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'''William "Bill" Miles''' (born 1948) is a member of the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]] who acted as a contact for Assassin teams spread throughout the world. Based in the Assassin headquarters, he regularly kept the teams informed about the situations of others. He had a [[Desmond Miles' mother|wife]] and one son, [[Desmond Miles|Desmond]]. He is also the paternal grandfather of Desmond's illegitimate child, [[Elijah]].
'''William "Bill" Miles''' (born 1948) is a member of the [[Assassins|Assassin Brotherhood]] who acted as a contact for Assassin teams spread throughout the world. Based in the Assassin headquarters, he regularly kept the teams informed about the situations of others. Initially working from a remote compound known as "[[The Farm]]," William's dedication to the Brotherhood allowed him to assume the role of [[Mentor]], and he oversaw the activities of [[Assassin cell]]s worldwide.


Initially working from a remote compound known as "[[The Farm]]," William's dedication to the Assassin Order allowed him to assume the role of [[Mentor]], and he oversaw the activities of [[Assassin cell]]s spread around throughout the world. In late 2012, William joined the Assassin team consisting of Desmond, [[Shaun Hastings]], and [[Rebecca Crane]]. The team had managed to obtain an [[Apples of Eden|Apple of Eden]], and they eventually relocated together to the [[Grand Temple]] left behind by members of the [[Isu]].
A descendant of several renowned Assassins, including [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]], [[Edward Kenway]], and [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]], William raised his son [[Desmond Miles|Desmond]] alongside his [[Desmond Miles' mother|wife]] and trained him to become an Assassin from an early age, trying to teach him the importance of his heritage. However, his training was perceived as harsh by Desmond, who eventually ran away at the age of 16 to pursue a normal life. William was devastated by the loss of his son and spent the next several years trying to track him down, though he was unable to get to him before [[Abstergo Industries]], who abducted Desmond in 2012 to use him as a test subject for their [[Animus Project]] and locate undiscovered [[Piece of Eden|Pieces of Eden]].
 
Following Desmond's escape from Abstergo with the help of [[Lucy Stillman]] and his joining of Lucy's team alongside [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Rebecca Crane]], William kept in close contact with the team, monitoring Desmond's progress reliving Ezio's [[Genetic memory|memories]]. After Desmond was forced to kill Lucy and fell into a coma upon obtaining Ezio's [[Apples of Eden|Apple of Eden]], William joined the team himself in order to monitor Desmond's condition and use Ezio's memories to locate the [[Grand Temple]] of the [[Isu|First Civilization]].
 
Once Desmond had recovered, William worked with him, Shaun and Rebecca to locate the [[Grand Temple Key|key]] needed to access the Grand Temple's inner chambers in order to save the world from the incoming [[Second Disaster]]. While Desmond relived the memories of [[Haytham Kenway]] and Ratonhnhaké:ton to find the key, William tried to converse with his son and make amends, but his coldness and pride prevented him from apologizing, so they mostly avoided each other. However, they were eventually able to reconcile after William was captured by Abstergo while retrieving a [[Power sources|power source]] for the Grand Temple, and Desmond mounted a rescue mission to save his father.
 
After Desmond sacrificed himself to activate the [[global aurora borealis device]] and prevent the Second Disaster, William, overcome with grief at the loss of his son, stepped down as Mentor and appointed [[Gavin Banks]] as his successor whilst he went into hiding. However, by 2015 he would return to his role and coordinate Assassin activity across the globe once more. He would later be responsible for the recruitment of [[Layla Hassan]] into the Brotherhood in 2017, and meeting with [[Basim Ibn Ishaq]] in 2020 to determine whether the Assassins would work with him in the future.


==Biography==
==Biography==
===Early life===
===Early life===
A descendant of a number of noteworthy Assassins, including the [[Renaissance]]-era nobles from the [[House of Auditore]] and the 17th century [[Kenway family]],<ref name="AC4">''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' – [[21st century conversations|Modern day]]</ref> William was born into the Assassin Order, and he eventually chose to devote his life to the Brotherhood.
A descendant of a number of familial lines that had sworn their allegiances to the Assassins, including the [[House of Auditore]] and the [[Kenway family]],<ref name="AC4">''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' – [[21st century conversations|Modern day]]</ref> William was born into the Brotherhood and, like his ancestors, eventually chose to devote his life to the Assassin cause.


In 1977, William met a young girl named [[Nathalie Chapman]], the daughter of [[Boris Pash]] and [[Zenia]] who had been raised by [[Warren Vidic]] since her birth. After discovering she was in fact a hostage kept by the Templars to ensure the cooperation of her father through an Animus session, she stole a copy of Warren's [[Animus]] plans and gave it to William.<ref name="ACBs">''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodstone]]'' – [[Assassin's Creed: Bloodstone Book 2|Book 2]]</ref>  
In 1977, William met a young girl named [[Nathalie Chapman]], the daughter of [[Boris Pash]] and [[Zenia]] who had been raised by [[Warren Vidic]] since her birth. After discovering she was in fact a hostage kept by the Templars to ensure the cooperation of her father through an Animus session, she stole a copy of Vidic's [[Animus]] plans and gave it to William.<ref name="ACBs">''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodstone]]'' – [[Assassin's Creed: Bloodstone Book 2|Book 2]]</ref>  
[[File:ABrashAmerican.jpg|thumb|250px|William in Moscow, 1977]]
[[File:ABrashAmerican.jpg|thumb|250px|William in Moscow, 1977]]
William fled with the plans to [[Moscow]], being pursued by Templar agents. After being rescued by [[Medeya Voronina]], a fellow member of the Order, William gave her the blueprints and requested she build it before the Templars could. He then departed to meet another Assassin cell in the city.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Initiates]]'' – [[Database: A Brash American]]</ref>
William fled with the plans to [[Moscow]], being pursued by Templar agents. After being rescued by [[Medeya Voronina]], a fellow member of the Brotherhood, William gave her the blueprints and requested she build it before the Templars could. He then departed to meet another Assassin cell in the city.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Initiates]]'' – [[Database: A Brash American]]</ref>


===The Farm===
===The Farm===
{{Quote|One day you'll understand. All this unease will be worth something, I promise.|William to Desmond during the latter's training.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
{{Quote|One day you'll understand. All this unease will be worth something, I promise.|William to Desmond during the latter's training.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
By 1987, he lived with his wife in an Assassin compound known as "The Farm," which was located in the [[Black Hills]] of [[South Dakota]], [[United States]]. There, he resided in the compound with approximately thirty other members.<ref name="Encyclopedia">''[[Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia]]''</ref><ref name="ACR">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>
By 1987, William lived with his wife in an Assassin compound known as "The Farm," which was located in the [[Black Hills]] of [[South Dakota]], [[United States]]. There, he resided in the compound with approximately thirty other members.<ref name="Encyclopedia">''[[Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia]]''</ref><ref name="ACR">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>


William was responsible for the training of the young recruits, most notably his own son as well as [[Clay Kaczmarek]] and [[Lucy Stillman]]. When Lucy reached the age of seventeen, he made the decision to raise her outside the Order. This was to ensure that she would be able to covertly infiltrate [[Abstergo Industries]], and her ties to the Order were severed as a result.<ref name="ACR" />
William was responsible for the training of the young Assassin recruits, most notably his own son as well as [[Clay Kaczmarek]] and [[Lucy Stillman]]. When Lucy reached the age of seventeen, he made the decision to raise her outside the Brotherhood. This was to ensure that she would be able to covertly infiltrate Abstergo Industries, and her ties to the Brotherhood were severed as a result.<ref name="ACR" />


William also raised Desmond rigorously, and would often emphasize the importance of being careful, as well as being prepared for an attack at any time.<ref name="ACR" />
William also raised Desmond rigorously, and would often emphasize the importance of being careful, as well as being prepared for an attack at any time, though his son dismissed most of his warnings as paranoia.<ref name="ACR" />


