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[[File:Zw-Minerva-3.png|thumb|250px|[[Minerva]] is the only known representative of "Those Who Came Before"]]
[[File:Zw-Minerva-3.png|thumb|250px|[[Minerva]] is the only known representative of "Those Who Came Before"]]
'''Those Who Came Before''' were an ancient and incredibly advanced species on Earth who created the [[Piece of Eden|Pieces of Eden]], as well as the human race itself. Exactly who they were, where they came from and when they disappeared is largely unknown. It is heavily insinuated that ancient human cultures such as the Greeks and Egyptians mistook them for gods and came to worship them. The being known as [[Minerva]] said that they were not gods, but in fact were a race more advanced in time who "simply came before."


"''Those Who Came Before''," is the name of an ancient and incredibly advanced race of beings who created the [[Piece of Eden|Pieces of Eden]], as well as the human race itself. Exactly who they were, how long ago, or there origins is still, for the most part, largely unknown. It is heavily insinuated that they were missunderstood as gods and worshiped by ancient human cultures; i.e. Greek, Roman, Mesopotamian, Egyptian gods, etc. The woman known as [[Minerva]], said that they were not gods, but, in fact, a race more advanced in time who "simply came before."
==Knowledge==
Though various religious beliefs seem to have been based on aspects and misinterpretations of Those Who Came Before, their existence is largely unknown to humanity. As early as the 12th century, both the [[Assassins]] and the [[Templars]] believed that human religions were false, with miracles and other supernatural being dismissed as manifestations of the Pieces of Eden. However, it is unclear if the Assassins and Templars understood the origin of the Pieces. By the 15th century, at least one Templar, [[Rodrigo Borgia]], was aware of the existence, if not the nature of Those Who Came Before; he incorrectly believed that [[The Vault]] underneath the Sistine Chapel housed a living God.


The first known instance of a human becoming aware of their existence following their disappearance occurred in 1499, when [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], an Assassin, encountered a being calling herself [[Minerva]] in The Vault. While Ezio likely told his fellow Assassins of Minerva, it is possible they still did not understand her true nature; Ezio showed great difficulty in understanding Minerva's explanation of her existence and history.


==Domination of Humans==
By 2012, the Templars in [[Abstergo Industries]] had a full understanding of the true nature of Those Who Came Before. Whether they learned this information through the use of the [[Animus]] or had found evidence of it earlier is unknown. However, none of the Assassins seen in this time period indicated that they had previous knowledge of the existence of Those Who Came Before.


Minerva revealed that at some point; her kind created humanity "In [their] own image", likely as some sort of slave race as shown in [[The Truth]] video. In the recorded [[The Truth|memory]], [[Those Who Came Before]] appear to have enslaved humans into doing their bidding through the hypnotic power of the [[Piece of Eden|Pieces of Eden]]. Despite their attempts at mind control, [[The Truth]] video shows how [[Adam and Eve]] stole one of the mythical fruits of the tree of knowledge described in the Bible. It is possible that this was an attempt to free mankind from the oppression of their masters. Adam and Eve were most likely naturally immune to the Pieces of Eden, much like Altair and several other Assassins were, as seen in the first [[Assassins Creed]] when Al Mualim attempted to use it on Altair.
==History==
===Creation===
[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|350px|A frame from [[The Truth]] video, showing "Those Who Came Before" using a [[Piece of Eden]] to control humans]]
The origin of Those Who Came Before is unclear; Minerva simply states that they "came before." Thus, they may have naturally evolved on Earth or possibly originated on another planet and settled on Earth. Either way, Those Who Came Before were the creators of humanity, designing them as a slave race as shown in [[The Truth]] video. However, Those Who Came Before do not appear to be physically distinct from humans; Minerva appears to Ezio in human form, which conforms with her statement that humans were created in their image.  


According to [[Minerva]], humans and her species had lived peacefully for some time, however, humans were not treated equally. Although the Ones Who Came Before have not yet been shown to hold any malice against humans, this master slave relation was non-negotiable. Somehow [[Adam and Eve]] had some degree of resistance to the [[apples]] and managed to rebell.
Various messages left in the Animus by [[Subject 16]] further explain the development of humans by Those Who Came Before. An early evolutionary ancestor of humanity is shown being transformed by a Piece of Eden into a modern human, implying that Those Who Came Before found existing species on Earth and transformed them into a radically different more closely resembling themselves. An Abstergo memo from 1997 shown in another Subject 16 message corroborates this hypothesis, noting that no transitional forms between archaic homonids and modern humans had ever been found and that they would plant fake skeletons in Ethiopia to prevent the truth from becoming known.  


