Ezio Auditore da Firenze

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"The Auditore are not dead! I'm still here! Me! Ezio, Ezio Auditore!"

―Ezio Auditore, 1476.

Ezio Auditore da Firenze (born 1459) was an important figure during the Italian Renaissance - unbeknownst to most historians and philosophers - and a member of the Assassin's Order. He is a descendant of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and the ancestor of Desmond Miles and possibly Subject 16 since the memory of Ezio was linked. Ezio was unaware of his Assassin heritage until he was 17-years-old, when following the murder of his father and two brothers, Federico and Petruccio, Ezio fled from the Italian province of Florence - his hometown - and took refuge in the town of Monteriggioni in the Tuscan region at the Auditore Family Villa.

After the mentoring and training from his uncle, Mario Auditore, Ezio proceeded on his quest of revenge against the Grandmaster of the Knights Templar, Rodrigo Borgia, who had ordered the execution of his father and two brothers. During his 23 year quest for revenge, Ezio managed to not only unite The Codex pages Altaïr wrote, for the first time since Domenico Auditore, but also to save the cities of Florence and Venice from the Templars' wrath. Later still, Ezio was responsible for the rescue of Christoffa Corombo, uncovering a Templar plot to discover the "New World".

Biography

Early life

A much younger Ezio, portrayed by Devon Bostick.

Ezio Auditore da Firenze was born 1459 AD to Giovanni and Maria Auditore. Until the age of 17, Ezio lived a life of luxury as a member of the Florentine noble class, unaware of his father's allegiance to the Assassin Order. As a youth he was an apprentice to a Florentine banker, presumably to learn the ropes of banking, so that he could become the leader of the Auditore bank.

At the beginning of Assassin's Creed II, Ezio, his older brother Federico, and friends of the family got into a fight with Vieri de' Pazzi and his gang. Ezio singlehandedly defeated several members of the opposing gang, but unfortunately, Vieri escaped the scene before Ezio could do anything to him. During the fight, Ezio was cut on the side of his mouth, so Frederico suggested that they visit the local doctor. After looting several people left unconscious from the fight, the two brothers ran across the rooftops to the Doctor.

After the doctor had tended to his wound, a church nearby caught the eye of the brothers and Federico suggested a race. Ezio won and together the two looked out over the city. Realizing that they were nearby, Ezio traveled to the house of Cristina Vespucci and spent the night with her. Caught by Cristina's father the morning after, Ezio fled from a group of pursuing guards before meeting with his father at the Palazzo Auditore who assigned him the task of delivering several letters to his father's contacts.

After returning the palazzo, Ezio found his distraught sister crying after discovering her boyfriend had been unfaithful. After obtaining his whereabouts, Ezio beat the man and warned him to stay away from his sister. Upon returning to the palazzo again, his mother secured his services in picking up some paintings from a young artist that she patronized, Leonardo da Vinci.

Arrest and execution of his family

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Ezio's Family being hung for treason.

After completing his errands, Ezio returned home to find his father and brothers missing and his mother and sister hiding. Learning that city guards had been ordered to arrest Giovanni and all of his sons, Ezio made his way to the Piazza della Signoria, where his father and brothers were being held. Climbing the building and speaking to his father through the cell's windows, Ezio was instructed to find a chest hidden in his office, to take everything out of it and to deliver a sealed letter to Uberto Alberti, the personal assistant of Lorenzo de' Medici, and a close friend of the Auditore family. Doing so, Ezio found the assassin coat that he would be wearing for the next 23 years and the letter to contain details of a plot against the city of Florence and the Auditore family. Ezio brought the incriminating documents to Alberti and was assured that his family would be released the following day when the information was presented as evidence of their innocence.

The next day, Ezio returned to the Piazza della Signoria to find Alberti presiding over the execution of the Auditores (watched over all the while by a mysterious stranger who had been present with Alberti that night). Giovanni claimed his innocence, citing the information given to Alberti as evidence, who denied any knowledge of such evidence's existence. Ezio's efforts to prevent the execution were ultimately in vain. When he attempted to charge the scaffold to avenge his kinsmen, Alberti ordered the city guards to murder Ezio. At the urging of one of Giovanni's friends, a thief, Ezio fled the Piazza della Signoria and sought shelter in a brothel, ran by the sister of the Auditore housemaid, a courtesan named Paola.

