Simon Hathaway

"This is what the Templar Order should be! A weapon when needed, and an inspiration at all times. A light for humanity when it needs it the most. This was Jacques de Molay's goal."

―Simon Hathaway's speech to the Inner Sanctum, 2016.

Professor Simon Hathaway (born 1980s) is a British Templar, historian, and, as of 2016, the head of the Historical Research Division of Abstergo Industries and a member of the Templars' Inner Sanctum. The boyfriend of Abstergo technician Anaya Chodary, he resumed their relationship after nearly a decade of separation. He is also a descendant of the French soldier Gabriel Laxart, who fought in the Hundred Years' War under his step-cousin—and eventual lover—Jeanne d'Arc.

In his first week as Head of the Historical Research Department and a member of the Inner Sanctum, Simon planned to restore the Sword of Eden in Abstergo's custody, which had once belonged to Grand Master Jacques de Molay, by reliving Gabriel Laxart's memories. Alan Rikkin greenlit Simon's plan, but gave him an intentionally tight deadline and later began interfering with his research, fearing that Simon's discoveries could impact the way the entire Templar Order operated and inadvertently sabotage Rikkin's own ambitions.

As Simon became aware of his every move being monitored and his investigation being sabotaged at every turn, he went behind Rikkin's back and absconded with the Sword. Under threat of being labeled a traitor, he became desperate to prove his research's value and began looking for "the Heart", the missing component of the Sword which could restore its power. After finding it in France, he returned to London just in time for his hearing with the Inner Sanctum and explained his new outlook on the Templars' role in society. Earning the respect of most of his Inner Sanctum peers, Simon was cleared of all charges and granted full authority to oversee his department as he saw fit.

Biography

Early life and career

Simon was born into the Templar Order; his parents were both members of the Order, as was his grandmother, who worked in the background of Winston Churchill's war office. He followed in the footsteps of his predecessors as he pursued his career as a historian. He attended the University of Cambridge and afterwards worked in Abstergo Industries' Historical Division under his fellow alumnus Isabelle Ardant.

In 2004, Simon entered into a romantic relationship with fellow Templar Anaya Chodary—then a field agent. However, their work and devotion to the Order eventually kept the two apart and ended their relationship, one that only lasted a single year.

Later, Ardant became impressed by Simon's work and mentioned him several times in her files, catching the attention of the Abstergo CEO and Grand Master Alan Rikkin. This proved crucial during the Inner Sanctum's hunt for Ardant's replacement following her death in 2015. At some point, Hathaway went hiking in the Scottish Highlands and climbed Ben Nevis.

Induction to the Inner Sanctum

"I have learned that genuine knowledge only comes to those who truly hunger for it. I have learned that power must be wielded by those above the fray, for only they can see the interweaving of the pattern. And I have learned that wisdom is the execution of power guided by knowledge and understanding."

―Simon answering the Inner Sanctum's question about what he had learned as a Templar, 2016.

Simon was inducted to the Inner Sanctum in October 2016. Following his initiation ceremony, he gave a presentation to his fellow members in which he put forward his belief that the Animus was not being used to its full potential in their search for Pieces of Eden and Assassins.

Seeing the methods such as those employed by Abstergo Entertainment—which utilized people largely ignorant of the significance of what they witnessed in the past—as more data gathering rather than application of knowledge, Simon argued that greater work could be done in less time by sending a Templar like himself into the past. He believed that someone who appreciated the greater context of what they saw could discover clues that others simply did not know to look for.

Simon was given the Sword of Eden once owned by Jeanne d'Arc to research

To that end, Simon put forth a theory that the Sword of Eden which had become damaged as it was passed down through history from Grand Masters Jacques de Molay and François-Thomas Germain to the Assassin Arno Dorian and eventually into the office of Alan Rikkin was the very same weapon wielded by Jeanne d'Arc during the Hundred Years' War. It was Simon's belief that by exploring the memories of his ancestor Gabriel Laxart, who had fought beside Jeanne, he would be able to observe the Sword's abilities firsthand and thereby have the opportunity to reactivate them in the present day.

