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Desmond Miles

2010-10-04T22:07:20Z

173.50.147.188: /* Trivia */

{{FAimp}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Desmond Miles
|image = Desmond_Miles.jpg
|imgdesc =
|birth = 1987 "[[The Farm]]"
|death =
|period = [[Modern Times]]
|faction = [[Assassins]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|voice = [[Nolan North]]
}}
{{Quote|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.|Assassin's Creed}}
'''Desmond Miles''' (born 1987) is the main protagonist of ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed Brotherhood]]'' and the descendant of a long line of ancestors who swore their allegiance to the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]]. He is initially forced to use a machine, called the [[Animus]], created by [[Abstergo Industries]] – the modern front of the [[Knights Templar]] – to relive the memories of his ancestor, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] during the Crusader era, in their quest to locate the [[Piece of Eden|"Apple"]], a [[Piece of Eden]].

Eventually escaping with the aid of modern day [[Assassins]], Desmond once again uses an improved version of the Animus to explore the memories of his second ancestor, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], so as to learn the ways of the Assassins in a [[Bleeding Effect|much faster way than normal]].

==Biography==
===Early life===
{{quote|You have any idea what it's like to be trapped in a place, knowing there was a whole world out there I'd never get to see.|Desmond to Lucy about his childhood|Assassin's Creed}}
Desmond Miles was born in an Assassin "hideout" in the desert, an "off the grid" compound with a population of about thirty people, much like the city of [[Masyaf]], where he was destined to be trained as an Assassin. He was frustrated by his parents' explicit instructions not to leave the compound, and believed them to be overly concerned and paranoid. On his 16th birthday, he finally fled, "wanting to see the rest of the world." He later told [[Lucy Stillman]] that he had no regrets over leaving his parents, because as far as he was concerned, they were little more than his "wardens." After leaving the Assassin compound, he went into hiding for nine years. While keeping a low profile, he eventually became a bartender. Aware of the Knights Templar, and wanting to avoid both them and the Assassins, Desmond never used his real name and used only cash to purchase items. However, he was eventually found, traced through a fingerprint needed for a motorcycle license, and was brought to [[Abstergo|Abstergo Laboratory]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>

===Kidnapped by Abstergo===
[[File:Warren-vidic-assassins-creed-2-character.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Dr. Vidic watches Desmond inside the Animus.]]
{{Quote|I'm not an assassin… not any more.|Desmond Miles to Warren Vidic.|Assassin's Creed}}

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. Whilst Desmond claimed to be nothing more than a bartender, Vidic revealed that they knew of his history as an Assassin, forcing Desmond to finally admit his past life. Vidic and [[Lucy Stillman]] told Desmond that they were trying to access a certain memory, but Desmond's subconscious was resisting their efforts. Vidic warned Desmond that if he refused to assist them, they would induce a coma, continue their work, and when done with Desmond, leave him to die. Without much choice, Desmond agreed to help them.
[[File:Desmond_&_Lucy_1.png|thumb|200px|Desmond & Lucy having their first private conversation.]]

[[File:Eagle_vision.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Desmond's Eagle Vision]]

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 does so over several days under the watchful eye of Warren Vidic. During the nights however, Desmond discovered that he was able to explore the lab he was being held in, accessing the Animus computer and, after stealing Warren Vidic's pen, gaining access to his personal computer. Through e-mails, Desmond learned of a [[Subject 16]] who had suffered 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 learned of Desmond's capture and attempted to liberate him, with the gunfire of their assault being heard through an intercom device, although the rescue attempt failed. Vidic boasts that those Assassins were in fact the last of the group; their desert hideout having been previously destroyed. Lucy Stillman's actions, however, suggest otherwise, and when Desmond asked if Lucy knew anything about his parents, she responded by saying that she didn't know, but that they probably escaped. During this discussion, Lucy revealed herself to be an undercover member of the Assassins. Desmond eventually achieved Vidic's goal and discovered the location of numerous Pieces of Eden. Executives of Abstergo Industries ordered his execution, but his life was saved by Stillman's intervention, who asked to keep Desmond alive in order to re-access his memories if need be. After the executives leave, Desmond suddenly accesses the "[[Eagle Vision|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.

