Titan Comics Story Summary Overview: Assassin's Creed Assassins
Serenika, December 8th, 2017
The Assassins series focuses on Charlotte de la Cruz and her induction into the Brotherhood.
MODERN DAY
September 2015. The comic opens with Charlotte playing on a Helix system, evidently in 1852 California - perhaps a nod to all of the Wild West rumours.
Charlotte works in Malta Banking Corporation, San Diego. After discovering injustice within the system, she manipulates figures to help a customer in need.
When she returns home, she finds Galina Voronina and Xavier Chen in waiting. A regular to conspiracy websites, she instantly knows who they are. The Templars burst in, but after a struggle our heroes escape.
It is explained that the Brotherhood knows that Charlotte has Assassin heritage, and she is persuaded to climb into an Animus to search for a Piece of Eden in 1692 Salem. Intel on this time period was obtained by an Assassin called Joseph, who is apparently now being held by the Templars.
Charlotte's ancestor in this time is Tom Stoddard, Master Assassin. After initial De-syncing for working against her ancestor, Charlotte re-enters the Animus determined to help the Brotherhood.
HISTORICAL ERA
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MODERN DAY
Galina is convinced that Charlotte is not cut out for the Animus and will not survive. She also has similar misgivings over the captured Joseph, claiming the Brotherhood owes him nothing.
HISTORICAL ERA
Tom Stoddard arrives in Salem, in search of a rumoured Piece of Eden. After an initial setback, he meets his contact Jennifer Querry, a nurse and recent Assassin convert.
Apparently a series of young girls have fallen into seizures, igniting local crazed talk of witchcraft. Our Assassins believe this to be the work of the Piece of Eden and search for these girls.
They eventually locate the girls in a hidden dungeon, in a building operated by two high level Templars - Samuel Parris and William Stoughton.
One girl, Dorothy Osborne, promises to take Tom to the Piece of Eden if she is freed. He does so, along with a small boy called David.
Meanwhile, the Templars whip up the locals into a frenzy over witchcraft, and declare that Tom is committing the Devil's work. The locals make their way down to the dungeon.
Dorothy lapses into a seizure, speaking hidden truths. It then becomes clear to Tom that she is in fact the Piece of Eden they seek.
MODERN DAY
Believing that nothing further can be gleaned from Charlotte, both Xavier and Galina head out to try and rescue Joseph from the Templars.
Charlotte re-enters the Animus on a hunch and discovers that Joseph had been telling the Templars the truth all along.
HISTORICAL ERA
Tom and Jennifer are being tortured, in the same dungeon that they escaped from. After a distraction from Consus, Jennifer manages to free them both. She is mortally wounded by Parris whilst trying to obtain weaponry.
Parris attempts to kill Tom, but is knocked out. Whilst Tom attempts to escape, he is shot by a recovered Parris.
Declaring the imprisoned girls to be a new breed of oracles, Dorothy is overtaken by feelings of guilt, and takes her own life by fire.
Enraged, Parris declares that all women shall be tried for witchcraft and attempts to kill Tom. He is shot by fellow Templar, Stoughton.
Stoughton clearly has misgivings about Parris's methods, and in keeping with the methods of a Black Cross, takes control of the situation. He releases Tom, David, and the girls.
Tom and David bury Dorothy and Jennifer on the outskirts of Salem. The location of their burial is now known.
MODERN DAY
With the realization that Joseph knows the location of Dorothy's body, Xavier and Galina have clearly been sent into a trap. Charlotte decides to go in after them, and is given the familiar Assassin hoodie attire by Kody.
She manages to infiltrate deeper into the building by tricking an employee to open a secured door. She binds the man and presses on, declaring herself to not be a killer to Kody.
Xavier and Galina locate Joseph in a cell. A battle ensues, whereby Galina suffers a leg injury and Xavier is drowned by Joseph in a nearby pool.
Charlotte intervenes, attempting to prevent Joseph from harming Galina. Joseph reveals that the Assassins are using Charlotte, for her power.
A bomb explodes, evidently created by Joseph. It is assumed that Didier Hawking and most of his staff are killed.
As Templar agents storm into the room, Joseph escapes. Charlotte rescues Galina, whom escape via a ventilation shaft - as Charlotte can apparently see through walls.
