Black Cross
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The Black Cross is an enigmatic Templar rank created by the Inner Sanctum for the purposes of combating internal corruption and searching for Pieces of Eden. During its first years of existence, the Council of Elders, a separate governing body, held significant influence over the Black Cross and its missions.
Secret inquisitors answering only to the Inner Sanctum, the Black Crosses were authorized to use any means necessary, even deadly force, to take down corrupted Order members within the various Templar Rites. Their primary goal was keeping the Grand Masters and their subordinates in line with the Templar code and ideals. Deadly enforcers acting as an independent morality police force, very few individuals wore the mantle of Black Cross over the centuries, though the Bolden family line counted many among their number.
Structure[edit | edit source]
Purpose[edit | edit source]
After King Alfred of Wessex founded an early incarnation of the Templars in the late 9th century, with a strict opposition to the Order of the Ancients' Isu paganism,[1] the veneration of Isu became sacrilegious among the Templars. As such, the act could be seen as a betrayal of Templar principles and could be the grounds for execution by the Black Cross.[2][3]
The Black Cross' chief purpose is to identify and root out individuals corrupted by power or by Pieces of Eden held by the Order, such as Templars seeking personal power instead of using power as a tool to bring about worldwide order.[4] Other grounds for investigating corruption include the theft of Templar resources for personal gain such as for profit, nepotistic uses for their own family,[5] and betrayal.[6] In addition to these duties, the Black Cross is tasked with protecting the Koh-i-Noor diamond.[7]
In their service combating corruption and searching for Pieces of Eden, the Black Cross is similar to the Council of Elders in that they share the purpose of maintaining the Order's integrity. However, they differ in the means of this, as a Black Cross enforces the Templar principles within their governing structures instead of serving an advisory role that influences and guides said structures.[4]
Requirements[edit | edit source]
The unique skills required to become a Black Cross are based on parts of the Assassins' skill set that were recreated to fit the Templars' doctrine and strengthen the Order itself. By operating alone, similar to individual Assassins who are reliant only upon themselves, Black Crosses are harder to fight,[8] yet remain just as efficient while part of a team,[9][10] another strength of the Assassins. Such observations were made by the Master Templar Juhani Otso Berg during his study of the operational practices of a Black Cross and the Assassins.[11]
The variety of methods used by a Black Cross during investigations include Assassins skills like espionage, pickpocketing, freerunning, interrogation, close-quarter and ranged combat, and blending using various socioeconomic statuses. The most skilled Black Crosses, like Berg and Albert Bolden, are exceptional in that they can travers cities with ease and are capable of fighting multiple opponents such as crime syndicates[12] and even Assassins.[5][7][10] A Black Cross must also assassinate key individuals that became corrupted,[5] a defining attribute of the Assassins, though in this case these skills were used to maintain the Order's stability and integrity.[4]
After the silversmith François-Thomas Germain joined the Parisian Rite under Grand Master François de la Serre in the late 18th century,[13] he crafted cross-shaped pins for the Order's members.[14] These pins would later become the Black Cross' signature weapon, containing two different poisons.[12] A Black Cross used calling cards to mark their targets for assassination or investigation;[5][15] in the modern era, phones displaying the Black Cross symbol were also used.[2]
A key distinction of the Black Cross is their authority during investigations to act with impunity within a Templar Rite's governing structures, while using social and economic roles to blend in society by posing as various roles to maintain discretion. This tactic often allowed the Black Cross to catch their targets off-guard, and also solidified their position as skilled tacticians who could quickly adapt to situations in the event of unexpected complications. They were also equipped with a gas mask, poisons, smoke bombs, swords, and firearms, while commonly dressed in black robes with a visible red Templar insignia of a cross pattée.[5][16][2]
Appointments[edit | edit source]
The Inner Sanctum was in charge of appointing every new Black Cross. An appointed Templar would carry out missions for the Inner Sanctum and, should they be presumed dead, a successor would quickly be found.[17] In the event of a Black Cross' sudden disappearance, another Templar would be sent to search for them and either confirm their death or have them return to the Order.[7]