===Researching Daniel Cross===
===Researching Daniel Cross===
In 1998, William was contacted by [[Paul Bellamy]], the Assassin in charge of a Brotherhood compound located outside [[Philadelphia, United States|Philadelphia]]. Paul asked William to search for information regarding an individual named [[Daniel Cross]], who was brought into the compound by [[Hannah Mueller]] under the assumption Daniel was an Assassin.<ref name="TF">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]''</ref>
In 1998, William was contacted by [[Paul Bellamy]], the Assassin in charge of a Brotherhood compound located outside [[Philadelphia, United States|Philadelphia]]. Paul asked William to search for information regarding an individual named [[Daniel Cross]], who was brought into the compound by [[Hannah Mueller]] under the assumption that Daniel was an Assassin.<ref name="TF">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]''</ref>


William collected information regarding Daniel's ancestry, and was led to the [[Russian Assassins|Russian Assassin]] [[Nikolai Orelov]], who was closely tied to the [[Tunguska explosion]]. William relayed this information to Paul, and Daniel was brought into the Order. At some point, William met Cross personally and believed his sincerity.<ref name="TF" />
William collected information regarding Daniel's ancestry, and was led to the [[Russian Assassins|Russian Assassin]] [[Nikolai Orelov]], who was closely tied to the [[Tunguska explosion]]. William relayed this information to Paul, and Daniel was subsequently brought into the Brotherhood. At some point, William met Cross personally and believed his sincerity.<ref name="TF" />


In November 2000, Daniel was personally introduced to the Order's [[Mentor (2000)|Mentor]], but assassinated him due to an impulse covertly implanted into his brain by Abstergo during his youth. Cross also revealed to Abstergo the locations of all the Assassin camps he had visited during his search for the Mentor. This resulted in the Templars initiating an [[great Purge|endeavor to destroy]] these camps. Nearly all of the Assassin compounds were eradicated, though because William was warned preemptively, he and other Assassins on the Farm survived.<ref name="ACR" /><ref name="TF" />
In November 2000, Daniel was personally introduced to the Brotherhood's [[Mentor (2000)|Mentor]], but assassinated him due to an impulse covertly implanted into his brain by Abstergo during his youth. Cross also revealed to Abstergo the locations of all the Assassin camps he had visited during his search for the Mentor. This resulted in the Templars initiating an [[great Purge|endeavor to destroy]] these camps. Nearly all of the Assassin compounds were eradicated, though because William was warned preemptively, he and other Assassins on the Farm survived.<ref name="ACR" /><ref name="TF" />


===Overseeing the Order===
===Overseeing the Order===
With the Mentor dead, and nearly all of the Assassin compounds seized by the Templars, the Assassins went into hiding, operating remotely from concealed hideouts and cells. Eventually, control of the Order fell onto William, and he began to oversee the Order's activities.<ref name="TF" /><ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' – Modern day</ref><ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>
With the Mentor dead, and nearly all of the Assassin compounds seized by the Templars, the Assassins went into hiding, operating remotely from concealed hideouts and cells. Eventually, control of the Brotherhood fell onto William, and he began to oversee the Assassins' activities.<ref name="TF" /><ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' – Modern day</ref><ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>


Sometime in 2003, Desmond abruptly departed "The Farm", claiming he was fed up with his parents' paranoia about the Templars, and believing them to be nothing more than conspiracy freaks. Despite efforts to locate Desmond, William and the Assassins were unsuccessful in retrieving him, though William continued to loyally serve the Order and kept in contact with the Assassin cells via their [[Hephaestus Email Network|private email network]].<ref name="ACR" />
In 2003, Desmond abruptly departed the Farm, fed up with William's training and his parents' warnings about the Templars, believing them to be nothing more than conspiracy freaks. Despite efforts to locate Desmond, William and the Assassins were unsuccessful in retrieving him, though William continued to loyally serve the Brotherhood and kept in contact with the Assassin cells via their [[Hephaestus Email Network|private email network]].<ref name="ACR" />


In 2012, Lucy continued to work covertly in Abstergo Industries as the assistant to Warren, who was a member of the Templars' [[Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order|Inner Sanctum]]. After the death of Clay Kaczmarek, who had been used in the company's [[Animus Project]] as "Subject 16," Abstergo's [[Lineage Discovery and Acquisition]] division managed to track down Desmond and capture him, eventually using him in the Animus Project as "Subject 17."<ref name="ACR" /><ref name="AC" />
In 2012, Lucy continued to work covertly in Abstergo Industries as the assistant to Warren Vidic, who was a member of the Templars' [[Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order|Inner Sanctum]]. After the death of Clay Kaczmarek, who had been used in the company's [[Animus Project]] as "Subject 16," Abstergo's [[Lineage Discovery and Acquisition]] division managed to track down Desmond and capture him, eventually using him in the Animus Project as "Subject 17."<ref name="ACR" /><ref name="AC" />


Around this time, William and the other Assassins deserted The Farm shortly before a team sent by Abstergo arrived there.<ref name="AC" />
Around this time, William and the other Assassins deserted the Farm shortly before a team sent by Abstergo arrived there.<ref name="AC" />


===Retrieving Desmond===
===Retrieving Desmond===
{{Dialogue3|Harlan|Shit! He's gone into shock!|William|Put him back in the machine, it's the only way to fix this!|But the Animus did this to him!|Am I the expert or not? Do it!|William and Harlan T. Cunningham arguing about Desmond's health, 2012.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
{{Dialogue3|Harlan|Shit! He's gone into shock!|William|Put him back in the machine, it's the only way to fix this!|But the Animus did this to him!|Am I the expert or not? Do it!|William and Harlan T. Cunningham arguing about Desmond's health, 2012.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
Lucy eventually broke Desmond out of Abstergo's facility in [[Italy]], and the two joined Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane to continue Desmond's Animus sessions, while pursuing the Assassins' interests. During this time, William kept in contact with Lucy's team and learned of Desmond's progress.<ref name="ACB" /><ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>
Lucy eventually broke Desmond out of Abstergo's facility in [[Italy]], and the two joined [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Rebecca Crane|Rebecca Cran]]<nowiki/>e to continue Desmond's Animus sessions, while pursuing the Assassins' interests. During this time, William kept in contact with Lucy's team and learned of Desmond's progress.<ref name="ACB" /><ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>


Eventually, through reliving the memories of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], Desmond was able to ascertain the location of his ancestor's [[Apple of Eden 6|Apple of Eden]]; Ezio's Apple of Eden had been hidden for centuries within the [[Colosseum Vault]]. The team then entered the Vault and Desmond retrieved the Apple. However, Desmond's body was influenced by [[Juno]], a member of the First Civilization, who made him stab Lucy with his [[Hidden Blade]], killing her.<ref name="ACR" /><ref name="ACB" />
Eventually, through reliving the memories of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]], Desmond was able to ascertain the location of his ancestor's [[Apple of Eden 6|Apple of Eden]], which had been hidden within the [[Colosseum Vault]]. The team then entered the Vault and Desmond retrieved the Apple. However, Desmond's body was influenced by [[Juno]], a member of the First Civilization, who made him stab Lucy with his [[Hidden Blade]], killing her.<ref name="ACR" /><ref name="ACB" />


William dispatched several Assassins to retrieve the team from the Vault, and placed Desmond inside the Animus due to his fear of sedating Desmond too soon. Back in the Animus, Desmond continued to relive Ezio's memories, and eventually found a restored memory sequence from 1506. From there, he received an email from William stating that the memory sequence he had found would lead the Assassins to crucial information regarding another Vault.<ref name="ACB" />
William dispatched several Assassins to retrieve the team from the Vault, and placed Desmond inside the Animus due to his fear of sedating Desmond too soon. Back in the Animus, Desmond continued to relive Ezio's memories, and eventually found a restored memory sequence from 1506. From there, he received an email from William stating that the memory sequence he had found would lead the Assassins to crucial information regarding another Vault.<ref name="ACB" />


