Leap of Faith
The Leap of Faith was an acrobatic move in which the person performing it dived from atop a high structure into a conveniently placed pile of hay or other soft landing material, landing unharmed.
The Leap of Faith was integral for the members of the Assassin Order and served as a requirement for their initiation.[1]
Usage
The acrobatic move itself traditionally consisted of a vertical leap, with a completely straight back, followed by a head-over-heels roll in mid-air to allow the one performing it to land on his or her back.[2] The move could also be performed by simply walking off a ledge, moving the entire body forward. This method was used by the Roman Assassin recruits after their initiation ceremony.[3]
Leaps of Faith could be performed by Free Running off any high ledge or beam. Areas from which a Leap could be performed were often marked by bird droppings with small hay patches and pigeons perched upon the ledge. Leaps of Faith could also be performed while hanging on a ledge, climbing near a bale of hay, or even diving into moving wagons containing hay. [2]
High Middle Ages
The Leap of Faith was used to descend from View Points, each of which always provided a suitable safe target for it. However, it could be used to jump down from anywhere, if, of course, a safe target was below.[2] It was also used to escape pursuing guards on rooftops, as a high leap into a bale of hay automatically caused the Assassin to leave the pursuers' line of sight.[2]
Renaissance
Though Altaïr only performed Leaps of Faith into piles of hay, Ezio Auditore could make use of water and other piles of soft material, such as piles of leaves or flower petals.[4] Upon traveling to Rome, Ezio made use of the Leap of Faith to quickly escape the Borgia Towers he climbed and set aflame.[3] As per tradition, whenever Assassin recruits were initiated, the Order required its members to perform a Leap of Faith as part of their initiation. Ezio performed his from atop a bell tower in Venice and later required his Roman recruits to perform a Leap of Faith from the top of the Tiber Island hideout, into the Tiber River below.[3]
Modern times
In 2000, Daniel Cross performed a Leap of Faith into the Arabian Sea, in order to escape the Assassins' Dubai headquarters upon murdering The Mentor with his newly acquired Hidden Blade.[5]
Desmond Miles performed his first Leap of Faith in the run-down, modern Monteriggioni in 2012, after witnessing Ezio climbing up to a View Point due to the bleeding effect.[3]
Additionally, at Abstergo Industries, several Abstergo recruits also performed Leaps of Faith through the simulations they participated in within the Animus training program.[3]
Trivia
Assassin's Creed
- Near the beginning of the game, when Masyaf was attacked by Templars, three Assassins display their devotion by performing Leaps of Faith from a cliff. This was based on a historical incident involving the Hashshashin, in which their leader proclaimed that his followers were more devout than any and would follow all commands he gave. As shown in the game, he ordered several men to jump from a cliff "to their deaths," which they did. The incident was also depicted in the novel Alamut, by Vladimir Bartol, though only one man leapt from a tower while another killed himself with a dagger.
- There was nothing coincidental about the placement of the piles of hay. It was explained that the bales of hay and the birds indicating them were been programmed into the memory by Lucy Stillman as a way to help out in the navigation of the memory.
Assassin's Creed II
- When being pursued by Ezio, Francesco de' Pazzi leapt off the Palazzo della Signoria into a haystack for a quick escape. This was the only known example for a non-Assassin performing a Leap of Faith until Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.
- To achieve the "High Dive" achievement, Ezio had to perform a Leap of Faith from Giotto's Campanile in Florence, as it was the highest viewpoint in the game.
- Ezio could perform an alternative Leap of Faith by hanging from a ledge or View Point and falling backwards onto a safe spot, as long as he was high enough and the safe spot was directly below him. Ezio was forced to do this at least once after speaking with his father during the "Jailbird" memory.
Other
- It was unlikely that a haystack in a cart would realistically be able to safely cushion someone falling from a great height. The momentum could either cause the cart to collapse or the person jumping to fall through the bottom. Hay being somewhat sharp, falling into it at such a speed would surely cause injury.
- It was suggested that very few of the modern-age Assassins perform the Leap of Faith, due to Lucy Stillman saying it was "pretty awesome" when she witnessed Desmond Miles performing his first-ever Leap from the walls of Monteriggioni. It should be noted that Lucy does not perform the Leap herself and instead takes a ladder down the cliff to follow Desmond.
- In Assassins Creed II: Discovery, Ezio could also perform the alternative Leap of Faith by hanging above a haystack and letting go of the ledge. Doing so correctly would let Ezio flip three times.
- Also in Discovery, Ezio could perform a Leap of Faith into a bush.
- In Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade, it was mentioned that the haystacks used in the Leaps of Faith at the Templar siege of Masyaf were placed there on the orders of Rauf.
- As an easter egg in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Big Boss (and the soldiers he has recruited) could perform Leaps of Faith into a straw box called the "Assassin Straw Box."
- An easter egg in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings showed an individual dressed in Assassin clothing dead on top of a collapsed hay cart; the main character commented "Guess they'll never learn."
- In the reveal trailer for Hitman: Absolution Sniper Challenge , near to the end of the trailer, a man standing on a high beam was shot by Agent 47. After a few seconds, he fell. As he tumbled, the sound of an eagle screeching played, the same as the one that played when a Leap of Faith was performed.
Gallery
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Aquilus performing a Leap of Faith. -
Altaïr performing a Leap of Faith into a haystack.
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Ezio performing a Leap of Faith off the Santa Maria del Fiore.
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Ezio performing a Leap off the Tiber Island headquarters.
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Assassin recruits performing Leaps off the Tiber Island headquarters. -
The Vanguard performing a Leap of Faith. -
Daniel's Leap of Faith. -
Ezio performs a Leap of Faith from the top of Masyaf fortress. -
Ezio performing a leap of faith after burning a Borgia Tower.
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Vali cel Tradat performing a Leap of Faith.
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References
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