On rare occasions, a Black Cross could personally train someone to succeed them. Alternatively, a single member of the Inner Sanctum could appoint a Black Cross,[18] though the wider Inner Sanctum being unaware of it could cause a dispute, as the remaining Sanctum member would see this act as having their authority challenged.[2] A Templar family could also pass the rank through birthright, with the Bolden family having served as Black Crosses for generations.[19] Importantly, a Black Cross' identity was always unknown to the Inner Sanctum.[2][20]
Authority[edit | edit source]
A Black Cross' arrival was signaled by the appearance of a black cross pattée calling card, which marked their investigation of a Templar Rite. They kept the Grand Master and their subordinates in check, as a Black Cross had the authority to do whatever was necessary to find the Rite's members guilty of breaking Templar principles and punish them accordingly. Their operations were not to be interfered with, all information in regards to encounters with the Black Cross had to be kept secret, and the Rites were instructed to assist with anything requested by the Black Cross.[16]
While a Black Cross only answered to the Inner Sanctum's authority,[16] their earliest operations were impacted by the Council of Elders. Additionally, they also had the authority to challenge the Inner Sanctum,[4] though that power did not extend to Albert Bolden during his time as Black Cross, as the Inner Sanctum at the time had complete authority over the Black Cross.[5]
Under extreme conditions, the Inner Sanctum could try to denounce a Black Cross by having the Templar presented before all Grand Masters of the Order for an official denunciation. The power to challenge the Inner Sanctum was taken back by the modern-day Black Cross, Juhani Otso Berg. Because Berg was also an Inner Sanctum member, the position of Black Cross gained independence and was no longer required to serve the Inner Sanctum.[2] Due to Berg's unique position as Abstergo Industries' Operations Specialist, this also gave the Black Cross command of Abstergo's special task force Sigma Team.[4][2]
Should the situation require it, a Black Cross could work with the Assassins towards a common goal. Such was the case during the Spanish Civil War, when Albert Bolden teamed up with the Assassin Ignacio Cardona to recover the Koh-i-Noor from the rogue Templar and Instruments of the First Will member Rufus Grosvenor. As Bolden put it, this was because the Black Cross' duties were separate from the Assassin-Templar War.[7]
History[edit | edit source]
Early years[edit | edit source]
To prevent corruption and stop Grand Masters from flouting the Order's precepts, the Inner Sanctum created the position of the Black Cross[20] sometime before 1582.[21] During the Black Cross' earliest years, the Council of Elders may have had a significant impact on their assignments.[4]
By the late 16th century, the Black Cross had been well-established as the Inner Sanctum's secret enforcer, who lent their assistance to Templar operations wherever they were needed most. After Nuno Caro and Duarte de Melo's failure to establish a solid foothold for the Templars in Japan and their deaths at the hands of the local Assassins, the Black Cross was sent to continue the pair's work and build up a Templar network in the country. In anticipation of the Black Cross' arrival, the Templar Gaspar was tasked with securing the area around the Seta River, where their forces would be mobilizing.[21]
The Koh-i-Noor[edit | edit source]
By the late 18th century, the Inner Sanctum had appointed the Templar Tavis Olier as the most recent Black Cross. At some point before 1805, Olier was tasked with recovering the Koh-i-Noor from the Ottoman Empire's Sultan Selim III but was captured during his mission and imprisoned.[18]
By 1805, the American Templar Solomon Bolden was appointed as the new Black Cross, since Olier had been presumed dead. Given the same mission as his predecessor, Bolden posed as a slaver, and during the crossing of the Mediterranean Sea, he befriended Jan van der Graff after he helped fight off pirates sent by the Sultan to sink their ship. The two subsequently made a deal: Bolden would protect Graff during his mission and the latter would use his contacts to help the Black Cross enter the Sultan's palace.[19]
In Tripoli, Bolden and Graff met the latter's contacts Edmund and Ahkbar, who told them of a secret tunnel leading into the palace. Following their companions' departure, Bolden and Graff bonded over several drinks. They entered the tunnel later that day but were ambushed by several men waiting for them. In the ensuing fight, Ahkbar betrayed his contacts, revealing himself to be a Libyan Assassin serving the Sultan, and fatally stabbed the Black Cross with a knife.[22]