At the end of these memories, [[Leonardo da Vinci]] and Ezio Auditore located [[Pythagorean Vault|another Vault]] in [[Rome]], which was located beneath the [[Temple of Pythagoras]]. When Ezio's DNA activated a [[Vault pedestal|pedestal]], the room projected the coordinates 43° 39′ 19″ N, 75° 27′ 42″ W, which led to the town of [[Turin, New York|Turin]] in [[New York]] state, the location of the Grand Temple left behind by the First Civilization.<ref name="ACR" /><ref name="ACB" />
At the end of these memories, Ezio and [[Leonardo da Vinci]] found [[Pythagorean Vault|another Vault]] in [[Rome]], which was located beneath the [[Temple of Pythagoras]]. When Ezio's DNA activated a [[Vault pedestal|pedestal]], the room projected the coordinates 43° 39′ 19″ N, 75° 27′ 42″ W, which led to the town of [[Turin, New York|Turin]] in [[New York]] state, the location of the Grand Temple left behind by the First Civilization.<ref name="ACR" /><ref name="ACB" />


Once the sequence was completed, William instructed [[Harlan Cunningham]] to sedate Desmond, though it was too late; Desmond had entered a coma and had fallen into the Animus' [[Black Room]]. Despite this setback, William was confident his son would recover, and so he and Harlan left Desmond to investigate the coordinates.<ref name="ACR" /><ref name="ACB" /><ref name="ACI">''[[Assassin's Creed: Initiates]]''</ref>
Once the sequence was completed, William instructed [[Harlan Cunningham]] to sedate Desmond, though it was too late; Desmond had entered a coma and had fallen into the Animus' [[Black Room]]. Despite this setback, William was confident his son would recover, and so he and Harlan left Desmond to investigate the coordinates.<ref name="ACR" /><ref name="ACB" /><ref name="ACI">''[[Assassin's Creed: Initiates]]''</ref>
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{{Dialogue|William|Desmond, can you hear me? Son?|Desmond|I know what we need to do.|William and Desmond, upon the latter's awakening.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
{{Dialogue|William|Desmond, can you hear me? Son?|Desmond|I know what we need to do.|William and Desmond, upon the latter's awakening.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
[[File:Miles_van_2.png|thumb|left|250px|William beside Desmond]]
[[File:Miles_van_2.png|thumb|left|250px|William beside Desmond]]
While Desmond remained in the Animus, William transported Rebecca and Desmond to New York, while Shaun stayed in Italy to attend Lucy's funeral. During this time, William examined the Apple of Eden, though he concluded he did not have the genes to properly wield it.<ref name="ACR" />
While Desmond remained in the Animus, William transported him and Rebecca to New York, with Shaun opting to stay in Italy to attend Lucy's funeral. During this time, William examined the Apple of Eden, though he concluded he did not have the genes to properly wield it.<ref name="ACR" />


Upon arrival, William helped Rebecca stabilize Desmond, as well as monitor his condition. While overseeing Desmond, William questioned Rebecca and Shaun about him. William also mentioned that Desmond's DNA had a high concentration of First Civilization DNA, which would allow him to wield the Apple of Eden.<ref name="ACR" />
Upon arrival, William helped Rebecca stabilize Desmond, as well as monitor his condition. While overseeing Desmond, William questioned Rebecca and Shaun about him. William also mentioned that Desmond's DNA had a high concentration of First Civilization DNA, which would allow him to wield the Apple of Eden.<ref name="ACR" />
Line 77: Line 83:
William revealed that the driving force of his whole career as an Assassin was to make the world a better place for his son, and that the impending countdown did not afford Desmond time to relax. However, he did acknowledge that he had been a poor father to Desmond, though the two still avoided each other for some time.<ref name="AC3" />
William revealed that the driving force of his whole career as an Assassin was to make the world a better place for his son, and that the impending countdown did not afford Desmond time to relax. However, he did acknowledge that he had been a poor father to Desmond, though the two still avoided each other for some time.<ref name="AC3" />


Later, Desmond conversed with his father again, who apologized for snapping at him, and the two set their differences aside, with Desmond asking about his father's activity upon leaving The Farm. Meanwhile, Abstergo had been tracking William for some time, as they meant to use him as bait. Warren planned to capture him in the hope that Desmond would exchange the Apple for his father's safety, or attempt to rescue him.<ref name="ACI" /><ref name="AC3" />
Later, Desmond conversed with his father again, who apologized for snapping at him, and the two set their differences aside, with Desmond asking about his father's activity upon leaving the Farm. Meanwhile, Abstergo had been tracking William for some time, as they meant to use him as bait. Vidic planned to capture him in the hope that Desmond would exchange the Apple for his father's safety, or attempt to rescue him.<ref name="ACI" /><ref name="AC3" />


===Capture by Abstergo===
===Capture by Abstergo===
{{Quote|It appears we now each have something the other desires. I propose a trade. Bring me the Apple and I'll return your father to you no worse for the wear. Should you refuse, he will still be returned, albeit much worse for the wear.|Warren threatening William's life, 2012.|Assassin's Creed III|21st century conversations}}
{{Quote|It appears we now each have something the other desires. I propose a trade. Bring me the Apple and I'll return your father to you no worse for the wear. Should you refuse, he will still be returned, albeit much worse for the wear.|Warren threatening William's life, 2012.|Assassin's Creed III|21st century conversations}}
[[File:AC3 Captive William.png|thumb|250px|left|William held captive in Warren's office]]
[[File:AC3 Captive William.png|thumb|250px|left|William held captive in Vidic's office]]
When Shaun located the third power source at the [[Egyptian Museum]] in [[Cairo]], [[Egypt]], William volunteered to go there, as they were running out of time and he wanted Desmond to focus on locating the key to the Grand Temple. On his way there, he emailed his son, telling him to relax, as he had been "fighting these bastards before [Desmond] was even born".<ref name="AC3" />
When Shaun located the third [[Power sources|power source]] needed to power the Grand Temple at the [[Egyptian Museum]] in [[Cairo]], [[Egypt]], William volunteered to go there, as they were running out of time and he wanted Desmond to focus on locating the key. On his way there, he emailed his son, telling him to relax, as he had been "fighting these bastards before [Desmond] was even born".<ref name="AC3" />
 
Recognizing the opportunity, Vidic sent the [[Master Templar]] [[Juhani Otso Berg]] to capture William. Seizing both William and the power source, Abstergo brought them to the same building where Desmond had been incarcerated a few months prior. William was placed in the Animus, but refused to cooperate, knowing that it would prevent Abstergo from using his memories to their advantage.<ref name="ACI" /><ref name="AC3" />


Recognizing the opportunity, Warren sent the [[Master Templar]] [[Juhani Otso Berg]] to capture William. Seizing William, Abstergo brought him to the same building where Desmond had been incarcerated a few months prior. William was placed in the Animus, but refused to cooperate, knowing that it would prevent Abstergo from using his memories to their advantage.<ref name="ACI" /><ref name="AC3" />
Vidic then sent the Assassin team a video message in which he bargained for a trade between William and the Apple of Eden in Desmond's possession. In response, Desmond raided Abstergo's headquarters, fighting his way past security before eventually reaching William and Vidic. With William surrounded by numerous armed [[Soldier|guards]], Vidic demanded the Apple, only for Desmond to use the artifact to manipulate the guards into killing themselves and Vidic.<ref name="AC3" />


Warren then sent the Assassin team a video message in which he bargained for a trade between William and the Apple of Eden in Desmond's possession. In response, Desmond complied, but chose instead to begin a raid on Abstergo's headquarters before reaching William and Warren. On Desmond's arrival, he navigated the facility and eventually used the Apple to influence Abstergo's [[Soldier|guards]] into killing Warren and then themselves, before leaving the facility with his father.<ref name="AC3" />
Once freed, William reprimanded Desmond for risking everything just to rescue him before hugging his son, reconciling with him at last. After Desmond retrieved the power source from Vidic's office, he and William left the Abstergo facility while using the Apple to fight off any remaining guards that stood in their way.<ref name="AC3" />


===Opening the Grand Temple door===
===Opening the Grand Temple door===
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===Leave of absence===
===Leave of absence===
William, Shaun and Rebecca spent the next six months in hiding. Eventually, overwhelmed by the loss of his son, William resigned from his position in the order, delegated his duties to his closest ally, [[Gavin Banks]], and left for a self-imposed exile. William also left Gavin a codex, detailing what he had learned, before departing.<ref name="ACI" />
William, Shaun and Rebecca spent the next six months in hiding. Eventually, overwhelmed by the loss of his son, William resigned from his position in the Brotherhood, delegated his duties to his closest ally, [[Gavin Banks]], and left for a self-imposed exile. William also left Gavin a [[William Miles' codex|codex]], detailing the knowledge he had gained during his life as an Assassin, before departing.<ref name="ACI" />