Paola agreed to assist Ezio in his quest for vengeance, teaching him how to survive in the city as an outlaw through pickpocketing and blending in crowds. She further directed Ezio to Leonardo da Vinci to repair the Hidden Blade of the late Giovanni Auditore. After fixing the blade, Ezio sought out and assassinated Alberti in the courtyard of the Basilica of Santa Croce, stabbing him multiple times in the heart before proudly shouting his name to everyone present, marking Alberti as Ezio's first assassination.

Start as an Assassin

Ezio yells at the corpse of Vieri de' Pazzi.

Now the most wanted man in Florence, Ezio fled Florence with his mother and sister in the hopes of making their way to Spain, stopping beforehand at the Auditore family's villa in the town of Monteriggioni, as a means of shelter. During their travel to Monteriggioni, the three were accosted by Vieri de' Pazzi and his followers, but were saved by the timely arrival of Ezio's uncle, Mario, and his Mercenaries. Mario informed Ezio of the Assassin Order, in an obvious attempt to induct him into the Order, revealing that many of his ancestors, including Giovanni, were a part of the Order. However, Ezio refused his ancestry, wishing only to continue onto Spain to ensure his mother and sister's safety. Enraged, Mario left Monteriggioni for the city of San Gimignano, the location of Vieri de' Pazzi, in the attempt to relieve Monteriggioni of continual assaults by Vieri's minions. Guilt-ridden and knowing his presence was a primary reason for the ongoing attacks, Ezio traveled to San Gimignano to accept Mario's offer.

When Ezio arrived outside the city, he joined Mario and his mercenaries in their assault on the city, waiting until nightfall to make their way to Vieri de' Pazzi by killing guards patrolling the city near the gates. After briefly watching a meeting between Rodrigo Borgia, Jacopo de' Pazzi, Francesco de' Pazzi and Vieri, Ezio encountered and fought Vieri for the last time. After a brief duel, Ezio eventually overpowered and killed Vieri. Ezio tried to extract a confession from his old enemy, but to no avail as Vieri chose to be snide even to the very end. Infuriated by this, Ezio flew into a rage and threatened to exact terrible vengeance on Vieri's corpse until his uncle calmed him and reminded him of a tradition of the Assassins: showing respect to those they have killed.

Killing the Pazzi

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Jacopo de' Pazzi and the fellow conspirators.

Following the death of Vieri, Ezio returned to Florence to gather information with La Volpe and prevent the planned Pazzi takeover and deaths of Lorenzo de' Medici and Guilani de' Medici. Arriving too late to save Guilani, Ezio managed to prevent the death of Lorenzo, the ruler of Florence, and restored his family's good name. However, the Pazzi had already succeeded in their plan and brought the city into a state of civil war. After learning the location of Francesco de' Pazzi at the Piazza della Signoria, Ezio chased and murdered him, although Jacopo de' Pazzi and several other conspirators were able to escape. Shortly afterward, the Medici publicly cleared the name of the Auditore family and provided Ezio with the names of the conspirators who had escaped.

Learning that the Pazzi conspirators had fled to San Gimignano, Ezio tracked down and killed Antonio Maffei, Stefano da Bagnone, Bernardo di Bandino Baroncelli and Francesco Salviati, extracting from each man information on the hiding place of Jacopo de' Pazzi. Using the information, Ezio located his quarry and tracked Jacopo to an ancient Roman theater. Once there, Ezio eavesdropped on a meeting between Jacopo de' Pazzi, Rodrigo Borgia and a Venetian merchant, Emilio Barbarigo. After fatally wounding Jacopo for his failure to capture Florence, Borgia revealed to Ezio that he knew that he was there and was apprehended by Borgia's bodyguards while Borgia and Emilio fled. Before the guards could kill him, Ezio overpowered and killed Borgia's men before swiftly putting the dying Jacopo out of his misery.