By 1808, Graff had been trained by Olier in the ways of the Black Cross while they shared a prison cell. During their escape, Olier sacrificed himself to distract the guards, and Graff witnessed Ahkbar assassinate the Sultan and steal the Koh-i-Noor for his own gain. Despite Ahkbar's attempt to use the artifact against Graff, the Assassin was killed just as members of his Brotherhood arrived as backup. Graff pretended to hand over the artifact and its box, in reality having pocketed the diamond himself, then escaped the city, intending to keep his prize safe as the new Black Cross.[18]
World War I[edit | edit source]
An unidentified Black Cross was active during World War I. Like their predecessors, they focused on combating corruption within the Templar Order and searching for Pieces of Eden.[23]
The last Black Cross[edit | edit source]
Fighting corruption[edit | edit source]
By February 1927, Albert Bolden was the latest Black Cross, posing as the leading trumpeter in Albie Bolden and the Harlem Hotsteppers in London, England. When he investigated the British Templars' Grand Master Thaddeus Gift for embezzling money from the Order, Gift attempted to escape. Bolden tracked him across the streets of the city and eventually caught up with Gift, slitting his throat and cutting off his Templar ring finger in public.[5]
In March, while traveling to Shanghai, China, Bolden prepared to ambush the Templar-built train known as the Great Wall, which traveled through Chekiang province after having been stolen by the Russian Templar turncoat Yuri Dolinsky. Bolden fought his way to Dolinsky and assassinated his target, thus succeeding in his mission to prevent any support to the warlord Zhang Zongchang while protecting the Templar ally Chiang Kai-shek.[6]
The Shanghai Rite[edit | edit source]
In April, Bolden was playing with his band in Shanghai and observed the arrival of the British Templar Darius Gift. Bolden followed him outside to witness his delivery of a box to the Shanghai Rite from a nearby roof. However, Gift was tricked by Ruan Lingyu, who stole the box from him. When Gift was shortly after approached by Frenchmen who belived him to be the Black Cross, Bolden intervened and discovered that the men were actually French policemen. After exchanging pleasantries, Bolden promised to retrieve the stolen package for Darius.[16]
During the Chinese Templars' meeting, Bolden eavesdropped on it and overheard Grand Master Stirling Fessenden inform the Rite of the Black Cross' arrival while they discussed the struggles of holding Shanghai amidst gangsters and warlords. Bolden disguised himself as a taxi driver and picked up the Master Templar Joffre from the meeting. After revealing his identity, the two discussed the Hop Wo Society, a name found upon one of the French policemen. Joffre pointed out they were communists and that the address was an amusement park. Bolden proceeded to head there, infiltrating a building where one remaining Frenchman was under duress, only to fall into an ambush.[16]
Forced to escape, Bolden was chased through the amusement park and used environmental opportunities to take down his pursuers until he was confronted by the gang enforcer Fiery Crow. Bolden managed to stab him with a Templar pin before being knocked unconscious. Having been captured by the Green Gang Triad, he was met by their leader, Du Yuesheng, who mocked the Templars' activities in China whilst Bolden attempted to discover the box's whereabouts. When the conversation turned to the Templar pin, Fiery Crow keeled over and Bolden freed himself, having allowed himself to be captured to learn what Du really knew. He promptly grabbed his possessions and gunned his way out of the nearest window as he escaped.[12]
Bolden later earned himself a meeting with Soong Ching-ling, the widow of the late Grand Master of the Shanghai Rite, Sun Yat-sen, after confronting her servant Tsai. They discussed the events surrounding the box, with Soong revealing that she had orchestrated the theft because she sought to prevent the box's contents from falling into the hands of Chiang Kai-shek, who would inevitably betray the Templars. Afterwards, Bolden ambushed and interrogated a convoy driver working for Du Yuesheng, who revealed they had been ordered to kill an actress and a "British kid".[15]
Deducing the targets to be Darius and Ruan, Bolden arrived in time to save them and fought their would-be assassin, Flowery Flag. During the brawl, Bolden was shot by Flowery Flag, who in turn was stabbed by Ruan before Bolden hanged him with a Templar Cross chain. Having learned that Bolden had murdered his father, Darius grabbed Flowery Flag's gun and shot the Black Cross. Despite Bolden's protests that he had executed Thaddeus for the Order, Darius shot him four more times, and the Black Cross stumbled back and fell off a ledge.[17]
