Editing Great Catastrophe

{{Era|Timeline|TWCB}}{{WP-REAL|Toba catastrophe theory}}
{{Update|''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'', [[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'', and ''[[Dawn of Ragnarök]]''}}
{{Quote|The earth shook for days. The fires burned for weeks. And when the ash had settled, less than ten thousand of your kind still lived... and far fewer of ours. But we carried on, together. To rebuild. To renew.|Jupiter to Desmond Miles.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations|21st century conversations}}
{{Event Infobox
|prev = [[Human-Isu War]]
|next = [[Assassin-Templar War]]
|image = Earth post catastrophe.jpg
|name = Great Catastrophe
|timeframe = Prehistory
|conflict = 
|date = 75,000 BCE (2306 [[Isu Era|IE]])
|place = [[Earth]]
|outcome = *End of [[Human-Isu War]]
*Near extinction of both species
|key = *[[Isu]]
*[[Humans]]
|participants = 
}}
The '''Great Catastrophe''', also known as the '''First Disaster''',<ref name="The Essential Guide">''The Essential Guide''</ref> the '''Toba Catastrophe''' or '''Toba Disaster''',<ref name="The Essential Guide" /> '''[[Ragnarök]]''',<ref name="ACV">''[[Assassin's Creed Valhalla]]'' – [[View Above All]]</ref> or the '''First Catastrophe''',<ref name="The Essential Guide" /> was a cataclysmic event during [[human]] prehistory, dated to 75000 BCE,<ref name="ACI">''[[Assassin's Creed: Initiates]]''</ref> or 2306 of the [[Isu Era]], which saw the near total extinction of both humanity and the [[Isu]], who were involved in a [[Human-Isu War|military conflict]] at the time.

In [[Modern times|modern times]], the disaster was often misconceived to have been the eruption of a super-volcano that occurred at the same time, but was in actuality caused by a {{Wiki|coronal mass ejection}}. A second, equally powerful, but ultimately less destructive [[Second Disaster|coronal mass ejection]] took place in the year 2012 CE.

==History==
===Pre-catastrophe===
Embroiled in their war with humanity, the Isu did not foresee the coming apocalypse until it was too late.<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref> Despite this, certain members of the First Civilization worked to find a means of suppressing it – or to at least protect future generations from the predicted recurrence – by researching ways of combatting the cataclysm within underground [[Temple (Isu)|Vaults]].

As stated by Jupiter, the Isu tested six different methods that showed the most potential, but none of them succeeded.<ref name="Revelations">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref> When [[Desmond Miles]] and the other modern-day [[Assassins]] entered the [[Grand Temple]], [[Juno]] appeared to tell Desmond of the six trials they took to prevent the disaster.

The first solution was to build four [[Towers]] to siphon the solar flare into the Grand Temple and virtually dispel it. While they had the means and resources to accomplish it, the projected time taken would have been too extensive. The first tower was never completed and the research went on. However, Juno stated that even after the project was abandoned, a few Isu returned to make the tower construction process automated before the solar flares hit the Earth, so "Metal might finish what flesh could not". Although long since failed to stop the Catastrophe, over the thousands of years afterwards would finally see this project complete and provide the power necessary for [[Global aurora borealis device]], which would save the world by the time of the [[Second Disaster]]<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed III: Official Game Guide]]''</ref> at the cost of some comparatively minor damage globally from short-lived seismic and volcanic activity, electrical storms, blackouts from failing transformers and short-circuited satellites.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'' - Ending credits.</ref>

The second solution was to enhance metallic rings known as [[Rings of Eden]], [[Pieces of Eden]] that emitted a forcefield around them to repel metal such as bullets and energy such as lasers. The concept was to use the principle behind the technology to create a magnetic forcefield around the Earth, but the scale of the project proved too large to construct and would have been infeasible. Still determined, the First Civilization tried saving portions by doing so on a reduced capacity – they hoped to save half, a sixth, an eighth, or even a tenth of the world, but even building the Ring for one city would have been too costly, and so the solution was abandoned.

The third solution was discovered by using the [[Apples of Eden|Apple of Eden]] on humans. If enough humans were told to believe in one idea, it would take form in reality. As such, the third solution was to launch an Apple of Eden into orbit, aim it towards the planet, and command all humans to one thought, "Make us safe." This thought alone would theoretically take form and protect the Earth – the issue, however, was in aiming the Apple toward the right direction to then convey the message that the Isu wanted. After sending a dozen Apples into orbit, with the result being identical in its difficulty, the solution was abandoned.

The fourth solution was to attempt traveling back in time and trying to prevent the disaster beforehand, but the means to do so could not be found and it was abandoned. Instead, Isu used the [[Nexus]] to look forward in time and see what was to come. They used it to see if various methods could succeed, but as every result was the same, seeing into the future was abandoned so focus could be directed more on new methods. However, [[Minerva]] did not abandon the method and continued seeing into the future. She would discover through divinations that there was a [[Calculations|pattern of numbers and equations to existence]], and that if one could comprehend them, they could tame time itself, leading her to create [[the Eye]] to aid in calculating them in the hopes of preventing the disaster. However, before Minerva could test it, she discovered that Juno had tampered with the Eye to turn it to her own ends of having Desmond free her, resurrecting and taking over the world. Minerva managed to put a stop to her after discovering her treachery, but then left to help reignite the spark of civilization with the other Isu after the Catastrophe before they died.

