Desmond Miles

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Desmond Miles is the 25-year-old protagonist of the Assassin's Creed series. He is the descendant of two assassins, Altaïr ibn La-Ahad and Ezio Auditore da Firenze. He uses a machine, called the Animus, to relive the memories of his two ancestors.

Biography

Early life

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Desmond and Lucy Stillman talking in the Assassin "hideout"

Desmond Miles was born in an Assassin "hideout," much like the city of Masyaf, where his ancestor, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, was also born. Miles later fled the hideout, claiming that "he wanted to see the rest of the world." He stated that he had no regrets leaving his parents, because as far as he was concerned, they were his "wardens." At one point when Warren Vidic makes accusations of him being an Assassin, he responds by saying "I'm not an Assassin... not anymore." At some point after leaving the hideout, Desmond became a bartender. Desmond never used his real name, before being taken by Vidic and the modern-day Templar order. He was found from his fingerprint needed for a motorcycle license. Until the end of Assassin's Creed 2, Desmond had never killed anyone.

Assassin's Creed

In September 2012, Desmond Miles is kidnapped by Abstergo Industries, a pharmaceutical company, for use as a test subject in the Animus, a device that can read the memories of Desmond's ancestors through the "genetic memory" left behind in their descendants' DNA, then allow Desmond to simulate the experiences of his ancestors in some sort of a virtual reality. Abstergo intends to put Desmond in the device to simulate the memories of a particular ancestor, Altaïr ibn La-Ahad, a member of a clan of Assassins, specifically Altaïr's experiences during the year 1191 as part of the Third Crusade in the Holy Land. Desmond has trouble adjusting to the device, but eventually relives Altaïr's exploits over the next several days.

While Desmond claims to be nothing more than a bartender, it is alluded to that he is an Assassin, or at least was an Assasin at some point. Vidic and Lucy Stillman tell Desmond that they're trying to access a certain memory, but Desmond's subconscious is restraining. Vidic warns Desmond that if he refuses to assist them, they will induce a coma, continue their work, and, when done with Desmond, leave him to die. Without much choice, Desmond agrees to help them.

Later on in the game, one of Desmond's sessions is interrupted by a group of Assassins who have apparently launched a rescue attempt and have began opening fire. Desmond however cannot see this. but only hear the gunfire through an intercom device. Vidic later states that these Assassins were not only killed, but were the last of the Assassins, possibly as a means of demoralising Desmond; Lucy Stillman's actions, however, suggest otherwise, and when Desmond asks if Lucy knows anything about his parents, she responds by saying that she doesn't know, but that they probably escaped. After accessing the target memory, executives of Abstergo representing the modern-day Templar order, order Desmond to be murdered, but Stillman intervenes and asks if Abstergo can keep Desmond until he has no further use to them. By this point Desmond begins to develop the "bleeding effect" (mentioned in Lucy's emails as affecting previous test subjects) as he manifests Altaïr’s "eagle vision," allowing him to see cryptic messages written on the walls of the laboratory (presumably written by test subject sixteen, the subject before Desmond, who is alluded to in the emails).

Assassin's Creed II

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Desmond sitting in the Animus 2.0

Desmond starts off Assassin's Creed II still held within Abstergo, right where we left off at the end of the first game. Lucy arrives and demands him to get into the Animus before Abstergo discovers what she's done. Desmond agrees and, inside the Animus, he experiences the birth of one of his ancestors , Ezio Auditore da Firenze due to the comparison of DNA Memory between him and Subject 16 (Which speculates they might be related). Lucy soon after pulls him out and the two attempt to escape from the Abstergo building. Along the way, Abstergo security soon finds out they're trying to leave, meaning at times they have to take action in order to avoid being captured as they escape. Also, when they start to sneak around a large office-like room, they come across a number of Animus machines along the way, and when Desmond asks Lucy about them she tells him to be silent. At the final door, a password is needed that Lucy does not have, however Desmond uses his Eagle Vision, an ability he has just acquired from the Bleeding Effect, to see fingerprints on the keypad, putting in the code soon after. The final point of the escape pits Desmond and Lucy against a group of guards at the parking lot exit. Lucy hides Desmond in the trunk of a car and she drives off to an Assassin hideout, whilst he endures the bumps on the journey. 