===Escape to the [[Hideout]]===
{{Quote|Wait! Why aren't I following Altair! Oh SHIT!...|Desmond discovering the birth of his lineage|Assassin's Creed II}}
At the beginning of [[Assassin's Creed II]], Desmond was still being held within the laboratory at [[Abstergo]], continuing directly from the last game from a couple of hours. [[Lucy]] suddenly arrives, covered in blood and demanding Desmond to get into the [[Animus]] before Abstergo discovers what she’d done. Desmond, rather confused, agrees and manages to sync with closest genetic match recorded in the Animus’ memory core. Inside the Animus, he experiences the birth of another of his ancestors, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], a joint ancestor of his and Subject 16's. He was quickly pulled out, though, and both make their escape.

[[File:Zw-desmond-fighting.png|thumb|200px|Desmond fighting off the [[Abstergo]] guards]]

They were quickly spotted by Abstergo security and forced into an engagement which [[Lucy]] quickly ended, allowing them to continue on stealthily. The two soon entered a large open room filled with office blocks, and lined with a large number of Animi, although Desmond's questions about them are met with silence. Desmond instinctively called upon his recently activated [[Eagle Vision]] to open the door to an elevator, locked with a password that Lucy did not have. Once in the car park, the two were halted by yet more Abstergo guards, but were able to overcome them and escape.

Arriving at the [[Assassin's hideout]], Desmond was introduced to two more Assassins – [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Rebecca Crane]] – who have worked with Lucy over the years. Lucy told Desmond that they wanted him to become trained in the ways of the 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 was 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 retention of the memories, but also to prevent the mental
degradation that [[Subject 16]] had suffered from being in the Animus for an extended period of time.

[[File:Zw-desmond-dream.png|thumb|220px|left|Desmond experiencing the [[bleeding effect]]]]
Tasking him with initiating security protocols around the Assassin hideout, Lucy left it to Desmond to work out how to reach them through the use of his [[Eagle Vision]] and new-found [[Free Running]] skills. Just as he began, however, he started suffering vivid hallucinations of the [[Third Crusade|Crusader era]] and the [[Renaissance|Italian Renaissance]]. At first the visions were short, and were nothing to worry about, but after completing the task, Desmond was incapacitated as the visions became more real.

Taken back to [[Acre]], Desmond once again followed the memories of [[Altaïr]], this time without the use of the Animus, and discovered Altaïr and [[Maria Thorpe]] conceived a child, Desmond's next ancestor.
[[File:Demsondanimus2.jpg|thumb|250px|Desmond sitting in the [[Animus|Animus 2.0]] next to [[Lucy]].]]
 
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 well as [[the Vault]]. As Ezio's story began to conclude, Desmond and the Assassins watched deep within [[the Vault]] beneath the Vatican. Ezio found himself confronted by a "[[Those Who Have Gone Before|god]]" hologram who called herself [[Minerva]]; Minerva 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 Assassins are shocked when Minerva addresses Desmond by name, confusing even Ezio, and it is revealed that Minerva was in fact talking to Desmond ''through'' Ezio. Desmond was quickly pulled out of the Animus, and upon seeing the three rushing to collect their belongings, realized that the Templars had found their location.

Immediately after getting out of the Animus, Lucy tossed Desmond a [[Hidden Blade]] with the Assassin's emblem on it, and asks for his assistance in covering the escape. Making their way into the warehouse, Vidic appeared, flanked by Abstergo security officials with the intent of reclaiming Desmond. The two Assassins fought off the Templars, with Desmond, now fully synchronized with Ezio, masterfully using his Hidden Blade to kill many of the guards. With his entourage eliminated, Vidic was left to confront Desmond on his own, but instead retreats, promising that their victory is only temporary. The four Assassins then fled north, and Desmond is hooked up to the Animus inside the van and told to continue to search through his memories for anything useful. Meanwhile, the other Assassins begin to discuss the nature of [[Minerva]] and her talk.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>