Venice

Emilio Barbarigo: "The assassin is here, in Venezia?"

Carlo Grimaldi: "He's been here for weeks!"

—Emilio Barbarigo and Carlo Grimaldi discuss Ezio.

With the Pazzi conspiracy ended, Ezio returned to Lorenzo and declared his success. Before leaving the city for Venice, Ezio was granted a gift; a Medici cape, that would keep the city guards' attention from him. Ezio then made his way to the studio of Leonardo, only to find that he had just left for Venice himself. Meeting with Leonardo, the two made their way through the Appennine Mountains to the city of Forlì, narrowly avoiding the Templar soldiers sent after them by Rodrigo Borgia.

Eventually arriving in Forlì, the two made their way to the city docks, where Ezio was refused passage without a pass. It was at this moment that the two heard the screams of a noble lady stranded in the city's wetlands. Ezio swiftly hastened to her rescue and was able to row the woman ashore. Rescued, the lady introduced herself as Caterina Sforza and coerced the dockman to grant Ezio passage to Venice. Once in Venice, Ezio and Leonardo were given a brief tour by Alvise of the city before Ezio begun to seek out a way into the Palazzo of Emilio Barbarigo, although this effort proved to be in vain. Suddenly pushed aside, Ezio watched as a gang of thieves attempted and failed to breach the palazzo leading Ezio to subsequently aid in the escape of the thief Rosa, who had been shot through the leg with an arrow. After successfully escaping the city guards, Ezio was introduced to the leader of the Venetian thieves guild, Antonio, and together concocted a new plot to kill Emilio Barbarigo and liberate the merchant district.

The plot was successful, and gave Ezio the name of another Templar conspirator – Carlo Grimaldi. A government official and member of the Council of Ten, Carlo was close to Giovanni Mocenigo, the Doge of Venice and hoped to turn him to the Templar cause. Overhearing another meeting between Borgia and Carlo, Ezio uncovered a plot to poison the Doge and replace him with Marco Barbarigo. Returning to Antonio, the two sought to find a way into the Palazzo Ducale, the Doge's Palace, searching the front gates, the rear walls and even passing over the Basilica di San Marco; but were hampered at every turn. Returning to the piazza below, an enraged Antonio remarked at how only birds might get into the Doge's palace, reminding Ezio of Leonardo's flying machine he had seen on the way to Forlì. After a somewhat unsuccessful test flight, Leonardo came up with a way to ensure Ezio reached his destination.

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Ezio assassinates Carlo Grimaldi.

After removing the city guards at four separate locations, Antonio's thieves proceeded to light massive bonfires throughout the city, giving Ezio the lift Leonardo's flying machine needed to make it to the Palazzo Ducale. The plan worked and Ezio breached the Palazzo Ducale, although he was too late to save the Doge. Carlo fled, crying out that Ezio had assassinated the Doge, although he himself did not survive long as his life was ended by Ezio's hands moments later. Blamed for killing the Doge though, Ezio was now the most wanted man in Venice, and was forced to flee the city guards. Returning to Leonardo's workshop for help, Ezio was directed to the brothel of Sister Teodora, where Antonio was presiding. Under the cover of Carnevale, Ezio made his way to the brothel and begun planning the death of Marco Barbarigo, competing in the four games of Carnevale to win the golden mask that would gain him entrance to Marco's private party. Ezio was successful but found himself denied the golden mask by Marco's cousin Silvio Barbarigo and Marco's personal slave-bodyguard, Dante Moro, who intimidated and bribed the judges into denying Ezio his prize. However, Ezio was successful in regaining the mask and managed to assassinate Marco, leaving the door open for Agostino, a Barbarigo not entwined with the Templars and ally of Antonio, to legitimately become Doge.

With his quest nearly at an end, Ezio tracked down Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro, in the process liberating the mercenary leader, Bartolomeo d'Alviano, and his soldiers. Having tracked the Templars to the city Arsenal, Ezio managed to storm the Arsenal with the help of Bartolomeo and his men and kill Dante Moro and Silvio Barbarigo, but was astonished to learn that the plot to remove the Doge was merely a distraction so that the Templars could move their vessel to Cyprus, although the reasons for this were unknown to Ezio.