==Past Events==
The control of humans by Those Who Came Before appears to center around the [[Piece of Eden|Pieces of Eden]], which give them the power to dominate the minds of humans. The power of the Pieces is hinted in an article from a science journal provided by Subject 16. The article discusses the discovery of a neuro-transmitter in the human brain that has no counterpart in any other species. Scientists have failed to determine the role of the transmitter, as it does not respond to any known stimuli. From this, it can be inferred that the neurotransmitter was specifically designed by Those Who Came Before and is only activated by the Pieces of Eden, the possessor of which then gains control of the affected person's mind.


===War===
According to [[Minerva]], her species and humans lived peacefully for some time, though whether this peace was genuine on the part of humans or a result of the Pieces' influence is unknown. Regardless, two humans, [[Adam and Eve]], appeared to have been unaffected by the Pieces of Eden. Somehow, the two were able to steal a Piece of Eden from Those Who Came Before, possibly as an attempt to free mankind from the oppression of their masters.


[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|350px|A frame from [[The Truth]] video, showing "Those Who Came Before" using a [[Piece of Eden]] to control humans]]
While it is unknown what became of Adam and Eve following their attempt, humanity and Those Who Came Before soon found themselves at war with each other. While Those Who Came Before were more technologically advanced and powerful, humanity had the advantage of numbers. It is hinted that humans were somehow able to free themselves from the influence of the Pieces; an Egyptian hieroglyphic shown in The Vault during Minerva's description of the war shows a single Godlike figure holding a Piece of Eden while a large number of armed humans advanced towards it.


While the ancient race was more technologically advanced and powerful, humanity had the advantage of numbers. Minerva stated that both sides craved war (possibly ignited by Adam and Eve stealing the Apple) but they were so preoccupied with their fighting; Those Who Came Before failed to notice the signs that an impending danger was approaching from the "heavens." [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Lucy Stillman]] hypothesize that this "danger" could have been a massive solar flare which would have had a catastrophic impact on the Earth's weakening magnetic field, reversing the polarity, and making the planet geologically unstable. This hypothesized by Lucy in an Email that Desmond can read in the first game.
===Catastrophe===
This is insinuated  further in glyph puzzle #19 The Forth Day, the player must choose five images with key similarity using the clue "Once worshiped now ignored, at a distance it watches and waits." (referring to the sun). All the correct pictures show religious scenes involving the sun. We are then shown an image of the sun, and across its surface the following four texts can be found: "They died in the fire from the heavens." Further hinting that it was a celestial event that wiped out the ancient race's civilization. "Near the day of purification, there will be cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky. - Hopi" and "A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans. - Hopi" Both quotes from Hopi prophecy describing catastrophic celestial events. And "Toba, 75ka was not a volcano" Toba 75ka being a "mega-colossal volcanic eruption" which occurred 75 thousand years ago and killed off much life on Earth. Scientists have observed a thick buried layer of ash around the world attributed to this event. But this text tells otherwise, hinting that the solar flare that devastated Those Who Came Before occurred around 75,000 years ago.
At some point during this conflict, an unknown catastrophe devastated Earth, with Those Who Came Before to preoccupied with war to have noticed the signs of an impending danger from the "heavens." [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Lucy Stillman]] hypothesize that this "danger" could have been a massive solar flare which would have had a catastrophic impact on the Earth's weakening magnetic field, reversing the polarity, and making the planet geologically unstable. This hypothesis is supported by evidence from Subject 16. In one of his glyphs in the Animus, an image of the sun is shown with four hidden messages:


Both Humanity and The Ones Who Came Before survived the disaster, but in dwindling numbers. It is clear that Those Who Came Before were far fewer than humans, possibly of a low birth rate to compensate for their extremely long life spans. Because of this, there were not enough survivors of Those Who Came Before to maintain a viable population, whereas humans were greater in number and their population was able to recover. Knowing that soon they would be extinct, Those Who Came Before set aside their former role as master and the two races worked together to rebuild. However as humans were still primitive, The remaining Ones Who Came Before were assumed to be gods, their advanced technology taken as proof of their divine status.
*"Near the day of purification, there will be cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky. - Hopi" 
*"A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans. - Hopi"
*"They died in the fire from the heavens."
*"Toba, 75ka was not a volcano."


