Assassin's Creed: The Fall

Assassin's Creed: The Fall is a 2010-2011 comic book by Cameron Stewart and Karl Kerschl split into three separate issues, initially published by WildStorm Comics and later by Ubiworkshop.

The comic book, consisting of three issues, followed the journey of the Russian Assassin Nikolai Orelov during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, whose genetic memories were viewed by his present-day descendant Daniel Cross.

A sequel comic book entitled Assassin's Creed: The Chain, again following the lives of Daniel Cross and Nikolai Orelov, was released in Summer of 2012.

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

The scene then changed to St. Petersburg, Russia in 1888, showing Nikolai Orelov in his home, where he lived with his partner Anna, who was carrying his child. It is revealed that Nikolai was currently a member of the Narodnaya Volya, the Russian branch of the Order of Assassins.

Having previously failed to prevent the execution of Aleksandr Ulyanov, Nikolai worried about his coming mission, but Anna urged him to succeed for Ulyanov's brother, Vladimir, as well as their unborn child.

These moments were then revealed to be memories experienced in 1998 by a man named Daniel Cross, who had been diagnosed with an unspecified psychological disorder, and was under court order to attend psychiatric sessions. At his latest session, Cross admitted to experiencing unclear visions of a woman in Europe, but refused to continue taking his medication.

Upon being reminded of the death of his former girlfriend, Kelly, Cross reluctantly took the prescription from his psychiatrist, but later discarded it in a nearby trashcan. Upon visiting a bar, he attempted to proposition several women, before becoming sick and stumbling into the bathroom, where he began to experience another vision of his ancestor.

In late October 1888, Nikolai was tasked with assassinating Tsar Alexander III by the Mentor of the Assassin Order. 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 had convinced them otherwise, leading the Assassins to attempt his assassination.

Following this, Nikolai boarded the train returning the Tsar and his family to St. Petersburg from the Crimea. After dispatching several guards, he burst into the dining car of the train to find the stunned Royal Family. As the Tsar grabbed him from behind, Nikolai stabbed him with his Hidden Blade, though this only wounded him. The two men then brawled in the car until a malfunction derailed the train.

Leading his family out of the wreckage, the Tsar saw Nikolai lying nearby. After striking him, the Tsar retrieved the Staff from the wreckage, believing that Nikolai had been sent to retrieve it. He then tossed the Staff to Nikolai, who unsuccessfully attacked the Tsar with it.

After this, the Tsar disarmed him, and took back the Staff, telling him that he would build a new Eden in Russia with the help of his "friends." However, the Tsar refused to kill Nikolai in front of his children, and allowed him to leave.

Back in the present day, while he was still disoriented from his visions, Daniel was kicked out of the bar onto the street. A passerby asked him if he needed help, but Daniel accused him of being a Templar, and pulled out a knife.

Before he could attack the man, Daniel was stopped by a woman, who threw him into her car and left before the police arrived. She then berated him for breaking cover, and almost violating the first rule of the Creed, believing that Daniel was an Assassin like her.

Issue #2
At an unspecified time, a couple driving down a road in a forest saw a young boy walking alone. Concerned, they stopped to talk to him, when they saw bruises on his face and body. As they asked him his name, he only replied in Russian that he wanted to go home.

Daniel was woken up by the woman from the bar in an unknown room. The woman asked him how he knew about the Templars, but he didn't understand what she was talking about. She then introduced herself as Hannah, and showed him around the Assassin camp.

She explained that though they had believed Daniel to be an Assassin, no one could recognize him, and he wasn't a known member of any camp.

Issue #3
The streets of Petrograd were filled with the color and noise of revolution – the Bolsheviks had taken control of the country, but there was still conflict within the ranks. Assassin Nikolai Orelov confronted the abdicated Tsar Nicholas II to learn the final location of the Staff.

In the present, Daniel Cross completed his pilgrimage to find the elusive Mentor of the Assassins, a quest that changes the Order forever. He took the life of the Mentor, and dove out of the window to escape, where he later made his way to an Abstergo building and demanded to be put back in the Animus.

Deluxe Edition
The Fall Deluxe Edition was a softcover special edition that brought all three issues of the The Fall, plus an exclusive 10-page epilogue, which would also act as transition towards the next comic saga, Assassin's Creed: The Chain.

This edition had a total of 128 pages, including the exclusive epilogue and a making-of section.

It is also included in the Assassin's Creed Red winter bundle (containing the deluxe edition and a hoodie featuring the Russian Assassin insignia) in Ubiworkshop.

Subject 4
Assassin's Creed: Subject Four was a recently announced compilation from UbiWorkshop, which comprises both the complete issues of The Fall, as well as its sequel, The Chain.

Behind the scenes
The series was initially planned as an expansion of the travels of the Assassin Ezio Auditore, but it was moved to an entirely new setting and character to provide greater artistic freedom to the writers. Despite this, the comic still utilized the long-standing feud between the Assassins and Templars for the basis of its story.

Inspiration for The Fall came from the book  by Richard Condon. The main character, Captain Bennett Marco, was brainwashed by the Communist Party to act as their sleeper agent, acting on their orders whenever he saw the Queen of Diamonds playing card. In The Fall, Abstergo programmed Daniel Cross to kill the Mentor when the moment of opportunity presented itself.