Desmond Miles facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Desmond Miles
Assassin's Creed character
Desmond Miles in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
First appearance	Assassin's Creed (2007)
Created by	Ubisoft Montreal
Voiced by	Nolan North
Motion capture	Francisco Randez
Information
Occupation	Bartender Assassin
Affiliation	Assassin Brotherhood
Family	William Miles (father) Unnamed mother
Children	Elijah (son)
Relatives	Adam (ancestor) Aquilus (ancestor) Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad (ancestor) Ezio Auditore da Firenze (ancestor) Edward Kenway (ancestor) Haytham Kenway (ancestor) Ratonhnhaké:ton / Connor (ancestor)
Nationality	American

Desmond Miles is a main character from the Assassin's Creed video game series. He is the hero of the modern-day parts of the first five Assassin's Creed games. His story connects these games together. Desmond also appears in other games and spin-off stories. He is voiced by actor Nolan North and looks like Canadian model Francisco Randez. Many video game writers say Desmond's character shows how someone can go beyond their physical body.

In the games, Desmond comes from a long line of important people. These include Adam, Aquilus, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, Edward Kenway, Haytham Kenway, and Ratonhnhaké:ton / Connor. Most of them were part of the Assassin Brotherhood. This group works to protect peace and freedom. Desmond was born into the Brotherhood and trained as an Assassin from a young age. But he wanted a normal life. So, he ran away from home and left the Assassins.

However, he was found and captured by the Templar Order. They are the Assassins' biggest enemies. The Templars forced Desmond into a machine called the Animus. This machine let him experience the memories of his ancestors. The Templars hoped to find powerful objects called Pieces of Eden. They wanted to use these to control all of humanity. Desmond managed to escape before they succeeded. He then accepted his Assassin heritage and rejoined the Brotherhood. He helped them stop the Templars. He also learned he was meant to save humanity from a coming disaster. This disaster was a giant solar flare. He kept exploring his ancestors' memories to find technology from an ancient race called the Isu. They were wiped out by a similar event long ago.

Some people found Desmond's character a bit boring. They felt his modern-day story wasn't as exciting as the historical parts of the games. But others liked Nolan North's voice acting. They also enjoyed watching Desmond change from someone who didn't want to be an Assassin to a true member of the Brotherhood. When Desmond died in Assassin's Creed III, it was a big surprise. After his death, the modern-day story became less important in the series. Still, Desmond is seen as a very important part of the Assassin's Creed world.

Creating Desmond's Character

Nolan North, Desmond's voice actor, said that the first plan for Desmond was for him to be in six games. He would gain all the skills of his Assassin ancestors. This would make him "The Ultimate Assassin." He might even be able to travel through time. North found this idea very interesting. However, this plan was later changed. North also said he thought Desmond was a "boring" character. He felt Desmond didn't have a clear path forward.

In 2016, Michael Fassbender starred in the Assassin's Creed movie. Many thought he would play Desmond. But Ubisoft later said he would play a new character named Callum "Cal" Lynch.

Desmond's Adventures

His First Appearance: Assassin's Creed

In the first Assassin's Creed game, Desmond is a former Assassin. He lives a simple life as a bartender in New York City. He uses fake names and only cash to stay hidden. But he is found and captured by Abstergo Industries. This company is a secret front for the modern-day Templar Order.

At Abstergo's building in Rome, Desmond is forced into the Animus. This machine lets him relive the memories stored in his DNA from his ancestors. It lets him connect his mind with theirs. Dr. Warren Vidic and his assistant Lucy Stillman watch over him. They tell him they are looking for information in the memories of his ancestor, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad (who lived in Syria from 1165 to 1257). They don't tell him what information they want.

Desmond has no choice but to help them. He finds the information Vidic was looking for. It's a map showing where different Pieces of Eden are hidden. These are powerful objects that can control people. They were made by an ancient race. After getting the map, Abstergo's leaders order Desmond to be killed. But Lucy quickly saves him. She convinces Vidic to keep him alive in case they need him again.

When Desmond returns to his room, he starts to feel strange. This is called the Bleeding Effect. It happens from spending too much time in the Animus. He discovers he has gained Altaïr's Eagle Vision. This special sight lets him tell friends from enemies. He can also see secret messages written on walls by Subject 16. Subject 16 was the person who used the Animus before Desmond.