Restoring the Sword of Eden

Day 1

Rikkin gave Simon a deliberately tight one-week schedule to test this new direction that the professor wanted the Historical Research Division to take, and assigned Victoria Bibeau to assist him, a move which immediately reduced the timeline to six days as Victoria needed to fly to London from the Aerie.

Day 2

Simon was officially introduced to Victoria during their meeting at the former's favorite restaurant, Tempest in the Teapot, where they discussed the Bleeding Effect. He also had to summarize the Hundred Years' War and Jeanne of Arc's involvement to the uninformed Victoria, much to his annoyance.

During their ride to the Historical Research Division, the pair encountered Anaya, who was now Abstergo's ethical hacker, in the lift. Initially shocked, the two later shared a friendly conversation which included the whereabouts of one of Simon's old jumpers left at Anaya's place, though he merely told her to donate it to Oxfam. After they parted ways, their relationship was commented upon by Victoria, who Simon learned shared the same views on romance as him. The pair then met the technician Amanda Sekibo, who helped Simon enter the Animus.

During his first session in the Animus, Simon violently desynchronized while reliving Gabriel's first meeting with Jeanne. Victoria later realized, from the chemicals released from Simon's brain, that the cause was not Simon himself, but his ancestor's teenage romantic attraction to the maiden. After more observations, he realized that Gabriel and Jeanne possessed extraordinary amounts of Isu DNA, and that their ally Jean de Metz was an Assassin.

Desynchronizing from the Animus again after his excitement of finding an Assassin overloaded the signal, Simon became confident that Rikkin would take an interest in his project due to its potential regarding both DNA tracking and the history of the Assassin-Templar War. He and Victoria also discussed the ancestor of the late Warren Vidic, Geoffroy Thérage, Jeanne's executioner. Simon noted that not many people liked or missed Vidic. Victoria then advised Simon to go home and rest, to which he initially complained but eventually complied.

Day 3

The next morning, Simon came in early to work after a restless night. After Victoria arrived, Simon gave her some exposition on Jeanne getting an audience with Robert de Baudricourt. While reliving Gabriel's journey to Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois, Simon had a hunch where the Sword was.

During a break, Simon and Anaya met up, and she told him about the new job she had applied for. Simon expressed his happiness for her, but couldn't help lingering feelings from coming back to him. Returning to work, Simon told Victoria about his theory that Jeanne may have been in contact with the Isu Consus. During his next Animus session, he caught a quick glimpse of who he assumed to be the French Assassins' Mentor, but could not identify them.

Jacques de Molay's graffiti that Simon sent to Cryptology to be analyzed

After learning that his ancestor was an Assassin ally, Simon was disgusted. However, after seeing the graffiti of Jacques de Molay in the Fort Coudray of Château de Chinon, his sour mood lightened. He marveled at the opportunity to have it analyzed by Zachary Morgenstern in Cryptology. After several hours in the Animus, Victoria was ready to pull Simon out. His vital signs started to concern her, but Simon, feeling the Sword was nearby, insisted on continuing. Victoria reluctantly conceded but warned him that she would pull him out at the first sign of danger.

Simon resumed tracking Gabriel's memories and found the Sword of Eden. At that moment, however, Simon passed out. He awoke to find Victoria, Sekibo, and two other technicians standing over him. Eager to resume his search, he was stopped by Victoria, who insisted that he take a day off. Simon tried to argue back, to no avail. Victoria then suggested that Simon email Rikkin to explain his current situation and ask for an extension of the deadline. Out of options, Simon reluctantly conceded and went home.

In the cab on his way to his flat in Kensington, Simon received a text from Anaya informing him that she had gotten the job, and he replied that he was happy for her. Closing his eyes to rest a while, he started suffering from early onsets of the Bleeding Effect, seeing Latin and hearing Middle French when he slept. He was jolted from his sleep when the cab driver called to him, expressing concern. Simon looked pale, and the driver offered to help him to his flat. Simon denied the need for assistance, and after tipping the driver, entered his flat. After a hot shower, he saw Gabriel's reflection in the mirror for a brief moment.