However, before the world ended, Minerva looked forward in time using the numbers and the Eye and called out to Desmond Miles. Leaving messages with his ancestors knowing that he would relive their memories, messages that only he would find, she and Jupiter hoped that he may comprehend the situation, seek the Grand Temple, and prevent a disaster of the same magnitude that would occur in 2012 CE. Finally, after of centuries wandering the Earth teaching what they could to the surviving Humanity, before she died Minerva took one last look into the future with a second Eye she had created to see if they had succeeded in preventing the Second Disaster. She saw that Juno had deceived them and had survived, and was manipulating Desmond into freeing her through the same method that would save the world.

The theoretical solutions from then on focused on matters of the body; in this vein, the fifth solution was to physically enhance the Isu externally. The idea behind it would compose of transforming their bodies internally to something more than flesh that was able to withstand a hostile environment. [[Aita]], Juno's husband, volunteered to test the method. Although his body would survive, his mind became brittle; within an instant, his mind degenerated and he became increasingly catatonic, made "a prisoner of the machines". With enough will, Aita wished for Juno to euthanize him, and she fulfilled it. The solution was abandoned and the researchers continued on similar matters.

Following on from its predecessor, the Sixth solution was to create entirely new vessels that could safely house the consciousness. With this in mind, the new vessels would be able to withstand the new environment, but the ability to transfer the consciousness into and out of the vessel could not be developed properly, requiring "something more... something wrong" to leave, and so this solution was also abandoned. Though Juno, however, wondered if they were wrong to do so.

Seeing that humanity would survive and thrive while the Isu die out, a seventh solution was created to allow the Isu's essence to be "remembered" and grant a form of reincarnation through the human survivors. Through the use of a liquid called "[[Mead of poetry|the mead]]" and the powerful supercompter known as [[Yggdrasil]] to store and preserve a being's consciousness by manipulating the human genome, the method would save Isu from the Catastrophe by a randomly activated hidden trigger which would alter the genetic make-up of the individual, slowly imbuing them with a chosen's Isu DNA and, with it, their memories, and changing the humans physically as a result. It is through this method that the [[Æsir]] are able to reincarnate through history,<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]] – Animus Anomalies''</ref> with this method also used by [[Juno]] on her husband [[Aita]], leading to the creation of [[Sage|Sages]]. However, due to the process of merging surfacing memories leading to most Sages to be driven mad,<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Uprising]]''</ref> other Isu grew concerned and feared that it would change Humanity to the worse, so it was locked away and abandoned.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – [[The Price of Wisdom]]</ref>
===Disaster and aftermath===
The coronal mass ejection hit the Earth just as predicted, flipping the polarity of the Earth's magnetic field and exposing the planet to the Sun's deadly radiation. The entire planet burned for weeks afterward, and earthquakes and catastrophic blazes ravaged what remained of Earth.<ref name="Revelations" />

The surface of the earth was rendered barren, and less than ten thousand humans and "far fewer" members of the Isu survived the catastrophe. In order to recover from the event, the remaining members of the Isu and their human creations brought their war to an end and began to work together to restore life to the planet.<ref name="Revelations" />

Because their numbers were too few, the First Civilization failed to survive long as an independent species. Humans, on the other hand, who had been built by the Isu "to survive", successfully managed to reconstruct their society and flourished.<ref name="AC2" /> Over time, the reshaping of the Earth's landscape and geography would eliminate nearly all physical evidence of the Isu.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations Official Game Guide]]''</ref>

==Solutions for Salvation==
As stated by Jupiter, the Isu tested six different methods that showed the most potential, but none of them succeeded. However, Hyrrokin, Juno under a different name, revealed that there was a [[Sage|seventh method]] but that it was locked-away.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="180" position="center" captionalign="center">
Fall of The First Civilization Concept Art.JPG|Concept art of the Great Catastrophe
First Disaster aftermath.jpg|Concept art of Earth after the disaster
ACR-Toba 5.png|The solar flare heading to Earth
Earthtoba.jpg|Earth during the catastrophe
ACR-Toba 8.png|An ancient city before the catastrophe
Tobacity.jpg|An ancient city in the midst of the catastrophe
ACR-Toba 10.png|Lightning striking a skyscraper
ACR-Toba 9.png|A woman seen during the catastrophe
ACR-Toba 3.png|The woman looking towards an explosion
ACR-Toba 2.png|A fissure swallows the local populace
ACR-Toba 1.png|Citizens falling into lava
ACR-Toba 4.png|Earth in the wake of the catastrophe
ACR Toba Bodies.png|Earth's surface after the catastrophe
ACV The Hidden Truth 2.png|The catastrophe witnessed by members of the [[Æsir]]
</gallery>

==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[The Fate of Atlantis: Judgment of Atlantis]]'' {{Imo}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' {{c|referred to as "Ragnarök"}}
**''[[Wrath of the Druids]]'' {{Imo}}
**''[[Dawn of Ragnarök]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice]]'' {{Imo}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Timeline}}
[[fr:Catastrophe de Toba]]
[[ru:Великая катастрофа]]
[[uk:Катастрофа Тоба]]
[[Category:Timeline]]
[[Category:Norse mythology]]