Shaun and Rebecca spent some time trying to locate William, but were unsuccessful. After they met Gavin in [[Peru]], they passed on [[William Miles' codex|William's book]] and opted to carry on his mission. Gavin expressed hope William would return when he recovered from his loss: in the meantime, Shaun and Rebecca began searching for Desmond's body as they felt they owed it to him.<ref name="ACI" />
Shaun and Rebecca spent some time trying to locate William, but were unsuccessful. After they met Gavin in [[Peru]], they passed on William's codex and opted to carry on his mission. Gavin expressed hope William would return when he recovered from his loss. In the meantime, Shaun and Rebecca began searching for Desmond's body as they felt they owed it to him.<ref name="ACI" />


When Abstergo Entertainment's research analyst "[[Noob]]" gave the Assassins [[Noob's personal files|everything]] Abstergo had recovered from Desmond's body, including recorded memos to his father, William was able to move on, and sent a message of thanks to the analyst.<ref name="AC4" /> By early January 2014, William had returned to the Assassins, although he remained as elusive and difficult to contact as he had been when absent.<ref name="ACI" />
When Abstergo Entertainment's research analyst "[[Noob]]" gave the Assassins [[Noob's personal files|everything]] Abstergo had recovered from Desmond's body, including recorded memos to his father, William was able to move on, and sent a message of thanks to the analyst.<ref name="AC4" /> By January 2014, William had returned to the Assassins, although he remained as elusive and difficult to contact as he had been when absent.<ref name="ACI" />


===William's bunker===
===William's bunker===
On 1 May, Gavin and the crew of the ''[[Altaïr II]]'' located William in his [[William Miles' bunker|hideout]] in [[Norway]]. There, a spy for the [[Initiates]] group had recorded an argument Gavin and William had had about William's departure and subsequent lack of contact with Gavin when William had returned.<ref name="ACI" />
On 1 May, Gavin and the crew of the ''[[Altaïr II]]'' located William in his [[William Miles' bunker|hideout]] in [[Norway]]. There, a spy for the [[Initiates]] group had recorded an argument Gavin and William had had about William's departure and subsequent lack of contact with Gavin when William had returned.<ref name="ACI" />


Once Rebecca discovered the spy's presence among the crew of ''Altaïr II'', William interviewed each member of the crew in his 'White Room', the name for the interrogation room of his bunker. Unable to precisely determine the spy, William and Gavin agreed to order [[Galina Voronina]] to execute Dr. [[Stephanie Chiu]]: fellow crewmember [[Eric Cooper]] stood up for her, revealing he wrote the spy reports, while she merely uploaded them. Having flushed out the spies, William revealed his ruse, explaining he had decided the Initiates seemed like a reasonable group.<ref name="ACI" />
Once Rebecca discovered the spy's presence among the crew of ''Altaïr II'', William interviewed each member of the crew in his 'White Room', the name for the interrogation room of his bunker. Unable to precisely determine the spy, William and Gavin agreed to order [[Galina Voronina]] to execute Dr. [[Stephanie Chiu]]. Fellow crewmember [[Eric Cooper]] stood up for her, revealing he wrote the spy reports, while she merely uploaded them. Having flushed out the spies, William revealed his ruse, explaining he had decided the Initiates seemed like a reasonable group.<ref name="ACI" />
[[File:ACi-ForwardMomentum.jpg|thumb|left|250px|William and Gavin discussing the Brotherhood's future]]
[[File:ACi-ForwardMomentum.jpg|thumb|left|250px|William and Gavin discussing the Brotherhood's future]]
On 6 June, William and Gavin had a conversation about the recent events concerning the former's departure and how Gavin was still angry at him for this. William confessed he had not been able to continue the fight after Desmond's death. But knowing what Abstergo had done to his son's body angered him more but also "re-ignited" his desire to fight the Templars once again. Gavin entrusted him that the Assassins had lost the fight for some time now, but William reassured him that the Brotherhood's future might reside in the support of the Initiates, led by Shaun and Rebecca.<ref name="ACI" />
On 6 June, William and Gavin had a conversation about the recent events concerning the former's departure and how Gavin was still angry at him for this. William confessed he had not been able to continue the fight after Desmond's death. But knowing what Abstergo had done to his son's body angered him more but also "re-ignited" his desire to fight the Templars once again. Gavin entrusted him that the Assassins had lost the fight for some time now, but William reassured him that the Brotherhood's future might reside in the support of the Initiates, led by Shaun and Rebecca.<ref name="ACI" />


Sometime later in 2015, according to Shaun, William had become the new Mentor of the worldwide Brotherhood of Assassins.
Sometime later in 2015, according to Shaun, William had formally returned to his poisition of Mentor of the Brotherhood and was coordinating Assassin activity worldwide once again.<ref>[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate|''Assassin's Creed: Syndicate'']]</ref>


Following the Templars' acquisition of a [[Shrouds of Eden|Shroud of Eden]] for the purpose of [[Phoenix Project|recreating a Precursor]], William ordered all Assassins worldwide to find [[Álvaro Gramática]]'s laboratory, destroy it, kill Gramática and recover the Shroud.<ref name="Assassin Intel 1">''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]'' – ''[[Jack the Ripper (DLC)|Jack the Ripper]]'' – [[Database: Assassin Intel 1]]</ref> After the lack of success in locating the lab, William took in both [[Jasdip Dhami]] and [[Eric Cooper]]'s concerns in further involving the Initiates, whom they considered untrained civilians. He then enacted the [[Rooftop Garden Protocol]], instructing all Assassins to refrain from unnecessary communication on their network and if they were to locate Gramática's lab, they were not to engage until a strike team could be assembled.<ref name="Assassin Intel 6">''Assassin's Creed: Syndicate – Jack the Ripper'' – [[Database: Assassin Intel 6]]</ref>
Following the Templars' acquisition of a [[Shrouds of Eden|Shroud of Eden]] for the purpose of [[Phoenix Project|recreating a Precursor]], William ordered all Assassins worldwide to find [[Álvaro Gramática]]'s laboratory, destroy it, kill Gramática and recover the Shroud.<ref name="Assassin Intel 1">''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]'' – ''[[Jack the Ripper (DLC)|Jack the Ripper]]'' – [[Database: Assassin Intel 1]]</ref> After the lack of success in locating the lab, William took in both [[Jasdip Dhami]] and [[Eric Cooper]]'s concerns in further involving the Initiates, whom they considered untrained civilians. He then enacted the [[Rooftop Garden Protocol]], instructing all Assassins to refrain from unnecessary communication on their network and if they were to locate Gramática's lab, they were not to engage until a strike team could be assembled.<ref name="Assassin Intel 6">''Assassin's Creed: Syndicate – Jack the Ripper'' – [[Database: Assassin Intel 6]]</ref>
Line 116: Line 124:
{{Quote|You can come with me, or you can stay here and do the dance of death again and again, until you make a mistake. They only need you to make one. There's no going back to your old life, Layla.|William Miles to Layla Hassan upon their encounter, 2017.|Assassin's Creed: Origins}}
{{Quote|You can come with me, or you can stay here and do the dance of death again and again, until you make a mistake. They only need you to make one. There's no going back to your old life, Layla.|William Miles to Layla Hassan upon their encounter, 2017.|Assassin's Creed: Origins}}
[[File:ACO William makes a deal with Layla.png|thumb|250px|Layla Hassan threatening William]]
[[File:ACO William makes a deal with Layla.png|thumb|250px|Layla Hassan threatening William]]
In late 2017, William and his team sought to locate the sarcophagus and mummy of [[Bayek]], a founder and [[Mentor]] of the [[Hidden Ones]], the precursor to the Assassin Brotherhood. William tracked down Bayek's sarcophagus to the [[Hotep Cavern]] in the [[Qattara Depression]], where he discovered [[Layla Hassan]], a rogue [[Abstergo Industries]] employee who relived Bayek's memories without Abstergo's authorization.<ref name="ACO">''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]'' – Modern day</ref>
In late 2017, William and his team sought to locate the sarcophagus and mummy of [[Bayek]], co-founder and Mentor of the [[Hidden Ones]], the precursor to the Assassin Brotherhood. William tracked down Bayek's sarcophagus to the [[Hotep Cavern]] in the [[Qattara Depression]], where he discovered [[Layla Hassan]], a rogue [[Abstergo Industries]] employee who had relived Bayek's memories without Abstergo's authorization.<ref name="ACO">''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]'' – Modern day</ref>


