Desmond Miles

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"I'm not an assassin&hellip; not anymore."

- Desmond Miles to Warren Vidic

Desmond Miles is the protagonist of the Assassin's Creed series and the descendant of a long line of assassins. He is initially forced to use a machine, called the Animus, by Abstergo Industries – the modern front of the Knights Templar – to relive the memories of his ancestor, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, in their quest to locate the Apple, a Piece of Eden.

Eventually escaping with the aid of the modern-day assassins, Desmond once again uses an improved animus to explore the memories of a second ancestor, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, so as to learn the ways of the assassins in a much quicker way than normal.

Early life
Desmond Miles was born in an Assassin "hideout" in the desert, an enclave much like the city of Masyaf, where he was destined to be trained as an assassin. However, as he grew older Desmond later fled the hideout, claiming that "he wanted to see the rest of the world". He later told Lucy Stillman that he had had no regrets over leaving his parents, because as far as he was concerned, they were his "wardens". At some point after leaving the hideout, Desmond became a bartender. Aware of the Knights Templar, and wanting to avoid both them and the assassins Desmond never used his real name and paid only by cash. He was eventually found, however, by a fingerprint needed for a motorcycle license.

Assassin's Creed
"I'm a bartender, for Christ's sake! What do you want me to do, teach you how to mix a martini?"

- Desmond to Vidic and Lucy

In September 2012, Desmond Miles was kidnapped by Abstergo Industries, a pharmaceutical company and front for the Knights Templar, for use as a test subject in the Animus, a device that can read the memories of Desmond's ancestors through the "genetic memory" left behind in their descendants' DNA. At first Warren Vidic, attempted to pry the information he wanted from Desmond's mind, but was met with failure due to Desmond’s subconscious lack of confidence in accessing that memory. As such Desmond was forced to relive the memories of his ancestor from the earliest point at which he felt most confident; this then allowed Desmond to simulate the experiences of his ancestors. Whilst he claimed to be nothing more than a bartender, Vidic reveals that they knew of his past as an assassin, forcing Desmond to finally admit his past life. Vidic and Lucy Stillman tell Desmond that they're trying to access a certain memory, but Desmond's subconscious is restraining. Vidic warns Desmond that if he refuses to assist them, they will induce a coma, continue their work, and, when done with Desmond, leave him to die. Without much choice, Desmond agrees to help them.

Desmond was made to explore the genetic memories of his ancestor – Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, a member of a clan of Assassins during the Third Crusade, specifically Altaïr's experiences during the year 1191 – and over several days does so under the watchful eye of Warren Vidic. During the nights however, Desmond discovers that he is able to explore the lab he is being held in, accessing the Animus computer and, after stealing his keycard, the personal computer of Warren Vidic. Through these emails Desmond learns of a 'Subject Sixteen' who had begun suffering from a "bleeding effect" due to prolonged exposure to the animus, as well as tidbits of information from the outside world. Eventually, with the aid of Lucy, the assassins learnt of Desmond's capture and attempted to liberate him, the gunfire being heard through an intercom device, although the rescue attempt failed. Vidic boasts that those assassins were in fact the last of the assassin; their desert hidehout having previously been destroyed. Lucy Stillman's actions, however, suggest otherwise, and when Desmond asks if Lucy knows anything about his parents, she responds by saying that she doesn't know, but that they probably escaped. During this discussion, Lucy reveals herself to be a member of the assassins.

Desmond eventually achieves Vidic's goal, and discovers the location of numerous Piece of Eden's. Executives of Abstergo Industries order his execution but his life is saved by Stillman's intervention, who asks to keep Desmond alive for future reference. After the executives leave Desmond suddenly accesses the "eagle vision" of his ancestor Altaïr, seeing Warren and Lucy for their true allegiances, as well as countless scrawled messages and puzzles on the floor of the main laboratory.

Assassin's Creed II
At the beginning of Assassin's Creed II Desmond is still being held within the laboratory at Abstergo, an unknown amount of time having past. One day, Lucy suddenly arrived, covered in blood and demanding Desmond to get into the Animus before Abstergo discovers what she's done. Desmond, rather confused, agrees and, inside the Animus, experiences the birth of another of his ancestors, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a joint ancestor of his and Subject Sixteen's. He is quickly pulled out though, and both make their escape.

They were quickly spotted by Abstergo security forces and forced into an engagement which Lucy quickly ends, allowing them to continue on stealthily. The two soon enter a large open room filled with office blocks, and lined with a large number of Animus machines, although Desmond's question about them are met with silence. Desmond once again instinctively called upon his recently reactivated eagle vision when, at the door to an elevator, a password was needed that Lucy did not have. Once in the carpark the two are acosted by yet more Abstergo guards, but are able to overcome them and escape.

Arriving at the assassin's hideout somewhere in Italy, Desmond was introduced to two more assassins – Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane –whom have been working with Lucy over the years. Lucy told Desmond that they wanted him to become an assassin, and thanks to the bleeding effect, they could achieve this in a matter of days, although it required him learning the ways of an assassin through a new ancestor; Ezio. Desmond agrees to help almost immediately, and is quickly plugged in the Animus 2.0.

