Apple of Eden 6

"To find the temples, I'm convinced we need to get our hands on Ezio's Apple of Eden. Minerva altered it somehow when she "touched" it."

- Lucy Stillman, 2012.

The Apple of Eden wielded by Ezio Auditore da Firenze during the Renaissance was an ancient, yet technologically advanced piece of equipment created by the First Civilization.

Use
Designed to create illusions and to control human minds, and can be used in conjunction with the Staff of Eden (presumably as can other Apples). Also contained knowledge of many technologies used by the First Civilization.

Status
Hidden by Ezio Auditore da Firenze in a First Civilization Vault beneath the Santa Maria in Aracoeli in Rome between 1503 and 1506. Uncovered by Desmond Miles on October 10th, 2012, and brought to the United States by William Miles.

Known owners
In chronological order:
 * First Civilization (? - ?)
 * Cem (1481 - ?)
 * Templars (1486-1488)
 * Ezio Auditore da Firenze (1488)
 * Caterina Sforza (1488)
 * Checco Orsi (1488)
 * Girolamo Savonarola (1488 - 23 May 1498)
 * Ezio Auditore da Firenze (23 May 1498 - 28 December 1499)
 * Mario Auditore (28 December 1499 - 2 January 1500)
 * Cesare Borgia (2 January 1500 - 1501)
 * Leonardo da Vinci (1501 - 1502)
 * Rodrigo Borgia (1502 - 18 August 1503)
 * Ezio Auditore da Firenze (18 August 1503 - 1506)
 * Desmond Miles (2012)
 * William Miles (2012)

Move to Italy
"What if that's why they sent the ship to Cyprus? To find this... Piece of Eden... and bring it back to Venezia."

- Ezio discovering the Spaniard's plan.

In 1486, while hunting down the Venetian Templars, Ezio Auditore da Firenze learned from Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro that the Templars were setting their sails for the island of Cyprus. It was not until 1488, that the artifact was brought from Cyprus to Venice in L'Arsenale, with the artifact still encased in its original ornamental housing.

After the sailors handed it down to one of their associates, Ezio noticed his uncle, Mario Auditore, also watching the Templars from afar. Tailing the soldier, in hopes of leading him to the Spaniard, he followed him all the way to a secluded area, where the courier was given a short time to arrange things for the Spaniard's liking. After Ezio heard of the Spaniard's presence, Ezio knew that he should not let the opportunity of exacting revenge pass. Ezio stealthily infiltrated the courtyard and dispatched the courier and donned the man's armor, posing as a guard.

After donning the armor, and preparing the package, Ezio was greeted by a guard captain, who asked him not to ruin the delivery, unknown to him that he was talking to an Assassin. Obeying the captain's orders, Ezio brought the package to a secluded area by the Venetian canals, along with the captain and two more guards with him. Seeing the Spaniard, Rodrigo Borgia, after such a long time, Ezio prepared himself to confront the man responsible for his misery.

Stabbing the guard captain from behind, while holding the package, and dispatching the guards with him, Ezio confronted his family's destroyer.

After two bouts with Borgia, the latter of which involved Ezio fighting off Templar guards, all of the Assassins that had trained Ezio showed up to hold off the guards while Ezio himself dueled Borgia.

In the end, Borgia escaped, and Ezio was greeted by all his allies, then told by Niccolò Machiavelli, who had just arrived on the scene, that he was the prophet of the Codex. A disbelieving Ezio demanded Machiavelli's name, which the Assassin promptly gave, then revealed all the others to be Assassins as well. Ezio was subsequently initiated into the Order.

Battle of Forlì
"The Apple needs to remain in the citadel. Keep this safe"

- Ezio, entrusting the Apple to Caterina.

After arriving in Forlì in 1488, on a mission from Order to keep the Apple safe in the well protected city with their ally Caterina Sforza, Ezio, Caterina and Machiavelli were confronted by Checco Orsi and Ludovico Orsi, who attacked the city to gain the Codex map, unaware of the Apple's presence. After becoming aware of it during the battle, the Orsi brothers kidnapped Caterina's children, Bianca and Ottaviano, and threatened to kill them if the Apple and the Codex map was not given to them.