==Characteristics and personality==
[[File:Zw-desmond-bleeding.png|thumb|300px|Desmond's new free-running skills.]]
Desmond has an uncanny resemblance to both Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and Ezio Auditore da Firenze, despite having very little in common with their personalities. And being a discreet individual, he does not wear extravagant clothing, accustomed to a white hooded jacket, jeans, and white sneakers. Interestingly, if raised, the hood exhibits a beak-like feature similar to Ezio's and Altaïr's. In Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, his attire differs, now having a backpack, black converses, white hooded jacket with a red collar, similar to Ezio, with a black shirt underneath. His sleeves are rolled up to reveal a tattoo where the Hidden Blade should be. Also, he has been shown to have grown a beard out making his appearance more like Ezio in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood.

Desmond was a gruff and cynical individual, who held a serious outlook on life, due to being aware of the Templars and Assassins since his youth, although he was unaware of Abstergo Industries being a Templar company. Despite this, he was not above jesting about his situation, and would occasionally make jokes, although they rarely elicited a good reaction. After his emancipation from Abstergo, Desmond's demeanor became considerably more relaxed, and he spent a noticeable amount of time conversing with Lucy.

===Equipment and skills===
Being that Desmond was trained during childhood as an Assassin, he was proficient in basic reconnaissance skills, such as eavesdropping and pickpocketing, and was also a competent fist fighter. After about a week of being forced to relive the memories of his ancestor, Altaïr, Desmond began to experience the [[Bleeding Effect]], and developed an extra-sensory ability called [[Eagle Vision]]. Later on, after willingly exploring the memories of another ancestor, Ezio Auditore, Desmond learned how to free-run and use weapons. Not long afterwards, he was able to easily fend off a Templar attack with Ezio's combat skills.

Since synchronizing with Ezio, Desmond has been able to use all of the skills and abilities his ancestor could, both within the Animus and in real life.

==Trivia==
*He is modelled after [[Francisco Randez]] and voiced by [[Nolan North]]. Curiously, Randez also used to be a bartender before he became a model. This may have inspired the makers of the game to give Desmond the same profession.
*His face changes slightly in Assassin's Creed II to match the look of Ezio, whose face also slightly differs from Altaïr's in the first game. <ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref><ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>
*In [[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]] he has has grown a beard and his skin is more pale, similar to the look Ezio gained near the end of [[Assassin's Creed II]].
*Desmond possesses the same scar on his lip as his ancestors Altaïr and Ezio had. <ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref><ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>[[File:Zw-desmond.png|thumb|Desmond (notice the scar).]]
*Desmond and Altaïr share the same age during the first game, both being 25 years of age in 2012 and 1191 respectively. <ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>
*Desmond is a descendant of [[Those Who Came Before]] and [[Humans]]. Proof of this is his [[Eagle Vision]], product of the unification of those two races, which also led to the birth of the first "Assassins", [[Adam and Eve]]. <ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Collector's Edition Official Game Guide">''[[Assassin's Creed II: Collector's Edition Official Game Guide]]''</ref>
*Desmond has A+ blood type. <ref>[[“Assassin’s Creed” game manual]]</ref>
*Desmond's history shows he never wanted to be an assassin, nor does he have the skills yet before the second game to be one. However in the graphic novel, included with the limited edition of the first game, he does call himself an assassin and shows skills of stealth and lethality. <ref name="Assassin's Creed: Graphic Novel">''[[Assassin's Creed: Graphic Novel]]''</ref>
*Desmond acquires a [[Hidden Blade]] at the conclusion of [[Assassin's Creed II]]. The original owner of the blade is uncertain, but it shares the same design as the one Ezio inherited from his father, [[Giovanni]].
*The relationship between him and Subject 16 is currently unknown.
**Due to the fact that Desmond and Subject 16 are both descendants of Ezio, it is certain that they are somewhat blood related.
*The etymology of Desmond's name "The World" (or Man of the World in Celtic and Latin) is not related to either of his ancestors, whereas [[Altaïr]]'s and [[Ezio]]'s names pertain to avians; Altaïr's being "The Flying One" and Ezio's "The Eagle". His surname "Miles" is also the Latin word for "Soldier".
**The name however suits him, as he wanted to leave his parents' watchful eyes to see the rest of the world outside the compound, and refers to his role in saving it from [[File:Desmond3.png|thumb|Desmond as he appears in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'']]destruction.
**Desmond is also known as Subject 17, for he is the 17th person that was used to test the Animus.
*Desmond's hood changes subtly between the events of AC1 and AC2. It visibly begins to take the shape of Ezio's hood, becoming pointier, while in AC1 it was rounder and more similar to [[Altaïr]]'s. In [[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]], Desmond's hoodie changes drastically, to look more like Ezio's [[Master Assassin]] cloak. It is unknown what his backpack is used for, but it's possible that it contains other weapons or inventory.
*You can see that Desmond and Shaun are always arguing.
*It is unknown if Desmond will return in Assassin's Creed 3.