Disappearance[edit | edit source]
Conflict with Grosvenor[edit | edit source]
Bolden survived his gunshot wounds and fall and was treated at a local hospital after the incident, though his failure to report to his superiors led the Order to send Rufus Grosvenor to find him. In 1928, Bolden was confronted by Grosvenor, who attempted to blackmail him, threatening to reveal to the Order that Bolden was alive if he did not give him the Koh-i-Noor, which Bolden refused to do. The encounter with Grosvenor forced Bolden to travel to Switzerland, where he retrieved the Koh-i-Noor from a bank safe, knowing that Grosvenor would eventually find it.[7]
Over the next nine years, Bolden traveled with the artifact to keep it safe, while Grosvenor's own agents within the Order watched and occasionally fought him. Because of Bolden's visits to see his family during these years, Grosvenor eventually exploited this weakness in 1937, killing the Black Cross' family to lure Bolden into an ambush and steal the Koh-i-Noor from him. Out of his duty to both his family and the Templars, Bolden spent months tracking Grosvenor to Spain, where he saw the body of the British Assassin Norbert Clarke.[7]
By May 1937, Bolden had found Grosvenor posing as Norbert Clarke within an Assassin cell, and witnessed Ignacio Cardona wielding the Koh-i-Noor before a group of Spanish Assassins in Barcelona.[24] After Cardona passed out due to his usage of the Piece of Eden, Bolden intervened and attacked the Assassins. Unable to reach Grosvenor to get the artifact, Bolden threw smoke bombs and escaped with the unconscious Cardona to an unknown location.[7]
At the hideout, Bolden patched up his wounds, told Cardona of his history with Grosvenor and explained how he had tracked him, something that resulted in Cardona attacking him until they were able to come to an agreement. Seeing as Cardona himself was a possible target now, and having been told of Grosvenor's plan to use him as a conduit for the Koh-i-Noor, Bolden asked Cardona to help him track down Grosvenor in exchange for warning his fellow Assassins, which he accepted.[7]
Assassin alliance[edit | edit source]
Cardona and Bolden were later ambushed in a village by Miguel Carasso and Dwight Adams, two of Cardona's fellow Assassins who had been turned to Grosvenor's cause. After the Assassins were defeated, they discussed the risks of using the Koh-i-Noor to end the war, something that resulted in a disagreement due to Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany[9] through his Apple of Eden,[25] and because Cardona could lose his life if he were to wield the diamond again.[9]
During the conversation, Bolden was attacked from behind, leading to a fight. While Bolden was held by Dwight, Carasso attempted to kill him, but Bolden deflected the blow, causing Carasso to stab Dwight instead. While Dwight collapsed, Bolden punched Carasso and rescued Cardona from Glaucia Acosta, who had slipped behind him and held a knife to his throat.[9]
Afterwards, both Cardona and Bolden followed Miguel's tracks to the town church. There, they were greeted by Grosvenor, standing over a pit of anarchist bodies killed by Francisco Franco's men and ranting about humanity needing the firm guiding hand of the gods. During his speech, Acosta and Carasso held Cardona and Bolden at gunpoint and demanded that they drop their weapons. Continuing his speech, Grosvenor spoke of the conditions expected by Cardona's bloodline, and its importance in using the Koh-i-Noor.[9]
The artifact was then offered to Cardona, something Bolden opposed. However, Cardona used the Koh-i-Noor's powers to create an illusion of its own destruction, as well as creatures of energy who stampeded into the walls of the church, bringing it crashing down upon the group. This fooled both Grosvenor and Acosta, who managed to escape the collapse of the church and later left Spain.[9]
In the aftermath, Bolden rescued Cardona from the rubble and they discussed plans for the protection of the Koh-i-Noor and the ongoing civil war. When Cardona asked if he had defected from the Templar Order, Bolden responded that he would never join the Assassins, but he would also not stand alongside the Templars if they were to make common cause with Hitler and Joseph Stalin.[9]
Bolden and Cardona ultimately decided to leave the Koh-i-Noor in the ruins of the church, and trained several young locals as guardians of the artifact. They also went on to fight together in the Spanish Civil War,[9] before eventually going their separate ways.[4] The Order never heard from Bolden again after his disappearance, and a new Black Cross would not be appointed for nearly a century.[17]
Revival[edit | edit source]
The Indian connection[edit | edit source]
- Violet: "The gem... It's one of the most powerful Pieces of Eden for which we have records. We must find it before the Assassins do, yes?"