After learning the ways of the assassin through Ezio's memories Desmond was retracted from the Animus, partly to test his rentention of the memories, but also to prevent the mental degradation that Subject Sixteen had suffered from being in the animus for too long at a time. Tasking him with initiating security protocols around the Assassin hideout, Lucy left it to Desmond to work out how to reach them; just as he begun, however, he started suffering vivid hallucinations of the Crusader era. At first the vision were short, and that they were nothing to worry about, but after completing the task Desmond was incapacitated as the visions became more real. Taken back to Acre, Desmond followed the memories of Altaïr once again, this time without the use of the Animus, and watches as Altaïr and Maria conceive their first child, Desmond's next ancestor.

The next day, Desmond had recovered from the experiences and returned to the Animus, neglecting to tell the assassins what had happened. He continued the watch over the genetic memories of Ezio Auditore, despite at one time being thrown out by a "corrupted memory sequence". Eventually they learn that Ezio's arch-nemesis, the Templar Grandmaster Rodrigo Borgia had, in 1492 become Pope Alexander VI, so as to gain access to yet another Piece of Eden, the Papal Staff. As Ezio's story begun to conclude, Desmond and the assassin's watched as deep within the Vault beneath the Vatican, Ezio was confronted by a hologram-esque "god", calling herself Minerva, who warns the assassins of the end of the world, as well as retelling the story of the war between "Those Who Came Before", and their human subjects. The assassin's are shocked when Minerva adresses Desmond by name, and it is revealed that Minerva is in fact talking to Desmond through Ezio. Desmond is quickly pulled out of the Animus though, seeing the three rushing to collect their belongings, the Templars having found their location.

Immediately after getting out of the Animus, Lucy hands Desmond a Hidden Blade with the Assassin's emblem on it, as asks for his assistance in covering the escape. Making their way into the warehouse, Vidic appears, flanked by Abstergo security official with the intent of reclaiming Desmond. The two assassins fight off the Templars with Desmond, now synchronized with both Altaïr and Ezio, performing masterfully and slaying many with his Hidden Blade. With his entourage eliminated.Vidic is left to confront Desmond on his own, but instead flees, promising that their victory is only temporary. The four then flee north, whilst Desmond is hooked up to the Animus inside the van, whilst they briefly discuss the nature of Minerva's warning.

Charateristics, personality and skills
Despite his striking resemblance to both Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and Ezio Auditore da Firenze, Desmond has very little in common with either of them in his personal history- though he is far more similar to Ezio than Altaïr, as he joins the Assassins later in his life. Despite being born into the Assassins Order, Desmond fled early on and lived his life independent from them; keeping to himself much of the time and preferring to stay off the radar. The only recorded incident of Desmond actually appearing on the radar was a fingerprint needed for a motorcycle license, which in turn allowed Abstergo Industries to locate him.

As he was forced to relive the memories of his ancestor Altaïr, Desmond begun to pick up subtle skills thanks to the bleeding effect; these included the eagle vision, as well as possibly the ability to eavesdrop and pickpocket so efficiently. Later on, upon willingly exploring the memories of his ancestor Ezio Auditore, Desmond once again begun to adopt the skills he was exposed to; this time including free-running and improved hand-to-hand combat.

Desmond was a gruff individual, who held a serious out-look on life, having been aware of the existence of both Templars and Assassins all his life, although he was unaware of Abstergo Industries being a Templar company. Despite this, he was not above jesting over his situation, and would occasionally make jokes, although they rarely elicited a good reaction. A plain individual, Desmond did not wear extravagant clothing, preferring only a white hooded jacket and jeans. Interestingly, when up, the hood exhibited a beak-like feather similar to both Ezio and Altaïr.

Trivia

 * He is modeled after model Francisco Randez and voiced by Nolan North.
 * Desmond possesses the same scar in his mouth as his ancestors Altaïr and Ezio did.
 * Desmond's clothes are similar to those worn by both Ezio and Altaïr, albeit in a more modern style. He has a hood (although it is not worn over his head), and his jacket is white - similar to Altair's robes, and Ezio's clothing, which is originally referred to as "Assassin White". Concept Art of him with his hood up show that it has the "eagle-beak" shape his ancestors' clothes had.
 * Desmond acquires a Hidden Blade at the conclusion of Assassin's Creed 2. The original owner of the blade is uncertain, but it shares the same design as the one Ezio inherited from his father, Giovanni.
 * Desmond obtains Eagle Vision from his ancestor Altaïr and his fighting and free-running skills from his ancestor Ezio through the Bleeding Effect in the Animus.
 * At times during the game, Desmond's eyes appear to be a golden yellow colour, as do Ezio's, greatly resembling the eyes of an eagle, a bird of prey spotted throughout the Assassin's Creed series.
 * Desmond, like Altair and Ezio, is a born of a bloodline mixed with Assassin and the "Ones Who Came Before" genes.
 * Desmond's fighting skills during the break from Abstergo are a lot like Altair's in "Assassin's Creed", and during the Templar's attack at the end of "Assassin's Creed II", Desmond fight like Ezio's.