Ezio left the Apple in Caterina's care and then set out to rescue Caterina's children, however, while he was away, Checco had taken the Apple from Caterina. Ezio pursued Checco on through the countryside and assassinated him, retrieving the Apple. However, Checco had stabbed Ezio in the lower abdomen and the Assassin collapsed. Before he passed out, Ezio witnessed a monk with a missing finger take the Apple from him. After recovering several days later, Ezio set out to find the identity of the monk, later being told that the monk was Girolamo Savonarola. Ezio then left for Florence to search for the monk.

Bonfire of the Vanities
"You will do as I command! You will submit!"

- Savonarola trying to control a crowd with the Apple.

After arriving in Florence in 1497, Ezio learned that Savonarola was using the Apple to influence the city leaders to do his will, controlling the civilians in the process. After killing Savonarola's nine lieutenants, greatly reducing Savonarola's power in the city, the monk emerged from his dwellings where Ezio, Machiavelli, La Volpe, and Paola waited with the enraged crowd of civilians that had gathered. Savonarola begun to remind the civilians they should be submitting to his cause.

After this failed attempt, an enraged Savonarola drew the Apple and attempted to use it on the crowd in order to control them. However, Ezio quickly threw a knife at Savonarola's hand, breaking the spell and causing the Apple to slip from his grasp. As the crowd carried Savonarola off, a Borgia guard took the Apple after it had slipped from Savonarola's grasp, however Ezio pursued the guard and retrieved the Apple once again for the Assassins.

The Vatican
"Kind of you to bring me the Apple. Now give it here!"

- Rodrigo Borgia demanding the Apple from Ezio.

Upon arriving back at the Villa in 1499, Ezio and the other Assassins once again met to discuss their plan, and analyze the map hidden under the assembled thirty Codex pages.

Ezio then realized that Rodrigo possessed the Staff of Eden through his ascension as Pope, and prepared for his final confrontation with Rodrigo in the Vatican itself. Eventually confronting Rodrigo, Ezio lunged towards him, however, the Staff's power knocked him away. With the Apple, Ezio was able to resist Rodrigo's attempt to kill him with the Staff.

Rodrigo eventually overpowered the Assassin and took the Apple with him into the Vault. Ezio pursued him and finally defeated Rodrigo, he then used the Apple in conjunction with the Staff to open the Vault. Emerging from the Vault after hearing Minerva's message, Ezio escaped the Vatican with his uncle Mario.

Subsequently, Ezio and Mario took to the rooftops and made their way to a high tower overlooking a canal. Once there, Ezio withdrew the Apple of Eden from his cloak and prepared to drop it into the river, however, he hesitated. Acknowledging that destroying such a powerful artifact was not a decision to be made quickly, Mario offered to keep the Apple safe until Ezio had made up his mind, and the two rode back to their base of operations in the fortress town of Monteriggioni.

Acquisition by the Borgia
Subsequently the Apple was returned the Monteriggioni to be kept safe. However during the Fall of Monteriggioni, Mario tried to ensure the Apple's safety; however, the invading Borgia were able to breach the city with Mario barely alive and the Apple in the hands of Cesare Borgia.

Subsequently after the conclusion of the siege, the Apple was now in the Borgia's possession. Cesare left it in the hands of Leonardo da Vinci for study, forcing him to craft several weapons War Machines from the Apple.

Rodrigo eventually took the Apple from Leonardo without Cesare's knowledge and hid it at St. Peter's Baslilica, the courtyard pavilion. Additionally during the four years in which the Apple was in Borgia hands, the War Machines crafted were all eventually destroyed by Ezio. By August of 1503, Ezio infiltrated the Castel Sant'Angelo to assassinate Rodrigo and Cesare. Soon spying on Rodrigo, Cesare entered and demanded the Apple's whereabouts. Rodrigo however refused to tell his son.

However, after murdering his father for his attempted murder through poison, Cesare began interrogating Lucrezia Borgia, who knew the Apple's location. After giving in and telling Cesare, both him and Ezio raced for St. Peter's Basilica. However, Ezio arrived first.

Approaching the pavilion, Ezio finally retrieved the Apple of Eden. However, Cesare immediately arrived with guards. Using the Apple to dispose of the guards, Ezio fled for Tiber Island. There he reported to his fellow Assassins of Rodrigo's demise and the recovery of the Apple.

