The Assassin's Creed franchise has seen a good few protagonists over the years; from the stoic Altair, to the charming rogue Ezio, all the way to the modern day savior Desmond. Most of the series' protagonists have a key defining personality trait that separates them from the rest, but Connor in Assassin's Creed 3, whose birth name is Ratonhnhaké:ton, is a little more subtle. Conner instead chooses to instead express his emotions and motivations through his actions.
Connor's more indirect approach to characterization has led him to being one of the more underrated protagonists of the Assassin's Creed franchise, but his story is still an extremely interesting one, taking place throughout the American Revolutionary War. Where most Assassin's Creed protagonists lead a fairly mundane life after their video game adventures, Connor's life takes a pretty dramatic turn after the end of Assassin's Creed 3.
The Ending of Assassin's Creed 3
Born of a brief affair with a British Templar named Haytham Kenway and a Native American woman named Kaniehtí:io, Connor Kenway first learned vital survival skills from his mentors in the village he grew up in. At just four years old, Connor watched the Templars, led by Charles Lee, burn his village to the ground, and sought to seek revenge.
As a teenager, Connor meets Achilles Davenport, who reveals himself to be an old Master Assassin, and begins to train the young boy in the ways of the Assassins. Connor is given the task of one day wiping out the Templars of America, including his father, Haytham. Over the next few years, Connor trained tirelessly, and was eventually rewarded a set of Hidden Blades, and some Assassin's Robes, and set about on his vengeful mission.
It doesn't take long before Connor is swept up in the Revolution, participating in the Boston Tea Party, meeting Paul Revere, and joining forces with George Washington, all in an attempt to flush out the Templars of the opposing side. As the war continues, Connor begins to wipe out the Templars one-by-one, also continuing to aid the Sons of Liberty in the process.
Both the Colonists' and Connor's conflict comes to a head at the Battle of the Chesapeake, where French and American forces infiltrate a British fort. Connor confronts his father here, and gains the upper hand, killing him. With only one Templar left, Connor heads to Boston, where he finds Charles Lee and mortally wounds him.
Lee escapes, but his wound is severe. Connor finds him in a nearby inn, where the two share a brief drink, before Connor makes a killing blow, marking a bittersweet end to his tale of vengeance. Upon killing Lee, Connor returns to his home village, only to discover that the Founding Fathers have sold the land in order to raise enough money to lead their new country.
Feeling betrayed by those he had directly helped for years, Connor enters the village's abandoned longhouse, and finds a mysterious crystal ball. Touching it, Connor is confronted with the ancient being Juno, who asks him to bury the amulet he found on Charles Lee's body, a key to the ancient Grand Temple.
Connor buries the amulet in Achilles' grave, and makes his way to New York, where British soldiers are being escorted back onto their ships. In the final moments of Assassin's Creed 3's story, Connor sits with Washington, and encourages him to be the nation's leader.
Connor's Adventures in an Alternate Timeline
While Assassin's Creed 3's main story remains grounded in reality, despite some otherworldly elements, the game's DLC takes no notice of these rules, transporting Connor to an alternate timeline. A few months after the closing moments of Assassin's Creed 3, Connor is called back to Washington's side, where the new President tells him he is suffering from nightmares brought on by a piece of the Apple of Eden that he took from a Templar during the Battle of Yorktown.
Upon touching the Apple, the two are transported to an alternate reality, with Connor waking up in his old village, and coming face-to-face with his mother, who had died in his own timeline. His mother tells him that King Washington is searching for them, and his Bluecoats are attacking nearby Native American towns in an attempt to flush them out.
After saving some nearby towns, Connor and his mother return to their village, where King Washington is waiting for them. Wielding a scepter imbedded with the piece of Eden, Washington kills Connor's mother, and orders his Bluecoats to stab Connor. While recovering from his wounds, Connor embarks on a Spirit Journey, where he gains powerful spectral powers.
Connor's village is then attacked once again, and his people are murdered. Beginning a new tale of vengeance, Connor seeks out Benedict Arnold, and assassinates him. Connor is captured by Israel Putnam, and is transported to Boston, where he escapes, and engages in another battle with Washington, who is joined by Benjamin Franklin.
Here, it's revealed that Washington is brain-washing his followers with the piece of Eden. With his new Spirit powers, Connor almost defeats Washington, but the King escapes. Joining forces with Samuel Adams and Thomas Jefferson, Connor takes the fight to New York, where he convinces the citizens to rise up against the oppressor.
With the support of the people, and Jefferson's rebels, Connor makes his way to Washington's pyramid palace, where he engages in a final duel with the King. Connor gains the upper hand in the fight, and mortally wounds the King. As he takes the Apple of Eden from Washington, the two are transported back to their regular timeline, where they agree the artifact should be dropped in the ocean.
Connor's Life as a Father
A few years later, Connor marries a woman from a neighboring village. The couple go on to have a son, and two daughters. The youngest of his children, Io:nhiòte, has the same "Gift" that he possessed, being able to tune into heightened senses.
Connor chooses to break the village's traditions, deciding to train Io:nhiòte as a hunter. During a training exercise, Io:nhiòte sprains her ankle, and is left alone while Connor searches for a nearby water source. Using her gift to sense a wolf attack, Io:nhiòte briefly takes control of a passing eagle, and warns her father about the prowling animals. Realizing the potential she has as an Assassin, Connor takes it upon himself to train his daughter, and remains at the head of the North American Assassin Brotherhood until his death some years later, of as yet unknown causes.
Assassin’s Creed 3 Remastered is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
