Alan Rikkin

Patience, brothers. Soon we will reveal the secrets of Assassin's Creed Unity: Abstergo Entertainment – Employee Handbook. This article has been identified as being out of date. Please update the article to reflect recent releases and then remove this template once done.

"We are making history here, the past is largely irrelevant."

―Alan Rikkin, 2010.

Alan Rikkin (1951 – 2016) was the Chief Executive Officer of Abstergo Industries and a member of the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order. He held the positions of Grand Master and Guardian within the Order, answering directly to the General of the Cross and the Council of Elders.

Biography

Early life

An Englishman, Alan Rikkin was born around 1951. At some point he established himself as a member of the Templar Order, rising to the rank of Grand Master, and as a highly positioned employee of Abstergo Industries. Rikkin eventually married and, in 1980, his wife gave birth to Sofia. Around this time, he also initiated what would become a 30-year project with the Abstergo Foundation Rehabilitation Center to seek out the means to suppress humanity's free will and bring the world under the total control of the Templars while purging the planet of the Assassins.

Rikkin became a widower and single parent after Sofia's mother was killed by the Assassins in 1984. With the loss of his wife, Rikkin turned into a colder man. He was a distant yet controlling father who tightened the security at their homes, ensured Sofia had a private education under governesses, and forbade his lonely daughter from playing with "ordinary children". Sofia would wake up at night screaming, afraid that the Assassins would make her an orphan but Rikkin was too busy running Abstergo to be present.

Templar career

In the early 1980s, Alan Rikkin established the Abstergo Foundation Rehabilitation Center as part of Abstergo Industries' ongoing efforts to suppress free will through the pursuit of Aguilar's Apple of Eden. The Templars had been searching for the artifact for centuries, believing it would help them achieve their ultimate goal. They discovered that the object, referred to among themselves simply as "the Artifact," had once been in the possession of Aguilar de Nerha, a 15th-century Assassin from the Spanish Brotherhood. However, over time, de Nerha's bloodline had nearly died out, with only one known descendant remaining—Mary Lynch, an Assassin in her own right.

Alan Rikkin in Baja California

In 1986, Rikkin led a strike-team to capture Mary Lynch in Baja California, Mexico. Intending to put the Assassin into an Animus to uncover clues to the whereabouts of the Artifact, they arrived too late. Though they captured her husband, Joseph, Rikkin was unable to prevent Mary's suicide or stop the escape of her son, Callum.

At the turn of the millennium, Rikkin was among those informed by Warren Vidic that Daniel Cross had returned to Abstergo's facility in Philadelphia after Cross had assassinated the Mentor of the Assassins. In 2010, Clay Kaczmarek was tasked by William Miles to hack Rikkin's personal computer in the hope of learning more about the Animus Project.

Rikkin succeeded the previous CEO of Abstergo Industries after their death in January 2012. In a tape, Rikkin's predecessor encouraged him to stay on course after all he had learned from the previous Grand Masters, and reminded him that the free market would soon collapse, and that he needed to establish the New World Order before all turned to anarchy.

Later that year, Abstergo was hit by a scandal over the testing of their New Fluoride product; the United States government threatened to freeze Abstergo's assets, which coupled with the loss of an Apple of Eden in the DIA satellite accident, forced them to hasten the completion of the Eye-Abstergo satellite.

Animus Project

"I'm about ready to pull the plug on your Subject 17. So either get me results or get another person into that Animus."

―Rikkin giving orders to Warren Vidic via email.

Rikkin oversaw the Animus Project supervised by Vidic and Lucy Stillman. On 5 September 2012, after Stillman began investigating Leila Marino's case file, Rikkin told Vidic to get her to quit and that she was his responsibility, after sending her a seemingly automated response about being out-of-office. The next day, in response to the recent New Fluoride media scandal, Rikkin emailed Vidic blaming the pills department and stating that the Eye-Abstergo satellite launch was being delayed until 21 December so that the coverage area could be improved, purportedly for the "benefit of our consumers".