== Video ==

[[Video:Real Life Storyline|thumb|480px|left|Real Life Storyline: Desmond Miles, Lucy Stillman and Warren Vidic]]
 

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

{{AC}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACBrotherhood}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Characters|Miles, Desmond]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Characters|Miles, Desmond]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Miles, Desmond]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Characters|Miles, Desmond]]
[[Category:Assassins|Miles, Desmond]]
[[Category:Descendant of Altaïr|Miles, Desmond]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Descendant of Altaïr]]
[[Category:Assassins]]
[[Category:Characters]]

Rodrigo Borgia

2010-09-10T22:12:08Z

173.50.147.188: /* Trivia */

{{Era|AC2|Templars|Ren}}
{{WPtargets}}
{{WP-REAL}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Rodrigo Borgia
|image = Zw-rodrigoborgia.png
|imgdesc = Rodrigo Borgia's database picture.
|home = [[wikipedia:Xàtiva|Xàtiva]]
|birth = 1 January 1431 Xàtiva, Valencia, Crown of Aragon
|death = 18 August 1503 [[Rome]], [[Italy]]
|period = Italian Renaissance (15th Century)
|faction = [[Templars]], [[Papacy]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|actor = [[Manuel Tadros]]
|voice = Manuel Tadros
}}
{{quote|He is Rodrigo Borgia: one of the most powerful men in all of Europe, and leader of the Templar Order.|Mario Auditore}}
'''Rodrigo Borgia''' (1 January 1431 – 18 August 1503), born '''Roderic Llançol''', later '''Roderic de Borja i Borja''', was the leader of the [[Knights Templar]] during the Renaissance in Italy. He was elected [[wikipedia:Pope|Pope]] from 1492 to 1503 as '''[[wikipedia:Pope Alexander VI|Alexander VI]]'''. His enemies called him "'''The Spaniard'''" (due to his Spanish origins) while his Templar followers called him "'''Maestro'''" ("Master" in Italian and "teacher" in Spanish). He was one of the most controversial of the [[wikipedia:Renaissance|Renaissance]] popes, and his surname (Italicized as ''[[wikipedia:Borgia|Borgia]]'') became a byword for the debased standards of the papacy of that era. He is the main antagonist of ''[[Assassin's Creed II]] ''and returns in [[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]], but not as the main antagonist.

==Biography==
The [[Medici]] were the ruling family in [[Florence]]. But a conspiracy was being plotted in a attempt to overthrow the powerful [[Lorenzo de' Medici]], and Rodrigo Borgia was at the center of it. One night in 1476, Borgia was on his way to leave Florence with few of his men in the dark streets of the city. Suddenly, [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]], an [[Assassins|assassin]], intercepted him. Borgia fled immediately as the assassin battled his men. Hidden behind a corner, he saw Giovanni capture one of his men. The prisoner revealed the plotted assassination of [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]], Duke of Milan and a powerful ally of Lorenzo de' Medici, to Giovanni. Giovanni quickly went to stop the attempt, but arrived too late. Rodrigo and his accomplices' plan had succeeded and Borgia began planning the next move.

