Lazy Eye

They call me many things: Murderer. Cutthroat. Thief. But you may call me Lazy Eye. This article is about a subject that lacks an official name and is known only by its nickname, title, or alias.

"Lazy Eye" (died 1191) was a soldier of the Knights Hospitalier in the employ of Grand Master Garnier de Naplouse. As part of the garrison at the Hospitalier Fortress in Acre, he was present when his leader was assassinated by the Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and personally served as the Assassin's last obstacle in his escape from the deed, dying against him in single combat.

Biography

In 1191 after the Crusaders had captured the city of Acre, Lazy Eye was among the contingent of Knights Hospitalier soldiers stationed at the Hospitalier Fortress, a hospital under the command of the Grand Master of the Hospitalier, Garnier de Naplouse. Garnier, secretly a member of the Templar Order as well, conducted brutal experiments on his supposed patients at the hospital.

One day, Lazy Eye and a fellow guard apprehended a patient at the entrance courtyard who was desperately trying to flee the hospital. With the patient in their grasp, they viciously beat him until he pleaded for mercy. When Garnier himself appeared, he relented to allow a respite for the Grand Master to scold the subject. He and his companion subsequently snapped the patient's legs upon Garnier's orders to ensure the man could never attempt an escape again, before dragging him back inside the hospital.

Shortly afterwards, Garnier was assassinated by the Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, who had sneaked into the hospital moments after witnessing the incident with the fleeing patient. Lazy Eye barred Altaïr's escape route and engaged the Assassin in combat. Other guards ran to assist him, but he signalled them away, relishing what he assumed would be an easy kill. Overestimating his own prowess, he was swiftly slain by Altaïr, who outmanoeuvred him by dodging to his right, knowing that his vision was impaired on that side. As a result, Lazy Eye failed to parry the following slash, and his throat was severed by his enemy's sword; he sank to his knees and bled to death.

Personality and traits

A rather giant and vigorous man, Lazy Eye favoured a great broadsword in combat. It was his habitual usage of this weapon that developed his powerful muscles, and his stature afforded him a confidence in battle that bordered on sheer arrogance. As such, when he duelled with Altaïr, he commanded his fellow soldiers not to interfere, certain that he could kill his foe easily in single combat. He approached this fight with a gleefulness matched by his eagerness to inflict pain on the apprehended patient. When he was commanded by his Grand Master to cease the beating, he was rather reluctant.

At some point prior to the day of his death, Lazy Eye had received a severe injury on his right eye that disabled it, and to casual observers, he appeared to suffer from amblyopia. Not knowing his name, the Altaïr had mentally noted him as "Lazy Eye" after this disability when he viewed his spectacle with the fleeing patient from among the crowd.

Trivia

• Although only identified in the novel Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade, Lazy Eye is technically present in the video game Assassin's Creed, the original source of the scene where a patient fleeing from the Acre hospital is intercepted by two guards who proceed to beat him. Lazy Eye would be one of either guards even though their face models are randomly generated, and, sharing the same size as other common soldiers, neither of them are particularly large in stature contrary to the book's description.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade