Without a doubt, perhaps one of the most community-demanded aspects of theAssassin’s Creedfranchise is that it returns to an actual Assassin player character with assassin-based gameplay. It remains to be seen howAssassin’s CreedInfinity handles its protagonists, but many fans have hope. After all, the last time anyone even played a Proto-Assassin, or an assassin character who came before the Assassins proper, was asBayek/Amunet inAssassin’s Creed Origins.
Sure, there are arguments that could be made. Kassandra’s story inOdysseyis absolutely vital in really digging into the Isu and she clearly fought Proto-Templars, but the rationale, fighting style, and so on wasn’t really there at the time. Eivor assists the Hidden Ones inAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, even goes so far as to adopt the Hidden Blade, but her pursuit of glory keeps her from ever becoming one. Despite this, and despite both of them clearly being not being Assassins in any real regard, it seems Kassandra is at least a little morelikean assassin than Eivor.SPOILERS AHEAD.
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Of course, this comparison comes with one huge caveat. Kassandra’s story may be over. There are rumorsKassandra will appear in futureAssassin’s Creed ValhallaDLC, but that’s not really clear and in what capacity remains a big question. Eivor, on the other hand, could turn a new leaf in the future DLC. But, as it stands now, their choices put them on different paths than every otherAssassin’s Creedprotagonist in the franchise—even if Eivor strays further than Kassandra.
Assassin’s Creed: Like an Assassin
The biggest distinction is their motivation. While Eivor strives to put her clan and family first, she has an innate draw to glory. It’s why, depending on player choice,Eivor can even “betray” Sigurdto begin with. Part of this may come from Eivor being a reincarnation of Odin, but it’s also why she refuses to join the Hidden Ones. Fighting from the shadows, no matter what the cause, doesn’t interest her. Again, it’s possible that some confrontation with Odin sees her change her ways and join the cause someday, but that is much more unlikely than Eivor staying on this path throughoutAC Valhalla’s future content.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Kassandra fulfills a purpose by working in the shadows much like the Assassins. She becomes the Keeper of the Staff, who is destined to pass it off to Layla one day. Now, theStaff of Hermesmay not have been as good for the world as she and the players originally thought, but she believed in a greater cause enough to live for millennium, alone. Her clothing at the time clearly shows she blended into the rest of the world, but she clearly was not too involved (unless the DLC changes that). The fact that she gives it to the Assassins may not be entirely innocuous, but it is intentional.
At the end of the day, there is no such thing as an “Assassin-like” equivalent toAssassin’s Creedlike there is aSoulslike to theDark Soulsfranchise. It’s not going to redeem either protagonist in terms of gameplay or story, especially when compared to that of Altair or Bayek or anyone in the franchise. However, if the franchise does eventually give one of them Assassin status, Kassandra seems more in line with their philosophy and style than Eivor.