"'Even When we walked the world, your kind struggled to understand our existence.'" -Minerva-
The last message refers to the [[w:Toba catastrophe theory|Toba catastrophe theory]], which posits that a mega-colossal volcanic eruption occurred approximately 75 thousand years ago and killed off a significant proportion of life on Earth. Scientists have observed a thick buried layer of ash around the world attributed to this event. Thus, it can be inferred that this evidence is actually indicative of the solar flare that devastated Those Who Came Before and humans.
===Aftermath===
Both species were able to survive the catastrophe, as Minerva states that humans, having been made in the image of her own species, were "built...to survive." However, few members of both species remained, and both worked together to rebuild. However, humans remained too primitive to truly grasp the existence of Those Who Came Before and continued to see them as gods.


However Minerva warns that the catastrophe that caused the extinction of her race was due to reoccur, furthering Lucy's speculation. Minerva warns Desmond that he and his comrades must find the other "Temples", describes by Minerva as "built by those who knew to turn away from war". This implies that Those Who Came Before used their final days to devise a way to prevent such an event from reoccurring.
Though they survived, Those Who Came Before were unable to fully recover and began heading toward extinction. However, they knew that the same catastrophe would eventually reoccur and took steps to prevent a second wave of destruction. Minerva warns Desmond that to save the world, he and his comrades must find the [[Temples]], one of which was [[The Vault]] describes by Minerva as "built by those who knew to turn away from war".


"'We endeavored to ensure this tragedy would not be repeated.'" -Minerva-
It likely that the date predicted for this recurrence is December 21, 2012, the final date of Mayan calendar and considered by many to be the end of the world. This date was likely first prophesied by Those Who Came Before in their warning to mankind, and over time the true meaning of this date was lost. Ironically, this date is also the scheduled launch date for Abstergo's satellites containing Pieces of Eden.


Glyph puzzle #19 opened with [[Subject 16]] saying "The end... Almost the end... It happened once before. The pieces were once part of a whole." Implying that the pieces of Eden are likely somehow involved in The Ones Who Came Before's plan.
When she spoke to Ezio in 1499, Minerva claimed that she was the last of her kind, and disappeared following the deliverance of her warning. Thus, it is likely that Those Who Came Before are now extinct.
It is more than likely that the date predicted for this recurrence is December 21, 2012 (the final date of Mayan calendar, supposed by many to be the end of the world) as this date is fast approaching in the Assassin's Creed universe and is also the date Abstergo intends to launch their satellite initiating their new world order. This date was probably first prophesied by Those Who Came Before in their warning to man kind, and over time as their message and records of their existence warped into the various religions and legends across Earth, this date was preserved in the Mayan calendar but the warning was gradually forgotten.


==Characteristics==
==Characteristics==
Those Who Came Before seems to posses some form of precognition. This ability is shown when Minerva told Ezio within the The Vault that he was simply a conduit and spoke directly to the invisible [[Desmond]], indicating that she knew that he would receive the message over 500 years into the future by viewing it through the [[Animus]]. Furthermore, Altaïr mentions in [[The Codex]] that his Piece of Eden not only has a catalog of past events, but also future events, implying that the Pieces contain predictions made by Those Who Came Before.


Those Who Came Before appear in the mythologies of many of Earth's religions (especially religions that feature pantheons) as gods. As seen with the [[Monteriggioni]] statues, Minerva is associated with the Roman gods. Her kind is very similar to the Sumerian gods, who were believed to have created mankind to serve the gods. Furthermore, Minerva also showed an ancient Egyptian picture of the people rebelling against the Egyptian gods, but still labels the Egyptian gods as "us." It can at least be established that by Ezio's time, the race was effectively extinct - [[Minerva]] states that she is the last of her kind.
Those Who Came Before also have connections with many of Earth's religions. Their history very similar to that of the Sumerian gods, who were believed to have created mankind to serve the gods. Furthermore, Minerva also showed an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic of people rebelling against the Egyptian gods and labels the Egyptian gods as "us."
 