On their way out of the building, Charlotte discovers the man that she bound has died. He suffered from Asthma. Charlotte is riddled with guilt over his innocent death.
Galina advises Kody to contact Gavin Banks - Assassin Mentor, advising that the Brotherhood needs to get to Salem as soon as possible, as they do not know if the Templars are already on their way.
Charlotte reveals that Joseph did not tell the Templars the location, as she can apparently read minds. Galina thanks Charlotte for saving her life, finally believing in the novice Assassin.
HISTORICAL ERA
//
Note: Its difficult to ascertain where this issue occurs chronologically, but as the team is not in a van, and Kody has both ears, I'm assuming this occurs prior to Issue 6.
HISTORICAL ERA
Haiti, November 1791. Dutty Boukman is due to be executed, a slave whom was one of the early starters of the Haitian Revolution. Within the crowd, two Assassins lay in wait. One is Elsie, ancestor to Charlotte. She seeks to rescue Dutty from the execution stage, but is stopped by her associate Fabien. He argues that they need only recover Dutty's book, yet his death will go on to spur real change. History proves him right, and Elsie stands down.
MODERN DAY
Charlotte emerges from the Animus, now in Mexico City. She exclaims that they need to find Dutty's book before the Templars obtain the information it holds. Kody explains that the Animus needs to recharge, before Charlotte takes out her frustration on the machine by kicking it.
Kody explains in detail about how he has modified the chair, and calls it Red Rider. His modifications allow for faster DNA reading with a thinner needle, reduce nausea, and have improved the image quality. Charlotte apologises, and the two reconcile that they need each other and patience in order for the Brotherhood to succeed.
MODERN DAY
Charlotte, Galina, and Kody are now hiding out in a hotel in Mexico City.
It is confirmed that Galina has in fact broken her leg, and a couple of local Doctors are brought in to assess her. Galina immediately executes one, as he is seemingly a Templar. The other is innocent, but after Charlotte's plea, Galina chooses to knock the Doctor out instead.
The three retreat to a different hotel across from the previous - this way they can keep track of whom approaches their former exposed position. Galina chooses to rest up with morphine.
Charlotte tries to understand the message from Consus to seek the "Keepers of Knowledge", and subsequently takes to the darknet to find the elusive Erudito - a hacker group well known for their attacks on Abstergo. She manages to track down a hint to their supposed next meeting, which leads her to ask Kody to once more hook her into the Animus in search of a secret hidden within the great Incan Empire.
HISTORICAL ERA
Peru, 1536. Charlotte's ancestor in this time is a woman called Quila, a chasqui of the Inca Empire. Chasqui are a series of couriers, who would free run messages (Quipu) and items across the Empire, often by relay points.
Quila prides herself on being the fastest runner that she knows, and strives to impress the elders of her village. Many do not share her enthusiasm for the position, and believe she should simply be a 'proper wife'. She has a young apprentice called Turi, who is also a chasqui.
After a courier refuses to give Quila his package, she takes the initiative and steals it from him amidst a group of men. Curious as to its contents, she discovers that it is a communication about an assassination plot for the Emperor Manco. Whilst trying to steal a horse, she is struck down by a stone, and surrounded by the men from before.
MODERN DAY
After only a few hours in the Animus, Charlotte is forced to emerge as Kody reveals that it requires a six hour charging period. She briefly discusses her family, revealing that her parents separated when young, with her father walking out on her and her mother. Galina returns, walking on a clutch. She states that they need to find Garcia-Lopez, a high ranking Templar propaganda expert - whom likely knows where to find Joseph. Charlotte argues that they should instead focus on finding Erudito through the Animus. The two clash, with Galina pulling rank and the team setting off after Garcia-Lopez.
Charlotte and Kody track Garcia-Lopez to Chapultepec Park, where they attempt to follow her. They are both spotted, and after a minor altercation involving mace, she manages to escape the pair. Galina arrives in the van to extract them both, making it clear how it had been a terrible failure of a mission, and exposed them all to the Templars.
HISTORICAL ERA
Quila is still surrounded by the men from before. Thankfully a Spaniard by the name of Gonzalez Pardo intervenes, saving her. After a brief discussion, they elect to share his horse, as she hopes to pass on the conspiracy message as fast as possible to the Emperor.
