Hilary Flint

"What I miss the most is the fox hunt. Of course, there's plenty of other game to be found. One needs only be creative. I like mine with teeth. The chase is more fun when the prey bites back. Of course it's not the same here as home in England, but there's a wild quality I've come to enjoy."

―Hilary Flint to Rhona Dinsmore, 1717.

Hilary Flint (1682 – 1717) was an English Templar, descended from an aristocratic family. Recruited into the Order as a young adult with an interest in explosives, he eventually rose to become an esteemed member of the Order's West Indies Rite, operating primarily in Havana, where he entered an arms race against the Assassin Rhona Dinsmore.

In 2013, his genetic memories were used as an Animi Avatar by the entertainment branch of the Templar company Abstergo Industries, to influence the general public via the Animus game console, under the title of the Navigator.

Biography

Early life

The third-born son to an aristocratic line, Hilary quickly became the black sheep of his family. In response, he sought solitude in his studies, immersing himself in math and science. This led Hilary to discover a particular interest in explosives, earning him the label of "problem child".

As a teenager, Hilary was sent off to a military school by his parents, who hoped his peculiar extracurricular interests might be molded into a more socially acceptable form. Thanks to his easygoing personality, he soon found a home within the school's many clubs, as well as a few secret societies. After graduation, Hilary's connections earned him a place among the Templars, his obsession with explosives making him a valuable asset to their cause.

Arms race against Rhona Dinsmore

Rhona: "It's clear as day: the whole operation's run by that Templar scoundrel, Hilary Flint."

Edward: "That's the same name from the map."

Rhona: "He's using pickpockets to run an arms race."

—Rhona Dinsmore and Edward Kenway discussing Hilary, 1717.

In July 1715, Grand Master Laureano de Torres y Ayala received a map, delivered to him by Edward Kenway, detailing various Assassin encampments in the West Indies. Hilary, along with a few other elite Templars, was assigned the task of locating the encampments' leaders and eliminating them. This led him to Havana, where he stationed himself with a squadron of soldiers and began a feud with the local Assassin bureau leader, Rhona Dinsmore.

On one occasion when Hilary's men attacked Rhona at her bureau in 1717, Edward arrived and assisted her in fending off the assault. After the Templar's forces were neutralized, Edward revealed that he had brought danger upon Rhona by unknowingly selling a map with her location to Torres, and that Hilary bore a key that Edward desired. The two subsequently decided to work together to undermine the Templar's operations and assassinate him.

Death

"I knew we would end in fire, but I always thought our positions would be reversed. I should have died happier, knowing there was one less Assassin in the world. What a pity, we could never fight together on the correct side of things."

―Hilary's dying words to Rhona, 1717.

Hilary's final moments

After some investigations, Edward and Rhona discovered that Hilary was running an arms race against the Assassins, having several stores of gunpowder hidden throughout the city. Edward destroyed them to weaken Hilary's position, after which he and Rhona decided to eliminate him.

Rhona engaged Hilary in combat, taunting him as she did so, allowing Edward to circle around and assassinate the Templar from behind. With his final words, Hilary expressed his regrets over the fact that he and Rhona could never fight together.

Legacy

In 2015, the Templar Isabelle Ardant included Hilary's name on a list of known British Templars. This list was later unveiled by the Assassins Rebecca Crane and Shaun Hastings when they infiltrated Ardant's office to plant a bug.

Trivia

• The name Hilary is derived via the Latin hilaris from the Greek ‘Ιλαρος (hilaros), meaning "cheerful". The surname Flint referred to those who lived near a significant outcrop of flint – a material that could be used to ignite fire or gunpowder. It could also be used as a nickname for a hard-hearted or physically tough individual.
• His multiplayer database entry misspells his name as Hillary Flint.
• It is strongly implied that he and Rhona were romantically attracted to each other, but chose to serve their respective causes and forgo any relationship with a member of the opposing group.
  • His relationship with Rhona is referenced in a war letter in Assassin's Creed: Rogue, in which she wrote to Achilles Davenport that she had been "caught in bed with a Templar" again, implying she did have a relationship with Hilary before.
• Hilary is the only Templar key holder whose key is not removed from his body by Edward; it is instead taken by Rhona, who gives it to Edward.

Gallery

• 
  Hilary in combat with Edward and Rhona
• 
  Close-up of Hilary in his final moments

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Rogue (indirect mention only)
• Assassin's Creed: Syndicate (name only)