Miles sat by Layla while she relieved Bayek's memories in her Animus. When Layla woke up and threatened William with Bayek's recovered Hidden Blade, he offered her a place with the Assassins to work on the Animus. Despite her reluctance to join up with the Brotherhood, she agreed to his offer, needing protection against Abstergo. The two then waited for a helicopter to take them to [[Alexandria]].<ref name="ACO"/>
William sat by Layla while she relieved Bayek's memories in her Animus. When Layla woke up and threatened William with a makeshift Hidden Blade, he offered her a place with the Assassins to work on the Animus. Despite her reluctance to join up with the Brotherhood, she agreed to at least accompany him, needing protection against Abstergo. The two then waited for a helicopter to take them to [[Alexandria]].<ref name="ACO"/>


After leaving Egypt, Layla accepted William's offer and officially joined the Assassins. A year later, William assigned Layla to an Assassin cell in order to search for the [[Staff of Hermes Trismegistus]] and the Isu city of [[Atlantis]]. The cell consisted of Layla, the [[Japanese Brotherhood of Assassins|Japanese Assassin]] [[Kiyoshi Takakura]], the historian [[Alannah Ryan]], and the former Abstergo employee Dr. [[Victoria Bibeau]],<ref name="ACOD">''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]'' – Modern day</ref> whom he had recruited after the [[Ascendance Event]].{{Cite|5 June 2023}} While the cell managed to locate the Staff in addition to the [[Spear of Leonidas]],<ref name="ACOD" /> Victoria was killed by Layla while under influence from the Staff in the Atlantean ruins beneath [[Thera]].<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – [[The Fate of Atlantis: Torment of Hades]]'' – Modern day</ref>
After leaving Egypt, Layla accepted William's offer and officially joined the Assassins. A year later, William assigned Layla to an Assassin cell in order to search for the [[Staff of Hermes Trismegistus]] and the First Civilization city of [[Atlantis]]. The cell consisted of Layla, the [[Japanese Brotherhood of Assassins|Japanese Assassin]] [[Kiyoshi Takakura]], the historian [[Alannah Ryan]], and the former Abstergo employee Dr. [[Victoria Bibeau]],<ref name="ACOD">''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]'' – Modern day</ref> whom he had recruited after the [[Ascendance Event]].{{Cite|5 June 2023}} While the cell managed to locate the Staff in addition to the [[Spear of Leonidas]],<ref name="ACOD" /> Victoria was killed by Layla while under influence from the Staff in the Atlantean ruins beneath [[Thera]].<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – [[The Fate of Atlantis: Torment of Hades]]'' – Modern day</ref>


Layla's actions strained her partnership amongst the Assassins. Because of this, William reassigned her to work alongside his former associates Rebecca and Shaun. Under William's orders, Shaun placed a mood stabilizer on Layla's neck to prevent her from succumbing to the control of the Staff.<ref name="ACV">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – Modern day</ref>
Layla's actions strained her partnership amongst the Assassins. Because of this, William reassigned her to work alongside his former associates Shaun and Rebecca. Under William's orders, Shaun placed a mood stabilizer on Layla's neck to prevent her from succumbing to the control of the Staff.<ref name="ACV">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – Modern day</ref>


===Working with Basim Ibn Ishaq===
===Working with Basim Ibn Ishaq===
When the 9th century Hidden One [[Basim Ibn Ishaq]], a [[Reborn Isu|rebirth]] of the Isu [[Loki]], escaped [[Yggdrasil]] in 2020, he sent Shaun and Rebecca away to retrieve William so he could meet the head of the modern Brotherhood in person.<ref name="ACV" /> Rather than risk an in-person face-to-face meeting, William remotely accessed Basim's Animus simulation to converse with him. Curious to learn Basim's true nature as well as how he survived for so long in suspended animation, William requested a sample of his blood so the Assassins could relive his genetic memories.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – [[The Last Chapter]]'' – Modern day</ref>
In 2020, Layla sacrificed herself to save the world much like Desmond had done eight years prior, by entering "[[The Grey]]" via [[Yggdrasil]]. In doing so, she also freed the 9th-century Hidden One [[Basim Ibn Ishaq]], the [[Reborn Isu|reincarnation]] of [[Loki]], who had been trapped inside the Grey. Upon meeting Shaun and Rebecca, they informed Basim of the differences between the Hidden Ones and the modern Assassin Brotherhood, including the fact that they were led by a single Mentor. When Basim asked to meet this Mentor face-to-face, Shaun and Rebecca, although distrustful of Basim's motives, agreed and left to bring William.<ref name="ACV" />
 
Rather than risk an in-person meeting, William remotely accessed Basim's Animus simulation while he was reliving [[Eivor Varinsdottir]]'s memories, in order to converse with him. Curious to learn about Basim's true nature as well as how he survived for so long in suspended animation, William agreed to work with him, but first requested a sample of his blood so the Assassins could relive his genetic memories.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – [[The Last Chapter]]'' – Modern day</ref>


==Personality and traits==
==Personality and traits==
{{Quote|Focus, Desmond, focus! Strength, speed, agility, no excuses!|William motivating his son during training.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
{{Quote|Focus, Desmond, focus! Strength, speed, agility, no excuses!|William motivating his son during training.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
William was truly devoted to the Assassin Order, sacrificing social relationships he had with those around him for its sake. While William's wife was able to deal with his emotional distance, his son could not, which became one of the main reasons Desmond elected to flee his parents. To this effect, William would admit to Desmond years later that he did a poor job at raising him.<ref name="Encyclopedia" />
William was truly devoted to the Assassin Brotherhood, sacrificing social relationships he had with those around him for its sake. While William's wife was able to deal with his emotional distance, his son could not, which became one of the main reasons Desmond elected to flee his parents. To this effect, William would admit to Desmond years later that he did a poor job at raising him.<ref name="Encyclopedia" />


William was also a highly proud man, going so far as to punch Desmond when his son compared him to the Templars. Despite this, he had no value for his own life when his death may have been necessary to safeguard the Assassins, scolding Desmond on rescuing him from Abstergo.<ref name="AC3" />
William was also a highly proud man, going so far as to punch Desmond when his son compared him to the Templars. Despite this, he had no value for his own life when his death may have been necessary to safeguard the Assassins, scolding Desmond on rescuing him from Abstergo.<ref name="AC3" />


Throughout his life, William appeared to remain focused more on the Order than his own son. However, William constantly cared for his son, as Shaun revealed in an email that William never left Desmond's side while his son was in a coma, sleeping next to him in the Animus.<ref name="AC3" />
Throughout his life, William appeared to remain focused more on the Brotherhood than his own son. However, William constantly cared for his son, as Shaun revealed in an email that William never left Desmond's side while his son was in a coma, even sleeping right next to him.<ref name="AC3" />
 
His somewhat cold personality also occasionally disturbed other members of the Order, most notably Shaun and Rebecca. Both were taken aback at how little remorse William showed over Lucy Stillman's death.<ref name="ACR" />


Nonetheless, the driven personality and intelligence William used to serve the Order earned him the loyalty and respect of the Assassins, allowing him to become the ''de facto'' leader in the absence of an official Mentor.<ref name="Encyclopedia" /><ref name="ACR" />
His somewhat cold personality also occasionally disturbed other members of the Brotherhood, most notably Shaun and Rebecca. Both were taken aback at how little remorse William showed over Lucy Stillman's death.<ref name="ACR" /> Nonetheless, the driven personality and intelligence William used to serve the Brotherhood earned him the loyalty and respect of the Assassins, allowing him to become the ''de facto'' leader in the absence of an official Mentor.<ref name="Encyclopedia" />