When they arrive, the two of them meet Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane, both of whom are Assassins, just like Lucy. She tells Desmond they want him to become an Assassin member, and can train him in a matter of days using the memories of Ezio. With the Bleeding effect, Ezio's skills will be passed to Desmond, making him faster, stronger, more agile and therefore become a better fighter, highly maneuverable and a key member of the Modern-day Assassin order. He accepts stating he wants revenge on what Abstergo did to him, leaving Lucy happy he wants to join as he is plugged into the Animus where his journey as Ezio, begins.

Midway through the game, Desmond is retracted from the Animus. Lucy didn't want him staying in Ezio's memories for too long, otherwise he may face the mental degradation that Subject 16 had suffered. She also wants to see how much Desmond has picked up from his time as his ancestor, tasking him with initiating security protocols around the Assassin hideout. Just as he begins, however, vivid hallucinations develop as he begins seeing people from Altair's time period, around different parts of the hideout. Lucy says that if they only occur for a little while, he should be fine. Unfortunately for Desmond, at one point after finishing his task, the visions start to become more real and he is taken back to one Altair's memories, even though he isn't linked to the Animus. Here, Desmond learns of Altair having a relationship with the Templar, Maria, the decoy of Robert de Sable in the first Assassin's Creed. As Altair leaves, Desmond wonders why he isn't following him. Instead, he moves towards Maria where he enters her womb, obviously showing that Altair's child and another of Desmond's ancestors has been conceived.

During his time inside the Animus, at the end of the game a "god", Minerva, who also refers to herself as "One Who Came Before", warns Desmond through Ezio of the destruction of the world. Immediately after getting out of the Animus, Lucy informs Desmond that their stronghold is under attack and she hands him a hidden blade. An old friend is introduced, as Vidic appears and says that he has come back to claim Desmond. Lucy and Desmond, now synchronized with both Altaïr and Ezio, fight off the Vidic's henchmen. His hand-to-hand combat skills are much improved from the escape from Abstergo, and he begins to show a mastery of disarming, countering, free running and climbing techniques. When Desmond finally confronts Vidic he begins to flee, but promises that their victory is only temporary. Lucy decides they must leave the safehouse and says that they have another safehouse somewhere up north. She also informs Desmond that they have the Animus onboard and he should delve back in, looking for anymore memories that may reveal more information, whilst she and the others try to analyze Minerva's warning and Subject 16's Animus video.

Desmond's two known ancestors, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Trivia

• He is modeled after model Francisco Randez and voiced by Nolan North.
• Desmond possesses the same scar in his mouth as his ancestors Altaïr and Ezio did.
• Desmond's clothes are similar to those worn by both Ezio and Altaïr, albeit in a more modern style. He has a hood (although it is not worn over his head), and his jacket is white - similar to Altair's robes, and Ezio's clothing, which is originally referred to as "Assassin White". Concept Art of him with his hood up show that it has the "eagle-beak" shape his ancestors' clothes had.
• Desmond acquires a Hidden Blade at the conclusion of Assassin's Creed 2.  The original owner of the blade is uncertain, but it shares the same design as Ezio's, inherited from his father, Giovanni.  
• Desmond obtains Eagle Vision from his ancestor Altaïr and his fighting and free-running skills from his ancestor Ezio through the Bleeding Effect in the Animus.
• Desmond will most likely become a Master Assassin during the Assassin's Creed series. He already has mastered eagle vision, free running, climbing, and even fighting. How much more training can be obtained is still unknown however.
• At times during the game, Desmond's eyes appear to be a golden yellow colour, as do Ezio's, greatly resembling the eyes of an eagle, a bird of prey spotted throughout the Assassin's Creed series.
• Desmond, like Altair and Ezio, is a born of a bloodline mixed with Assassin and the "Ones Who Came Before" genes.
• Desmond's fighting skills during the break from Abstergo are a lot like Altair's in Assassins Creed, it is unknown if this is due to the Bleeding Effect, or he always fought as badly. During the Templar's attack at the end of Assassin's Creed II Desmond's move resemble Ezio's moves, with Desmond being able to disarm and fight more smoothly.