Mario Auditore

"Don't you recognize me? It's a-me, Mario!"

- Mario meeting Ezio Mario Auditore (1434 - 1499) was the older brother of Giovanni Auditore and the uncle of Ezio, Federico, Petruccio, and Claudia. Like his brother, he was an Assassin, but prefered combat and group maneuvers over infiltration and stealth. He had become a condottiere, leading a sizable group of mercenaries to fight against the Templars hidden among the local nobility. He proved to be a valuable ally to his nephew Ezio, and trained him to improve his fighting skills in Monteriggioni.

Early life
As a young man, Mario played an important role in the Battle of Anghiari, where he alerted the condottiero Micheletto Attendolo to dust clouds over the road, signalling a surprise advance on the Florentines by the Milanese troops. The attack was stopped, and the Florentines won the battle. However, after this battle, most of his time was spent defending his home town of Monteriggioni and the Tuscan countryside from persistent Florentine troops determined to seize it.

In 1454, Mario's younger brother Giovanni decided to move to Florence to pursue a career in banking. Mario remained at the Auditore family villa in Monteriggioni, and the two exchanged letters to keep in touch. In one of these letters, Mario defended his decision to stay in Monteriggioni by writing that he "preferred fighting like a man, to filling out balance sheets." It is insinuated that he rarely saw the family after that, as Ezio has little recollection of him.

Training Ezio
While escorting his mother and sister away from Florence, Ezio was ambushed by Vieri de' Pazzi and his soldiers. Mario and his mercenaries saved the trio, and he insisted that they accompany him back to Monteriggioni. Mario told Ezio of his Assassin heritage and that he must be trained so that he can properly fight and defeat the Templars, and protect his mother and sister. He then showed Ezio the inside of his home and the Sanctuary hidden at the back of a bookcase and explained the purpose of The Codex. He soon started Ezio's training to become an Assassin and was also shown to be extremely proud of his Assassin heritage after he stormed off when Ezio announced his decision to take Maria and Claudia to Spain, against Mario's wishes.

Feeling guilty, Ezio rethought his decision and followed Mario to Tuscany to kill Vieri de Pazzi. When Ezio killed Vieri and began to abuse the body, Mario stepped in and urged him to have respect for the dead. "You are not Vieri," he said to Ezio. "Do not become him." Then, addressing Vieri's body, he delivered a short monologue before uttering the words "requiescat in pace (rest in peace)," a term that Ezio adopted for further assassinations.

The Apple of Eden
In 1488, Mario and the other Assassins helped Ezio recover and defend the Piece of Eden from Rodrigo Borgia in Venice. After securing the Piece of Eden, Mario studied it alongside Machiavelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Ezio. When the Apple was activated, Mario and Machiavelli were both affected and collapse, holding their heads. Mario recognized its great power and told Ezio to protect it by taking it to Forlì. Mario then invited Leonardo to the Villa Auditore in Monteriggioni.

When Ezio obtained 50 feathers and placed them in the chest in Maria's room, Mario entered and attempted to stop Ezio from continuing on what Mario considered to be a vain effort, however he did leave a new weapon at the blacksmiths for Ezio to use.

Mario was there when Ezio placed all of the Codex pages in the wall of the Auditore Family Villa. Together with the other Assassins, he found out that the Codex pages showed a map of all the locations in the world. Ezio then continued on to Rome, where he attacked Rodrigo Borgia and his men. Ezio eventually spared Rodrigo, but recovered the Staff of Eden from him and discovered the Vault.

Death
Some time after Ezio returns to the villa from Rome, Monteriggioni was attacked by Cesare Borgia and his men. Mario quickly met with Ezio and told him to protect the city in any way possible and that he would keep the Apple safe with him. However, Mario became wounded and was captured by Cesare. Mario, who walked back to the city, collapsed at the city gate, followed by Cesare Borgia and his lieutenants. Cesare, holding the Apple in his hand, shot Mario as an 'invitation' from his family to Ezio's to go to Rome.

Personality and characteristics
Mario dresses in the flamboyant style of the Italian nobility of the Renaissance, sports long, dark hair that he slicks back neatly, and has a scar over his left eye, which he is also blind in. He is a boisterous man, and makes no apologies for his passion for fighting and alcohol. He cares deeply for his brother and his brother's family, and is extremely proud of his Assassin heritage. From his letter to Giovanni and their differences in fighting styles, it can be assumed that he was often playfully critical of his brother, much like his nephew Federico is with Ezio.

The logo of the Assassins is embroidered/stitched onto the leather of Mario's left shoulder pad. The Auditore coat of arms is also stitched onto the cape he wears.

Upon close inspection, one notes that Mario often puts his hand on the shoulder of the person he's speaking to, presumably as a sign of closeness/affection.

Trivia

 * After rescuing Ezio from Vieri de' Pazzi, Mario identifies himself by saying "It's-a me, Mario!" This is a reference to Nintendo's video game mascot, Mario, and his most famous spoken line.
 * He is often referred to as ubriacone ("drunkard" in Italian) by the Pazzi.
 * Although Mario lives in the villa, you only get to see him during missions or when you place your 50th feather in Maria's box.
 * In a gameplay video for Brotherhood, it can be noted that Mario has greying hair, indicating he has aged significantly.
 * Mario shares a similar trait with another assassin master as both he and Al Mualim are both blind in their right eye