User blog comment:Suriken88/Ezio's speculated death in Embers/@comment-72.23.47.195-20120125202320

I love how no one has thought about the fact that it could possibly be both explanations. To me, Ezio was on his way out when he sat down on that bench. Yes, he was hacking and coughing the entire movie, but when he got to that bench, he was really wheezing. I honestly don't think he had much time left. I think it's entirely possible that the guy sat down and poisoned him.

Reasons being:

1) That guy's bracer was odd, especially since it was only on his one arm. It is in the perfect spot to hide a blade up his sleeve against his wrist. The templar cross on the bracer pretty much confirms it for me.

2) He was baiting ezio with the woman talk. The fact that he immediately changed his demeanor when ezio responded, shows he really didn't give a crap about the women there.

3) His comments were dark and twisted. "Have courage, old man"? That's something you say to someone when you know they are about to die. "Get some rest"? Again...it was a very sarcastic comment.

But just because he may have been poisoned doesn't mean that that is what killed him. Like I said earlier, he was on his way out. I think he was going to die on that bench whether he was poisoned or not. Maybe a heart attack got him before the poison did. HIghly unlikely but who knows.

This whole thing is meant to be mysterious. That's why they didn't come directly out and explain it. It's to keep you interested and keep that sense of assassin mystery into something that is just meant to keep your short attention span on the serious until AC3 comes out in december.