Phoenix Project

2015-02-18T15:28:07Z

117.241.85.188:

{{Era|ACU|ACRG|Abstergo|Templars}}
{{Spoilerhd}}
The '''Phoenix Project''' is an initiative developed by [[Abstergo Industries]] from late 2013 and researched through their [[Abstergo Entertainment]] wing, following the death of the [[Sage]] [[John Standish]]. The project's aim is the hope of sequencing the [[First Civilization]]'s triple-helix genome and set it through [[Animus]] technology, in order to master the secrets of the precursor race's technology, especially the [[Pieces of Eden]]. To this effect, Abstergo set out to locate genetic records of Sages both past and present to use their high quantities of First Civilization DNA as a basis.

==History==
===Origins===
The inspiration behind the project can be seen in the initial model of DNA proposed by {{Wiki|Rosalind Franklin}} in 1952, being an inaccurate triple-helix model that was disregarded with the latter discovery of the double helix theorem. Due to this discovery her work was wholly ignored, aside from as an example of an inaccurate conclusion.

===Death of John Standish===
For many years, Franklin's proposition was struck down as fallacy, until Abstergo Entertainment analyzed the genome of the Sage John Standish following his death, upon which they found that he had an extremely high quantity of triple-helix DNA. This helped to elaborate Franklin's research as a correct but merely misdirected model, gathered from small traces of First Civilization DNA hidden in the human genome. To this end, Abstergo planned to gather more samples of people like John Standish and collate the findings, promoting the top-secret discovery to investors for funding. Where possible, Abstergo also attempted to recover [[Blood vials]] containing Sage DNA, as those would be the most pure samples available if they indeed had managed to preserve the samples into the 21st century.

By late 2014, the [[Assassins]] became aware of Abstergo's plans, and set out to counter them by recruiting [[Initiate|a collection of people]], led by their operative [[Bishop]], in an aim to try to track down and find historical Sages' remains and safeguard them, therefore concealing traces of their DNA from falling into Abstergo's hands. In October 2014, a team of assassins lead by Gavin Banks destroyed the facility, thwarting Abstergo's plans.

==Trivia==
*A {{Wiki|Phoenix (mythology)|phoenix}} is a mythical bird that was said to resurrect from its own ashes, much like how Abstergo plans to have the First Civilization be brought back through its own remains in humankind's DNA, and similar to the continous cycle of rebirth of Sages.

==Reference==
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''
[[Category:Abstergo Industries projects]]

John Standish

2015-02-18T13:51:42Z

117.241.85.188:

{{Era|AC4|ACU|ACRG|Abstergo}}
{{Quote|Guide me into [[the Grey]], beloved! I am your instrument!|John's final words, 2013.|Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag}}
{{Character Infobox
|image = AC4 John render.png
|birth = 16 August 1975 [[Maryland]], [[United States]]
|death = 26 November 2013 (aged 38) [[Montreal]], [[Canada]]
|affiliates = [[Juno]] [[Instruments of the First Will]] [[Abstergo Entertainment]] {{c|2013}} [[Assassins]] {{c|2013}}
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''
|voice = [[Oliver Milburn]]}}
'''John Standish''' (1975 – 2013) was a [[Sages|Sage]] and member of the [[Instruments of the First Will]]. In order to effect the First Will's plans, John operated as an [[Assassins|Assassin]]-insider at [[Abstergo Entertainment]].

As the head of the IT department at Abstergo Entertainment's [[Montreal]] facility, John had access to all of the building's security and infrastructure systems. However, even with this access, he used other employees to retrieve sensitive information for him, as a way to mask his involvement.

==Biography==
===Early life===
Born in 1975, John grew up with a lonely childhood, being seen by children his age as an outsider due to his personality. Though initially affected by this treatment, in later years John remarked that it would not matter to him at all.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''</ref>

===Utilizing the Assassins===
John was, at some point, approached by [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Rebecca Crane]], in order to infiltrate Abstergo Entertainment and gain access to its servers, in the hopes of uncovering information regarding the fate of [[Desmond Miles]]' body following the events that took place in the [[Grand Temple]].<ref name="AC4">''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref>