"Those Who Came Before" seems to posses some form of precognition, or ability to predict future events. This is shown when [[Minerva]] told a confused [[Ezio]] within the [[The Vault]] that he was simply a conduit, and she spoke directly to the invisible [[Desmond]], showing she knew that he would receive the message over 500 years into the future by viewing it through [[Ezio]] in the [[Animus]]. Altaïr mentions in one of the [[codex]] pages that the apple is not just a catalog of past events, but also of things to come, making it clear that the apples are capable of some degree of forsight. There are some scientific theories involving the information that time-space is made of, that could allow the apples this ability, considering their advanced technological nature.
 
Interestingly, [[Minerva]] is one of the 8 statuettes you can collect in [[Monteriggioni]]. As Minerva is one of "Those Who Came Before', the other statuettes could be as well. The figures depicted by the statuettes are Neptune and Pluto, Jupiter and Minerva, Dianna and Apollo, and Mars and Venus. It is also worth noting that they are all Roman mythological Gods - perhaps this means that they are remnants of "Those Who Came Before" and survivors of the cataclysmic event described by Minerva, or that they were the ones that helped humans build the temples that she mentioned.
 
Of further interest, is that Minverva mentions her former name and those of her compatriots; Mera, Uni and Tinia (Minerva, Juno and Jupiter respectively). The former names mentioned by Minerva correspond to the Etruscan supreme Triad of Dieties, who were later modelled by the Roman Dieties, in the Capitoline Triad. (Jupiter, his daughter Minerva and wife Juno). From the ''Assassin's Creed II'' perspective, this may explain why and how understandings of'' Those who Came Before ''bled into one another across different cultures. Most pantheons tend to have strong analogues in different cultural lore; i.e. Zeus, Jupiter, Thor, etc.
 
==Genetic History==
 
Those Who Came Before appear identical to humans, and it is known that humans were created in the image of Those Who Came Before. But little is known about them otherwise. However it is known that The Ones Who Came Before had extremely long life spans (how long is not known, but due to their history as "gods" they likely could live for many hundreds, even thousands of years) But it is not known if this is simply an aspect of their species, or the effect of their technology. In his last [[codex]] page, Altaïr muses over the possibility of prolonging his life as he suspects Those Who Came Before did using the apple in his possession.
 
It is implied in glyph puzzle #20 The Origin of the Species, that humans were created by Those Who Came Before. A Templar letter is shown which displays concern that there is no genetic link between early homonids and modern homo-sapiens. So they created fake skeletons and placed them near Tim White's expedition in Ethiopia (famous for producing 'Lucy' the most complete known fossil of an Australopithecus afarensis). We are then shown the skeleton of an early evolutionary ancestor of humans, and using a cursor modelled around an apple of eden, we must go over each part of the skeleton which then changed into that of a human. This puzzle implies that humans were not made from scratch, but from already existing homonids, which quite possibly were the evolutionary ancestors of Those Who Came Before themselves. Minerva said "We built you in our own image" making it clear that those who came before made humans with themselves in mind, to the point where (taking puzzle #20 at face value) they took their own genetic predecessors and derived humans from them. Possibly through vastly accelerated evolution via pieaces of eden (thus the apple of eden cursor). If this is the case, it would explain why humans and those who came before are visually identical, because they are just about the same species.
 
Glyph puzzle #18 Synapses opens with subject 16 franically asking why it is that the pieces of eden work so well on humans, then going on to say it is as if out minds were made to obey them. And puzzle 18 goes on to show that this is exactly the case. An article from a ficitonal science magazine tells of two doctors; Dr. Yije and Dr. P. J. Traunero, who have discovered a neuro-transmitter within the human brain. Yet dispite their efforts, they cannot stimulate it. They also fail to find a predecessor of the transmitter in other primate species, priving that this neuro-transmitter is exclusively found in humans. We are then shown what appears to be the inside of a brain, and severel neuro-transmitters are present. Using a cursor, the player must stimulate each transmitter, once all of them are lit, the curser turns into an apple of eden.
Knowing that the Ones Who Came Before were able to engineer humanity down to the tiniest detail, it seems that humans were given an extra neuro-transmitter that activated only in the presence of a piece of eden. Thus humans are unable to resist the pieces because not only are they made to control humans, but humans are programmed to obey them.


