. Its historical timeframe precedes that of Assassin's Creed III (2012), but its modern-day sequences succeed III's own. Black Flag was originally released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii U in October 2013 and a month later for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. It was later ported to the Nintendo Switch as part of The Rebel Collection alongside Assassin's Creed Rogue in December 2019. The game was released for Google Stadia in September 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haytham Kenway</span> Fictional character in Assassins Creed franchise

Haytham E. Kenway is a character in Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed video game franchise. He is introduced as the false protagonist of Assassin's Creed III (2012), in which players control him for the game's initial chapters, before being revealed as the true antagonist. Haytham also serves as a supporting character in Assassin's Creed Rogue (2014), which takes place between his playable chapters in Assassin's Creed III and the latter part of the game, and his backstory is further explored in the novel Assassin's Creed: Forsaken. In the games, he is portrayed by actor Adrian Hough through performance capture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aveline de Grandpré</span> Assassins Creed character

Aveline de Grandpré is a fictional character in Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed video game franchise. She first appears as the protagonist of Assassin's Creed III: Liberation, a spin-off installment originally released for the PlayStation Vita in October 2012. She has also featured in a titular expansion pack for the 2013 title Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, as well as other spin-off media of the franchise. In both of her video game appearances, she is portrayed by actress Amber Goldfarb through performance capture.

<i>Assassins Creed Unity</i> 2014 video game

Assassin's Creed Unity is an action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It was released in November 2014 for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One, and in December 2020 for Stadia. It is the eighth major installment in the Assassin's Creed series, and the successor to 2013's Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. It also has ties to Assassin's Creed Rogue, which was released for the previous generation consoles on the same day as Unity.

<i>Assassins Creed Rogue</i> 2014 video game

Assassin's Creed Rogue is a 2014 action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Sofia and published by Ubisoft. It is the seventh major installment in the Assassin's Creed series, and is set between 2013's Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and 2012's Assassin's Creed III. It also has ties to Assassin's Creed Unity, which was released on the same day as Rogue. It is the last Assassin's Creed game to be developed for the seventh generation of consoles, being released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2014 and for Windows in March 2015. A remastered version of the game was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in March 2018. It was also released on the Nintendo Switch as part of The Rebel Collection alongside Black Flag in December 2019 and for Google Stadia in October 2021.

<i>Assassins Creed</i> (film) 2016 film by Justin Kurzel

Assassin's Creed is a 2016 historical science fiction action film based on the video game franchise of the same name. The film is directed by Justin Kurzel, written by Michael Lesslie, Adam Cooper and Bill Collage, and stars Michael Fassbender, as well as Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Charlotte Rampling and Michael K. Williams. The film is set in the same universe as the video games but features an original story that expands the series' mythology. The plot revolves around Callum "Cal" Lynch (Fassbender), who is abducted by the Abstergo Foundation because of his heritage. Cal's ancestor, Aguilar de Nerha, was a member of the Assassin Brotherhood—a fictional organization inspired by the real-life Order of Assassins—active during the Spanish Inquisition in the late 15th-century, who swore to protect the Apple of Eden, an artifact believed to contain the key to humanity's free will. Cal must accept his Assassin heritage and stop Abstergo, the Templar Order of the modern-day, from finding the Apple and using it to enslave humanity.

<i>Assassins Creed Freedom Cry</i> 2013 video game

Assassin's Creed Freedom Cry is an action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft. Set in the French colony of Saint-Domingue between 1735 and 1737, Freedom Cry follows Adéwalé, a prominent supporting character from the 2013 title Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. While attempting to disrupt Templar activities in the Caribbean Sea on behalf of their rival organization, the Brotherhood of Assassins, Adéwalé finds himself shipwrecked in Saint-Domingue, where he comes face-to-face with some of the most brutal slavery practices in the West Indies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arno Dorian</span> Assassins Creed Character

Arno Victor Dorian is a fictional character in Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed video game franchise. He serves as the protagonist of the 2014 game Assassin's Creed Unity, in which he is portrayed by Canadian actor Dan Jeannotte through performance capture, and voiced by Godefroy Reding as a young child. The character's other appearances include the novelization of Unity, also released in 2014; the 2017 mobile title Assassin's Creed Unity: Arno's Chronicles as its titular player character; as well as cameo appearances in the 2014 game Assassin's Creed Rogue and the 2016 live-action film adaptation of the series.

