Nothing is True: Everything is Permitted.
These are the words that have spanned nearly a decade, and fuel the fight between the Assassins and the Templars in the hit franchise Assassin's Creed. The world created by game developers Ubisoft showcases a unique twist on world history as they showcase the players hidden in the shadows influencing our world and the events that drive our society. From the Crusades and Egyptian power struggles to the French and American Revolutions, the war between the Assassins and the Templars is one of the most influential and largest power struggles in the video game industry.
While the world of Assassin's Creed is one filled with death, wealth, and political power struggles, the series is not immune to the vast world of conspiracy theories either. The universe created by Ubisoft takes the vast and complicated world of conspiracies and implements them into the war between the Assassins and the Templars. Did we land on the moon? Which religious figures have secret children? These longtime conspiracies have been adapted into the world of Assassin's Creed and showcases the vast reach of these two powerful organizations.
In this article, we are going to dive into the 20 biggest conspiracy theories associated with the Assassin's Creed universe. Some are silly, others are creepy, and some are so strange that they almost make total and complete sense. If nothing is true, then what conspiracies are permitted? Let's find out the answers together, shall we?
20 Secret Baby Drama
In the original Assassin's Creed, players witness the Knights Templars gathering in a secret meeting place in the Temple Mount, which is one of the most important religious sites in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. While this is the series' introduction not only to Altair but the Assassin's Order as a whole, this is also the first time the franchise links a longtime conspiracy to their own mythology. The theory is that this place is built on top of the fabled Solomon's Temple, where theorists believe ancient scrolls hide secrets, such as the belief that Jesus survived the crucifixion and fathered a child with Mary Magdalene. While the AC universe furthers the claim —with the revelation that an ancient piece of technology called a Piece of Eden resides inside— the theory of Jesus being a father is an interesting one, especially considering this was the beginning of the first game, before it became a blockbuster franchise.
19 Illuminati
The ancient conspiracy theory that our world is governed by powerful individuals from the shadows is one that has existed for years. Modern celebrities like Beyonce and Taylor Swift have been theorized to be a part of this organization, while others believe powerful businessmen run the world. They are the men and women who hide in the shadows and sew chaos into our society to further their own political and financial gains and gain power over the rest of the world that doesn't fall into the top 1% of the population. While the original Illuminati was stopped in the 1700s, the theory states that the Knights Templar took over the group, becoming devil-worshiping cultists bent on world domination. The Assassin's Creed developers say that this group is never specified in their games, and yet say it isn't unlikely that the Templar Order kind of fits this bill perfectly. The truth is out there people...
18 Gun It To 88 MPH
Time travel. The theory of breaking the time/space continuum has existed for years, and has helped create some of the best fictional tales of our time. Yes, I'm talking about Back to the Future people. And yet there is an interesting theory that Assassin's Creed sought fit to incorporate into their mythology. The conspiracy involves the fabled Philadelphia Experiment, which was supposedly conducted in 1943. The U.S. Government supposedly conducted experiments on the USS Eldridge, using a set of principles of the unified field theory. They theorize that the ship disappeared, reappeared in Virginia and then went back in time 10 seconds. The strangest part is that when it reappeared, the crew was embedded into the metal of the ship. Assassin's Creed says that the Templars did this, but sent the ship forward in time 18 minutes, but ceased experiments because they wished not to create a time paradox. Take that McFly!
17 A Magical Good-Bye
One of the greatest magicians and illusionists in history was undoubtedly Harry Houdini. In October 1926 he died of inflammation in his abdominal lining, and a ruptured appendix. However conspiracy theorists claim that this was not natural, but murder. Some speculate that he was gut-punched by a fan which ruptured the appendix. Others claim he was murdered with poison and it was covered up by his murderers. In Assassin's Creed, the truth is revealed that the Templars killed him to get a Piece of Eden he was using to create his illusions and expose people who claimed to be mystics. They did this because they did not want one man having that much power in his hands and wanted to use the technology he utilized for themselves to influence people and their perceptions of the world. They made it look like an accident, which may have been the greatest trick of all. Ironic.