Day 4

After a stressful night, during which he overslept, Simon met with Victoria and expressed his frustration at not being able to send Rikkin the email. His interactions with Victoria became more snappy, although he apologized for it. Trying to organize a meeting with Rikkin via his secretary, it became impossible as Rikkin was planning a trip to Madrid, Spain. This news frustrated Simon, who insisted that they continue working.

Back in the Animus, Simon relived Gabriel's training in Assassin techniques under Jean de Metz. Simon jokingly noted to Victoria about how all the training could make him as chiseled as Adonis. After training heavily inside the simulation for a whole day in Gabriel's time, Simon took a short break in the Memory Corridor. Brushing aside Victoria's comment about wanting to switch sides, he continued onward.

Learning how to use the Hidden Blade through Gabriel, Simon felt his hesitance about taking a life, though such feelings were pushed to the side as Simon witnessed his ancestor prepare to rendezvous with Jeanne for an audience with Queen Yolande of Aragon. Victoria asked if Simon needed a break but he declined. Some days later inside the simulation, Simon was amazed when he witnessed Jeanne being bestowed her sword. After it glowed in her hands, Simon realized that they were on the right track and that it was the Sword of Eden they were after.

Simon later drafted his email to Rikkin, outlining their progress, requesting to personally examine the Sword, and asking for an extension of the deadline. Several hours later, Rikkin responded, agreeing to send him the Sword for examination but denying the extension, emphasizing the need for focus.

After Victoria pulled him out of the Animus, Simon marveled at the Sword's reaction to Jeanne's touch. Following a break and a shower, he headed to Tempest in a Teapot to meet with Victoria, ordering a drink as he waited. Noticing a change in the serving staff, he saw that his favorite waiter, Poole, had since been replaced by Lyndsey. He then met Anaya and her replacement, Benjamin Clarke, an American. Simon navigated the interaction, subtly sharing information about tea. Victoria arrived, sending a coded text about Rikkin's message.

Despite his frustration, Simon gained access to the Sword and vowed to share Jeanne's reaction with Rikkin. The breakfast discussion hinted at Benjamin secretly being a Templar, leading Simon to promise him a city tour. As Simon left, Anaya sought to talk in private but was deferred. Returning to the Animus Room, a mysterious package awaited Simon: Piece of Eden 25, devoid of any significant energy. Undeterred, Simon delved back into the Animus, where he witnessed Gabriel's meeting with Queen Yolande. Determined to uncover the French Assassin Mentor's identity, he was surprised to discover that the Mentor was none other than Yolande herself. Simon was frustrated by this revelation because he, like his ancestor, had been convinced that the Mentor was the Duke of Alençon.

After experiencing Gabriel's own astonishment at the reveal, Simon pulled himself into the Memory Corridor. After getting his breathing under control, he processed the new information and told Victoria not to pull him out. His stats, good with the occasional spike due to shock, were no signs of concern. He calmly resumed his session, witnessing the rest of the meeting and Queen Yolande's promise of support, before pulling himself into the Memory Corridor again for another breather. Still annoyed at himself for never considering the Queen as a candidate for the position of Mentor, he denied the need for a break and pushed forward to 21 April 1429, when Jeanne was with her new army. Through his ancestor, Simon saw firsthand Jeanne's charismatic abilities granted to her by the Sword.

After the simulation concluded, Simon and Victoria discussed Jeanne's use of the Sword of Eden to discipline camp followers, debunking rumors spread by the Duke Alençon. Simon was relieved by Jeanne's family reconciliation and speculated about the presence of Isu DNA in her parents. He recounted Jeanne's father's nightmare, anticipating her joining the army, and they prepared to proceed with the simulation to Orléans. As Jeanne and Gabriel were about to besiege the city, they were approached by one of the camp followers, a girl Jeanne dubbed "Fleur" after the latter had promised to relinquish her sinful ways and go to confession.

Contacting Victoria, she and Simon talked about how out of character it felt for Jeanne to take Fleur as a friend, especially due to her former occupation. However, Simon wanted to keep going despite already having multiple Animus sessions that day. Victoria reluctantly agreed. After experiencing the beginning of the Siege of Orléans, Victoria pulled Simon out, citing increased risks.