After stopping to drink, Pardo takes the Quipu detailing the plot refusing to give it back to Quila. She promptly knocks him out from behind, but struggles to retrieve the message as it is trapped below his heavy unconscious body. Before she can retrieve it, a group of Conquistadors arrive. They knock her out, capturing both her, Pardo, and the message.
HISTORICAL ERA
Quila and Pardo are held captive. Pardo manages to antagonise their captor until a fight ensues, attracting nearby Peruvians to their plight. They both manage to escape, but the Quipu is destroyed in the process. As they arrive at Cuzco, the capital city, they part ways with Quila desperate to warn the Emperor of his peril. She is unable to persuade the guards to grant her an audience with the Emperor, namely with no Quipu as evidence and thus she is forced to turn away.
She ends up visiting the home of her former husband, Ayar. After reflecting on their failed marriage, and how it brought shame on Ayar's family, she seeks to speak to Ayar's father who still holds considerable political power. Making her case to warn the Emperor, she again has no evidence, with Ayar's father questioning her motives given the history with his son. Pardo bursts into the meeting drunk, at which point Quila is deemed a conspirator with the Spanish and is seemingly captured once more.
MODERN DAY
Charlotte is pulled from the Animus at Galina's request. Apparently Charlotte entered the machine unsupervised, and it has again run out of battery power. New batteries are required, but Galina advises that they should all stay put whilst the Templars know their faces. After a brief argument, Charlotte takes off in search of the batteries alone, leaving the others alone in the van.
Whilst opposing forces makes their plans to find our heroes, Charlotte defends a civilian from a racketeer. Feeling good about herself, she again goes in search of the batteries, but notices someone following her. It ends up being Galina, who explains that she had come in search of Charlotte. However, having returned to the van Kody had apparently been kidnapped, leaving only a severed ear. The two have been demanded to attend a cartel location, and set off to rescue Kody.
MODERN DAY
The cartel set the location at a sports stadium. With Galina providing cover with a sniper rifle, Charlotte makes her way through taking out opposition as she goes. The two argue over radio, with Charlotte questioning Galina's leadership qualities. Kody is tied to a chair in the centre, with a gun to his head. As Charlotte closes in, a second sniper opens fire upon her. Hiding behind some barrels, she is grabbed by one of the gang members and shot in the foot. Galina lays down enough covering fire for Charlotte to briefly escape, before a helicopter sweeps in - whom promptly guns down the sniper and remaining gang members.
The occupants are Templars, led by Ortega Sanchez. Realising that Joseph had warned her that they were after her, Charlotte puts a gun to her head and warns them to back off or lose their prized prisoner. She offers to turn herself over freely, so long as Galina and Kody can be set free. Ortega refuses, however, Charlotte ups her offer by suggesting she can hand over the location of the leaders of Erudito inside 24 hours. The deal is accepted and the Templars depart.
HISTORICAL ERA
Ayar's father informs Quila that Pardo is in fact an Assassin. Declared a tool of the Spanish, the two are sentenced to death by sacrifice atop a nearby mountain. Upon the way Pardo is questioned by Quila, where he explains that he was not attempting to kill Atahualpa, but in fact save him - he was too late. As a result, he turned to drink. The Quipu was originally sent by a merchant he reveals, at which point Quila realises that Ayar's father must be behind the plot to kill the emperor. She pleads with Ayar to listen, but she is instead tied down as he lifts the club above her...
HISTORICAL ERA
Ayar professes that he loved Quila, and he still does. He promptly defeats the men surrounding her, aiding her and Pardo's escape. They immediately set out to warn the Emperor of the plot, but Pardo's elects to remain behind in solace before offering them his horse Felipe. Upon arriving at the capital, they manage to sneak inside using the horse as a distraction. Searching the fortress, Quila comes across the Emperor with Ayar's father. Knocking aside a cup she suspects is poisoned, a fight ensues where Pardo reappears to assist. The Emperor is saved, and Quila becomes official messenger for him. Pardo says that she would always be welcome to join the Brotherhood, but to use the password "Don Gonzalo Pardo" amongst them.