16 Man On The Grassy Knoll
The assassination of JFK is undoubtedly one of the biggest conspiracy theories of our time. The official record states that he was attacked by a lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald, but theorists are calling BS on that. Theorists have all sorts of claims, from the conspiracy to have him killed by his own government to the mafia or the soviets. One popular theory states that there was a second shooter on a grassy knoll that actually killed him and that Oswald was just the patsy. However, the AC universe has an even crazier conspiracy theory about this. They claim that the Templars wanted something Kennedy had, and sent in their own team to end him. They used Oswald, video taker Abraham Zapruder, and the President's own driver, who actually was the one to do the deed (and used the Piece of Eden to project an image of a man on the grassy knoll to cover up the real events). Sure, makes total sense...
15 The Wrath Of Tesla
One conspiracy that people love to talk about is the Tunguska Event of 1908. A mysterious object exploded in the center of Russia, leveling 800 miles of woodland. The event was said to have been caused by a massive meteor, but theorists claim that aliens, secret bomb testing, and even time-travel are the more likely cause. However, no one could have predicted the truth, at least according to Assassin's Creed. They say that Nikola Tesla helped the Assassins destroy a Templar structure near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River that housed a recently recovered Piece of Eden. The assassins feared that the Templars would unlock some long forgotten power in the technology and would cause more destruction to the world. Using a death ray on top of Wardenclyffe Tower, the scientist who had been ruined by the Templars got his revenge and destroyed the facility. Talk about brains over brawn.
14 The Power Of Rasputin
Most people know the legend of Rasputin. A healer to Russian Prince Alexei in the early 20th century, he held a massive sway over the royal family. People claim that he was a mystic, who used mental powers to control the Tsarina and gained total power. It was also difficult to kill him, as he was poisoned, attacked, and thrown into a river, but only died from the latter. However, the Assassin's Creed theory is that Rasputin was a powerful Templar agent who stole the Imperial Scepter in the Russian royal palace. The Scepter was a Piece of Eden he used to control minds and heal himself from any injuries. However, the bigger conspiracy may be the cause of his end. Was an assassin responsible for taking down thpower-madad Templar, or did his own organization fear his growing power and have him taken out?
13 The EVIL's Demise
Adolf H. is one of the most hated human beings in history. The atrocities he inflicted on the world during WWII were despicable, and people found it hard to believe that this man took his own life, with Eva Braun in his military bunker. They thought a power-mad dictator would believe himself invulnerable to his enemies and would have been taken out by the heroic troops who fought his evil regime. However the Assassin's Creed theory states that Hitler did escape, but not far. According to the theory, Hitler and Braun left the bunker through a secret exit and planned to leave for South America, happy to disappear under the noses of his enemies for all time. However the Assassins were waiting for him near his bunker, and killed him before he could totally escape. History left him to suffer the fate of a madman too cowardly to face justice for his crimes against humanity, while the game franchise states that justice found him.
12 The Mayans Were Right...Kind Of
As everyone knows, one theory that proved to be false in recent years was the end of the world predicted by the Mayans in 2012. They claimed that the planet would tear apart on December 21st, 2012, but as we all know now in 2017 that never occurred. However the Assassin's Creed theory states that it was supposed to happen, and that only with the intervention of Assassin Desmond Miles —and ancient machines built by a long forgotten society— were we able to avoid disaster. Desmond died in the process, but saved us all in the end. While the planet was saved by the technology of the First Civilization and fate was changed for all of humanity, the cost was high as the series hero Desmond passed on and in the process unleashed the powerful being Juno, a member of the First Civilization who seeks to control the world. Disaster somewhat averted?