- Berg: "Indeed. But the trail has gone cold, as it so often does. Fortunately, an order as ancient as ours can afford patience."
- —Violet da Costa and Juhani Otso Berg, concerning their search for the Koh-i-Noor, 2013.[src]-[m]
In November 2013, Juhani Otso Berg and Violet da Costa worked at Abstergo Entertainment's headquarters in Montreal, Canada, where Berg used the Helix to relive Albert Bolden's genetic memories after having gathered intel from raids in India suggesting that the Black Cross was the last known individual to be in possession of the Koh-i-Noor. According to Abstergo's Lineage Discovery and Acquisition department, it was speculated that the box carried by Darius Gift contained the Koh-i-Noor.[17]
Their trail grew cold when the Templars discovered the box did not contain the artifact, along with the presumed death of Albert Bolden in 1927. This forced Berg to put the investigation on hold, something the Order could afford while saving their resources until new evidence presented itself. Expecting that locating any modern descendants of Bolden would take time, Berg suggested to Violet that they should look into other matters in the meantime. Though the role of Black Cross had been retired for almost a hundred years, Berg expressed concerns that the challenges faced by the modern Templar were perhaps reasons enough to resurrect the title.[17]
The Descendant[edit | edit source]
- Berg: "I can only ask you to trust me when I say telling you more would put you and everyone you love in danger. I know it doesn't seem like it now, but we're the good guys."
- Bolden: "I suppose if you weren't, you'd just knock me out and stick me back in your machine. What do you want me to do?"
- —Juhani Otso Berg convincing André Bolden to return to Abstergo, 2016.[src]-[m]
In 2016, Berg and Violet were put in charge of Abstergo's Historical Research Division facility in Philadelphia, having resumed their search for the Koh-i-Noor. They were aided by senior technician Caitlin Gift and a doctor called Freddy. After locating a descendant of Albert Bolden, Abstergo contacted and brought him to their Philadelphia facility for treatment against his Vietnam War PTSD.[19]
The 72-year-old Vietnam veteran André Bolden was greeted by Berg and his team at the facility, then led towards an Animus. Once inside the machine, he began reliving the memories of Jan van der Graff, much to the surprise of the Templars, who expected André's ancestor to be Solomon Bolden.[19]
After waking up from the Animus, André, confused and realizing he had been deceived, neutralized two guards and fled the complex. Berg overrode Caitlin's order to apprehend him, intending to find and speak with André alone. After tracking him to his hotel room, Berg told him about the Bleeding Effect and an important item tied to André's family, and convinced him to return to Abstergo by promising not to lie to him again.[19]
Once back at the facility, the team discussed the possibility of a fractured timeline and the loss of an entire Black Cross bloodline because of André's ancestor, with Caitlin noting that their only possible lead on Graff was a brief mention in the accounts of Tavis Olier. Regardless, the team decided to continue exploring Graff's memories.[22]
During André's Animus session, Violet and Berg discussed the notion of trust along with secrets of the Assassin-Templar War, with Berg explaining why André was helping. Violet noted she had never known him to be so trusting, to which Berg remarked that he trusted her. As they witnessed Graff's imprisonment, Violet asked Berg whether he planned to reveal everything to André, as he had now also heard about the Koh-i-Noor, to which Berg answered that he did not know whether he would.[22]
Suspicious activities[edit | edit source]
Later that day, Berg joined André at a bar and paid for his drink. There, they discussed the purpose of Graff's memories and Berg revealed the truth about the Assassin-Templar War, something André dismissed as nonsense until Berg pointed out it did not sound too far-fetched given everything André had experienced. As they left the bar, they were attacked in a drive-by shooting. Berg saved André and managed to jump into the vehicle to eliminate its occupants.[26]