MODERN DAY
Charlotte rises from the Animus, calling out the password. She immediately logs in to a PC, and uses it on the Erudito page. Sure enough, it works and a set of co-ordinates in Argentina are shown. She agrees to meet the Templars as requested, leaving Galina and Kody to escape. However, as the Templars arrive an armed force of cartel open fire eliminating them all. Galina explains that she brokered a deal with the cartel, and they could not leave without Charlotte as she is one of the team.
Taking a flight to Argentina, the three find a gentleman holding a calling card for "Don Gonzalo Pardo" and are led to a secluded room with a woman at the end of a long table. As the Assassins finally come face to face with Erudito, Charlotte realises that the woman is in fact her Grandmother Florencia!
MODERN DAY
A meeting of the leaders of Erudito has been called. The debate turns as to why Charlotte and her team were invited into discussions, with the topic turning quickly to that of Consus. It is quite clear the entity is of special reverence to the hacker collective, as the fact that Charlotte heard his voice is of great interest to them. Charlotte discovers the story behind Juno and the Phoenix Project, and that Erudito believed only Giovanni Borgia had been contacted by Consus - thus their interest. It turns out that they believe Giovanni has a second memory of Consus, that has been hidden from Abstergo. Fortunately for Charlotte, her ancestor Hiram Stoddard was in contact with Giovanni in 1516.
Erudito calls for a vote amongst its members, with Charlotte's grandmother calling for the creation of Hive bases across the globe, and cross training their own agents. Counter arguments are made for Erudito to stay out of events, and with the votes on a knife edge, Charlotte elects to stand in - offering a team up between the Brotherhood and Erudito. In exchange for Galina training and assisting their agents, Erudito will help track down Joseph Laurier. Charlotte will also seek Consus and answers within an Animus. The votes agree, and the course is set.
Galina leaves for Somalia, hugging Charlotte on her way out - the two finally getting along now. Before Charlotte can sit in the Animus, she reveals she was injured by Templar agents - Florencia thus insists on a full body scan to check for tracing chemicals or chips. Mid scan, Kody wakes her to express his concerns about entering Hiram's memories - he fears the meeting with Consus did something to seriously derange his mind, and worries what it will do to Charlotte...
HISTORICAL ERA
Florence, Italy, 1516. Hiram Stoddard enters a building, and finds Giovanni Borgia hiding in wait. Whilst he dodges a thrown dagger, he is taken down by a swift kick from Hiram. Hiram then puts a sword to his throat...
HISTORICAL ERA
Greece, 1516. Hiram and Giovanni are engaged in a war of words. It is clear there is a great divide between them. They fight, until Giovanni manages to wrest an artifact from Hiram - an Apple of Eden! Giovanni wants to help Hiram, and leaves him with a book given to him by his mentor.
Tuscany, 1515. A year earlier, Hiram and Giovanni are engaged within a sparring duel. Hiram cheats before they are interrupted by their assassin teacher - Ezio Auditore himself! Giovanni is angered, and Ezio takes him on a walk. He explains that there are many paths to becoming an Assassin, and gives Giovanni a book by Dante (presumably Inferno, part of The Divine Comedy) to read and reflect on. Meanwhile Hiram entertains Elena, a young woman that assists Ezio. Her english is not very good, but he still manages to flirt with her. Ezio interrupts stating that he has an urgent mission involving Templars for Hiram, and that he must attend his friend Michelangelo.
MODERN DAY
Charlotte awakens from the Animus and reveals that she has not had any luck with finding Consus as yet. Kody still has serious reservations about using the memories of 'Bloody Hiram'. Florencia is evidently losing the Erudito vote, and as such Charlotte heads back into the machine in search of the Isu himself.
Meanwhile, in Mogadishu, Somalia. Galina leads a group of Assassins trying to locate the elusive Joseph. They are observing a public event attended by Zehra Okur, a successful businesswoman and known Templar funder. After some misdirection involving a digger, Galina is finally jumped by Joseph behind some crates.
HISTORICAL ERA
Florence, 1515. Hiram and Giovanni lie in wait, high above the city alongside Michelangelo. Their target passes by within a carriage below, supposedly holding onto a Piece of Eden. Giovanni urges caution and to wait for nightfall, but Hiram is insistent they launch a surprise attack. They both dive down and engage the carriages' guards. Amidst the battle, the target escapes with the artifact - much to Giovanni's disgust.