Following his rescue from Abstergo, William's feelings towards his son were made clearer, as he admitted to Desmond that though he found it hard to express himself, he did love his son.<ref name="AC3" /> Ultimately, Desmond's death left William depressed and unable to focus on leading the Order, causing his departure.<ref name="ACI" />
Following his rescue from Abstergo, William's feelings towards his son were made clearer, as he admitted to Desmond that though he found it hard to express himself, he did love his son.<ref name="AC3" /> Ultimately, Desmond's death left William depressed and unable to focus on leading the Brotherhood, causing his departure.<ref name="ACI" />


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*William is derived from Germanic name Willahelm, from elements ''wil'' ('will, desire') and ''helm'' ('helmet, protection'). Miles is a Latin word meaning 'soldier', but it has also been suggested to be a derivation of Slavic ''mil'', meaning 'grace, gracious'.
*William is derived from Germanic name Willahelm, from elements ''wil'' ('will, desire') and ''helm'' ('helmet, protection'). Miles is a Latin word meaning 'soldier', but it has also been suggested to be a derivation of Slavic ''mil'', meaning 'grace, gracious'.
*Along with [[Galina Voronina]], William is one of the few modern Assassins known to have wielded dual Hidden Blades.
*Along with [[Galina Voronina]], William is one of the few modern Assassins known to have wielded dual Hidden Blades.
*Despite a message claiming William Miles died in [[Assassin's Creed: Rogue|''Assassin's Creed: Rogue'']], he appears alive in ''Origins'', this is currently unexplained, although it is possible that the William Miles that was killed was a body double.
*In [[Assassin's Creed: Rogue|''Assassin's Creed: Rogue'']], two contradictory messages appear stating that William Miles is dead and alive, respectively, while a third message asks for his whereabouts, indicating that William's location was still a closely guarded secret, so much that some Assassins were uncertain whether he was even alive.


==Gallery==
==Gallery==

Revision as of 01:34, 12 August 2023

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"Beware the easy path. Knowledge grows only through challenge."
―William Miles.[src]-[m]

William "Bill" Miles (born 1948) is a member of the Assassin Brotherhood who acted as a contact for Assassin teams spread throughout the world. Based in the Assassin headquarters, he regularly kept the teams informed about the situations of others. Initially working from a remote compound known as "The Farm," William's dedication to the Brotherhood allowed him to assume the role of Mentor, and he oversaw the activities of Assassin cells worldwide.

A descendant of several renowned Assassins, including Ezio Auditore, Edward Kenway, and Ratonhnhaké:ton, William raised his son Desmond alongside his wife and trained him to become an Assassin from an early age, trying to teach him the importance of his heritage. However, his training was perceived as harsh by Desmond, who eventually ran away at the age of 16 to pursue a normal life. William was devastated by the loss of his son and spent the next several years trying to track him down, though he was unable to get to him before Abstergo Industries, who abducted Desmond in 2012 to use him as a test subject for their Animus Project and locate undiscovered Pieces of Eden.

Following Desmond's escape from Abstergo with the help of Lucy Stillman and his joining of Lucy's team alongside Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane, William kept in close contact with the team, monitoring Desmond's progress reliving Ezio's memories. After Desmond was forced to kill Lucy and fell into a coma upon obtaining Ezio's Apple of Eden, William joined the team himself in order to monitor Desmond's condition and use Ezio's memories to locate the Grand Temple of the First Civilization.

Once Desmond had recovered, William worked with him, Shaun and Rebecca to locate the key needed to access the Grand Temple's inner chambers in order to save the world from the incoming Second Disaster. While Desmond relived the memories of Haytham Kenway and Ratonhnhaké:ton to find the key, William tried to converse with his son and make amends, but his coldness and pride prevented him from apologizing, so they mostly avoided each other. However, they were eventually able to reconcile after William was captured by Abstergo while retrieving a power source for the Grand Temple, and Desmond mounted a rescue mission to save his father.

After Desmond sacrificed himself to activate the global aurora borealis device and prevent the Second Disaster, William, overcome with grief at the loss of his son, stepped down as Mentor and appointed Gavin Banks as his successor whilst he went into hiding. However, by 2015 he would return to his role and coordinate Assassin activity across the globe once more. He would later be responsible for the recruitment of Layla Hassan into the Brotherhood in 2017, and meeting with Basim Ibn Ishaq in 2020 to determine whether the Assassins would work with him in the future.

Biography

Early life

A descendant of a number of familial lines that had sworn their allegiances to the Assassins, including the House of Auditore and the Kenway family,[1] William was born into the Brotherhood and, like his ancestors, eventually chose to devote his life to the Assassin cause.

In 1977, William met a young girl named Nathalie Chapman, the daughter of Boris Pash and Zenia who had been raised by Warren Vidic since her birth. After discovering she was in fact a hostage kept by the Templars to ensure the cooperation of her father through an Animus session, she stole a copy of Vidic's Animus plans and gave it to William.[2]

William in Moscow, 1977

William fled with the plans to Moscow, being pursued by Templar agents. After being rescued by Medeya Voronina, a fellow member of the Brotherhood, William gave her the blueprints and requested she build it before the Templars could. He then departed to meet another Assassin cell in the city.[3]

The Farm

"One day you'll understand. All this unease will be worth something, I promise."
―William to Desmond during the latter's training.[src]

By 1987, William lived with his wife in an Assassin compound known as "The Farm," which was located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, United States. There, he resided in the compound with approximately thirty other members.[4][5]

William was responsible for the training of the young Assassin recruits, most notably his own son as well as Clay Kaczmarek and Lucy Stillman. When Lucy reached the age of seventeen, he made the decision to raise her outside the Brotherhood. This was to ensure that she would be able to covertly infiltrate Abstergo Industries, and her ties to the Brotherhood were severed as a result.[5]

William also raised Desmond rigorously, and would often emphasize the importance of being careful, as well as being prepared for an attack at any time, though his son dismissed most of his warnings as paranoia.[5]

Researching Daniel Cross

In 1998, William was contacted by Paul Bellamy, the Assassin in charge of a Brotherhood compound located outside Philadelphia. Paul asked William to search for information regarding an individual named Daniel Cross, who was brought into the compound by Hannah Mueller under the assumption that Daniel was an Assassin.[6]

William collected information regarding Daniel's ancestry, and was led to the Russian Assassin Nikolai Orelov, who was closely tied to the Tunguska explosion. William relayed this information to Paul, and Daniel was subsequently brought into the Brotherhood. At some point, William met Cross personally and believed his sincerity.[6]

In November 2000, Daniel was personally introduced to the Brotherhood's Mentor, but assassinated him due to an impulse covertly implanted into his brain by Abstergo during his youth. Cross also revealed to Abstergo the locations of all the Assassin camps he had visited during his search for the Mentor. This resulted in the Templars initiating an endeavor to destroy these camps. Nearly all of the Assassin compounds were eradicated, though because William was warned preemptively, he and other Assassins on the Farm survived.[5][6]

Overseeing the Order

With the Mentor dead, and nearly all of the Assassin compounds seized by the Templars, the Assassins went into hiding, operating remotely from concealed hideouts and cells. Eventually, control of the Brotherhood fell onto William, and he began to oversee the Assassins' activities.[6][7][8]

In 2003, Desmond abruptly departed the Farm, fed up with William's training and his parents' warnings about the Templars, believing them to be nothing more than conspiracy freaks. Despite efforts to locate Desmond, William and the Assassins were unsuccessful in retrieving him, though William continued to loyally serve the Brotherhood and kept in contact with the Assassin cells via their private email network.[5]

In 2012, Lucy continued to work covertly in Abstergo Industries as the assistant to Warren Vidic, who was a member of the Templars' Inner Sanctum. After the death of Clay Kaczmarek, who had been used in the company's Animus Project as "Subject 16," Abstergo's Lineage Discovery and Acquisition division managed to track down Desmond and capture him, eventually using him in the Animus Project as "Subject 17."[5][7]

Around this time, William and the other Assassins deserted the Farm shortly before a team sent by Abstergo arrived there.[7]