11 We're All Aliens
This theory is nearly as old as humanity itself. The theory claims that a race of intelligent space travelers arrived on Earth and messed with our DNA, creating what we now know to be human beings and even speeding up both the evolutionary process and technology as a whole, such as the mystery surrounding the Egyptian Pyramids. It is a theory to help explain the massive step in the evolutionary process that bridged modern day humanity with the ancient neanderthal human species. However, the theory goes one step further in Assassin's Creed when they claim an ancient civilization created us in their image to be a sort of slave labor force, building their civilization on the backs of humans until they rebelled against their creators. This led to a massive war that ended when the world was destroyed by a natural disaster. And we thought teenage rebellion was bad.
10 Jack The Ripper Is...An Assassin?
The identity of infamous killer Jack the Ripper is something every conspiracy theorist has obsessed over. So many suspects have come about in the investigation of the murderer, even more recently it was theorized that the first American serial killer H.H. Holmes was in fact Jack the Ripper, London's first known serial killer. However, the theory put out there by Assassin's Creed is one of the craziest theories I've heard. According to the DLC Jack the Ripper for Assassin's Creed: Syndicate, assassin Jacob Frye trained a young man who was kicked out after displaying disturbing behavior and went on a killing spree, using his skills as an assassin to hunt down and destroy Jacob's assassin order. He even nearly killed Jacob himself, and only by the heroic actions of Evie was the serial killer brought down. The brutality of the killer mixed with the heroic association like the assassins makes this a truly disturbing theory.
9 The Truth Behind The Moon Landing
The theory that the United States faked the moon landing is one that has made the rounds for decades. The theory states that in order to gain the upper hand in the space race against Russia, NASA faked the moon landing to make the US superior. Evidence such as the shadow of the astronauts on the moon's surface to video evidence that makes it seem as if gravity is not affecting the explorers the way it should in space have been used to prove this theory. However, this theory is found to be false in Assassin's Creed, and replaced with a new theory that the moon landing was a cover for something bigger. NASA is theorized to be a Templar agency, and was used to go to the moon and uncover a Piece of Eden on the lunar surface. Close investigation of the American flag on the moon can show the Abstergo Industries logo, which is the modern front of the Templar Order.
8 Let's Talk About Eve...
This theory is an interesting fan theory about Assassin's Creed that really makes a lot of sense. In AC 2, it is discovered through the solving of Subject 16's puzzles that Adam and Eve were two humans who had been altered by the first civilization, and stole a Piece of Eden to stop the destruction of the planet. It's theorized that they were the original assassins, and their son Cain killed their other son Abel and founded the Templar order. This theory is further fueled in AC: Syndicate with twins Jacob and Evie, representing Cain and Abel and even giving Evie a similar name to Eve. They theorize that Eve is destined to be reincarnated —or lives through the DNA of her descendants— due to her hybrid status of part human and part first civilization. That's a big departure from eating an apple and getting banned from a garden.
7 False Identities
Another fun fan theory surrounding Assassin's Creed is the foundation of the ancient Egyptians belief in the gods. With the upcoming AC: Origins, fans are theorizing that protagonist Bayek will come into contact with a Piece of Eden, and will be confronted with images of the First Civilization. He will believe these to be the ancient gods they worship in Egypt, and will help perpetuate the notion that the gods were all seeing and all knowing entities that controlled their fate, rather than ancient mortals who used science to create modern humanity. The use of gods has been used to maintain power and order in society, and this false identity would help those in power maintain said power. This includes slave labor, worship, and fear of their god's retaliation. This theory is not as far-fetched as others, as religion has been used a lot in politics and business to influence world events, such as the Crusades used in the first Assassin's Creed game.
6 Dark Side Of Religion
One dark theory that has cropped up in Assassin's Creed is that Jesus was actually a messenger from the First Civilization sent to start the religion we now know as Christianity in order to help enslave the human population once again. The theory continues that theory that Adam and Eve escaped a prison with a Piece of Eden and Eden was a factory making more Pieces of Eden. Eve led a rebellion against the First Civilization and her rebellion was the foundation for the Fall. This would make "God" a euphemism for the ancient civilization and Jesus a harbinger of oppression for humanity. A dark look at religion in a video game for sure. While this is just a theory and has never been used as canon in the AC franchise, it is an interesting take on the religious
side of humanity and the power religion plays in our society, as far as the AC franchise is concerned.