On 7 September 2012, Rikkin emailed Vidic expressing concern regarding the progress with the current subject, frustrated that it was taking several days for Desmond Miles—Abstergo's seventeenth subject—to synchronize with the memories required to locate several Pieces of Eden. While Abstergo specifically prioritized retrieving Piece of Eden no. 3 to replace the artifact lost in the DIA satellite accident, the ultimate goal of the synchronization was to secure a map detailing the locations of multiple such objects. Rikkin went as far as providing David from the Acquisitions department with a copy of the correspondence to prepare for potential alternative test subjects should Desmond be retired. Despite resolving issues at the Denver International Airport, a problematic baggage handler was leaking sensitive information to newsgroups and websites, leading Rikkin to suspect the individual was receiving assistance from the Assassins. Questioning if the "fluoride leak" was internal, Rikkin considered terminating Subject Seventeen's participation unless results were promptly delivered or a replacement was introduced to the Animus.

Kilkerman, Rikkin and Liman listening to Vidic's report

Roughly an hour later, Rikkin sent another email to Vidic after reviewing analysis of the recordings from Subjects 12 through 16, reaffirming that Piece of Eden no. 3 remained their primary priority. While the satellite was intended to automate much of their work, Rikkin stressed the necessity of dealing with individuals either immune to or protected from its effects. He also applauded the continued efforts to locate an alternate artifact following the loss of Piece of Eden no. 2 during the DIA Satellite Accident and expressed understanding regarding the interface difficulties causing delays with Subject Seventeen's synchronization.

Anticipating a critical update within 24 hours, Rikkin prepared an extraction team, emphasizing the urgency of unlocking the final memory to retrieve the locations of other objects. Regarding the Philadelphia Project, data from Animus Subject 12 indicated that the vessel briefly manifested in a future state for approximately 18 minutes. Due to concerns over paradoxes, Administration upheld corporate policy requiring the containment of any objects found to interfere with or manipulate time, deciding to place the artifact in secure storage.

The Tunguska Incident was identified as the direct result of an assault by Assassins, which led to the destruction of both the research station and the involved artifact. Since alternative wave-generation devices lacked sufficient data for further research, the Lineage Discovery and Acquisition Division shifted its focus to locating descendants of the survivors—representing both the Assassin and Templar factions—to facilitate continued study. The Holy Grail was removed from the list of active objectives due to insufficient evidence confirming its existence, as data from Subject Seventeen suggested that artifacts related to the Christ-figure were merely literary devices or derived from a Piece of Eden, rendering their pursuit negligible to Abstergo's goals at that stage.

Analysis of the Mitchell-Hedges Communicators confirmed the objects were functional, providing Abstergo with a secure communication channel for use following the satellite launch. However, due to their limited number, distribution was restricted to the company's most essential facilities, though Vidic was permitted to retain the device already in his possession. Rikkin underscored the absolute urgency of concluding the work with Subject Seventeen, stressing that retrieving the hidden locations was critical to the operation's success; he warned that without this information, their entire endeavor would ultimately result in failure.

Rikkin leaving the meeting

Rikkin, David Kilkerman, and Henry Liman arrived at the Animus Project laboratory in Rome the day after a failed Assassin assault. Vidic confirmed the successful retrieval of the map, prompting Rikkin to declare that teams would be dispatched to secure all identified sites. He emphasized the necessity of collecting every artifact to prevent any survivors from obstructing the establishment of their New World. While Rikkin initially ordered Desmond's termination, Stillman intervened, arguing that his genetic memory remained vital for verifying the status of the sites. Consequently, Rikkin deferred his final decision, granting a temporary reprieve.

In October, details of the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order were made available to recruits of the second stage of the Animi Training Program. Kept in a dossier of Abstergo Files, the one pertaining to the Inner Sanctum was entitled "File.0.17\Ins_InnerSanctum" and included the names and positions of all its members, Rikkin being one of them. Revealing his position as the CEO of Abstergo Industries.

On 17 November, Rikkin contacted Laetitia England after she reported that Desmond Miles had stolen a Precursor power source in Manhattan.

Managing Abstergo

Rikkin later became acquainted with Olivier Garneau, the CCO of Abstergo Entertainment, and contacted him in 2013 about his progress regarding the Observatory. He also had a hand in the development of Abstergo's game Liberation.

