Assassin’s Creed Origins and the original Assassin’s Creed game both introduced players to the expansive game world, just in vastly different timelines. Altair Ibn-La’Ahad was the first protagonist of the entire Assassin’s Creed franchise and gave players the first look at the ancient Assassin Brotherhood. Almost on the other side of the same coin, Bayek’s story was told much later in the franchise, but let players see and experience up-close how the Assassin Brotherhood began.
Both Altair and Bayek were well-received by fans and critics, though Altair’s reception was a bit more crucial than Bayek’s because he was the introductory character in the first Assassin’s Creed title—without him being as intriguing as he was, the franchise may have never continued. Though both men have interesting stories told in different time periods, they’ve also got some similarities as well, showing that power can corrupt those closest to them regardless of the year and location.
A gifted Assassin, Altair is the playable character of Assassin’s Creed, but also makes appearances in Assassin’s Creed: Revelations as a sometimes playable character. He climbed the ranks of the Assassin Brotherhood at a young age and was very close with the Mentor of the Brotherhood, Al-Mualim. The first game follows Altair’s fall from grace and how he works to earn back his rank in the Brotherhood, but not everything is as it seems. Altair’s final Templar target informs him that Al-Mualim is using him to retrieve the Apple of Eden, which players will remember from many different Assassin’s Creed games just how corrupting and all-powerful the Apple can be.
Altair returned to his home in Masyaf to find that the man was telling the truth about Al-Mualim. Altair, as a result, had to kill his power-hungry and corrupt mentor, replacing him as the head Mentor of the Assassin Brotherhood, and continued to study the power and mystery of the Apple for the rest of his life. Altair not only fought to defend his home, but was betrayed by someone he trusted—unfortunately, it’s a common theme throughout the Assassin’s Creed games. Bayek was put in a similar situation, working to defend his home, Egypt, from the encroaching power of not only The Order of Ancients, but the Romans as well.
Players get to watch Altair change from being arrogant to someone who chooses to fight for the right reasons, which tends to be a pretty satisfying character arc when pulled off correctly. Though the Assassin’s Creed games have come a long way from Altair’s time, fans of the series still have to pay respect where it’s due. Without Altair, his character arc, and his story, Assassin’s Creed might not be where it is today. Compared to Bayek, it seems Altair changes more dynamically throughout the game, meanwhile Bayek’s intentions change but he seems to be the same person throughout Origins.
Players meet Bayek not long after he’s suffered an immeasurable loss—the death of his son, Khemu. He swore revenge on those who killed his son, so he and his wife, Aya, work together (albeit separately) to bring justice to the killing of their son. As the story progresses, though, what started as revenge turned into Bayek taking down members of The Order of Ancients because it would keep the people of Egypt safe. This change wasn’t surprising, given his job as a Medjay (protector of the people), but it was still satisfying to watch unfold in Assassin’s Creed Origins.
Much like Altair, Bayek is not only betrayed by those he trusted, but he’s also come into contact with the Apple of Eden. Further, Aya went to Rome to work for Cleopatra and to get more information about those responsible for the murder of her son, yet when Bayek and Aya needed Cleopatra’s support the most, she turned on them. Cleopatra aligned herself with The Order of Ancients, so she could maintain her throne. Al-Mualim betrayed Altair because he wanted the power that came with the Apple, which goes to show that power can lead to corruption no matter what time period it is.
Bayek and Altair were also, at their core, protectors. Bayek seemed to have a natural tendency to protect, especially because he was a Medjay before becoming an Assassin, though it was conceptualized differently than Altair’s role. Players got to see first-hand Bayek’s affection for children and cats, even if Bayek may have been a little more gruff than he meant to be with Khemu in some flashbacks. Altair’s story started as redemption, meanwhile Bayek’s started to avenge his son. Players watch Altair grow into a more mature, wise Assassin, while Origins shows Bayek constantly acting as a Medjay and protector of Egypt, even when he’s hunting for his son’s killers.
At the end of the day, Bayek and Altair also stumble upon something much greater than themselves—which is, again, very typical Assassin’s Creed fashion. Isu technology and mythology is a core component of both the historical storylines and modern-day storylines of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, and both characters stumbled upon it without meaning to.
What’s most important about these characters is that they didn’t shy away from doing the right thing. Altair may have, at a time, been arrogant, and Bayek fueled by rage and not much else, but they both realized that to save their lands and their people, they had to act for the greater good—even if it was in the shadows.
The Apple of Eden made Bayek and Altair both lose precious things, friendship and family members, and they recognized they needed to keep it from staying in the hands of the Templars (or the Ancients) to prevent that suffering for others. This key character trait is what ultimately makes them more similar than dissimilar, regardless of their place in Assassin’s Creed history.
Assassin’s Creed Origins is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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