<i>Assassins Creed Syndicate</i> 2015 video game

Assassin's Creed Syndicate is an action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft. It was released on October 23, 2015, for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and on November 19, 2015, for Windows. It is the ninth major installment in the Assassin's Creed series, and the successor to 2014's Assassin's Creed Unity.

<i>Assassins Creed Valhalla</i> 2020 video game

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a 2020 Viking fantasy action role-playing video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the twelfth major installment in the Assassin's Creed series, and the successor to 2018's Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Principally set in the years 872–878 AD, the game recounts a fictional story during the Viking expansions into the British Isles. Players control Eivor Varinsdottir, a Viking raider who, while attempting to establish a new Viking clan in England, becomes embroiled in the centuries-old conflict between the Assassin Brotherhood, who fight for peace and liberty, and the Templar Order, who desire peace through control. The game also includes a framing story, set in the 21st century, which follows Layla Hassan, an Assassin who relives Eivor's memories so as to find a way to save the Earth from destruction.

References

  1. Brenna Hillier (9 July 2013). "Assassin's Creed 4's hero is a "counterpoint" to AC3's Connor". VG247. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  2. 1 2 Dave Cook (20 January 2014). "The making of Assassin's Creed 4: origins, reparations & uncharted waters". VG247. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  3. 1 2 Stephen Totilo (29 October 2013). "Does It Say 'Arrgh' When You Make a Kill?". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag story of sex and repentance outlined by lead scriptwriter". Polygon . 3 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  5. 1 2 Colin Campbell (22 July 2013). "Truth and fantasy in Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag". Polygon . Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  6. Kathryn Williams (22 September 2013). "Shiver me timbers! Pirate hero in new Assassin's Creed is a Welshman!". Wales Online . Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  7. Scott Johnson (6 September 2017). "Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag Edward Kenway Statue Revealed By McFarlane Toys". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  8. "Assassin's Creed: Every Assassin Ranked, Worst to Best". Screen Rant . 22 June 2017. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  9. "Assassin's Creed's 5 Best Protagonists, Ranked". 15 July 2020. Archived from the original on 21 February 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  10. "Assassin's Creed: All the Assassins, Ranked from Worst to Best". 31 May 2020. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  11. Andy Kelly (23 October 2018). "The assassins of Assassin's Creed, ranked from worst to best". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  12. Alice Bell (23 March 2018). "The best ever pirates in video games ever". Videogamer.com. Archived from the original on 28 April 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  13. 1 2 Matt Purslow (9 July 2020). "The Evolution of Assassin's Creed: From the Holy Land to Valhalla". IGN . Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  14. Andrei Dobra (21 January 2014). "Assassin's Creed 4 Succeeds Because of Its Unusual Protagonist, Ubisoft Believes". Softpedia. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  15. Ramée, Jordan (13 July 2020). "Assassin's Creed Valhalla Reminds Me Of Playing Black Flag". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 5 November 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  16. Evan Stallworth Carr (7 November 2013). "4th installment of 'Assassin's Creed' makes up for lackluster plot with killer gameplay". The Daily Californian. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  17. Tom Phillips (27 November 2013). "The Assassins' Propaganda". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  18. Erik Kain (10 December 2013). "The Surprisingly Beautiful Ending Of 'Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'". Forbes. Archived from the original on 25 April 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  19. Nick Dinicola (29 July 2014). "The Assassins' Propaganda". Pop Matters. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  20. Stephen J. Fishbune (2018). ""Competent, Capable, and Practically Dressed": The Representation of Women in the Assassin's Creed Series" (PDF). Minnesota: St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  21. Eugen Pfister (September 2018). ""In a world without gold, we might have been heroes!" Cultural Imaginations of Piracy in Video Games". 11 (2). FIAR: 30–43.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)