Miguel Carasso

"You think the Anarchists capable of taking down Franco's fascists? We must unite under the government against the greater threat."

―Miguel disputing with Dwight Adams about their allegiance, 1937.^[src]^-[m]

Miguel Carasso was a priest who joined the Spanish Assassins as a member of Ignacio Cardona's Assassin cell during the Spanish Civil War.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Spanish Civil War[edit | edit source]

During the Spanish Civil War, Miguel was part of Ignacio Cardona's Assassin group consisting of Glaucia Acosta, Dwight Adams, and Rosa Martinez, all of whom fought on the side of the Republicans.^[1]

After losing Rosa^[2] and witnessing the Bombing of Guernica in April 1937, Miguel and the cell, accompanied by Abdul Ortega, made their way towards the city of Barcelona. The group made camp to rest for the night and, during the campfire, they were attacked by Republican soldiers who had mistaken them for Nationalists. Abdul was killed, though Ignacio was able to stop the firefight before any more lives were needlessly lost.^[1]

By May, Miguel and the group had reached and made camp in Barcelona. Both he and Dwight were woken during the night by a commotion, which they believed was an intruder. After Glaucia cornered the intruder, the group interrogated him and learned that he was Norbert Clarke, an Assassin sent by the British Brotherhood to assist them, showing them a letter as proof. He then claimed that he was responsible for eliminating an entire Templar branch in Tallinn in 1936. Convinced that he was an Assassin, Miguel and the others introduced themselves to him.^[2]

The next day, Miguel and the Assassins trained with Norbert, who easily defeated them. They later followed Ignacio to a firefight between anarchists and nationalists. Miguel argued with Dwight as he believed that they should side with the government while Dwight believed that they should help the anarchists. The two were soon interrupted by Ignacio, who had activated the Koh-i-Noor given to him by Norbert, producing serpent-like projections. Before Miguel and Dwight were consumed by it, Ignacio managed to resist the artifact and throw it away.^[2]

As the Assassins checked on him, they were attacked by the Black Cross Albert Bolden, who targeted Norbert. While Miguel and the others fought the Templar, they were unable to prevent him from taking Ignacio away. "Norbert", who was in fact the Templar Rufus Grosvenor, would later turn the Assassins against Ignacio, convincing them that their leader had been compromised by the Black Cross. Believing that both Ignacio and Albert would go after them, the Assassins holed up in a war-torn village.^[3]

Manipulated by Grosvenor[edit | edit source]

Ignacio: "The gem is not meant for me. I can feel it. if I use it again, it could kill me!"

Miguel: "And?! What are our lives when weighed against millions?! Clarke told me about Germany... about Hitler. Do you know what that strutting deformity is planning to do to my people?!"

—Miguel disputing with Ignacio about using the Koh-i-Noor, 1937.^[src]^-[m]

As Ignacio and Albert approached the village, Miguel and Dwight launched a surprise attack on the both of them, though they were easily taken down. While Dwight questioned Ignacio for the truth, Miguel held Albert at gunpoint, who told him to go ahead and open fire. He pleaded with Ignacio to use the Koh-i-Noor so that they could end the war. Ignacio, however, was unwilling to do so as it would cost him his life. In response, Miguel told him that their lives weighted nothing against millions, revealing that "Clarke" had told him about Germany and about what Hitler was planning to do to his people.^[4]

During the conversation, Dwight attempted to attack Albert from behind, leading to a fight. As Dwight held the Black Cross, Miguel took the opportunity to slash Albert's stomach with his Hidden Blade. However, before Miguel could deliver the finishing blow, Albert deflected his attack and caused him to stab Dwight, who was holding him from behind. As Dwight collapsed on the ground, Bolden punched Miguel in the face and rescued Ignacio from Glaucia, who had slipped behind her lover and held a knife under his throat.^[4]

Realizing that Miguel had fled, two men followed his tracks to the town church, where Grosvenor was waiting for them. The Templar was standing over a pit of anarchist bodies, killed by Franco's men, and ranted about humanity needing the firm guiding hand of the gods. Entering the church too, Glaucia and Miguel took aim at Ignacio and Albert and had them surrender their guns.^[4]

Grosvenor then spoke of how his master had followed Ignacio's bloodline, hoping for optimum conditions, but the fact that he was a male was a clear failing to fully controlling the gem. Nevertheless, he offered Ignacio the Koh-i-Noor in the hope that he may still try. Upon touching the gem, the Assassin created the illusion of the Koh-i-Noor shattering under its own power and summoned creatures of energy who stampeded into the walls of the church, bringing it crashing down upon all of them. While Ignacio, Bolden, Glaucia, and Grosvenor all survived, with the latter two fleeing to the United States, Miguel's fate remained unknown.^[4]

Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]

Miguel Carasso is a character introduced in the 2017 comic Assassin's Creed: Uprising. Based on a conversation he has during his standoff with Ignacio Cardona and Albert Bolden, it is implied that Miguel is Jewish, as he tells Ignacio about what Adolf Hitler was planning to do to his people, foreshadowing the Jews' persecution during the Holocaust.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Miguel is the Portugese and Spanish form of the name Michael, which is of Hebrew origin. His last name Carasso is derived from Karasu, meaning "black water" in Turkish. It is also the name of a prominent Sephardic Jewish family, further alluding Miguel's possible Jewish identity.