Since the very beginning of the franchise, the Assassin’s Creed series main focus has been telling the story of conflict between two very different groups throughout all of recorded human history. The Assassins stand for free will, new ideas, and growth of the individual. On the other hand, the Templar Order is more interested in saving humanity from themselves by controlling free will and guiding the world towards what they feel is a better world.
For the majority of the games that Ubisoft has created since the very first back in 2007, players take up the role of a notable figure in the Assassin Order. Major figures include Ezio Auditore, the Frye Twins, Altair Ibn-La’Ahad, Bayek of Siwa, Kassandra, and more.
However, there have also been a few games that focus on misconceptions by placing players in the shoes of non-assassin figures like the Templar Assassin Hunter Shay Cormac as well as the English pirate, Edward Kenway. Interestingly enough, Ubisoft Montreal appears to be going down this route once more with its upcoming game, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. In fact, the new lead protagonist Eivor appears to have quite a bit in common with the English Pirate.
Outside of knowing how to sail boats across large bodies of water, Eivor and Edward Kenway actually share an interesting aspect to their approach to the Assassin Brotherhood. Namely, they didn’t start out involved with this group. Most times, players start with a character that has some sort of lineage with the Brotherhood, either through parents or a hidden family secret.
The privateer and pirate Edward Kenway, a very important figure in the game’s overarching narrative due to his son’s eventual involvement with the Templars, devoted his life to acquiring treasure and fame. Born in the 17th century, Kenway began his seafaring career as a privateer for the Royal Navy, but with the War of Spanish Succession quickly coming to a close, he eventually sailed under the black flag of piracy to achieve his dreams of gold and glory.
As players saw at the beginning of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, the ship Edward was stationed on sank, washing him ashore on Cape Bonavista along with another survivor named Duncan Walpole. Wounded by the explosion, Walpole attempted to pay Edward to get him to Havana, who instead requested he receive immediate payment. Walpole, an assassin, attempted to kill Kenway, though his pistol failed to fire due to the gunpower being wet. Thus began a chase across the island until Kenway eventually caught and killed the wounded assassin.
Still seeking fortune, Kenway found a letter on Walpole from Havana Governor Laureano de Torres y Ayala, which he decided would be a good opportunity to receive a sizable reward. Attempting to keep up the charade as Walpole, Kenway underestimated the conflict he was now unknowing stepping into between the ancient orders. His ruse was eventually discovered and Edward, now only 1000 Reales richer, was forced to escape the clutches of the Templars. Armed with knowledge regarding Templar secrets, Kenway attempted to sell the information, though he was eventually confronted by Ah Tabai, Mentor of the West Indies Brotherhood of Assassins.
Although Edward would eventually side with the Assassins, he remained focused on his own goals of power, fame, and wealth. He was also known to twist the Assassins’ creed to suit his needs as a pirate, something that would cause the Brotherhood to remain suspicious of him. Over time, Edward would recant his glory-hungry ways and settled in as a father and husband. After returning home to London, he eventually joined up with the Brotherhood there and was able to rise to the rank of Master.
While there’s plenty fans don’t yet know about the Norse Viking called Eivor, Ubisoft has detailed a little bit of their backstory. Known as the Wolf-Kissed, Eivor and their Norseman Clan were forced to flee Norway due to the endless war that had engulfed the land and dwindling resources remaining there. They’d eventually wind up on the shores of Anglo-Saxon controlled England where they quickly established a new settlement.
During this time, Eivor’s only goals was to ensure their clans survival, which meant raiding the English countryside for resources. At some point, Eivor comes across the Hidden Ones, an ancient version of the more modern Assassin Brotherhood, residing in England during this time. While not an assassin, Eivor and the Order share common goals and agree to help each other achieve them. The group gifted Eivor a hidden blade, though as a fierce Viking warrior, believing stealth weapons should be visible to enemies, they wore the hidden blade on top of the forearm instead of under the wrist.
Both Eivor and Edward are not traditional assassins, motivated by something far different than what the order stands for. For Edward, it was money and fame. For Eivor, it appears to be a safe and stable community for their clan. It’s unknown what will happen in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, but if Black Flag is any hint, Eivor could very likely join or at least side with the Assassins (at some point anyway) to take down King Alfred the Great who appears to be part of the Templar Order.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla releases November 17, 2020, for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X versions also in development.
Source: Assassin’s Creed Wiki
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