Deducing the origin of the Duke of Milanese murderers by looting a [[wikipedia:Ducat|Ducat]] from one of them, Giovanni headed to [[Venice]]. There, he intercepted a message from [[Marco Barbarigo|Marco]] and [[Silvio Barbarigo]] to their master, Rodrigo. After having decoded the letter by [[Uberto Alberti]] and [[Antonio Maffei|Father Maffei]], Giovanni carried the copied message to [[Rome]], in order to discover who is behind the plots. Once arrived in the city, he gave the message to a man. By tailing this one, it appears that the letter travels in various hands before arriving in its final destination: Rodrigo's. Rodrigo headed next to see Pope Sixtus IV to obtain a military support in order to conquer Florence.
[[File:Borgia lineage.jpg|thumb|left|Rodrigo Borgia hiding from Giovanni Auditore in Florence.]]

The night before the trial of the [[House of Auditore|Auditore]] family, Rodrigo was at Uberto's house. Ezio came by to give Uberto his father's letters which would prove him not guilty. Ezio noticed the hooded man [Rodrigo] behind Uberto, but paid no further notice to him. The following morning, Rodrigo attended the judgment of Giovanni and two of his sons. Years later, he would state that Ezio's brothers did not need to die, but he had them killed anyway to make a point to the assassins and to Ezio. Two years later, Rodrigo went to a meeting with the [[Pazzi]] family in [[San Gimignano]] and with the [[Templars]] in a catacomb under the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. There he reminded them to beware the assassins, and stated that the next day would be "a new dawn for Florence".

After Ezio thwarted the Templars in Florence, Rodrigo was to meet with the remaining conspirators in Tuscany. The Pazzi were going to ask for asylum with Rodrigo in either Venice or Rome. But before the meeting could even commence, most of the conspirators were killed by Ezio, one by one. Only Jacopo de' Pazzi actually made it to the meeting alive. There Jacopo claimed that the blame rested with his nephew, Francesco, for his impatience and with [[Emilio Barbarigo]] for supplying the Pazzi troops with sub-standard weaponry. Enraged by Jacopo's sniveling excuses, Rodrigo lectured his subordinate on his failure, then stabbed him, aided by an all-too-eager Barbarigo. Ignoring Jacopo's pleas for mercy, Rodrigo stabbed him in the neck, then called out Ezio who had tailed Jacopo to the meeting. Sarcastically apologizing for killing Ezio's target for him, Rodrigo mocked Ezio; saying that he had been doing "this" for far longer than the novice assassin. He ordered his men to kill Ezio and left without bothering to make sure the deed was done. He might have guessed that Ezio would escape, and chose not to stick around for it.

Borgia was later found in [[Venice]], planning with [[Carlo Grimaldi]] and the Barbarigos to murder the current Doge, [[Giovanni Mocenigo]], so that one of them can replace him and take control of Venice. He chastised the Barbarigos for making their own plans and arguing over who would be the new Doge after they took Venice. He appointed Marco Barbarigo as the next Doge, and then left them to carry out his plans. While Ezio was hunting the Barbarigo's in Venice, Rodrigo was tracking the location of the Piece of Eden which Altaïr once took from the Templars. He sent ships to Cyprus in order to claim it from the Vault where Altaïr sealed it away before his death. He appeared in Venice to lay claim to the [[Piece of Eden]]; but [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio]], disguised as the carrier of the artifact, attempted to kill him. Rodrigo was prepared for the attack, and told his men to stand down so that he could deal with Ezio personally. The two began an intense battle, with Ezio emerging as the victor. Realizing he could not defeat Ezio alone, Borgia called in a supply of guards to overwhelm Ezio. Suddenly, many of Ezio's allies appeared, revealing themselves to be assassins. They held off the guards to allow Ezio to re-challenge Borgia, who then escaped from them before Ezio could kill him.

Rodrigo found out that [[Caterina Sforza]]'s late husband had made a map of where all the codex pages were, so he hired the Orsi Brothers to retrieve it. The Orsi's found out that Caterina had the Apple, so they took it, planning to present it to Rodrigo for an extra pay off. Unfortunately for him, Ezio managed to kill both of the Orsi brothers, though the Apple eventually came into the hands of [[Girolamo Savonarola]], an arch-enemy of Rodrigo. 
With the Apple, Savonarola took control over Florence. Rodrigo repeatedly kept sending his men to Florence in the hopes of acquiring the Apple.