Continuing the Story: Assassin's Creed II

Assassin's Creed II starts right after the first game ends. Desmond escapes from Abstergo with Lucy. She reveals she is a secret Assassin. Desmond enters a new Animus, the Animus 2.0. Lucy and her Assassin team, Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane, supervise him. They want to quickly train him as an Assassin using the Bleeding Effect. He relives the memories of Ezio Auditore da Firenze (who lived in Italy from 1459 to 1524). Ezio is his ancestor from the Renaissance.

After going through Ezio's early memories, Desmond is taken out of the Animus. This is to stop his mind from breaking down, like what happened to Subject 16. Soon after, Desmond sees a flash of Altaïr's memories, even though he's not in the Animus.

As Desmond spends more time in Animus 2.0, he gets better at his new skills. He becomes a fast and skilled fighter, just like Altaïr and Ezio. The last part of Ezio's memories leads Ezio and Desmond to a futuristic room. It's hidden under the Sistine Chapel. There, they see a hologram of Minerva. She is a member of the Isu, the ancient race who created humans and the Pieces of Eden. Minerva speaks directly to Desmond. She knows he is reliving Ezio's memories. She talks about a huge disaster that wiped out most of her race thousands of years ago. She warns that it will happen again by the end of that year (2012). Desmond must stop it.

Desmond is then pulled from the Animus. Abstergo has found the Assassins' hideout. The team escapes to a new safe place. Desmond goes back into the Animus. He believes Ezio, and maybe Subject 16, have the answers they need.

The Brotherhood's Fight: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Desmond, Lucy, Shaun, and Rebecca arrive at Monteriggioni. They set up a safe house in the Villa Auditore's secret room. Desmond goes back into the Animus 2.0. He wants to find where Ezio hid the Apple of Eden. He hopes to use this powerful object to defeat the Templars. He also wants to stop the disaster Minerva warned them about.

Through Ezio's memories, Desmond and the others learn the Apple is hidden under the Colosseum. They go there to get it. Desmond takes the Apple. Then, another Isu named Juno takes control of his body. She forces him to hurt Lucy. Juno says Lucy would have betrayed him later. Desmond then falls into a deep sleep, called a coma. Two unknown Assassins put him back into the Animus. They hope to keep his mind safe.

Uncovering Secrets: Assassin's Creed: Revelations

In Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Desmond wakes up inside the Black Room. This is a safe area within the Animus. On Animus Island in the Black Room, he meets a digital copy of Subject 16, Clay Kaczmarek. Clay tells Desmond he must find a memory that connects him with both Altaïr and Ezio. This will help him put his mind back together and wake up from his coma.

While in this state, Desmond can hear Shaun, Rebecca, and his father, William Miles, talking. They are worried about him. When the Animus starts to delete Animus Island, Clay sacrifices himself. He stops his own mind from being deleted. But not before giving his own genetic memories to Desmond.

After this, a third Isu, Jupiter, appears. He tells Desmond where to find the Grand Temple. This temple holds a lot of information collected by the Isu race. Desmond needs this to stop the huge solar flare coming in a few weeks. Desmond wakes up from his coma. He sees Shaun, Rebecca, and his father around him. When William asks if he's okay, Desmond simply says he knows what they need to do.

While in the Black Room, Desmond talks about his life before Abstergo captured him. In the first memory, he regrets running away from "the Farm." This was a secret place where he grew up with other Assassins. He wishes he could apologize to his parents. In later memories, Desmond explains his early life on the Farm and his training. He describes escaping at age 16. He ran into the Black Hills, then met girls from Illinois who drove him to Chicago. After that, he moved to New York City. He talks about his job at a fancy bar in New York. In his last memory, Desmond describes how Abstergo found him in 2012. He regrets not taking his parents' warnings and training seriously. Finally, he accepts his role as an Assassin.

A special downloadable story for Revelations, called The Lost Archive, adds more to Desmond's time in the Black Room. He unwillingly experiences Clay's memories before Clay died. Through these memories, he learns that Lucy was actually a secret agent for the Templars. His escape from Abstergo was planned. Vidic had ordered her to take Desmond to a place where he would feel safe. This way, he would willingly use the Animus. After finding Ezio's Apple of Eden, Lucy was supposed to steal it. She would bring it back to the Templars. They planned to send it into space using a satellite. This would let them control all of humanity.