John took advantage of this opportunity and eagerly set about using the Assassins to gain access to the building, in order to effect his own plan to reincarnate [[Juno]], the former wife of his past [[Aita|incarnation]].<ref name="AC4"/>

Over the first few weeks of his employment John asked a number of different researchers for favors, but was repeatedly turned down by them. Eventually, on 29 October, a new [[Abstergo Entertainment research analyst|research analyst]] joined the company, and became the first to agree to help John.<ref name="AC4"/>

He first spoke with the analyst over the company-issued earpiece, giving the employee varying levels of security clearance in order to access the Abstergo mainframe and download files. John then tasked the analyst with delivering the files to Rebecca Crane, who would be waiting in the building's main lobby disguised as a courier.<ref name="AC4"/>

Eventually, after several repeated hackings, Abstergo began to suspect the research analyst and placed the entire research team under isolation. John, not wanting to lose his proxy and risk exposing himself, promised [[Melanie Lemay]], the acting head of the [[Sample 17 Project]], that he would identify the hacker with his team within a week, while at the same time directing the analyst to Abstergo's cloud server, ostensibly in order to wipe away any evidence of their wrongdoing.<ref name="AC4"/>

Listening in over the earpiece, John waited patiently as his plan for Juno to possess the analyst's body failed; Juno was not yet strong enough to possess a living host, existing only in a state capable of occupying various information networks across the globe. Realizing his plan had failed, John became enraged, screaming and cursing repeatedly down the comlink as the analyst returned to the [[Animus]].<ref name="AC4"/>

===Death===
Shortly thereafter, as the analyst finished their research of [[Edward Kenway]]'s memories, John entered their security bunker and injected a poison into their bloodstream, in the hopes of weakening them enough to allow Juno to assume control of their body. Meeting face to face with the analyst for the first time, he revealed himself to be a Sage, a reincarnation of Aita, one of the members of the [[First Civilization]]. He even spoke with an inflection similar to that of his predecessor, the [[Piracy|pirate]] [[Bartholomew Roberts]].<ref name="AC4"/>

By this time, Abstergo had come to take the research analyst into custody, but found themselves locked out of the room by John. As he revealed his motives to the research analyst, the security team managed to force their way in. After he attempted to fire upon the security guards, they were forced to kill him in the process. John's actions and the evidence found on his computer subsequently convinced Melanie that he had been solely responsible for the hacks. John's body was taken by Abstergo, and his death was covered up with him leaving Abstergo Entertainment.<ref name="AC4"/>

Abstergo subsequently discovered First Civilization DNA in John's genetic makeup, and upon realization that he was one of the Sages, kept his body in cryogenic suspension in a research facility in [[Paris]]. Subsequently, the [[Phoenix Project]] was created with the aim of locating other Sages and using their DNA to sequence a complete Precursor genome, and use the genetic memories within to unlock secrets of the [[Pieces of Eden]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''</ref> However the Assassins managed to destroy John's body.

==Trivia==
*John could be seen wearing a portrait necklace, depicting a visage of a woman, identical to the one worn by Bartholomew Roberts, one of Aita's previous reincarnations.
*There were 20 digital sticky notes spread throughout the Abstergo Entertainment building that contained pieces of a document known as the [[Abstergo Entertainment research analyst's personal files#Notes|Manifesto of the Instruments of the First Will]], a discourse on the role of humanity set against the backdrop of the will of the First Civilization. It can be inferred that the Manifesto was written and distributed by John.
*An [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkAt2btWDnc audio message] from John can be extracted from the game's files, taunting the analyst, and by extension the player, for having spent their time looking for the additional Easter egg.

==Gallery==
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180">
AC4 John Calibrations.png|John calibrating an Animus workstation
AC4 The Bunker 6.png|Melanie and John in the Abstergo Cloud server corridor
AC4 John Bunker.png|John in the Bunker
AC4 John Injection.png|John injecting the research analyst with a poison
AC4 John's Death.png|Abstergo security guards killing John
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{AC4}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Standish, John}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:2013 deaths]]
[[Category:Individuals]]
[[Category:Americans]]
[[Category:Abstergo Entertainment employees]]
[[Category:Hackers]]
[[Category:Sages]]
[[Category:Assassin allies]]

Assassin's Creed Wiki - User contributions [en-gb]

Phoenix Project

John Standish