Retrieving Desmond

Harlan: "Shit! He's gone into shock!"
William: "Put him back in the machine, it's the only way to fix this!"
Harlan: "But the Animus did this to him!"
William: "Am I the expert or not? Do it!"
—William and Harlan T. Cunningham arguing about Desmond's health, 2012.[src]

Lucy eventually broke Desmond out of Abstergo's facility in Italy, and the two joined Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane to continue Desmond's Animus sessions, while pursuing the Assassins' interests. During this time, William kept in contact with Lucy's team and learned of Desmond's progress.[8][9]

Eventually, through reliving the memories of Ezio Auditore, Desmond was able to ascertain the location of his ancestor's Apple of Eden, which had been hidden within the Colosseum Vault. The team then entered the Vault and Desmond retrieved the Apple. However, Desmond's body was influenced by Juno, a member of the First Civilization, who made him stab Lucy with his Hidden Blade, killing her.[5][8]

William dispatched several Assassins to retrieve the team from the Vault, and placed Desmond inside the Animus due to his fear of sedating Desmond too soon. Back in the Animus, Desmond continued to relive Ezio's memories, and eventually found a restored memory sequence from 1506. From there, he received an email from William stating that the memory sequence he had found would lead the Assassins to crucial information regarding another Vault.[8]

At the end of these memories, Ezio and Leonardo da Vinci found another Vault in Rome, which was located beneath the Temple of Pythagoras. When Ezio's DNA activated a pedestal, the room projected the coordinates 43° 39′ 19″ N, 75° 27′ 42″ W, which led to the town of Turin in New York state, the location of the Grand Temple left behind by the First Civilization.[5][8]

Once the sequence was completed, William instructed Harlan Cunningham to sedate Desmond, though it was too late; Desmond had entered a coma and had fallen into the Animus' Black Room. Despite this setback, William was confident his son would recover, and so he and Harlan left Desmond to investigate the coordinates.[5][8][10]

Relocating to New York

William: "Desmond, can you hear me? Son?"
Desmond: "I know what we need to do."
—William and Desmond, upon the latter's awakening.[src]
William beside Desmond

While Desmond remained in the Animus, William transported him and Rebecca to New York, with Shaun opting to stay in Italy to attend Lucy's funeral. During this time, William examined the Apple of Eden, though he concluded he did not have the genes to properly wield it.[5]

Upon arrival, William helped Rebecca stabilize Desmond, as well as monitor his condition. While overseeing Desmond, William questioned Rebecca and Shaun about him. William also mentioned that Desmond's DNA had a high concentration of First Civilization DNA, which would allow him to wield the Apple of Eden.[5]

When his son finally woke from his coma, William was the first to greet him, with Desmond seeming surprised to see him, but recognizing him immediately. Desmond, after seeing the Apple nearby, stated to his team that he knew what they needed to do, and William proceeded to lead the team out of their van.[5]

Into the Grand Temple

William: "The Temple triggered a bleeding effect. You collapsed and entered into a fugue state."
Desmond: "So naturally you dropped me into the Animus instead of... I don't know... making sure I was okay?"
—William and Desmond discussing the latter's sudden unconsciousness in the Grand Temple, 2012.[src]-[m]

Upon entering the Grand Temple, William ordered his son back into the Animus when Desmond began suffering from the Bleeding Effect. After completing Haytham Kenway's memories, Desmond exited the machine, to which William demanded that Desmond enter it again, in order to find the key to the Temple's gate faster. Fed up with his father, Desmond yelled at William for provoking his own son, and accused him of being no better than the Templars, to which William responded by punching his son in the face.[11]

William moments after lashing out at Desmond

William revealed that the driving force of his whole career as an Assassin was to make the world a better place for his son, and that the impending countdown did not afford Desmond time to relax. However, he did acknowledge that he had been a poor father to Desmond, though the two still avoided each other for some time.[11]

Later, Desmond conversed with his father again, who apologized for snapping at him, and the two set their differences aside, with Desmond asking about his father's activity upon leaving the Farm. Meanwhile, Abstergo had been tracking William for some time, as they meant to use him as bait. Vidic planned to capture him in the hope that Desmond would exchange the Apple for his father's safety, or attempt to rescue him.[10][11]

Capture by Abstergo

"It appears we now each have something the other desires. I propose a trade. Bring me the Apple and I'll return your father to you no worse for the wear. Should you refuse, he will still be returned, albeit much worse for the wear."
―Warren threatening William's life, 2012.[src]-[m]
William held captive in Vidic's office

When Shaun located the third power source needed to power the Grand Temple at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt, William volunteered to go there, as they were running out of time and he wanted Desmond to focus on locating the key. On his way there, he emailed his son, telling him to relax, as he had been "fighting these bastards before [Desmond] was even born".[11]

Recognizing the opportunity, Vidic sent the Master Templar Juhani Otso Berg to capture William. Seizing both William and the power source, Abstergo brought them to the same building where Desmond had been incarcerated a few months prior. William was placed in the Animus, but refused to cooperate, knowing that it would prevent Abstergo from using his memories to their advantage.[10][11]

Vidic then sent the Assassin team a video message in which he bargained for a trade between William and the Apple of Eden in Desmond's possession. In response, Desmond raided Abstergo's headquarters, fighting his way past security before eventually reaching William and Vidic. With William surrounded by numerous armed guards, Vidic demanded the Apple, only for Desmond to use the artifact to manipulate the guards into killing themselves and Vidic.[11]

Once freed, William reprimanded Desmond for risking everything just to rescue him before hugging his son, reconciling with him at last. After Desmond retrieved the power source from Vidic's office, he and William left the Abstergo facility while using the Apple to fight off any remaining guards that stood in their way.[11]

Opening the Grand Temple door

Desmond: "You need to go. All of you. Now. Get as far away from here as you can."
William: "Come with us. We'll find another way."
—William pleading Desmond to reconsider his decision, 2012.[src]-[m]
William's final moments with Desmond

Eventually discovering the Grand Temple Key's location and retrieving it from the grave of Achilles Davenport's late son Connor, Desmond unlocked the final barrier that separated the group from the Grand Temple's inner chambers. Once inside, the group located a pedestal, and Juno explained to them that it would shield the planet from the solar flares with Desmond's touch. However, Minerva suddenly appeared hoping to discourage Desmond, pointing out that touching the pedestal would not only kill him, but also unleash a dormant Juno, who would conquer the Earth for herself.[11]

However, on deciding that Juno could be fought, Desmond made his choice and went to touch the pedestal. William made a final attempt to dissuade him, but Desmond was unfazed and simply told his allies to flee the Temple. Following the departure of the rest of his team, Desmond touched the pedestal, giving his life to save the planet.[11]

Leave of absence

William, Shaun and Rebecca spent the next six months in hiding. Eventually, overwhelmed by the loss of his son, William resigned from his position in the Brotherhood, delegated his duties to his closest ally, Gavin Banks, and left for a self-imposed exile. William also left Gavin a codex, detailing the knowledge he had gained during his life as an Assassin, before departing.[10]

Shaun and Rebecca spent some time trying to locate William, but were unsuccessful. After they met Gavin in Peru, they passed on William's codex and opted to carry on his mission. Gavin expressed hope William would return when he recovered from his loss. In the meantime, Shaun and Rebecca began searching for Desmond's body as they felt they owed it to him.[10]

When Abstergo Entertainment's research analyst "Noob" gave the Assassins everything Abstergo had recovered from Desmond's body, including recorded memos to his father, William was able to move on, and sent a message of thanks to the analyst.[1] By January 2014, William had returned to the Assassins, although he remained as elusive and difficult to contact as he had been when absent.[10]

William's bunker

On 1 May, Gavin and the crew of the Altaïr II located William in his hideout in Norway. There, a spy for the Initiates group had recorded an argument Gavin and William had had about William's departure and subsequent lack of contact with Gavin when William had returned.[10]

Once Rebecca discovered the spy's presence among the crew of Altaïr II, William interviewed each member of the crew in his 'White Room', the name for the interrogation room of his bunker. Unable to precisely determine the spy, William and Gavin agreed to order Galina Voronina to execute Dr. Stephanie Chiu. Fellow crewmember Eric Cooper stood up for her, revealing he wrote the spy reports, while she merely uploaded them. Having flushed out the spies, William revealed his ruse, explaining he had decided the Initiates seemed like a reasonable group.[10]