Despite his desire to proceed, Simon was scolded by Victoria, which led to a confrontation. After some reluctance, Victoria apologized, and Simon continued reading about Jeanne. Anaya soon contacted him to meet, and during their interaction, she revealed that Victoria had been lying to him. They debated the reasons for secrecy in Simon's project and later checked his flat for bugs, hugging each other while discovering at least two bugs. After Anaya departed, Simon was left to ponder his next steps.

Day 5

Simon, now constantly looking over the shoulder after a night of bad dreams, sat at Tempest in a Teapot and anxiously searched his surroundings, wondering if Abstergo was watching him. Soon, Victoria came over and apologized once more for her behavior the previous day. Their conversation quickly switched to strictly business as they talked about what periods of time to relive despite Simon's desire to go through the battles Jeanne had endured. They later agreed to relive the fourth day of the siege, where Jeanne and her army struck the Les Tourelles.

After the session, Victoria expressed concern for Simon's well-being, though he hid his early distrust of the doctor and let her know that he was simply feeling fatigue from Animus use, requesting a break. Simon declined an offer for lunch, stating he would rather eat alone while he worked on his notes. When probed by Victoria for answers on the Sword of Eden, he deflected answering. He then grabbed the Sword, planning to take it home to study it further.

Simon reflected on his initiation, realizing it was more than a simple ceremony. Victoria tried to dissuade him from leaving with the Sword, though mentally he decided to trust Anaya before trusting Victoria. As the head of the Historical Research Division, he declared it acceptable that he be allowed to take the Sword, sarcastically asking if Victoria thought he would take it straight to Sotheby's or the British Museum. Once alone, Simon calmed his nerves and assumed the mentality of a proper Inner Sanctum member. Aware that internal surveillance would be keeping tabs on him, he resolved to use what resources he had: his mind, his books, and the Animus.

At Temp's, Simon ordered the Hard @ Work basket and tried his best to study, though despite his enthusiasm in finding out the secrets of the Sword and drinking several cups of tea, he dozed off. Dreaming of Jacques de Molay, he awoke after realizing a connection between de Molay and Jeanne d'Arc: they were both burned at the stake for heresy. Each Animus session of reliving Gabriel's memories had brought him closer to Jeanne's execution. He then remembered that Victoria had arranged for de Molay's graffiti to be translated and that he had forgotten to follow up on it. He called Zachary Morgenstern via video call on his laptop and asked about the graffiti, though Morgenstern had no knowledge of any translation nor who Victoria was. Alarmed, Simon thanked Morgenstern for his time and ended the call.

Suspicious that he was being watched, Simon acted casual and picked up a book on Chinon. In his further investigation on the graffiti, he recalled from Gabriel's memory a Latin phrase scrawled on the wall, "Si cor valet, non frangit." He translated it with his burner phone, identical to his Abstergo-issued one, and received the English translation; "If the heart is strong, it will not break."

Simon decided against going to Morgenstern with this information, lest he was also involved with this internal conspiracy against his success. He then went back to Victoria, intent on resuming his Animus sessions. After a brief conversation on Jeanne's victory, Simon noted the impact she had on the French army's morale. Hooked into the Animus, Simon relived Jargeau and the Loire campaign.

After witnessing the French victory at Jargeau, Simon heard the drowned-out voice of the Duke of Suffolk. Victoria asked if the French had accepted the surrender; Simon replied that they had not heard it, and many prisoners were executed later. He believed that Jeanne did not know about the executions—otherwise, she would have been devastated. Her only fear, as Simon recalled, was treachery.

As Victoria reflected on how young the maiden was, she told Simon how difficult it must have been for him, knowing what fate awaited her—though he thought to himself that she could not possibly understand. When the Animus had trouble loading the next memory, Simon suggested that the Sword of Eden must have been present in the upcoming battles. Together, they discussed the battles of Meung-sur-Loire, Beaugency, and Patay—Jeanne's greatest success.