On 21 January 2014, Rikkin sent a message to Melanie Lemay, congratulating her for her role as CCO of Abstergo Entertainment. Because of her hard work, Rikkin offered her a raise and personally stated that he was looking forward to working with her in the future.

At some point, Rikkin wrote a memo to Álvaro Gramática regarding his concerns with the Observatory. In the memo, Rikkin wrote that his position as the Guardian required him to confer with 2 other Guardians before passing the information to the General of the Cross, who would apprised Gramática within a week. He also wrote that if Gramática may proceed with his plans if he did not receive any updates from the General of the Cross and that he would contact the Cuban, Mexican, and American Grand Masters to assess the situation.

On 17 October 2015, Rikkin had a conference with Isabelle Ardant. Álvaro Gramática contacted him after Violet da Costa retrieved a Shroud of Eden from the vault under Buckingham Palace and the Phoenix Project was accelerated.

Spying on Hathaway

In October 2016, Rikkin conducted Simon Hathaway's induction into the Inner Sanctum. After the ceremony, Rikkin granted Hathaway permission to act on his new project of exploring the Templars' genetic memories to rediscover lost secrets. Hathaway planned to explore his ancestor's memories of the Hundred Years' War to learn more about Jeanne d'Arc's personal Sword of Eden and Rikkin gave him a deliberately-tight one week schedule to prove the usefulness of his approach.

Rikkin was keen to stop Hathaway prying too much into the history of the Sword, once wielded by the revered Templar Grand Master Jacques de Molay, believing that learning about de Molay's influence would interfere with his own ambitions for the Order. Hathaway managed to evade Rikkin's efforts and present his findings to the Inner Sanctum which inspired at least some of its members to re-evaluate how the Templar Order operated in the 21st century.

In response, Rikkin privately set about activating Omega Team, a clandestine task force that operated within Abstergo without even the Inner Sanctum being aware, to prepare moving against the entire Sanctum if needs be. However, he was preoccupied by events in Spain, so left Omega on standby to await his return to London.

Endgame

Rikkin in London.

Rikkin arrived in Madrid to assist Sofia with locating "the Artifact": Aguilar's Apple of Eden. Aware of Callum Lynch's conviction for murder, the Templars faked Lynch's execution and brought him to the Abstergo Foundation Rehabilitation Center instead to find the Apple once possessed by his ancestor Aguilar de Nerha via the Animus.

After learning that Aguilar had entrusted the Apple to Christopher Columbus for life before his voyage in search of the New World, Rikkin traveled with Sophia and Ellen Kaye to Columbus' burial site in the Seville Cathedral, where they found the Apple in his grave. In the same timeframe, Callum escaped from the facility with two other imprisoned Assassins, Lin and Moussa. They travelled to Holborn Hall in London, where the Templars held a ceremony to celebrate Rikkin's discovery of the Apple. As Rikkin presented the Apple to the crowd, Callum assassinated him in front of the assembled Council of Elders, before absconding with the Piece of Eden.

Personality and traits

"You told me she wasn't going to be a problem and here she is stirring up the shit again."

―Rikkin to Warren in an e-mail, regarding Lucy's inquiries into a former employee

Rikkin possessed a profound drive for control and a blunt, demanding demeanor, often overriding established protocols when project results deviated from his strict deadlines. Despite both holding high-ranking positions within the Inner Sanctum, his communications with Vidic were characterized by a harsh tone and a lack of professional courtesy, as Rikkin frequently intervened in the supervision of Desmond's research to ensure absolute alignment with corporate priorities. However, his formal reports also showcased the high degree of intelligence and strategic oversight required to lead a global organization like Abstergo.

Stillman once emailed Rikkin, requesting information on the death of her friend and former employee, Leila Marino. The only response she received was a standardized out-of-office notification; however, Rikkin remained active in corporate affairs during this period, even privately instructing Vidic to suppress Stillman's investigations to prevent her from becoming a liability to the company's schedule. He viewed Stillman's persistent inquiries as a failure on Vidic's part to maintain control over his personnel.

