Highlights
- Assassin's Creed Mirage introduces Basim Ibn-Ishaq as its protagonist, offering fans an intimate look into his life and character.
- Basim's name, meaning "one who smiles" in Arabic, reflects his jovial and optimistic demeanor, contrasting with his darker intentions as the Norse Isu God, Loki.
- The deeper meanings behind the names of other famous Assassin's Creed protagonists, like Ezio Auditore and Bayek, convey their roles within the Brotherhood, while Basim's name subtly hints at his internal struggle.
The upcoming Assassin's Creed Mirage has already excited fans with its setting and more traditional gameplay, but its choice of protagonist is one of the most important selling points for the release. The title will feature Basim Ibn-Ishaq in its leading role, a character who has already been introduced to players in the narrative of 2020's Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
Assassin's Creed Mirage will give fans a much more intimate glimpse into Basim's life and overall character, giving more meaning to the complex decisions fans have already seen him make. Even Basim's name has a lot of meaning attributed to it, which is only set to become more poignant as the character becomes more fleshed-out. The lore behind Basim's name rivals other iconic assassins from the franchise, whose monikers are often meant to represent something deeper.
Assassin's Creed Mirage: The Meaning Behind Basim's Name
Despite being one of the most complex figures that the Assassin's Creed franchise has portrayed, the literal meaning behind Basim's name is deceivingly simple. Basim himself hails from Samarra in modern-day Iraq, with Basim being a rather common Arabic name.
In Arabic, Basim literally translates to "one who smiles," painting the figure as a jovial and optimistic character. In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Basim is initially portrayed in this way, being a calm and reassuring voice even in the face of hardship. Of course, this juxtaposes the eventual revelation of Basim's character, with it becoming known that Basim is a sage for the Norse Isu God, Loki.
Poignantly, Basim's name does well to convey the rift in his own personality, with his smiling and positive human demeanor conflicting with the remembered plots of vengeance within Loki's past life. It is also worth noting how "one who smiles" is an interesting link to Loki's persona, with the Trickster God often masking his darker intentions with a smiling facade. There is little additional meaning behind Ibn-Ishaq, translating to "son of Isaac," simply denoting the heavy presence of religion within Basim's homeland.
How Basim's Meaning Ranks Against Other Assassins
The most famous assassins within the AC franchise boast similar deeper meanings behind their names. For example, Ezio Auditore, who is perhaps the most detailed character in the series, possesses a first-name literally translating to "eagle." Fans of Assassin's Creed will be well aware of the importance of eagles within the Brotherhood, with the bird of prey being regarded as the official symbol of the faction.
Assassin's Creed Origins revealed that the Assassin Brotherhood logo derived from an eagle skull, with the franchise's iconic Eagle Vision reinforcing the importance of the bird. With Ezio being such a pivotal figure within the organization, his name perhaps foretold the role he would go on to play for the Brotherhood.
This meaning is somewhat mirrored within the meaning behind Bayek, the protagonist of Origins. The founder of the Hidden Ones, Bayek's name translates to falcon or vulture in Egyptian, with Bayek sharing the same importance to the faction as Ezio. Even Altair, the original protagonist of Assassin's Creed, translates to "flying eagle" in Arabic, with each of these characters possessing the same connotations of freedom and lethality as their winged namesakes.
The meaning behind Basim's name appears to be more reserved and interpretive than the more literal translations that other protagonists possess. While these other characters were much more one-dimensionally dedicated to the cause, the conflicting internal struggle within Basim's mind is subtly conveyed through his name, with his external smile being driven by something far more sinister.
Assassin's Creed Mirage is set to release on October 12 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
