Hookblade
- "The hookblade helps you get around fast, surprise guards, and is not too bad in a fight."
- ―Yusuf Tazim.[src]
The Hookblade was a modification to the hidden blade adopted by the Assassins Guild of Constantinople. It consisted of both a curved hook, as well as a regular blade, allowing it to be used for freerunning and in combat.
When Mentor Ezio Auditore arrived in the city, Yusuf Tazim introduced this advancement to him; whereupon he also began to use it in both battle and travel.
Usage
Used from as early as the 1480s, the hookblade was designed to make travel quick and easy, and was used in conjunction with ziplines planted throughout the city. It could be used in several acrobatic movements as well, such as for quickly climbing up walls, extending one's reach, or flipping over enemies to avoid a fight.
It could also be used with corner chase-breakers, where the swinging support could be used as a trapeze to reach the next rooftop, instead of going around the corner. The hookblade allowed an Assassin to spring quickly onto a rooftop after grabbing the ledge, rather than spending extra time gaining a foothold and pulling themselves up.
The hookblade could also be used as a weapon in combat, wherein Ezio pulled targets in for a close-range attack, threw an enemy onto the ground, or countered a weapon. Because of its extended reach, Assassins could also perform a ledge assassination without a foothold. In addition, it could also be used to destroy scaffolds to slow down or eliminate pursuers.
Trivia
- Early images of Assassin's Creed: Revelations show Ezio with a hookblade on his left arm, rather than his right.
- According to the June 2011 edition of GameInformer, Revelations will feature a new control system. Pressing the "Empty Hand" button (O on the PS3, Shift on the PC, and B on the Xbox 360) will now trigger the hookblade.
- Developer Ubisoft Montreal has stated that the hookblade should increase navigation speed by 30%.
- The actual hook of the hookblade resembles the head of an eagle, a bird frequently associated with the Assassin Order.
- Unlike the hidden gun and poison blade, the hookblade is an upgrade for Ezio's secondary hidden blade, rather than his primary one.
- It is interesting to know that in the Official E3 Trailer for Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Ezio's left hidden blade broke in the battle against Leandros' forces. It is assumed that it was replaced by the hookblade in the above image, but still with the left hidden blade intact. Whilst in the game, the right hidden blade was the one that appeared to be broken and replaced with the hookblade, without the double blade.
- In addition, when Ezio assassinates Leandros, he does so with his right hidden blade, despite it being broken at that point.
Gallery
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Concept art of the hookblade by Martin Deschambault. -
Yusuf introducing Ezio to the hookblade. -
Ezio receiving a hookblade.
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Ezio using the hookblade to climb a tower.
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Ezio performing a hook-and-run with the hookblade.
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The hookblade in combat. -
Ezio countering an enemy with the hookblade.
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Ezio kills a guard with the hookblade.
Video
Source
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