Induction into the Order

Ezio's receiving the Assassin's mark

"It's been ten years since I watched my father and brothers die. Ten years hunting the men responsible. I'm close to the end now, but no closer to knowing what any of it was for!"

―Ezio discusses his life as an Assassin.

Two more years passed before word of the Templar vessel reached Ezio once again on his twenty ninth birthday, when Rosa brought him a shipping manifest detailing the return of the ship that very day. Sneaking into the Arsenal, Ezio watched as a Templar soldier carrying a Piece of Eden disembarked from the ship and made his way to a Templar base in the city. Following the soldier, Ezio assassinated and impersonated the guard, carrying the Piece of Eden to a meeting with Rodrigo Borgia himself. Finally able to confront the man ultimately responsible for the deaths of his father and brothers, Ezio spurned the Templar Grand Master for the non-appearance of the supposed "prophet" detailed in the Codex prophecy. Borgia responded, proudly naming himself the prophet before engaging Ezio in battle. The battle was short and Ezio easily bested the Templar. On the backfoot, Borgia called upon the city guards and insulted the assassin for the lack of "his people" showing up.

At this very moment Mario Auditore, Antonio, Paola, Teodora, La Volpe and Bartolomeo d'Alviano appeared, driving off Borgia and revealing themselves to Ezio as Assassins. With the arrival of Niccolò Machiavelli, it is revealed to Ezio that he was in fact the supposed "prophet", and that for the past decade they had all worked together to induct Ezio into the Assassins Order. That night, they all met again and Ezio was formally inducted into the Order.

Battle of Forlì

"Muori col tuo orgoglio, per quanto vale... Requiescat in pace"

―Ezio Auditore to Ludovico Orsi

Ezio overflying the city of Forli.

Shortly after his induction, Ezio met with Mario and Niccolò and traveled to the studio of Leonardo da Vinci, hoping he could shed some light upon the strange artifact Borgia had dubbed "the Apple". Leonardo remarked upon the unique device, commenting upon the metals that he believed should not exist, remarking the Apple was highly advanced despite its age. Briefly touching the Apple, Ezio accidentally activated the device, which started to glow and show strange images holographically. De-activating the device, Niccolò announced that he had arranged for the Piece of Eden to be held in the Rocca di Ravaldino, protected by an ally of the Assassin's – Caterina Sforza. Niccolò and Ezio met with Caterina in Romagna, just outside the city of Forlì. After briefly discussing the Apple, the three made their way back to the city, only to find that it had been invaded by the Orsi brothers; Checco and Ludovico.

Fighting their way to the city's locked gates, Ezio managed to find another way inside, and opened the the gates; and the group continued their way to the citadel. Reaching the Rocca di Ravaldino, they found out that two of Caterina’s children – Ottaviano and Bianca – were still missing, and in the hands of the Orsi brothers, who had recently arrived and begun attacking the Citadel. Repelling the attack, Ezio left the Apple in the hands of Caterina, before making his way to rescue her two children.

A blacking-out Ezio glimpses Savonarola

Making his way into Romagna, Ezio overpowered the guard detail assigned to imprison Bianca, who directed Ezio to her brother Ottaviano. As Bianca fled back to the city Ezio made his way the the lighthouse upon which Ottaviano was being held by Ludovico himself. Climbing the tower, Ezio dispatched the Orsi brother, and liberated Ottaviano; though not before learning that the distraction of the captured siblings had allowed the brothers to steal the Apple. Ezio swiftly tracked down and killed Checco Orsi and his remaining men. Retrieving the Apple, Ezio failed to notice that Checco had stabbed him in the abdomen. Injured, Ezio collapsed to the floor, the Apple rolling from his hand. Before losing consciousness Ezio saw a monk with a missing finger pick up the Apple and walk away, despite Ezio's warnings against doing so.