Glyph puzzle #14 Bloodlines, the player must highlight all of the paintings depicting sexual unions between humans and divinities with the clue, "The seeds were planted as two world became one. Behold the Assassins, the children of two worlds!" Aditionally, the puzzle opens with subject 16 yelling "Why is it we have these gifts, these abilites? Because, it's in our blood!"
[[Minerva]] is one of the 8 statuettes collected in [[Monteriggioni]]. As Minerva is one of Those Who Came Before, the other statuettes could be as well. The figures depicted by the statuettes are Neptune, Pluto, Jupiter, Minerva, Dianna, Apollo, Mars and Venus. Furthermore, Minerva mentions her former name and those of her compatriots; Menrva, Uni and Tinia, who are Minerva, Juno and Jupiter, respectively. The former names correspond to the Etruscan supreme Triad of Dieties, while the latter are the names of their Roman counterparts, who make up the Capitoline Triad. This shift in names may be indicative why various religions have numerous similarities, as they are all based on the story of Those Who Came Before.
Desmond, Subject 16, Altaïr and Ezio are all of the same bloodline, and all four posess [[eagle vision]]. With all this in mind, the puzzle insinuates that Those who came before and humans were able to interbreed and were close enough genetically to produce vertile offspring, which eventually became the assassins. Ezio and Altaïr are also the only humans known to be able to resist the pieces of eden. If they are indeed of part Ones Who Came Before blood, than the neuro-transmitters that make humans subservient to the pieces are either not present or at least not fully functional. Altaïr interacted on with the apple on a level that possibly only he could, and Ezio was able to activate the staff when [[Rodrigo Borgia]] could not.
Since Altaïr speaks of an assassin order that predates the one [[Al Mualim]] started, and that some of the assassins depicted beneath [[Monteriggioni]] are responsable for the deaths of historic figures who lived well before Al Mualim's time, there is some speculation among fans that the original assassin order could have been of all human/Ones Who Came Before ancestry, yet somehow Altaïr and his descendants are unaware of their own origins.
Knowing this, the supposed origins of the "assassins" it is most likely that the ones who came before posessed eagle vision or something similar, and possibly deliberately made sure their human slaves did not.


==Trivia==
==Bloodline==
In one of Subject 16's glyphs, he can be heard saying, "Why is it we have these gifts, these abilities? Because it's in our blood!" Furthermore, various paintings of the mythological offspring of gods and humans are shown with the clue, "The seeds were planted as two world became one. Behold the Assassins, the children of two worlds!" It is possible that this means the original Assassins were the offspring of humans and Those Who Came Before.


In the first Assassin's Creed title, at the beginning of Memory Block 4 before Desmond enters the Animus, Doctor Vidic enters to wake him. A conversation ensues where Vidic explains that Abstergo, or its descendants, are basically responsible for every major historical invention or medical breakthrough for the past thousand years. When Desmond questions how they discovered all these things, Vidic replies "They were gifts, Mr. Miles! Gifts from those who came before". Although unbeknownst to players at the time, Vidic is citing that Abstergo has accomplished all that it has so far with the Pieces of Eden belonging to Minerva's race.
This theory would explain the extraordinary abilities that Altaïr and his bloodline seem to share. Desmond, Subject 16, Altaïr and Ezio all possess [[eagle vision]], while Ezio and Altaïr are both able to resist the Pieces of Eden. In addition, Ezio was able to use the Staff and the apple to open The Vault, while Rodrigo Borgia could not. If they are indeed descended from Those Who Came Before, then this could indicate that the neuro-transmitters responsible for human susceptibility to the Pieces of Eden are either not present or non-functional in descendants of Those Who Came Before


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Revision as of 04:36, 12 March 2010

He who increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow.

This article contains spoilers, meaning it has information and facts concerning recent or upcoming releases from the Assassin's Creed series. If you do not want to know about these events, it is recommended to read on with caution, or not at all.

This template should be removed from the article three months after release.

