Temple (Isu)

This article is about Isu research facilities. You may be looking for actual temples, places for religious rituals and services.

Ezio, my friend! How may I be of service?

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"We built vaults within which to work, each dedicated to a different method of salvation. They were placed underground to avoid the war which raged above, and also as a precaution, should we fail in our efforts."

―Jupiter to Desmond Miles, 2012.^[src]^-[m]

Retrieval 13 — The Temple of Juno in 2012

Temples, also referred to as Vaults, are underground locations constructed by the Isu. A number of these were built in an attempt to discover a way to protect the Earth from the First Disaster, as well as any recurrence. Temples can be found all across the globe and come in varying sizes.

History[]

Creation[]

"Built by those who knew to turn away from war. They worked to protect us – to save us from the fire. If you can find them... If their work can be saved... so too might this world."

―Minerva to Ezio Auditore, 1499.^[src]^-[m]

AC2 Hologram 2 — The Temples in Minerva's projections

The Temples were built by Isu who avoided the war raging between humans and their own kind. They functioned as a way to preserve the world and its people and as such were often highly decorated with Isu script.^[1] The Temples were established underground, as a way both to protect them from the battle present on the surface, and as a precaution should they fail to avert the coming catastrophe.^[2]

First Disaster[]

"Six we tried in succession, each more encouraging than the last. But none worked. And then the world ended..."

―Jupiter to Desmond Miles, 2012.^[src]^-[m]

Each Temple researched a different way to prevent the disaster, and the findings were transmitted to the Grand Temple, located underneath an Isu municipality in modern-day New York. From there, three Isu scientists—Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva—sorted the solutions most likely to succeed. They tested six possible solutions in succession,^[2]^[3]^[4] with each being more promising than the last. However, all six solutions ultimately failed, and before any further solutions could be tested, a solar flare decimated the planet, nearly wiping out the Isu and humanity.^[2]

Modern times[]

"You must go there. To the place where we labored... labored and lost. Take my words. Pass them from your head into your hands. That is how you will open the way."

―Jupiter to Desmond Miles, 2012.^[src]^-[m]

Mass Exodus 7 v — Ezio within the Vatican Vault

In 2012, a projection of Minerva spoke to Desmond Miles, who relived the genetic memories of his ancestor Ezio Auditore through a machine known as the Animus. When Ezio accessed a vault underneath the Sistine Chapel in 1499, Minerva told Desmond about the catastrophe that had wiped out all of her kind, and its impending repeat. She also briefly told Desmond about the history of the Temples, before instructing him to guard against "the cross."^[5]

Several weeks later, on 10 October 2012, Desmond and his team of fellow Assassins drove to another vault beneath the Colosseum in Rome. There, Juno spoke to Desmond as he freeran around the Vault attempting to access the pedestal at its center. Juno told Desmond about the history behind confrontations between humans and the Isu. Once Desmond activated the Apple of Eden on the pedestal, Juno's presence took command of Desmond through the Apple and made him stab his teammate Lucy Stillman in the abdomen with his Hidden Blade,^[6] before he fell unconscious as his subconscious splintered.^[2]

After Desmond accessed a Synch Nexus and separated the lives of his ancestors from his own memories, an apparition of Jupiter spoke to Desmond, telling him about the catastrophe that had previously occurred and also explaining the Temples' purposes in further detail. Lastly, Jupiter told Desmond that he needed to go to the Grand Temple in order to stop the impending cataclysm, though he also admitted that he was unsure as to whether the Temples could successfully prevent the disaster.^[2]

ACIII-Templecamp 1 — Desmond and the other Assassins inside the Grand Temple

Despite the uncertainty, Desmond and his team pressed onwards, eventually finding and accessing the Grand Temple near Turin, New York. There, after retrieving all the batteries to restore power to the Temple, as well as the key to its inner chambers, the Assassins discovered the global aurora borealis device, a machine that could emit a global shield to protect the Earth from the forthcoming solar flare.^[3]

Minerva tried to dissuade Desmond from activating the device, revealing that Juno had tampered with it to release her consciousness, which had been trapped inside the Temple to prevent her from conquering humanity. However, Desmond refused to doom mankind and, believing they would be able to withstand Juno's threat, he activated the device, saving the planet at the cost of his life.^[3]