Assassin's Creed: Embers

"Now living in a cozy Tuscan Villa with his wife and their two children, Ezio spends his time enjoying the company of family, old friends, and cultivating his vineyards. The life of this former Assassin Mentor will not stay quiet for long. One day, a mysterious Assassin shows up at Ezio's door quite unexpectedly, begging for Ezio's aid. Will this old Assassin's fire die out before he can save the ones he love, or will it burn brightly one last time?"

- Description.

Assassin's Creed: Embers is an animated short film project designed to expand the Assassin's Creed series. Revealed by Ubisoft on 6 June 2011, the film was released on 15 November 2011, alongside several special editions of Assassin's Creed: Revelations. The short film is available in 15 languages, either through voice dub or subtitles.

This short film was created and produced by Ubiworkshop, and was completely developed internally at Ubisoft Montreal. To create the film, Ubiworkshop worked with two other teams: Ubik, and a team from the Technology Group.

Set after Revelations, the film concludes the life of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, who retired from his life as an Assassin and lived with his wife Sofia Sartor in Tuscany's countryside.

Plot
In the year 1524, the former Assassin Ezio Auditore has retired to a villa in the countryside of Tuscany, with his wife Sofia and children Marcello and Flavia. While Ezio is writing in his study, Sofia asks him to watch Flavia while she and Marcello visit his sister Claudia. Shortly after, he leaves his study to tend the vines as Flavia plays nearby the villa. In the midst of his harvest, he sees a stranger cloaked in black, talking to Flavia. Fearing the worst, Ezio hurriedly intercepts the stranger, though Flavia tells him that she was no danger, as Ezio sees her necklace with the Assassin insignia. Later, the Assassin introduces herself as Shao Jun, and then asks for Ezio's help in saving her people and order. Ezio refuses, stating that his time with the order is over, and asks that Jun leave, despite her pleas. Sofia however, bids that Jun should stay, seeing that she's come a long way. Jun stays, while the family prepares to rest for the night. Ezio ponders about the time he has left while watching their children with Sofia. The two would then go to bed.

The next morning, Ezio inspects his villa to look for Shao Jun, and finds her in his study. Furiously, Ezio tells her to leave his study, and shortly after, tells her to leave Italy entirely, stating that she's wasted her time looking for him. Shao Jun, reading a portion of what Ezio wrote in his study, asks him that she just wanted understand what it takes to restore her order. Ezio informs her on why he is reluctant to help, stating that it could compromise his family. Afterwards, he would take her to Florence as company in handling some errands of his.

Ezio attends to his chores while Shao Jun kept watch. Afterwards, Ezio would take her to the plaza of the Palazzo della Signoria, where half of his family were killed. He would then lecture her on how an Assassin's line of work is done, before leaving back to his villa. In the midst of their departure, the two were intercepted by an armed soldier, who would then face Shao Jun in combat. After dealing with the soldier, the two flee, as more armed soldiers follow them.

As Ezio drove a carriage back to his villa, Shao Jun would explain her past. She explains that it was her mentor's plan to meet with him, though her mentor was taken by the same men in Venice. The soldiers were the imperial soldiers of Emperor Jiajing, who sought to recapture Shao Jun for her acts against his rule. After arriving at the villa, Ezio tells Sofia that she and the children to stay at Machiavelli's, fearing that the imperial soldiers would come. After his family left, Ezio and Shao Jun would stay to prepare for the men. After giving a lecture to Shao Jun about how he reformed the order in both Rome and Constantinople, Ezio would advise her to rest while he stays at the living room and keeps watch. As Ezio waited, the armed men arrived as expected. While Shao Jun fought some of the soldiers in the upper floor, Ezio fought with the others at the lower floor, defeating three of them. Ezio, seeing the cannon-wielding brute readying to fire, Ezio hurriedly made his way to the upper floor to intercept the soldiers and save Shao Jun from the cannon's fire, which he does so successfully. Afterwards, both he and Jun would jump out of a window and onto the open field. There, both of them fought the cannon soldier, and after a tough fight, manages to kill him.

The day after, Ezio would bid Shao Jun farewell, as the latter thanks him for all his help. Before leaving, Ezio gives Jun a small chest, commenting that it can help her some day, though said that she should open it only when she loses direction. As several guards of the Tuscan government arrive, Ezio bids that Shao Jun should leave before they see her. She would then leave, while Ezio cleared things up with the guards. Some time after, Ezio would finish writing in his study, and as Sofia informed him that she and Flavia were leaving for Florence, Ezio decides to come with them. There, Ezio sits down at a nearby bench while the two buy some groceries. As Ezio watched, a young man would sit down with him and berate the woman of Florence. Despite his disrespectful demeanor, the man would advise Ezio to rest before leaving his company. Ezio, as he looked on his wife and daughter, smiles. The two would look back, though with a look of distraught rather than happiness.

Ezio Auditore passed away where he sat, at the age of 65. Left behind by him in his study was a letter addressed to Sofia. Written there:

"When I was a young man, I had liberty, but I did not see it. I had time, but I did not know it. And I had love, but I did not feel it. Many decades would pass before I understood the meaning of all three. And now, the twilight of my life, misunderstanding has past into contentment. Love, liberty, and time: once was so disposable, are the fuels that drive me forward. And love, most especially, mio caro. For you, our children, our brothers and sisters. And for the vast and wonderful world that gave us life, and keeps us guessing. Endless affection, mio Sofia.

Forever yours, Ezio Auditore."

Development
Embers was first revealed in June 6, 2011. The teaser trailer for Embers was released on 21 July 2011, while the full trailer for Embers was revealed on 23 July 2011, during the Comic-Con 2011 Panel. The Comic-Con 2011 Panel recommended watching Embers after completing Revelations, so that the events that unfold are experienced in sequence. The film would run for 21 minutes, offering a unique experience of Ezio's life, and bringing further closure to the Ezio saga.

Embers was subsequently released in DVD format with several special editions of Assassin's Creed: Revelations, which was released on November 15, 2011.

Trivia

 * Several movements during the attack on Ezio's villa were taken from animations within the game. For example, when Ezio disarms the soldier, it had the same animation when Ezio would disarm a guard utilizing a short blade.
 * A portrait of Emilio Barbarigo, the same portrait found in Ezio's room in Monteriggioni during Assassin's Creed II, can be seen in his study room.
 * Also, the Portrait of a Young Venetian Woman, the portrait of Sofia painted by Albrecht Dürer, can be seen in the villa's living room.
 * Ezio's son, Marcello, was never seen in the movie. Though he can be seen sleeping in his and Flavia's room, Marcello's face was never shown.
 * Shao Jun did not wield a hidden blade on her wrist, but on her shoes. Though she kept throwing needles held in bracers in their place.
 * The letter left behind by Ezio had a seal with the Assassin insignia on it.
 * Both Shao Jun and Flavia were dubbed by the same voice actor.
 * A replica of Shao Jun's necklace is being sold in Ubiworkshop's store, for 24.99 US Dollars.

Videos
Video:Assassin's Creed: Embers Animated Series Trailer (Comic-Con 2011)|Assassin's Creed: Embers teaser trailer Video:Assassin's Creed Embers Trailer|Assassin's Creed: Embers full trailer Video:Assassin's Creed Embers Story Trailer|Assassin's Creed: Embers story trailer