Theorizing where and when Jeanne could have lost the Sword, Simon confidently suggested that it was during her first major defeat, though he wanted to wait before viewing that memory. In the meantime, Simon and Victoria both wished to see Jeanne honored and happy, leading into the coronation at Reims.

Managing Historical Research

On 7 November 2016, Simon met Layla Hassan, a promising young Abstergo employee, praising her and giving her advice. A week later, she sent him an email thanking him for his kind words and asking to be assigned to more Person of Interest assignments. A month later, while Layla was on an assignment, she fell behind on logging operation reports. Simon threatened her tardiness with a formal complaint to Operations and more mediation training.

Simon and the Inner Sanctum meeting the Black Cross

In March 2017, the Inner Sanctum invited the new Black Cross to a meeting in Quebec, during which Simon was present. Displeased that he auto-proclaimed himself their inquisitor, they threatened him and demanded to know his identity. The masked man responded that he came only as a courtesy, to inform them that he was investigating a hostile fifth column within the Order. After affirming his independence, the Black Cross dropped a smoke bomb and disappeared.

In October, Simon assigned a team consisting of Layla Hassan and Deanna Geary to Egypt to recover an artifact of utmost importance from the Qattara Depression, but Layla's refusal to check in with Abstergo led to the company deploying Sigma Team to find and terminate her and Deanna. With Layla surviving Sigma Team's attack and defecting to the Assassins, and the artifact unrecovered, the mission was deemed a failure.

Personality and traits

"With information, we know what—enough to identify the specific artifact—and where. But with knowledge, we'll know what it does, how it was used, and... how to fix it."

―Simon explaining his approach towards the Animus technology to the Inner Sanctum, 2016.

As a scholar and historian, Simon was very eager to witness Jeanne d'Arc's battles in his ancestor's eyes. Despite his excitement, he kept an objective and third-person point of him, almost giving him immunity from the Bleeding Effect. This also enabled him to desynchronize at will.

Simon always valued authenticity. During his initiation into the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order, he noted that the ritual garb had been made by hand and not machines. This caught his admiration, as he loved that the Templars genuinely put in effort to replicate the ancient traditions. He used a whiteboard to present his points, something which David Kilkerman noted was rare to see in the present.

He also valued knowledge over information. He stated that while information told where to find a Piece of Eden, knowledge would allow the Templars to understand its workings and designs. He also believed that knowledge would give them a better advantage over the Assassins rather than just data collection. Simon also adored tea and considered coffee as being "of the devil".

Skills and equipment

Simon’s typical attire consisted of a three-piece suit and an overcoat. In addition to English, he was also fluent in Russian, Spanish, and Arabic. Besides having been taught basic self-defense techniques and possessing sufficient stamina to run up more than nine flights of stairs, he also gained additional skills through the Bleeding Effect. As a result, Simon was able to apply some of Gabriel's sword training to effortlessly disarm two Abstergo security personnel and performed the Assassins' signature Leap of Faith to safely escape from his pursuers.

Although Simon was born not naturally possessing the rare ability of Eagle Vision, generations of Isu-human interbreeding early on in his family lineage meant he had sufficient latent Isu genes that could be more easily trained by learning from his experiences inside the Animus, where his ancestor Gabriel demonstrated the ability. His partial Isu heritage also granted him a natural affinity for detecting Pieces of Eden and easily tapping into the Sword of Eden's powers.

Behind the scenes

Simon Hathaway is a character introduced in the 2016 novel Assassin's Creed: Heresy, written by Christie Golden. While not clearly confirmed, Heresy hints that Simon is a descendant of Jeanne d'Arc, who faked her execution and spent the rest of her life with Simon's ancestor, Gabriel Laxart, with whom she bore children during that time.

Etymology

Simon is a common name derived from the Biblical Hebrew Šimʻôn (שִׁמְעוֹן), meaning "listen". It is also an Ancient Greek name derived from the adjective simon (Σίμων), meaning "flat-nosed". Hathaway is a surname of Anglo-Saxon origin derived from the Old English hǣþ and weġ, meaning "heath" and "way", respectively.

Gallery

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  Simon in Uprising

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Heresy (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Uprising
• Assassin's Creed: Origins (mentioned only)