The story of Assassin’s Creed is vast. The series has had 12 main titles, the timeline spans centuries, and each game offers a vast world to explore. It gives the player a lot to absorb in terms of gameplay, story, and themes. It also had some excellent and memorable quotes.
However, a good quote isn’t always enough. Sometimes, you need a quote you can relate to. Not all of us spend our days using wrist knives to stab throats or wielding pirate swords while boarding ships from the British Royal Navy. We need quotes to live by, and that’s the focus of this article. Today, we’re at some great Assassin’s Creed quotes to remember in your day-to-day.
13 “Let Them Have Answers - And Let Those Answers Be Difficult And Complex. Such Is Life.”
Of all the Assassin’s Creed quotes, this is probably the closest that the series has to a thesis, even more than the creed itself. The motivations that lead each actor in the drama to one of those two sides are often very complex, but it ends with choosing one of the two sides: Assassins or Templars, liberty or security, libertarianism or authoritarianism (the broad philosophy, this isn’t referencing any particular libertarian party).
At the end of the day, the Assassins want everyone to be permitted to choose their destiny and moral code based on what they observe and not what they are told. If what they are told rings true, then there is no reason to deny it. However, it should not be followed just because they were told to follow it. This entry comes from Altair’s journal.
12 “To Say That Everything Is Permitted Is To Understand That We Are The Architects Of Our Actions And That We Must Live With Their Consequences, Whether Glorious Or Tragic.”
This quote comes from Ezio Auditore in Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. It is explaining one of the most famous Assassin’s Creed quotes: “Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.” Ezio is explaining the meaning of this creed to a potential recruit. The first half is broad and refers to the Assassins being “the shepherds of civilization.”
However, this half of the creed is far more interesting. There are those who question whether we truly have free will. Our actions are dictated by our place in history, and socioeconomic conditions can functionally remove the free will of an impoverished or vulnerable individual. There is also the religious philosophy of Calvinism that believes that the divine plan eliminates free will, and we are all subject to predestination. However, this quote throws all of that at the window because they are hard to prove and are only observable on a broad historical scale. In day-to-day life, we are responsible for the choices we make, and we must face those consequences every time.
11 “Our Creed Does Not Command Us To Be Free. It Commands Us To Be Wise.”
This quote comes from Al Mualim in the first Assassin’s Creed. Again, this is among the Assassin’s Creed quotes that seek to tackle the actual creed of the organization: “Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.” Altair is struggling with understanding the meaning of the creed, and Al Mualim tries to show him that the creed isn’t about what one can do; it’s about what one should do.
Wisdom and knowledge are what the Assassins value above all else. Knowledge and wisdom can put one on the right path if allowed. The Assassin’s Creed doesn’t say that the order can and should do whatever they want. It is stating the nature of reality and telling the Assassins that they are responsible for what they do within the confines of that reality.
10 “It’s Better To Have Faith In Something Than Nothing At All.”
This line was delivered by Connor Kenway in Assassin’s Creed 3. Connor suffered the demise of his Mohawk village and joins up with the Assassins and the American Revolution to fight back against the people ultimately responsible.
This line highlights the need for purpose and something to fight for in life. It’s all too easy to fall to aimlessness and inertia. Everyone needs a goal and a higher purpose to give life meaning.
9 “How Could I Regret The Only Life I’ve Ever Known?”
This line comes from Altair in the first Assassin’s Creed while talking to his mentor, Al Mualim. Altair’s master asks if he has any regrets about his actions as an Assassin, and Altair replies with the line above.
The line seems simple on the surface, but it speaks to a deeper truth about all of human life. There is a hypothetical question about whether the fish knows that it is swimming in water, and this quote is of the same idea. How can we know what it’s like to live outside of our own life? Keeping such a perspective can help us to better understand others.
8 “Sometimes The Face We Show To The World Needs To Be One Of Strength, Despite The Chaos We Harbor Beneath.”
This quote comes from Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey and is spoken by Myrrine, the mother of protagonists Alexios and Kassandra. This line is spoken by Myrrine when Kassandra asks her mother about an upcoming symposium Myrrine is leading.
