Assassin’s Creed III did the unthinkable by changing how players used to see the conflict between the assassins and the templars in the game.

Although Assassin’s Creed III is one of the most divisive titles in the Ubisoft series, it excelled at narrative nuance. It should come as no surprise that the game’s opening sequences are set in the present, but it takes an interesting and rebellious turn once the narrative delves into the past via the Animus.

Assassin’s Creed III was released on October 30, 2012. | Credit: Ubisoft.

In the years that have passed, Assassin’s Creed has made several attempts to restructure its story, but none of them may have been as drastic as Assassin’s Creed III‘s narrative shakeups. This laid the groundwork for a number of subsequent Assassin’s Creed video games.

How did Assassin’s Creed III introduce a narrative nuance in the franchise?

Haytham was important in bringing the narrative nuance to the game. | Credit: Ubisoft.

Haytham Kenway is the rival of Assassin’s Creed III‘s protagonist, Connor Kenway (also known as Ratonhnhaké:ton). This relationship is even more intriguing because Haytham is Connor’s father. Furthermore, Haytham is the son of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag‘s protagonist, Edward Kenway.

Assuming that this endearing Englishman was an assassin when, in reality, he was a Templar, and forcing us to play as Haytham at the start, was a brilliant move by AC3. Being conflicted right away was a great way to introduce a nuance that hadn’t been explored at all.

The concept that Ubisoft used in AC3 is that the company decided to begin the story from a different aspect instead of using a straightforward narrative. allowing you to see both sides of the story. That was with AC3, and in Black Flag, they deviated from the whole Assassin storyline by making Edward a pirate. Then it was a whole Templar concept with Rogue as well.

If you consider the whole Ezio perspective, the plot was linear before AC3. However, it lost its linearity in AC3 and later, and the story became richer and more intricate. All things considered, it’s an intriguing setup that the game would go on to continue to explore in future games like Black Flag, Rogue, and many more. Even Shadows should take a feature from AC3.

Haytham portrayed a completely different ‘Templar’ image

Haytham’s son Connor is the main protagonist of Assassin’s Creed III. | Credit: Ubisoft.

Haytham’s story may be tragic, but it is also poignant, as he sacrifices his family for his country to save the game’s main antagonist, Charles Lee. The Assassin’s Creed franchise is not usually known for its antagonists, but Haytham is among the series’ best. Now, here’s where the narrative nuance comes into play.

However, Haytham’s presence persists throughout the game, offering a special emotional bond between the Assassins and Templars’ central characters. His viewpoint is significant throughout the story, helping the player comprehend Connor’s contemplation of a Templar-Assassin alliance and intensifying the sense of tragedy in the carnage.

The Templars are evil, right? Haytham was awesome. Haytham is still the same person when we see him again, and he can circle around Conner philosophically. As a Templar, Haytham proudly passes away without expressing remorse for his deeds.

Additionally, Haytham’s entourage, particularly William Johnson, John Pitcairn, and even Charles Lee, prove to be more than just power-hungry sleeveheads; they are men who genuinely believe in and want to bring about peace via order. It is commendable that AC3 reframed the Assassin-Templar conflict as “freedom versus order” rather than “good versus evil.”