In the following years, Rodrigo fooled the Spanish Inquisitor General [[Tomas Torquemada]] into capturing and killing Assassins in [[Spain]]. Tomas, who thought Rodrigo was as much as a believer of God as he was, blindly followed his orders. He also found out about [[Christoffa Corombo]]'s plans to sail west. Rodrigo knew of the presence of [[wikipedia:America|America]] and the treasures that lay there, and did not want anybody to find it before he would. Therefore he arranged a meeting with Christoffa in Venice. Christoffa's friend [[Luis Santangel]], in secret an Assassin, suspected a trap and called for the aid of Ezio. Ezio successfully rescued Christoffa, and eventually Christoffa did set sail west.

Borgia was elected Pope in 1492 and established his power in [[Rome]]. Borgia's true intent however, was just to get in the vault that lays under the Vatican, where, he believed, God rested.

In 1498, Rodrigo was responsible for the execution of Girolamo Savonarola, but was unable to acquire the Apple as the Assassins had already obtained it.

Rodrigo offered his daughter Lucrezia to Caterina Sforza's son [[Ottaviano Riario]]. Rodrigo figured that with a son-in-law like Ottaviano, he could control the regions of Forlì and Imola. Caterina declined the offer, as she knew of his plans and that Lucrezia 'never stayed married for long'. This enraged Rodrigo, and his son [[Cesare Borgia|Cesare]] began an assault on Forlì.

[[File:Borgia.jpg|thumb|Pope Alexander VI, with the Staff of Eden.]]
In 1499, he was chased by [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio]], who tried to assassinate him. Ezio sneaked into the Vatican and seemingly assassinated Borgia without being seen inside the Sistine Chapel. After Ezio finished speaking with Borgia he left only to see him rise from the ground and use his Piece of Eden, the Papal Staff, to strike down Ezio and everyone else in the room. However, he was surprised to see that Ezio was able to resist the power of his staff, Ezio brought out his own Piece of Eden:

The Apple that Altaïr took from [[Al Mualim]]. Ezio then summoned four clones of himself to assist him in his battle against Borgia, eventually defeating him. But Borgia tripped Ezio with the staff, and snatched The Apple from his hands, and combined it with The Staff to open up the door to The Vault, which had been underneath Rome the whole time. Ezio tried to stop him, but he was lifted into the air by Borgia, unable to resist two combined Pieces of Eden.

Borgia stabbed Ezio with a dagger and left him to die on the floor of the Sistine Chapel before escaping into the Vault. Though injured, Ezio eventually made his way to the Vault, with Borgia furiously pounding the door to the inner chambers. Ezio dropped down into the pit where Borgia was, and challenged him to one last fist fight, with no more weapons, no more plots, and no more decoys. Borgia accepted and the two had one last battle. During the battle, Borgia stated that he never believed in The Bible or in God, and only became Pope to get the Staff and access to the Vault, wanting to unify Italy under the Templar rule. Ezio defeated Borgia, holding the Pope at blade-point and telling him he was not the Prophet: he never had been.

Broken by this revelation and accepting defeat, Borgia told Ezio to kill him and put an end to it: however Ezio refused, saying that killing Borgia would not bring back his family. Besides, the knowledge that he was not the Prophet, as he had believed, was an even sorer blow than anything else that Ezio could have thought of.

=="Final Words"==
(First assassination attempt by Ezio)

'''Ezio:''' ''I thought...I thought I was beyond this. But I'm not. I've waited too long, lost too much... Requiescat in pace (Rest in peace), you bastard!''

'''Rodrigo:''' ''I don't think so!''

(Second "death scene" with Rodrigo)

'''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.)''