Caterina’s guards later found Ezio next to Checco’s corpse and returned him to Forli, where Caterina nursed the assassin back to health. Returned to his senses, Ezio hurridly explained to Caterina that the Apple had been stolen from him by a man in black, who Sforza recognised to be a monk's robes; she told him to search for the monk at the church outside the city walls. There was no sign of the monk, but Ezio met with Brother O’Callahan, who told him to search for the monk at San Vincenzo, in central Forlì. An abbot there identified Ezio as the killer of Stefano de Bagnone and ran away, but was intercepted, and, once convinced he was not about to die, the abbot gave Ezio the name of the four fingered monk; Girolamo Savonarola.

Ezio hurriedly made his way to Florence, where Savonarola had been headed.

Assassins Creed II: Discovery

While trying to locate Savonarola, he was told by a Thief to meet Antonio at the Thieves' Guild in Venice. After coming there, Ezio found Antonio accompanied by another man, Luis Santangel. Luis was looking for a good "killer" who could oversee a meeting. Luis needed Ezio to oversee a meeting involving Luis' friend Christoffa Corombo, but Ezio expressed no interest. However, when he heard that Rodrigo Borgia was involved in the meeting, he rushed to Christoffa's location, finding out that it was indeed a trap. However, Christoffa was successfully saved by Ezio, and Christoffa explained that Rodrigo was interested in Christoffa’s plans to sail west. Soon afterwards, he met with Antonio again, who told him to go see both Luis and Christoffa in the gardens district.

They then told him that the Templars were in possession of Christoffa's atlas, which featured the journey's route. Ezio quickly recovered the atlas and brought it back to Christoffa and Luis. Luis enlightened Ezio of the presence of Spanish Assassins, who were held captive by the Spanish Inquisitor General, Tomas Torquemada. Thinking it to be his mission to rescue them, Ezio put a halt to his task to reobtain the Apple of Eden and set out to Spain, but not before Antonio gave him the names of two of his contacts.

After arriving in Spain, he immediatly went on to look for one of the contacts. When he arrived at the location, he met a man who called himself Raphael Sanchez, and soon after revealed himself to be an Assassin. He informed Ezio of the first captured Assassin's location, and Ezio rushed to save him. Right before the Assassin could be burned by the Inquisitors, Ezio killed all the guards and untied the Assassin.
After returning to Raphael, he revealed that it was Gaspard Martinez who was ordered to capture the Assassins by Torquemada. Ezio went to Gaspard's location, and found both the latter, Torquemada and a guard surrounding a captured Assassin. Torquemada revealed to the captured Assassin, and indirectly to Ezio, that he was told by Rodrigo Borgia to capture Assassins in Spain, because they were "non-believers" [to the Catholic religion]. After the guard killed the Assassin, the group disbanded and Gaspard became unguarded. Ezio then met with Gaspard and asked him what he knew of the Templars, though Gaspard said he knew nothing of them and said that they "went away two centuries ago". Gaspard fell silently to Ezio's blade, and Ezio acquired a list of names of six other Assassins.
Ezio quickly rushed to the first Assassin's location. After having cut down all guards in his way and around the Assassin, the Assassin was a free man. The two went back to Raphael, and Ezio announced that he had a list with the names of 5 other Assassins. However, these Assassins lived in Zaragoza. Raphael and Ezio left for Zaragoza.

Raphael told Ezio to find the Inquisition's Calficador, Pedro Llorente, whose tribunal met in the far side of town. Arriving there, he found Torquemada there as well. One of the Assassins was held captive by them, and after he refused to convert and confess, was killed. Ezio eavesdropped the conversation and found out that Torquemada was ordered by Rodrigo Borgiato arrest the Assassins.
Ezio rushed towards the remaining five Assassins. Four of them where held captive inside some catacombs. Ezio killed all the guards there and successfully freed the Assassins.
The last of them was held inside a church. Ezio also secured his safety and continued on to Raphael.

The Bonfire of the Vanities

Ezio overlooking a plaza at Florence

With Lorenzo de’ Medici dead, Girolamo was able to easily take control over Florence with the Apple of Eden at his command. Girolamo taught the population of Florence that personal property and knowledge made the difference between the rich and the poor. Therefore, he burned everything related to the Renaissance in the Bonfire of the Vanities.