Afterwards, Berg called Violet and instructed her to return to the lab because of the recent attack, mentioning that he was bringing André in. Back at the lab, Berg was surprised by Freddy's presence beside Violet, who assumed Berg might have been hurt. Berg stated that he was fine and instructed the doctor to check on André. After being joined by Caitlin, the team resumed André's Animus sessions. When questioned further by Violet, Berg said that he suspected a third party had infiltrated Abstergo and that they knew something the Templars did not.[26]
When André's session reliving Graff's torture caused him to scream out in pain, Berg asked Caitlin if they could skip the memory. Caitlin eventually managed to fast-forward the memories to a few days afterward. When the session was finished, Berg informed Violet they could not force André to continue, before handing her Albert's Templar pin to give to André while Berg cleaned the mess caused by the drive-by shooting. Finally alone, Berg spoke with the proxy used to arrange the attack that won him André's loyalty, then received a phone call that there had been an incident in the lab.[26]
Berg and Violet returned to the lab, where they found Caitlin's body. Privately, Violet and Berg discussed her innocence, with the latter being convinced that a third party was responsible for Caitlin's murder. Berg then instructed Violet to find the mole who had killed Cailtin, and met with André for his final Animus session.[18]
After Graff's memories showed him seemingly giving the Koh-i-Noor to the Assassins, André privately explained to Berg how his ancestor had deceived the Assassins and kept the artifact. Berg then revealed how he had discovered Freddy's body, further confirming his theory of a fifth column having infiltrated Abstergo. As André stated that he could not be part of Berg's war, the Templar reflected on his conversation with Violet about trust. Concluding he could not trust anyone, he decided to assume the mantle of Black Cross, and André returned the Templar pin to him.[18]
The Fifth Column[edit | edit source]
In preparation to become the new Black Cross, a role he viewed as being grafted from the skill set of the Assassins, Berg returned to Abstergo Entertainment in Montreal. There, he mused on the similarities between the Assassins and the Black Cross and decided to study the former's strengths and weaknesses by reliving the memories of prominent Assassins throughout history, namely Ezio Auditore,[11] Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad,[8] Edward Kenway,[27] and Ratonhnhaké:ton.[28]
Independence[edit | edit source]
In February 2017, Berg and Violet traveled to Hong Kong to investigate the aftermath of an attack at a former Phoenix Project site cleared out months ago and transformed into an archive office. Berg was surprised that a small, unidentified army appeared to be defending an Abstergo archive against the Assassins, to which Violet suggested that there might have been a fight within the Assassin cell. Berg ordered Violet to bribe the Chinese police to leave the site as it was, and retired to his hotel room for the night. Later, dressed in his advanced Black Cross attire and with André Bolden acting as his tech support, Berg investigated the building alone and found evidence of both high-tech Templar equipment and Assassin weaponry being used by the people who had butchered the Assassins.[29]
By March, Berg and Violet were back in Montreal, where they discussed the greater equipped force fighting Assassins, before the phones of every Inner Sanctum member present suddenly displayed the Black Cross symbol. Álvaro Gramática, Agneta Reider, Laetitia England, David Kilkerman, Mitsuko Nakamura, Simon Hathaway, Alfred Stearns, and Berg headed to the Abstergo Executive Retreat in Charlevoix, Quebec, where they were met by the new Black Cross.[2]
The Black Cross affirmed his independence and revealed that the Order had been infiltrated by a fifth column. In truth, this was a ruse for the Inner Sanctum, as André had disguised himself as the Black Cross to draw suspicion away from Berg and allow him to conduct his investigation unopposed. Back at Berg's apartment, the Templar and André celebrated their successful ruse before the former left for Berlin to trace the origins of a pair of goggles found at the Hong Kong site.[2]
Dark money[edit | edit source]