Last usage by Ezio
Realizing that Cesare would attempt to rebuild his forces in the coming months, Ezio concluded the Apple would aid them in defeating Cesare. Throughout August to December, Ezio continued to weaken Cesare's military forces through the Apple, killing important assets with the Apple.

Eventually however, Cesare gathered his remaining supporters at the gates to Rome. Confronting Cesare, Ezio and the Assassins destroyed his remaining supporters with the Apple. After Cesare's arrest, Ezio was unsure what do to, hence he discussed this with Leonardo and used the Apple to see the future. Seeing Cesare's escape, Ezio immediately left Rome.

In 1506, Ezio hid the Apple in the Colosseum Vault, leaving it on the pedestal and sealing the Vault.

Modern times
"To find the Temples, I'm convinced we need to get our hands on Ezio's Apple of Eden. Minerva altered it somehow when she touched it."

- Lucy Stillman at Monteriggioni.

In 2012, the modern day Assassins Desmond Miles, Lucy Stillman, Shaun Hastings, and Rebecca Crane located the Apple of Eden using the Animus. After arriving at the Colosseum, Desmond made his way through the Colosseum to Santa Maria in Aracoeli, where he found an entrance to let the other Assassins in.

While in the church, Desmond activated a pedestal that led them to the chamber where the Apple was located. Making their way up to the central platform, Desmond touched the Apple, causing his DNA to activate it. This resulted in the Apple's projection of multiple holographic symbols that continually changed form.

A lot of the symbols that the Apple illustrated were the same ones scrawled by Clay Kaczmarek on the walls and floor of Abstergo as a series of Cryptic Messages. Two symbols stood out though: the Masonic Eye and the Phrygian Cap, which Shaun attempted to explain before he was stopped when Desmond took hold of the Apple.

Through the Apple, Juno took control of Desmond's body and made him stab Lucy in the abdomen. Desmond then went into shock, and both he and Lucy collapsed to the floor of the vault.

William Miles and an acquaintance of his retrieved Desmond, and returned him to the Animus, in the hopes of helping him recover from his trauma. The Apple ended up in William's hands, and though he admitted that he had been waiting a long time to get his hands on one of the Apples, he realized that he was not able to properly wield it.

When William, Desmond, Shaun, and Rebecca flew out to New York, they took the Apple with them.

Abilities
"There is an old tale, passed down through the ages, that the Apple of Eden was not flesh at all, but solid like marble or bronze. They say incredible power will be granted to the man who holds it."

- One of Clay's genetic memories.

In 1499, Ezio used the Apple in Rome to dispel the effects of the Staff of Eden, as well as to create four hologram doubles. While these doubles could not deal damage, they were able to distract Rodrigo during their battle. After Rodrigo stole the Apple, he combined it with the Staff to paralyze Ezio, then to create the key to the Vault, which he claimed held a "god-felling weapon." In the Vault, Minerva upgraded the Apple.

In 1503, Ezio was briefly able to use the Apple as a weapon. By charging it, a golden perimeter spread around him, followed by a smaller, white perimeter (though these circles decreased slightly upon release). Enemies within the golden circle of effect would proceed to fight each other, while enemies in the white circle would fall to the ground in agony, which was depicted as a kill-by-insanity.

If the golden perimeter affected an enemy with no other enemies around to attack (or if all other enemies had already been killed) the affected enemy would just fall to his knees and beg for mercy. The Apple could also be used in a counter-attack, where briefly activating its effects just as an enemy attacked resulted in an instant kill.

Using the Apple appeared to weaken its user; however, it is unknown whether this was due to overuse of its powers, or of a desynchronization between Desmond's and Ezio's memories.

Trivia

 * The Apple is mentioned as an important icon in many religious writings; most notably as the "Fruit of Knowledge" in the Garden of Eden.
 * In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the Apple affects and can potentially kill almost anyone, including allies (such as mercenaries and Assassin recruits) and civilians.
 * Using the Apple will drain the player's health, with a greater area of effect draining a greater amount of health; though health will recover faster over time. Additionally, if a guard attacks while Ezio is charging the Apple, the guard will drop and start bleeding, regardless of the ring he is in.
 * After completing Assassin's Creed II, Ezio will still wear the Apple at his waist, hidden inside a small red pouch behind his cape, laying just beside his outfit's Assassin Symbol.