MODERN DAY
Charlotte is awakened from the Animus by Kody. Her vitals were apparently off the charts. Kody demands she rests, but Florencia argues that she must continue until Consus is found. Charlotte re-enters the Animus.
HISTORICAL ERA
Two days later, Hiram and Giovanni continue to argue over the tactics that they employed. Giovanni states that he will report his misgivings directly to Ezio, whilst Hiram decides to get drunk and attracts the attention of a female bartender. The next morning he awakes to find Elena waiting for him, having evidently been informed by Giovanni. The two men fight, with Elena branding them both as animals - throwing off her scarf. The simulation suddenly becomes pixellated and repeats...
MODERN DAY
Charlotte awakens again. Kody and Florencia agree that what she has experienced was a 'false' memory, and that the memories have seemingly been masked and erased by Consus. Charlotte re-enters and experiences the same fight between Hiram and Giovanni over and over, each time playing out with a differing ending. Each time she notices the scarf, and eventually elects to touch it. The scene plays out again, this time with Consus speaking through Giovanni. He leaves a cryptic message for Charlotte, whom then awakens to find the Erudito facility under attack by the Templars.
Meanwhile in Somalia, Galina attempts to attack Joseph but is struck down. My'shell manages to distract him with a flanking strike, before Sheed pulls a gun on him - ceasing the fight. Word reaches them that the Erudito island is under attack, and they quickly realise that Joseph is the only one with a plane. He reluctantly agrees to go, but only if he can speak with Charlotte.
Back on the island, Kody wires up explosives to the servers to blow them up. Florencia attempts to back up their data, but bullets start flying before they have chance. Charlotte pulls Florencia clear, but Kody tries to run back for the data and is gunned down.
MODERN DAY
Fatally wounded, Kody is consoled by Charlotte in his dying moments. She promises him that he did well to save the data from the Templars. After he passes, Florencia and Charlotte argue over the situation with each blaming the other for what ultimately lead to Kody's death. A plane flys overhead, and is promptly shot down by the Templars. The group of remaining Assassins and Erudito members then decide it is best to keep moving. Florencia advises everyone that she hid boats in a cave on the southern side of the island in the event of such an emergency, and this is where they collectively decide to head for.
Meanwhile, at the former Erudito base, Sanchez and the rest of the Templars search for clues. It appears that Charlotte has had a tracking device on her the whole time, as such they all can see exactly where the group is heading. Sanchez elects to send a group to the caves in advance of the group's arrival in order to set up an ambush.
Templars surround the crashed plane, finding the deceased Sheed in the co-pilot seat. They are immediately ambushed by Galina, Joseph and My'shell who seemingly survived the crash. Realising that any hope of rescue relies on taking out the ship that shot them down, they head towards the water.
Charlotte and her group finally reach the southern caves, but her sixth sense is warning her that the group should not enter. She argues the point with Florencia, whom states there was no way that they could have known about the cave. The group sides with Charlotte's vision, and choose to double back. Explaining that she is being tracked, Charlotte elects to go off solo, in the hope of attackers following her away from the group.
Galina, Joseph and My'shell attack the ship. The crew retaliate, and explosives upon the deck are hit amidst the gunfire - effectively destroying the ship. Joseph is caught in the blastwave, and is badly wounded. Galina willingly takes his life to spare his pain.
Charlotte manages to take out a few assailants that follow her amongst the tree line. Florencia and the group manage to reach the crashed plane, and are surprised to bump into Galina and My'shell, whom are awaiting Assassin assistance...
In the meantime, Charlotte fights her way to the top of a waterfall. She manages to take down another soldier with a gun, but is quickly surrounded by Sanchez and several Templar guards. With nowhere to run, she is surprised as gunfire rains out with the entire Templar group getting gunned down. She spins round to see an attack Helicopter behind her. The door opens, with Florencia waving to Charlotte. After a leap of faith to the helicopter, Charlotte comes aboard to find the Erudito group along with Galina all settled inside. The helicopter is piloted by Kiyoshi Takakura, whom along with Arend Schut, were sent by Gavin Banks to rescue the remaining Assassins. It would appear Charlotte is finally to meet with the leadership of the Assassin Brotherhood.
HISTORICAL ERA
//
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