In Germany, Berg eavesdropped on Galina Voronina and Arend Schut Cunningham's interrogation of the Abstergo engineer Heinrich Hart, then jumped on Hart after the Assassins' departure. Having deduced Hart to be the goggles' creator, Berg demanded answers about his involvement in the Hong Kong raid. Hart unleashed an electric whip and attacked the Black Cross, but Berg easily subdued him. The engineer then cryptically revealed his identity as a member of the Instruments of the First Will, and pulled out an explosive. Berg barely had enough time to jump out a window before the explosive detonated, destroying several city blocks.[2]
While Berg survived, the blast claimed the lives of 170 people, and the Black Cross returned to his flat. There, he discussed the fifth column with André, who advised that he look into anomalies in Abstergo accounts.[30] Upon learning of a mysterious money transfer, Berg traveled to Geneva and discovered that the money had been redirected to an account opened in William Miles' name. He then saw the Assassin My'shell Lemair arrive to likewise investigate Assassin financial irregularities.[31]
Berg intercepted My'shell and interrogated her at knifepoint, finding out that she knew nothing about the transfer and therefore a third party was indeed responsible. When Berg realized they were being watched, he knocked out My'Shell and attempted to escape but was ambushed by Instruments. He quickly killed five of them before collapsing from his wounds, just as the former Indian Assassin Jasdip Dhami appeared. As the Black Cross recognized him, Dhami revealed his new allegiance to Juno and warned Berg to end his investigation before throwing him over a guard rail.[31]
United front[edit | edit source]
My'shell brought the injured Black Cross to the Assassins' hideout in London, where Galina immediately attacked Berg[32] in retaliation for their last encounter in 2015 within the Shroud of Eden's vault beneath Buckingham Palace.[33] After the Black Cross recovered, he suggested to the Assassins that they have breakfast together, and the group went to a restaurant to discuss the recent events involving the Instruments of the First Will.[32]
Given the current situation, Berg and the Assassins could not trust either of their respective orders as the trail of Templar money and Jasdip Dhami's involvement made it clear that the Instruments were playing both sides. Thus, Berg proposed a truce to stop whatever the Instruments were planning, though he clarified that this did not mean he trusted the Assassins; in fact, his distrust of them made them the safest option. Charlotte de la Cruz agreed to the truce because she had witnessed how powerful the Instruments were and what they were capable of. Back at the Assassin hideout, Berg offered to help while Charlotte relived her ancestor Ignacio Cardona's memories in the Animus, but was rejected.[32]
During Charlotte's Animus session, Berg was told to leave, as Charlotte had not yet recovered from an earlier encounter with Juno, so the Black Cross decided to have a chat with Guernica Moneo, a member of Erudito and an Instruments mole who was being held captive in another room.[24] They played a game of Jenga while discussing the goals and alignments of various political groups competing for power, including their own. Eventually, Moneo unwittingly revealed his devotion to Juno, and Berg left the room while thanking him for the information.[7]
Having received a blood sample from André, Berg later used it to relive the memories of Albert Bolden during his search for the Koh-i-Noor in Spain, since Charlotte was unable to continue her Animus sessions.[7] Once the location of the artifact was discovered, Berg asked the Assassins to dig into their records for information regarding to Glaucia Acosta. Afterwards, Berg informed André of the discovery while requesting him to keep watch on Álvaro Gramática's laboratory and then make preparations to travel to Spain to recover the Koh-i-Noor using his own resources.[9]
Purging the Instruments[edit | edit source]
By August 2018, Berg and the others had arrived in Spain, and the Black Cross paired up with Charlotte and Galina to search for the Koh-i-Noor while Arend and Kiyoshi Takakura looked elsewhere. They managed to recover the Piece of Eden after some digging, but were confronted by Jasdip Dhami and the Instruments. As the two groups fought, Charlotte gained possession of the Koh-i-Noor and unleashed an energy blast that broke them up.[10]