==Trivia==
[[File:Blason famille it Borgia01_svg.png|thumb|Coat of arms of the Borgia. Can be seen on Borgia's personal guards (in black with red strip outfit) with slightly different colors.]]
*As Ezio enters the Sistine Chapel to assassinate Borgia, he is proclaiming the Nicene Creed to the congregation. It is befitting that he is assassinated as he proclaims this, as the Nicene Creed confesses the wholeness of the Christian doctrine, which Borgia later states in the final battle that he does not believe in.
* Although Ezio did not kill Borgia, he is listed as dead in the Animus' Conspirator Web after the player completes the game and re-enters the Animus. This may be due to Ezio simply listing off Rodrigo as a target.
* While it is known that Rodrigo would go on to have the most debauched bloody papacy in human history, what occurs between him and Ezio is completely unknown as Rodrigo dies of a fever 4 years later in 1503 leaving ample time to wage a sizable campaign against the Assassins himself. Some of this is elaborated on in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'', which will likely depict his final fate.
* Throughout the entire game, Rodrigo is always wearing something that covers his head. Not once is he without a hat or a hood. He does appear without head coverings in ''[[Assassin’s Creed: Lineage]]'', however.
* Rodrigo's cloak from before his rise to Pope resembles Al Mualim's robe from ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''.
* Rodrigo is the only assassination target Ezio has had to fight repeatedly as well as one that he spared (other being [[Tomas Torquemada]]). He is also the most formidable fighter in-game.
* Rodrigo uses a [[Swords and Maces|Schiavona]] for his and Ezio's first fight. He then uses the Staff of Eden as Pope. It is interesting to note that he is the only opponent that can stab people when they are knocked down. In ''Lineage'', he used a throwing knife to nearly kill Giovanni. He is also seen using a Dagger when he stabbed Jacopo de' Pazzi in the chest at the third Templar meeting, and when he stabbed Ezio in the right side during their fight in the Vatican.
* It is possible to kill Rodrigo while in the Sistine chapel if you poison him. After this you can wield the Staff of Eden. Unfortunately, you cannot use any of its powers.
* Rodrigo's fate differs in the novel, ''Assassin's Creed: Renaissance'' to that shown in the game, after Ezio defeats and spares him, Borgia is left alone to come to terms with his misery when Ezio enters the Vault: he is not seen again and it is presumed he still lives. In the novel, however, when Ezio emerges from the Vault, Borgia commits suicide with poison. His last act is to ask Ezio what he saw in the Vault, to which Ezio replies ''"Nothing. No one"'', leading Borgia to die believing everything he has done in life was for nothing. However, this should not be considered canon due to the fact that Rodrigo appears alive in ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.''
* In Rodrigo's assassination target video there is a scene with Rodrigo in his Papal robes standing next to his fellow Templars who are seated at a table. This is impossible because by the time Rodrigo became Pope, Ezio had killed all the other Templars in the game. The [[House of Pazzi|Pazzi]], the Barbarigos and Carlo Grimaldi are shown at the table.
* Rodrigo had numerous children: Juan, [[Cesare Borgia|Cesare]], [[Lucrezia Borgia|Lucrezia]], Giovanni, and Gioffre from his mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei, a daughter, Laura, from his mistress Giulia Farnese, and an unknown number of children from other mistresses.
* He was the first pope to be elected from a conclave in the Sistine Chapel.
* Sometimes, during the fight with Rodrigo, he can be seen wielding a spear instead of the Staff.
* In a recent gameplay video a person simaler to Rodrigo was killed at the Vatican.

==Gallery==
[[Video:Assassin's Creed 2 - Targets: Rodrigo Borgia 3/9|thumb|400px|left|Database entry.]]
<gallery widths="120" captionalign="left">
Rodrigolineage.png|Rodrigo in Assassin's Creed: Lineage.
alexvi3.jpg|Pope Alexader VI
Borgia ingame ac2.jpg|Rodrigo Borgia as he appears in [[Assassin's Creed II]]
</gallery>

{{ACII}}
{{ACIIDiscovery}}
[[Category:Characters|Borgia, Rodrigo]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Lineage Characters|Borgia, Rodrigo]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Borgia, Rodrigo]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Assassination Targets|Borgia, Rodrigo]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II: Discovery Characters|Borgia, Rodrigo]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Characters|Borgia, Rodrigo]]
[[Category:Templars|Borgia, Rodrigo]]
[[Category:Historical Characters|Borgia, Rodrigo]]