This quote is a rather powerful one, evoking the need to project strength even when one might be full of fear and turmoil. Such emotions need to be addressed at some point of course, but, at pivotal times, we have to put those chaotic emotions on hold for the ones who depend upon us.
7 “I Cannot Shed My Past Like A Snake Sheds Its Skin.”
This quote comes from the protagonist of Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Bayek of Siwa. Bayek and his wife, Aya, started their Hidden Ones, aka the Assassins, after their son was killed by a precursor to the Templars known as the Order of the Ancients.
This quote shows how Bayek can’t just forget about what happened to his family. His son was brutally murdered by a cult, and Bayek is unable to just forgive or forget. While not all of us have begun a quest for revenge in our lives, we must always remember our past. We are made of our memories and past experiences, and to try to outright shed our pasts is a fool’s errand.
6 “You Parrot The Words, But You Do Not Understand Them.”
Mary Read/James Kidd from Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is among the best characters from the series, and she is the one who tries to turn protagonist Edward Kenway away from a life of piracy and into the Assassins’ Guild. She tells him of the Assassin’s creed, “Nothing is true; everything is permitted,” the latter half of which strikes a chord with the greedy and thrill-seeking Edward.
Mary tells Edward the above quote in response. Edward just wants a rule that lets him do whatever he wants, no matter how depraved. Mary tries to get him to understand that this creed actually means something and is intended as a means to a greater end. In that same vein, we should all strive to understand the rules we follow and what the greater outcome could be.
5 “It’s-a Me, Mario!”
Mario Auditore is the uncle of Ezio Auditore de Firenze. After the tragedy that befell Ezio’s family at the beginning of Assassin’s Creed 2, he had to flee his former home and was ultimately found by his Uncle Mario. Ezio didn’t recognize his uncle at first glance, which prompted the above quote from Mario Auditore. Mario later trains Ezio in the ways of the Assassin.
This quote is important, as we should all be as confident in ourselves and our identity as Mario Auditore. When we tell someone our name, we should say it with pride and energy. Don’t just tell someone who you are; declare it at the top of your lungs! Almost in a familiar way…
4 “Wanting Something Does Not Give You The Right To Have It.”
This quote comes from Ezio Auditore de Firenze in Assassin’s Creed 2. It is ultimately his counter to the Templar ideology, as the Templars manipulate the vast machinations of global politics to acquire the power that they seek.
It is a simple truth that we should all remember, as we should think about how all our actions could affect others. Wants and needs are not the same, and even needs can be negotiated with in regard to our fellow human beings so that there can be enough for all.
3 “I Will Not Be Captive To Another Man’s Gaudy Design. My Destiny Is Mine To Weave.”
This line comes from the protagonist of Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Eivor. They are at once incredibly loyal and fiercely independent. This line refers to their reluctance to join the Assassins, also known as the Hidden Ones. Eivor wanted control of their destiny, but they were willing to help the Hidden Ones.
Hopefully, we can all remain this independent and in control of our destinies. While humanity works best in cooperation and with shared goals, identity is important and gives a person purpose and direction.
2 “It Might Be That This Idea Is Only The Beginning Of Wisdom And Not Its Final Form.”
This quote comes from Edward Kenway and is a callback to the earlier Mary Read quote that denigrated Edward for misunderstanding the Assassin’s Creed. Edward began working with the Assassins, but still had some questions about the Creed itself. After a discussion with Ah Tabai, Edward comes to the above conclusion about the Creed.
It’s a very astute observation about the Creed, and it is something we should all remember when traveling the path of education. All knowledge as it exists is intended to help lead one to further knowledge. Wisdom is a journey and not a destination.
1 “There Is No Greater Glory Than Fighting To Find The Truth.”
This quote comes from Altair in Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. It is from Altair’s final ponderings on his life and legacy as he neared the end of his journey. He fears that his path may have been the incorrect one as the war between Assassins and Templars never came to an end. However, knowing that he fought for the truth brings him solace.
This is more or less the true mission statement of the Assassins’ Guild in the Assassin’s Creed series. While their credo states that, “Nothing is true,” their true mission is to expose the truth for all, and the truth is something we should all live in service to.
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