Ezio and Niccolò were there to put a stop to Girolamo’s rule over Florence and went to all the districts to undermine his plans, aided by their two comrades in Firenze: Paola and Volpe. Then Ezio starts to eliminate the monks brainwashed followers while Niccolo, Paola, and Volpe started a riot in the city. Soon after he killed the followers, the rioters went to Savonarola and, and he tried to use the Apple to brainwash the citizens. But before he could do it Ezio threw a knife at him, knocking the Apple out of his hand he went for it but a guard managed to get hold of it. Soon after Ezio killed the guard and Savonarola was going to be executed. Before he could burn at the stake Ezio decided he should not die like that and kills him. Ezio then talks to the crowd about his life. Then he leaves with Mario, Niccolo, Paolo, and Volpe.

Battle with Borgia and the Vault

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Ezio battles his way to the Sistine Chapel.

"I thought... I thought I was beyond this. But I'm not. I've waited too long, lost too much – Requiescat in Pace (Rest in Peace), you bastard!"

―Ezio to Rodrigo Borgia during his first, failed assassination attempt.

The following year (1499), the Assassins finally came together once more at the Villa Auditore, with the Piece of Eden and the completed Codex in hand. Using the two objects, they discovered the location of the Vault to be in Rome, specifically, beneath the Vatican. Unfortunately, Rodrigo Borgia had become Pope in 1492, although Mario believed he had only done so to gain access to the Papal Staff, another of the Pieces of Eden. Undeterred, Ezio traveled to Rome with a mission to assassinate Rodrigo Borgia.

Fighting his way along the entire length of the Passetto di Borgo, Ezio snuck into the Sistine Chapel and struck at Borgia from above. About to deal the killing blow, Borgia surprised Ezio by using the Staff to blast him away and drain the energy of those in the room. Ezio, possessing the Apple, was immune from the Staff's effects and the two engaged in a duel. Ezio invoked history by using the same technique Al Mualim utilized in his duel against Altaïr in 1191, by seemingly creating multiple clones with the Apple. Ezio seemingly bested Borgia, but the Pope counterattacked and overcame the Assassin: Borgia took the Apple, stabbed Ezio in the abdomen and left him to die before fleeing into the Vault. However, Ezio's wounds were not mortal and he was able to give pursuit. Outside the Vault, Ezio watched as Borgia tried in vain to open it. Laying down his arms, Ezio challenged and defeated Borgia in a fist fight, obtaining possession of both the Staff and the Apple, but refusing to take Borgia’s life.

"Killing you won't bring my family back... I am done."

―Ezio spares Borgia's life, having defeated him.

Entering the Vault, Ezio stood in shock as he was confronted by a hologram-esque individual naming herself "Minerva", and claiming to be one of "Those Who Came Before"; Ezio was further confounded when the hologram sought not to speak to Ezio, but through Ezio, to an unseen figure named Desmond, before leaving abruptly and Ezio with many questions. After returning from Rome, Ezio sealed his Piece of Eden under the statue of Altaïr at the Villa Auditore.

At some point after this event, Ezio made his way to Spain once more, this time to liberate his fellow assassins in the country, who were being persecuted by the Templars under the guise of a religious inquisition.

Personality and characteristics

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A young Ezio gets approached by a Florentine guard after protesting at his father’s and brothers’ execution.

"Nulla è reale, tutto è lecito. Requiescat in Pace."

―Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Rest in Peace.

Ezio was a young Florentine nobleman who lived during the 15th and 16th Century. Unlike his ancestor Altaïr, he was a brought up without knowing of the assassins' existence. A seducer of women and a playful man, Ezio possessed acrobatic skills beyond what most had, save for his brother and father. He came from an affluent background and had many friends until the deaths of his father and brothers drove him out of Florence.Forced to protect his mother and sister, Ezio became an Assassin, exacting revenge on the conspirators who had betrayed his family and plotted to seize both Florence and Venice.