Minerva is the only known representative of "Those Who Came Before"

Those Who Came Before were an ancient and incredibly advanced species on Earth who created the Pieces of Eden, as well as the human race itself. Exactly who they were, where they came from and when they disappeared is largely unknown. It is heavily insinuated that ancient human cultures such as the Greeks and Egyptians mistook them for gods and came to worship them. The being known as Minerva said that they were not gods, but in fact were a race more advanced in time who "simply came before."

Knowledge

Though various religious beliefs seem to have been based on aspects and misinterpretations of Those Who Came Before, their existence is largely unknown to humanity. As early as the 12th century, both the Assassins and the Templars believed that human religions were false, with miracles and other supernatural being dismissed as manifestations of the Pieces of Eden. However, it is unclear if the Assassins and Templars understood the origin of the Pieces. By the 15th century, at least one Templar, Rodrigo Borgia, was aware of the existence, if not the nature of Those Who Came Before; he incorrectly believed that The Vault underneath the Sistine Chapel housed a living God.

The first known instance of a human becoming aware of their existence following their disappearance occurred in 1499, when Ezio Auditore da Firenze, an Assassin, encountered a being calling herself Minerva in The Vault. While Ezio likely told his fellow Assassins of Minerva, it is possible they still did not understand her true nature; Ezio showed great difficulty in understanding Minerva's explanation of her existence and history.

By 2012, the Templars in Abstergo Industries had a full understanding of the true nature of Those Who Came Before. Whether they learned this information through the use of the Animus or had found evidence of it earlier is unknown. However, none of the Assassins seen in this time period indicated that they had previous knowledge of the existence of Those Who Came Before.

History

Creation

File:Zw-eden-slave.png
A frame from The Truth video, showing "Those Who Came Before" using a Piece of Eden to control humans

The origin of Those Who Came Before is unclear; Minerva simply states that they "came before." Thus, they may have naturally evolved on Earth or possibly originated on another planet and settled on Earth. Either way, Those Who Came Before were the creators of humanity, designing them as a slave race as shown in The Truth video. However, Those Who Came Before do not appear to be physically distinct from humans; Minerva appears to Ezio in human form, which conforms with her statement that humans were created in their image.

Various messages left in the Animus by Subject 16 further explain the development of humans by Those Who Came Before. An early evolutionary ancestor of humanity is shown being transformed by a Piece of Eden into a modern human, implying that Those Who Came Before found existing species on Earth and transformed them into a radically different more closely resembling themselves. An Abstergo memo from 1997 shown in another Subject 16 message corroborates this hypothesis, noting that no transitional forms between archaic homonids and modern humans had ever been found and that they would plant fake skeletons in Ethiopia to prevent the truth from becoming known.

The control of humans by Those Who Came Before appears to center around the Pieces of Eden, which give them the power to dominate the minds of humans. The power of the Pieces is hinted in an article from a science journal provided by Subject 16. The article discusses the discovery of a neuro-transmitter in the human brain that has no counterpart in any other species. Scientists have failed to determine the role of the transmitter, as it does not respond to any known stimuli. From this, it can be inferred that the neurotransmitter was specifically designed by Those Who Came Before and is only activated by the Pieces of Eden, the possessor of which then gains control of the affected person's mind.

War

According to Minerva, her species and humans lived peacefully for some time, though whether this peace was genuine on the part of humans or a result of the Pieces' influence is unknown. Regardless, two humans, Adam and Eve, appeared to have been unaffected by the Pieces of Eden. Somehow, the two were able to steal a Piece of Eden from Those Who Came Before, possibly as an attempt to free mankind from the oppression of their masters.

While it is unknown what became of Adam and Eve following their attempt, humanity and Those Who Came Before soon found themselves at war with each other. While Those Who Came Before were more technologically advanced and powerful, humanity had the advantage of numbers. It is hinted that humans were somehow able to free themselves from the influence of the Pieces; an Egyptian hieroglyphic shown in The Vault during Minerva's description of the war shows a single Godlike figure holding a Piece of Eden while a large number of armed humans advanced towards it.