5 The Ghost Of Desmond Miles
At the end of AC 3, Assassin and series protagonist Desmond Miles made the ultimate sacrifice and allowed himself to die in order to save the world. He also unleashed Juno, the evil member of the First Civilization with a grudge against humanity, but who's keeping track of these things. However fans of the series refuse to believe that their hero is truly dead, and thus the theory was born that Desmond is alive...inside the animus. Yes much like Subject 16 in the game Assassin's Creed: Revelations, fans believe Desmond's consciousness survived in the animus machine, and will somehow return in the future. This theory gained so much traction that developers had to come refute the claim, but perhaps this was just an attempt to throw people off of a long con that the developers have been planning for years. Only time will tell.
4 Secret Organization Three-Way
Touched upon earlier, the Illuminati are not the only group associated with the Templar order in Assassin's Creed. The Freemasons also find themselves implanted in the AC mythology. The theory claims that the Illuminati, Knights Templar, and Freemasons are all connected via their shared passion for Satanism and world domination. This theory was put out by Abbe Augustin Barruel, who says the Templars were Satanists disguised as Crusaders. While there is no proof of this in real life, the AC theory is that the Freemasons were neither Assassins nor Templars, but rather just boring guys making plans in secret meetings and colluding with the Illuminati. This makes the assumption that all secret organizations in the world are all connected or fronts for the same organization that has yet to be named. This isn't too far out there as the Templars in the AC universe aren't really driven by a connection to "God" but rather to their own need to control.
3 Cleanse The Planet
One dark theory related to the Templars in Assassin's Creed is that the modern Templars in Abstergo knew the end of the world was coming, and was willing to allow it to happen. They built underground facilities and planned to survive in the bunkers, coming out to rebuild the world in their image. The theory claims that Abstergo means "I Cleanse" and although this was never introduced into the canon of the AC mythology, the theory is not too far out of the realm of possibility. An organization built on the notion that control was the only way to maintain a civilized world is not a wild theory. Moreover, Abstergo has proven themselves ruthless in their pursuit of power, taking part in human trafficking for their experiments.
2 A Shared Universe
One of the most popular fan theories about Assassin's Creed is that Ubisoft has connected the franchise to other series like Far Cry and Watch Dogs. References have been made to one another through all of their games, such as the system cTOS being mentioned in AC: Black Flag, as well as the company Blume. Abstergo is mentioned in Watch Dogs, and one of the main characters in the first game has CDs referencing Assassin's Creed and Far Cry, and fans theorize Far Cry 3 protagonist Jason Brody is, in reality, an assassin, using his natural skills to survive the island he and his friends land on. This would help explain the family connection between his brothers and their father's unhappiness that they left, similarly to Desmond Miles and his father. While theories go on to try to connect all Ubisoft games to Assassin's Creed, these three franchises make the most sense as being connected, and it would be interesting to see them connect officially in the future.
1 Inception
One insane fan theory I've seen floating around is that in Assassin's Creed 1, 2, Brotherhood, Revelations, and 3, Desmond was never the main character. Let that sink in for a minute and give your mind enough time to bounce back from being totally blown. The theory states that in those first games involving Desmond, you always desynchronized into a third person view of the character. However starting in Black Flag once Desmond is dead, your time outside the animus is suddenly viewed in a first-person view. The theory states that you never played as Desmond, but rather someone else reliving Desmond's memories as he relived his ancestor's memories leading up to his death in 2012. While the theory has never been confirmed and is not canon, it is by far the most mind-boggling and insane theory that I've seen come out of the Assassin's Creed universe.
Want to see these theories and more? You can also see the Assassin's Creed games ranked by my fellow writer Chris O'Connell here!