During the confusion, Dhami captured Charlotte and claimed the artifact, while ordering mortar bombardments by the Instruments to prevent Charlotte's allies from saving her. With the combined efforts of Miguel, one of the assigned protectors of the Koh-i-Noor, Berg attacked Jasdip and freed Charlotte. However, the artifact remained with the Instruments, so Berg and the Assassins decided to travel to Gramática's lab to destroy the body meant for Juno's resurrection.[34]
After Berg secured a private Abstergo jet for the group, he and the Assassins flew to Gramática's secret facility in Australia.[35] During the flight, Berg clarified that he had no intention of maintaining his truce with the Assassins once the Instruments were dealt with, and the group planned their attack on the lab.[36]
While Charlotte infiltrated the facility through a vent shaft using a sandstorm as cover, Berg and the Assassins distracted the Instruments by the entrance, with Berg confronting the army of Instruments led by Violet. Using Berg as bait, Galina shot Jasdip Dhami with a sniper rifle while Arend and Kiyoshi used a rocket launcher to kill more Instruments.[3]
Once inside the lab, Berg and the others watched as Juno was trapped in an illusion conjured with the Koh-i-Noor by Elijah, who had betrayed the Instruments. Charlotte took advantage of this to kill Juno, before Berg and the Assassins fled outside, where Violet and the surviving Instruments confronted them. While Violet pointed her gun at Berg,[3] Sigma Team arrived and surrounded the Instruments.[4] Seizing the opportunity, Berg disarmed the distracted Violet, shot her in the chest, and detonated explosives he had placed inside the lab, destroying it and killing Charlotte, who failed to escape in time.[3]
After the destruction of the Phoenix Project, the Black Cross' partnership with the Assassins ended as Berg focused on hunting any surviving Instruments of the First Will. By November 2018,[37] Berg had succeeded in eliminating the remaining Instruments and retired from his role as the Black Cross.[4]
Legacy[edit | edit source]
The Black Cross as a concept reached almost legendary status among Templars through history, who admired and feared the Order's mysterious inquisitor.[4] Some Templars even doubted its existence and therefore became afraid once the presence of a Black Cross was notified, earning the title even more fear from those in doubt.[16]
Known Black Crosses[edit | edit source]
-
Tavis Olier
until 1808 -
Solomon Bolden
until 1805 -
Jan van der Graff
began 1808 -
Unnamed Black Cross
c. 1910s -
Albert Bolden
until 1927 -
Juhani Otso Berg
2016 – 2018
Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]
While the Black Cross' exact origins remain unclear, it is known that the position already existed by 1582 due to the mention of a Black Cross in a letter looted from the Templar Gaspar's body in the Assassin's Creed: Shadows memory "Man Behind the Curtain". This makes the rank much older than Assassin's Creed: Templars previously implied it to be, as in the comic's second volume it was suggested that the Black Cross was a relatively new position at the time of the story's events in 1805, likely created sometime in the 18th century.
Although only one Black Cross is supposed to exist at any one time, the letter in Assassin's Creed: Shadows uses the wording "members of the Black Cross" to refer to the position, implying the existence of multiple contemporary Black Crosses. It is unknown if this is an error or if originally there could be multiple Black Crosses at any given time.
The Black Cross insignia is the same as the insignia of the Knights Teutonic, an organization supported by the Templars during the Crusades. The use of the Black Cross insignia as markers against their targets can be seen as a counterpart to the feathers used by the Assassins to mark their assassinations.[38]
Juhani Otso Berg is the first and currently only known Black Cross that was also a member of the Inner Sanctum.
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Assassin's Creed: Templars (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed FCBD 2016 Edition
- Assassin's Creed: Reflections
- Assassin's Creed: Uprising
- Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – The Fate of Atlantis: Fields of Elysium (mentioned only)
- Assassin's Creed Roleplaying Game
- Assassin's Creed: Shadows (mentioned only)
References[edit | edit source]
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