Quick to anger, Ezio often allowed his emotions to overcome him, going so far as to disrespect the corpse of Vieri de' Pazzi just after his death. However, Ezio did manage to gain control of his anger, and by the time he had become a Master Assassin, could control it almost completely.

Equipment and skills

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An older Ezio double assassinating 2 guards

Ezio Auditore da Firenze was a highly skilled assassin during the Italian renaissance and a leader amongst the Order of Assassins. A master of multiple fields, including theft, blending, armed and unarmed combat, free-running and long-distance combat; he is able to use a variety of weapons including two hidden blades, the longsword, throwing knives and more. Born with the ability to use Eagle Vision, Ezio could access the ability to instinctively differentiate friend from foe.

An explorer, throughout his quests, Ezio scoured the cities in search of Codex pages and seals from the six assassins tombs spread across northern Italy. Ezio's obtainment of the Codex pages allowed Leonardo di Vinci to upgrade his weaponry, including the addition of a wrist gauntlet, wheel lock firearm concealed beneath his left hidden blade, and a poison needle inside the other.

Through the collection of the six tomb seals, Ezio gained access to the armor created by his ancestor, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. Ezio is also a free-runner, possibly taught by his brother Federico, and he uses this often to his advantages against the guards and various other enemies. Also throughout his life he collects capes that help him stay incognito. The only exception to this is the cape with the Auditore family crest on it, which makes the player notorious everywhere.

Romantic life

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Ezio and Cristina kissing in her room.

Ezio was known for his good looks, flirtatious nature and predisposition for womanizing. He is a very attractive character and irresistible to most women. Throughout the course of Assassin's Creed II, Ezio shares romantic relationships of varying degrees with women throughout Italy.

At the beginning of the game, Ezio has a relationship with Cristina Vespucci, a beautiful young Florentine woman. Ignoring Federico's plea to let Cristina rest, Ezio enters the young woman's room via the window and makes love to her. It is the only interaction seen between the two characters in game, but the novel expands their story: When Ezio leaves Florence for two years, Cristina is married to one of her suitors, though the two of them still share a love for one another when Ezio and Cristina meet again after Ezio returns from his absence. Several years later, Girolamo Savonarola's men killed Cristina, deeply wounding Ezio.

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Ezio helps Caterina Sforza.

While trying to find a way to Venice, Ezio must first make a stop in Forlì. Ezio cannot initially board the ship to sail to Venice with Leonardo, and it is at that moment he encounters Caterina Sforza. Caterina, trapped on a small island, is screaming for help. She's stranded, has no way back, and is extremely frustrated. Ezio rescues Caterina, and she repays the favor by granting him passage to Venice. She also promises Ezio that the next time he returns to Forli, it would "be her pleasure" to invite him over. Afterward, while sailing for Venice, Ezio says to Leonardo that she is his future conquest and his type of woman. Leonardo then reveals Caterina's identity as the Countess of Forlì, and that seducing her would not be such a good idea as she's a married woman. Ezio probably did not pursue a relationship with her as there is no record of romantic interaction historically or in-game.

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Ezio seducing Amelia.

During a genetic memory known as "Horseplay", Ezio encounters a girl named Amelia. During this encounter, Amelia and two of her friends are discussing whether or not there is anyone who could beat their record in a horse-back riding race. Ezio takes on the challenge and, if he wins, will seduce Amelia into a sexual encounter. It should be noted that although this is the only other sexual encounter other than Cristina the player witnesses during the events of the game, the memory is completely optional and can be completely skipped, and ultimately has no effect on the storyline either way.

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Rosa faints into Ezio's arms.

When Ezio arrives in Venice for the first time, he is knocked aside and robbed by an unknown young woman. Later the same day, Ezio witnessed the woman and a group of thieves attempt to scale the Palazzo della Seta. The attempt ended in failure and the girl was shot in the leg by an archer. Ezio intervened, defending the woman from Emilio Barbarigo's thugs and helping her to get to safety, learning in the process that her name is Rosa, and that she is a member of the city's thieves guild. At first, Rosa's attitude towards Ezio is very aggressive and unfriendly, but after he saves her, she becomes much more pleasant with him. In the game, Rosa and Ezio are only seen flirting playfully from time to time. In the novel, Rosa and Ezio have a much more intimate relationship.