Catastrophe

At some point during this conflict, an unknown catastrophe devastated Earth, with Those Who Came Before to preoccupied with war to have noticed the signs of an impending danger from the "heavens." Shaun Hastings and Lucy Stillman hypothesize that this "danger" could have been a massive solar flare which would have had a catastrophic impact on the Earth's weakening magnetic field, reversing the polarity, and making the planet geologically unstable. This hypothesis is supported by evidence from Subject 16. In one of his glyphs in the Animus, an image of the sun is shown with four hidden messages:

  • "Near the day of purification, there will be cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky. - Hopi"
  • "A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans. - Hopi"
  • "They died in the fire from the heavens."
  • "Toba, 75ka was not a volcano."

The last message refers to the Toba catastrophe theory, which posits that a mega-colossal volcanic eruption occurred approximately 75 thousand years ago and killed off a significant proportion of life on Earth. Scientists have observed a thick buried layer of ash around the world attributed to this event. Thus, it can be inferred that this evidence is actually indicative of the solar flare that devastated Those Who Came Before and humans.

Aftermath

Both species were able to survive the catastrophe, as Minerva states that humans, having been made in the image of her own species, were "built...to survive." However, few members of both species remained, and both worked together to rebuild. However, humans remained too primitive to truly grasp the existence of Those Who Came Before and continued to see them as gods.

Though they survived, Those Who Came Before were unable to fully recover and began heading toward extinction. However, they knew that the same catastrophe would eventually reoccur and took steps to prevent a second wave of destruction. Minerva warns Desmond that to save the world, he and his comrades must find the Temples, one of which was The Vault describes by Minerva as "built by those who knew to turn away from war".

It likely that the date predicted for this recurrence is December 21, 2012, the final date of Mayan calendar and considered by many to be the end of the world. This date was likely first prophesied by Those Who Came Before in their warning to mankind, and over time the true meaning of this date was lost. Ironically, this date is also the scheduled launch date for Abstergo's satellites containing Pieces of Eden.

When she spoke to Ezio in 1499, Minerva claimed that she was the last of her kind, and disappeared following the deliverance of her warning. Thus, it is likely that Those Who Came Before are now extinct.

Characteristics

Those Who Came Before seems to posses some form of precognition. This ability is shown when Minerva told Ezio within the The Vault that he was simply a conduit and spoke directly to the invisible Desmond, indicating that she knew that he would receive the message over 500 years into the future by viewing it through the Animus. Furthermore, Altaïr mentions in The Codex that his Piece of Eden not only has a catalog of past events, but also future events, implying that the Pieces contain predictions made by Those Who Came Before.

Those Who Came Before also have connections with many of Earth's religions. Their history very similar to that of the Sumerian gods, who were believed to have created mankind to serve the gods. Furthermore, Minerva also showed an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic of people rebelling against the Egyptian gods and labels the Egyptian gods as "us."

Minerva is one of the 8 statuettes collected in Monteriggioni. As Minerva is one of Those Who Came Before, the other statuettes could be as well. The figures depicted by the statuettes are Neptune, Pluto, Jupiter, Minerva, Dianna, Apollo, Mars and Venus. Furthermore, Minerva mentions her former name and those of her compatriots; Menrva, Uni and Tinia, who are Minerva, Juno and Jupiter, respectively. The former names correspond to the Etruscan supreme Triad of Dieties, while the latter are the names of their Roman counterparts, who make up the Capitoline Triad. This shift in names may be indicative why various religions have numerous similarities, as they are all based on the story of Those Who Came Before.

Bloodline

In one of Subject 16's glyphs, he can be heard saying, "Why is it we have these gifts, these abilities? Because it's in our blood!" Furthermore, various paintings of the mythological offspring of gods and humans are shown with the clue, "The seeds were planted as two world became one. Behold the Assassins, the children of two worlds!" It is possible that this means the original Assassins were the offspring of humans and Those Who Came Before.

This theory would explain the extraordinary abilities that Altaïr and his bloodline seem to share. Desmond, Subject 16, Altaïr and Ezio all possess eagle vision, while Ezio and Altaïr are both able to resist the Pieces of Eden. In addition, Ezio was able to use the Staff and the apple to open The Vault, while Rodrigo Borgia could not. If they are indeed descended from Those Who Came Before, then this could indicate that the neuro-transmitters responsible for human susceptibility to the Pieces of Eden are either not present or non-functional in descendants of Those Who Came Before

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Claudia • Ezio • Federico • Giovanni • Maria • Mario • Petruccio | Domenico • Isabetta • Renato
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