William and Gavin discussing the Brotherhood's future

On 6 June, William and Gavin had a conversation about the recent events concerning the former's departure and how Gavin was still angry at him for this. William confessed he had not been able to continue the fight after Desmond's death. But knowing what Abstergo had done to his son's body angered him more but also "re-ignited" his desire to fight the Templars once again. Gavin entrusted him that the Assassins had lost the fight for some time now, but William reassured him that the Brotherhood's future might reside in the support of the Initiates, led by Shaun and Rebecca.[10]

Sometime later in 2015, according to Shaun, William had formally returned to his poisition of Mentor of the Brotherhood and was coordinating Assassin activity worldwide once again.[12]

Following the Templars' acquisition of a Shroud of Eden for the purpose of recreating a Precursor, William ordered all Assassins worldwide to find Álvaro Gramática's laboratory, destroy it, kill Gramática and recover the Shroud.[13] After the lack of success in locating the lab, William took in both Jasdip Dhami and Eric Cooper's concerns in further involving the Initiates, whom they considered untrained civilians. He then enacted the Rooftop Garden Protocol, instructing all Assassins to refrain from unnecessary communication on their network and if they were to locate Gramática's lab, they were not to engage until a strike team could be assembled.[14]

Working with Layla Hassan

"You can come with me, or you can stay here and do the dance of death again and again, until you make a mistake. They only need you to make one. There's no going back to your old life, Layla."
―William Miles to Layla Hassan upon their encounter, 2017.[src]
Layla Hassan threatening William

In late 2017, William and his team sought to locate the sarcophagus and mummy of Bayek, co-founder and Mentor of the Hidden Ones, the precursor to the Assassin Brotherhood. William tracked down Bayek's sarcophagus to the Hotep Cavern in the Qattara Depression, where he discovered Layla Hassan, a rogue Abstergo Industries employee who had relived Bayek's memories without Abstergo's authorization.[15]

William sat by Layla while she relieved Bayek's memories in her Animus. When Layla woke up and threatened William with a makeshift Hidden Blade, he offered her a place with the Assassins to work on the Animus. Despite her reluctance to join up with the Brotherhood, she agreed to at least accompany him, needing protection against Abstergo. The two then waited for a helicopter to take them to Alexandria.[15]

After leaving Egypt, Layla accepted William's offer and officially joined the Assassins. A year later, William assigned Layla to an Assassin cell in order to search for the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus and the First Civilization city of Atlantis. The cell consisted of Layla, the Japanese Assassin Kiyoshi Takakura, the historian Alannah Ryan, and the former Abstergo employee Dr. Victoria Bibeau,[16] whom he had recruited after the Ascendance Event. [citation needed] While the cell managed to locate the Staff in addition to the Spear of Leonidas,[16] Victoria was killed by Layla while under influence from the Staff in the Atlantean ruins beneath Thera.[17]

Layla's actions strained her partnership amongst the Assassins. Because of this, William reassigned her to work alongside his former associates Shaun and Rebecca. Under William's orders, Shaun placed a mood stabilizer on Layla's neck to prevent her from succumbing to the control of the Staff.[18]

Working with Basim Ibn Ishaq

In 2020, Layla sacrificed herself to save the world much like Desmond had done eight years prior, by entering "The Grey" via Yggdrasil. In doing so, she also freed the 9th-century Hidden One Basim Ibn Ishaq, the reincarnation of Loki, who had been trapped inside the Grey. Upon meeting Shaun and Rebecca, they informed Basim of the differences between the Hidden Ones and the modern Assassin Brotherhood, including the fact that they were led by a single Mentor. When Basim asked to meet this Mentor face-to-face, Shaun and Rebecca, although distrustful of Basim's motives, agreed and left to bring William.[18]

Rather than risk an in-person meeting, William remotely accessed Basim's Animus simulation while he was reliving Eivor Varinsdottir's memories, in order to converse with him. Curious to learn about Basim's true nature as well as how he survived for so long in suspended animation, William agreed to work with him, but first requested a sample of his blood so the Assassins could relive his genetic memories.[19]

Personality and traits

"Focus, Desmond, focus! Strength, speed, agility, no excuses!"
―William motivating his son during training.[src]

William was truly devoted to the Assassin Brotherhood, sacrificing social relationships he had with those around him for its sake. While William's wife was able to deal with his emotional distance, his son could not, which became one of the main reasons Desmond elected to flee his parents. To this effect, William would admit to Desmond years later that he did a poor job at raising him.[4]

William was also a highly proud man, going so far as to punch Desmond when his son compared him to the Templars. Despite this, he had no value for his own life when his death may have been necessary to safeguard the Assassins, scolding Desmond on rescuing him from Abstergo.[11]

Throughout his life, William appeared to remain focused more on the Brotherhood than his own son. However, William constantly cared for his son, as Shaun revealed in an email that William never left Desmond's side while his son was in a coma, even sleeping right next to him.[11]

His somewhat cold personality also occasionally disturbed other members of the Brotherhood, most notably Shaun and Rebecca. Both were taken aback at how little remorse William showed over Lucy Stillman's death.[5] Nonetheless, the driven personality and intelligence William used to serve the Brotherhood earned him the loyalty and respect of the Assassins, allowing him to become the de facto leader in the absence of an official Mentor.[4]

Following his rescue from Abstergo, William's feelings towards his son were made clearer, as he admitted to Desmond that though he found it hard to express himself, he did love his son.[11] Ultimately, Desmond's death left William depressed and unable to focus on leading the Brotherhood, causing his departure.[10]

Trivia

  • William is derived from Germanic name Willahelm, from elements wil ('will, desire') and helm ('helmet, protection'). Miles is a Latin word meaning 'soldier', but it has also been suggested to be a derivation of Slavic mil, meaning 'grace, gracious'.
  • Along with Galina Voronina, William is one of the few modern Assassins known to have wielded dual Hidden Blades.
  • In Assassin's Creed: Rogue, two contradictory messages appear stating that William Miles is dead and alive, respectively, while a third message asks for his whereabouts, indicating that William's location was still a closely guarded secret, so much that some Assassins were uncertain whether he was even alive.

Gallery

  • Concept art of William
    Concept art of William
  • William's profile shown to the Master Templars
    William's profile shown to the Master Templars
  • William Miles as he appears in Assassin's Creed III
    William Miles as he appears in Assassin's Creed III
  • William and the others on their way to the Grand Temple
    William and the others on their way to the Grand Temple
  • The Assassins arriving at the Temple
    The Assassins arriving at the Temple
  • William and the others entering the cave
    William and the others entering the cave
  • William volunteering to head to Cairo
    William volunteering to head to Cairo
  • William being held captive by Warren Vidic
    William being held captive by Warren Vidic
  • Desmond using the Apple of Eden on the Abstergo guards
    Desmond using the Apple of Eden on the Abstergo guards
  • Juno's vision of William and the other Assassins after the disaster
    Juno's vision of William and the other Assassins after the disaster
  • William threatened with the Hidden Blade by Layla
    William threatened with the Hidden Blade by Layla

Appearances

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – Modern day
  2. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Bloodstone – Book 2
  3. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Initiates – Database: A Brash American
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 Assassin's Creed: Revelations
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Assassin's Creed: The Fall
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Assassin's Creed – Modern day
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
  9. ↑ Assassin's Creed II
  10. ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 Assassin's Creed: Initiates
  11. ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 Assassin's Creed III – Modern day
  12. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Syndicate
  13. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Syndicate – Jack the Ripper – Database: Assassin Intel 1
  14. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Syndicate – Jack the Ripper – Database: Assassin Intel 6
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Assassin's Creed: Origins – Modern day
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Modern day
  17. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – The Fate of Atlantis: Torment of Hades – Modern day
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Modern day
  19. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Last Chapter – Modern day

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de:William Miles es:William Miles fa:William Miles fr:William Miles hu:William Miles it:William Miles nl:William Miles pl:William Miles pt-br:William Miles ru:Уильям Майлс zh:威廉·迈尔斯

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