During Sequence 10, while trying to acquire the Golden Mask, Ezio is seen flirting with many of Sister Teodora's Courtesans. After the CTF Challenge, when Ezio goes up to accept the Golden Mask as his prize for victory, he is accompanied by Courtesan, though it was not uncommon for an unwed man to take courtesans on "dates" during the Renaissance period. After assassinating Marco Barbarigo and seeking sanctuary in the brothel, Ezio is seen flirting with Sister Teodora, who invites several of her girls to "comfort" Ezio.

It is positive that Ezio had many love interests with numerous unnamed Florentine girls and courtesans before the beginning of the game. At the ending of the short film Assassin's Creed: Lineage Ezio is seen seducing an unknown girl, and at the beginning of the game, Ezio says to Vieri de' Pazzi that his sister seemed "quite satisfied with the handling he gave her earlier."

Trivia

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Young Ezio

• The Italian name "Ezio" derives from the Greek word aetos, which means "eagle", similar to Altaïr, whose name means "The Flying One".
• Unlike Altaïr (who had his ring finger removed as a commitment to make way for the Hidden Blade), Ezio has all ten fingers due to a modification to the Hidden Blade made by Altaïr sometime after he defeated Al Mualim.
• Ezio uses a wheel-lock firearm, based off of a design found in the Codex pages; historically a type of weapon that didn't develop until just after the time-frame of the game, some of the first wheellock firearms were, in actuality, designed by da Vinci.
• Ezio's face in Assassin's Creed II seems to be a mixture of Francisco Randez's (Desmond's and Altaïr's model) and Devon Bostick's from Lineage.
• It would appear that Ezio remained unaware of his bloodline, and that he is a descendant of Altaïr, despite learning about him in Monteriggioni. Ezio never truly understood why he was such a successful assassin himself or why he possessed the Eagle Vision ability.
• Ezio is 40 years old in 1499 (15 years older than Altaïr's age in 1191); the same age as his father upon his death in 1476.
• If you move the camera to a certain angle in the game, Ezio's face has barely aged, except for the beard, even if you played through 23 years of his life. His voice does deepen and mature through time, though, making him sound calmer and talk slower. Also when he has the beard, he appears to have lost his tan.
• Just like Altaïr and Desmond, Ezio has a scar on his mouth, acquired after the mission "Boys Will Be Boys", when Vieri de' Pazzi threw the rock at his face during the first memory sequence.
• Of all the characters in Assassin's Creed II that appeared in Assassin's Creed: Lineage, Ezio is the only character whose character model isn't based off of the actor in Lineage. This is because, as mentioned above, Ezio, in addition to Altaïr and Desmond, is based off of Francisco Randez. All other characters, such as Giovanni, Uberto, and even Petruccio are based off of the actors in Lineage.
• The Ezio in Assassin's Creed: Lineage bears little resemblance to the Ezio in the beginning of Assassin's Creed II, both in physical appearance and personality.
• Ezio, when countering (at least with his fists) will appear to have blank, soulless eyes (no iris or pupil), but only during the counter animation.
• According to the Database, Ezio was expelled from his school at the age of 17 due to a link to some terrible crime, after which he "disappears from history". This is likely referring to the supposed plot by the Auditore to overthrow the Medici. Anything after that wouldn't be public knowledge; so as far as recorded history is concerned, Ezio simply disappeared after the death of his Father and Brothers.
• Ezio has been seriously injured in battle twice. Both injuries were stab wounds to the right and left sides of his lower abdomen. He was stabed in the right side by Checco Orsi after retrieving the Apple of Eden from him, and in the left side by Rodrigo Borgia during their battle in the Sistine Chapel.
• If the Bonfire of the Vanities is unlocked in Assassin's Creed 2, you may in the mission, visit the Auditore house and Ezio will see his family again as a loving memory.