In Bocca al Lupo

In Bocca al Lupo is the final memory in Assassin's Creed II.

Description
Ezio travels to Rome to assassinate Rodrigo Borgia and retrieve the Staff of Eden. When Ezio arrives at the base of the Castel Sant'Angelo, he promptly climbs it, onto the Passetto di Borgo, where he is confronted by many guards.

After Ezio dispatches them, he continues to make his way towards the Vatican on horseback. Upon reaching the Basilica di San Pietro, he enters, using the groups of monks to blend and hide from the guards. Moving such, he manages to enter the Capella Sistina, where Rodrigo is reciting the Nicene Creed.

Ezio then uses the scaffolding suspended over the chapel to make his way towards Rodrigo; leaping from above to assassinate him. As he begins to speak to Rodrigo, as he had done with all his other targets, Rodrigo opens his eyes, and uses the Staff to push Ezio away, and subdue everyone else in the Hall.

However, Ezio is immune to the effects of the Staff due to his possession of the Apple. Ezio then creates clones of himself (just as Al Mualim did against Altaïr) to assist him in his fight against Rodrigo. After the battle, Rodrigo is able to snatch the Apple from Ezio's grasp, and lifts him into the air with the Staff.

Rodrigo then stabs Ezio in the stomach, and leaves him to seek out the Vault. However, Ezio is able to regain his feet as he was not seriously wounded, and uses his Eagle Vision to find the secret entrance to the Vault.

Entering the Vault, he sees Rodrigo desperately trying to open the door to its inner chamber. Ezio then challenges Rodrigo to a fist fight, one without trickery, weapons, or ancient artifacts, to which Rodrigo agrees. After Ezio defeats Rodrigo in this duel, he spares him, as "killing him would not bring his family back". He then opens the Vault, declaring that Rodrigo was not the Prophet, and that he had never been. He then enters the Vault and receives the message from Minerva.

Pre-mission

 * Mario: Roma beckons, Ezio. Let me know when you are ready to depart.

First Attempt

 * Ezio: I thought... I thought I was beyond this. But I'm not. Requiescat in pace, you bastard!
 * Rodrigo: I don't think so!

Rodrigo uses the Staff on everyone present, causing all but Ezio to collapse.


 * Rodrigo: How is it you resist? Oh! Kind of you to bring me the Apple. Now give it here!
 * Ezio: Vai a farti fottere (Go fuck yourself).
 * Rodrigo: (Laughs) Always the fighter. Just like your father. Well rejoice, my child, for you will see him again soon. You will give it to me!
 * Ezio: As you wish.

Ezio splits into five duplicates of himself.

Ezio defeats Rodrigo in their first fight.
 * Rodrigo: An impressive power, but if you think it's going to save you, you've another thing coming!


 * Ezio: It's finished, Rodrigo! Lay down your arms, and I'll make sure the end comes swiftly.
 * Rodrigo: Oh really, Ezio? And would you give up so easily were it the other way around?!

Rodrigo blasts Ezio back using the Staff. Ezio pulls out the Apple, only to have Rodrigo take it from him, placing it on top of the Staff. Rodrigo uses the combined power to lift Ezio from the ground and stab him. Ezio eventually gets up, and goes through a secret door to the Vatican Vault, where Rodrigo is struggling to open the entrance.

The Vault

 * Ezio: What is this place?

Ezio drops down into the vault.


 * Rodrigo: Open, damn you! Open!
 * Ezio: It's over, Rodrigo. No more tricks, no more ancient artifacts, no more weapons. Let's see what you are made of, old man.
 * Rodrigo: All right then. If that's how you want to play it....

Ezio and Rodrigo engage in a fistfight.


 * Ezio: What do you even want with the Vault, Rodrigo?! 


 * Rodrigo: Don't you know what lies within? Or do you mean to tell me that the great and powerful Assassins didn't figure it out? 


 * Ezio: Figure what out? 
 * Rodrigo: God! It's God that dwells within! 


 * Ezio: You expect me to believe that God lives beneath il Vaticano? 


 * Rodrigo: A more logical location than a kingdom on a cloud, don't you think? Surrounded by singing angels and cherubim. Makes for a lovely image. But the truth is far more interesting. 


 * Ezio: Let's say I was to believe you -- what do you think he'll do when you open that door?


 * Rodrigo: I don't care. It's not approval I'm after. Just power. 


 * Ezio: And you think he'll give it up? 


 * Rodrigo: Whatever lies beyond that wall won't be able to resist the Staff and Apple. They were made for felling gods. 


 * Ezio: God is meant to be all knowing. All powerful. You think a couple of ancient relics can harm him? 


 * Rodrigo: You know nothing, boy. You take your image of the creators from an ancient book; a book, mind you, written by men. 


 * Ezio: You are the Pope! And yet you dismiss the central text of your faith?! 

Ezio grabs Rodrigo by the throat and strangles him. He then throws him to the ground.
 * Rodrigo: (laughs) Are you so naive? I became Pope because it gave me access. It gave me power. Do you think I believe a single goddamned word of that ridiculous book? It's all lies and superstition. Just like every other religious tract written over the past ten thousand years. 


 * Rodrigo: You can't! YOU CAN'T! It's my destiny! Mine! I am the Prophet!
 * Ezio: You never were...
 * Rodrigo: Get it over with, then.
 * Ezio: No. Killing you won't bring my family back. I'm done. Nulla è reale, tutto è lecito. Requiescat in Pace (Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Rest in Peace)

Outcome
Rodrigo Borgia is spared, Ezio speaks to Minerva in the Vault and learns of her people, a great tragedy that will befall mankind is revealed to Ezio and he is left with many questions unanswered as the hologram leaves him.

Trivia

 * "In bocca al lupo" means "Into the mouth of a wolf".
 * Despite this memory taking place just before the first memory in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, when Ezio is about to infiltrate the Castel Sant' Angelo, the architecture of the buildings around it are totally different from those in Assassin's Creed II.
 * When Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood picks up right where Assassin's Creed II left with Ezio just having talked with Minerva, Ezio has a white strip down his cape which was not there in Assassin's Creed II.