The Final Stand: Assassin's Creed III

In Assassin's Creed III, Desmond looks thinner and weaker after so much time in the Animus. He arrives at the Isu's Grand Temple. It's hidden in caves near New York. He opens it using Ezio's Apple of Eden. With his father and friends, Desmond relives the memories of his ancestors. These are Haytham Kenway (who lived in Kingdom of Great Britain from 1725 to 1781) and Ratonhnhaké:ton / Connor (who lived in Colonial America from 1756). He uses the new Animus 3.0. He hopes to find the Key to the Temple's main vault.

Sometimes, Desmond leaves the Animus to explore the Temple. He talks with Juno, who tells him more about her race's history. He also needs to find Isu power cells. These are needed to open the Central Vault. While looking for power cells in Manhattan and São Paulo, he is hunted by the Templar Daniel Cross. Cross was sent by Abstergo. Desmond's father is captured while trying to get the last power cell. Desmond then attacks Abstergo's building in Rome. He defeats Cross and Vidic, and rescues his father.

After finding the Key and all the power cells, Desmond and his allies enter the Central Vault. Minerva and Juno appear to speak with Desmond. Minerva warns him that if he touches the pedestal in the middle of the room, he will die. Juno would then be set free. She would conquer humanity. Minerva says this would save the world from the solar flare. Juno shows Desmond how his special role among the survivors would end. The world would go through another cycle of war. Desmond decides to use the device to save the world. He believes humanity has a better chance of fighting Juno. As Shaun, Rebecca, and William leave the Temple, Desmond touches the pedestal. He releases Juno and dies in the process.

Steve Masters, a lead designer, said that Desmond's story ends in Assassin's Creed III. He said they wanted to give Desmond's story a clear ending. Jean Guesdon, the series' creative director, said Desmond is important. He would still play a role in future games.

After His Death: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Even though Desmond dies, he is still important to both Templars and Assassins in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. Soon after his death, an Abstergo team collects samples from his body. This is for their new Sample 17 Project. His DNA is stored in Abstergo Entertainment's computers. A team of analysts relives his copied genetic memories. They learn about his ancestors. One analyst, the player, relives the memories of Edward Kenway (who lived in Wales from 1693 to 1735). Edward is Haytham Kenway's father and Connor's grandfather. He was a pirate in the West Indies.

Abstergo says they are gathering data for a movie about Edward's life. But they are really trying to find the Observatory. This is an Isu building with an advanced tracking device. It also has vials of Isu blood samples. The analyst secretly sends recordings left by Desmond back to the Assassins. These recordings show his early doubts about leaving the Farm. They also show his acceptance of his role and his love for his parents. Because Abstergo can now get anyone's genetic memories without needing a blood relative, Desmond's body gives them full knowledge about his family.

A New Generation: Assassin's Creed Syndicate

In 2015, during the events of Assassin's Creed Syndicate, a boy named Elijah is brought to an Abstergo clinic in New York City. Abstergo analysts find that the boy shares the exact same family line as Desmond. This means he might be Desmond's son, born a few years after Desmond ran away from the Farm. It is also found that Elijah is a Sage. This means he is a reincarnation of an Isu.

One Abstergo researcher suggests kidnapping the boy to study his body. Another researcher, Isabelle Ardant, disagrees. She thinks it would be better to take the boy when he is older. Then, they could put him in the Animus for 50 years. This would let Abstergo study his family line for a long time.

Beyond Death: Assassin's Creed Valhalla

In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, it is revealed that when Desmond sacrificed himself in 2012, only his body died. His mind was moved into a computer simulation made by the Isu. This simulation is called The Grey. While there, Desmond forgot who he was. He became a being of pure light called The Reader. His job is to look at different possible futures. He tries to find ways to stop future disasters.

In 2020, the Assassin Layla Hassan enters The Grey. She uses a supercomputer from an Isu temple in Norway. She wants to slow down a global device that Desmond activated when he died. Here, Layla meets the Reader. She shows him more possibilities and calculations from timelines he hadn't explored. The Reader then tells Layla she has only a minute to live. The radiation from the computer chamber is killing her body. Layla accepts her fate. She decides to stay in The Grey with the Reader. She will help him explore more timelines.

See also

In Spanish: Desmond Miles para niños