Rikkin's lack of empathy was further illustrated by his cold pragmatism regarding test subjects. Upon the successful retrieval of the artifact map, he immediately ordered Desmond's termination, viewing him as having exhausted his utility. However, Stillman was able to intervene, persuading him that Desmond remained a valuable asset for verifying the status of the sites, which led Rikkin to grant a temporary reprieve. Rikkin also grew dissatisfied with Simon Hathaway’s research into the Sword of Eden, viewing Simon and his work as a threat to his vision for the Templar Order. When he couldn’t convince the Inner Sanctum to declare Simon “guilty” of treason, he secretly planned to turn Omega Team against the Sanctum, hinting at the possibility of eliminating certain members or the entire group. However, he had to put this plan on hold as he was occupied with other responsibilities in Madrid.

Upon arriving at the Lineage Discovery and Acquisition facility in Madrid, Rikkin immediately took charge of exploiting Callum Lynch’s genetic memories. His daughter, Sofia, who had been in charge of the facility, was frustrated by his constant interference. He was also displeased when the Council of Elders summoned him back to London to discuss the Animus Project in Madrid, comparing the summons to being an “obedient dog.”

Despite his controllingand remorseless nature, Rikkin showed a preference for his daughter, Sofia, over most other Templars, granting her some freedom. He spoke highly of her against the Elders, noting her intelligence and how close she was to locating the Apple of Eden. Although he occasionally admitted, most time not openly, that he found Sofia’s defiance both admirable and frustrating, he still believed in her potential. At one point, he tried to prove that Sofia’s faith in Callum Lynch was misplaced, offering Lynch the opportunity to kill his father to teach Sofia a lesson. Although Rikkin knew Sofia was more of a scientist than a Templar, he still hoped she would walk beside him at the Templar meeting in London to present Aguilar’s Apple of Eden. She declined, feeling that he had destroyed her work by shutting down the Madrid facility when its function was no longer needed. Not fully understanding her as she did not explain, further showing his lack of empathy.

Rikkin also valued Sofia’s opinions. He often asked her to review his speeches, and even stole phrases from her, stating that he only stole from the best.

Rikkin was also ignorant of historical facts, proven when he mistook who Guy Fawkes was, believing Fawkes was involved in the French Revolution. When corrected by Caroline Grey, he snapped at her, claiming "We are making history here, the past is largely irrelevant". This attitude resurfaced years later, in October 2016, while working with Victoria Bibeau the topic of Guy Fawkes was brought up again, but Rikkin had quickly dismissed it again. Despite his apparent disregard for historical accuracy, he seemed to hold a particular fondness for Templar history. His office in Madrid, which he considered his second favorite after his London office, was filled with artifacts from Grandmaster Templars, as well as ancient Assassin artifacts.

Behind the scenes

Alan Rikkin is a character introduced in the 2007 video game Assassin's Creed. Despite having a minor speaking role, his voice actor is uncredited. He later appeared in the 2016 film also titled Assassin's Creed, where he was portrayed by Jeremy Irons.

Alan Rikkin's business card.

The production team behind the Assassin's Creed movie tweeted Rikkin's business card. By calling the numbers on it, fans would receive a voice message by Jeremy Irons as Rikkin.

Alan physical appearance differs greatly between the original Assassin's Creed video game and the film. In the video game, he is bald, obese, and has a dark beard, while in the film he shows signs of aging and is noticeably thinner.

Gallery

• 
  Alan meeting Ellen Kaye
• 
  Rikkin reporting to Kaye
• 
  Alan walking with Callum
• 
  Alan with Sofia
• 
  Alan holding Aguilar's Apple of Eden
• 
  Callum attacking Alan from behind
• 
  Callum assassinates Alan

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: The Fall (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed (Les Deux Royaumes comics) (non-canon)
• Assassin's Creed: Revelations – Discover Your Legacy (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Revelations (mentioned only)
  • The Lost Archive (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed III: Liberation (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Rogue (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Unity (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed Unity: Abstergo Entertainment – Employee Handbook (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Initiates (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Syndicate (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Heresy
• Assassin's Creed (film)
• Assassin's Creed: The Official Movie Novelization
• Assassin's Creed: Origins (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Conspiracies (mentioned only)