Assassin's Creed: The Fall

Assassin's Creed: The Fall is a comic book mini-series written by Cameron Stewart and Karl Kerschl and published by WildStorm. The mini-series, consisting of 3 issues, follows the journey of the Russian Assassin Nikolai Orelov during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, whose genetic memories are being viewed by his present-day descendant Daniel Cross thanks to a natural version of the bleeding effect.

The series was initially planned as an expansion of the travels of Ezio Auditore, but was moved to an entirely new setting to provide greater freedom to the writers. Despite this, the comic still utilizes the long-standing Templar vs Assassin feud as the basis of its story.

Issue #1
At an unspecified time, two scientists working in an Abstergo laboratory prepare to insert a newly acquired test subject captured by Lineage Discovery and Acquisition into the Animus.

In 1888, Nikolai Orelov lives in St. Petersburg, Russia with his partner Anna, who is carrying his child. Orelov is a member of the Narodnaya Volya, the Russian chapter of the Order of Assassins. Having previously failed to prevent the execution of Aleksandr Ulyanov, Orelov worries about his coming mission, but Anna urges him to succeed for Ulyanov's brother, Vladimir, and their unborn child.

These moments are revealed to be memories experienced in 1998 by Daniel Cross, who has been diagnosed with an unspecified psychological disorder and is under court order to attend psychiatric sessions. At his latest session, Cross admits to experiencing unclear visions of a woman in Europe, but refuses to continue taking his medication. Upon being reminded of the death of his former girlfriend, Kelly, Cross takes the prescription from his doctor, but later discards it. Later attending a bar, he fails at picking up women before becoming sick and stumbling into the bathroom, where he begins to experience another vision.

In late October 1888, Orelov is tasked with assassinating Tsar Alexander III by the Mentor of the Order of Assassins. Having previously assassinated Alexander II and prevented further Templar gains in the country, the Assassins had hoped for a period of liberalization under Alexander III. However, the Tsar's actions have convinced them otherwise, leading the Assassins to attempt his assassination.

Orelov boards the train returning the Tsar and his family to St. Petersburg from the Crimea. After dispatching several guards, he bursts into the dining car of the train to find the stunned Royal Family. As the Tsar grabs him from behind, Orelov stabs him with his hidden blade, though this only wounds him. The two men brawl in the car until a malfunction derails the train.

Leading his family out of the wreckage, the Tsar sees Orelov lying nearby. After striking him, the Tsar retrieves the Staff from the wreckage, believing that Orelov was sent to extract it. He tosses the Staff to Orelov, who unsuccessfully attacks the Tsar with it. The Tsar disarms Orelov and takes back the Staff, telling him that he will build a new Eden in Russia with the help of his "friends." However, the Tsar refuses to kill Orelov in front of his children and allows him to leave.

Still disoriented from his visions, Cross is kicked out of the bar onto the street. A passerby asks him if he needs help, but Cross accuses him of being a Templar and pulls a knife. Before he can kill the man, Cross is stopped by a woman, who throws him into her car and leaves before the cops arrive. She berates him for breaking cover and almost violating the first rule, believing that Cross is an Assassin like her.

Issue #2
At an unspecified time, a couple driving down a road in a forest see a young boy walking alone. They stop to talk to him, seeing bruises on his face and body. When they ask him his name, he replies in Russian that he wants to go home.

Cross is woken up by the woman from the bar in an unknown room. The woman asks him how he knows about the Templars, but Cross doesn't understand what she is talking about. She introduces herself as Hannah and shows him around the Assassin camp. She says that though they had believed Cross to be an Assassin, he isn't a known member of any camp.

Issue #3
The exciting comic book companion to the acclaimed video-game series reaches its final issue. The streets of Petrograd are filled with the color and noise of revolution – the Bolsheviks have taken control of the country, but there's still conflict within the ranks. Assassin Nikolai Orelov confronts the abdicated Tsar Nicholas II to learn the final location of the Staff. And in the present, Daniel Cross completes his pilgrimage to find the elusive Mentor of the Assassins, a quest that changes the Order forever. He takes the life of the Mentor and dives out of the window to escape. He later makes his way to an Abstergo building and demands to be put back in the animus.

Trivia

 * Inspiration for The Fall came from the book The Manchurian Candidate by Richard Condon. The main character, Captain Bennett Marco, is brainwashed by the Communist Party to act as their sleeper agent, acting on their orders whenever he sees the Queen of Diamonds playing card. In The Fall, Abstergo programmed Daniel Cross to kill the Mentor when in the opportune moment.
 * In the Italian version, pre-ordering the issue #2, you can get a code for unlocking the Helmschmied Drachen Armor.
 * The next installment, Assassin's Creed: The Chain will continue the stories of Daniel Cross and Nikolai Orelov.

Video
TeaserTeaser trailer.