Long before Ezio became a master assassin–and certainly before he had introduced anyone to the sharp end of a hidden blade–he was a somewhat-innocent 17-year-old interested in charming ladies and fist fighting rivals. The remarkable thing about him as a character, though, is that he experienced a lot of pretty horrible things, which ultimately shaped him as a man and transformed him into one of the most badass game characters of this generation.

We were with him when his father and brothers were wrongfully hanged before his own eyes. We felt his rage when his family’s name was dragged through the mud, and he was forced to flee Florence with his mother and sisters in tow. Most importantly, we were there when he developed his undying sense of justice and matured into one of the greatest assassin’s the order had ever seen. No matter his mission, Ezio was always charming and willing to help those in need. He was a selfless man, one that put his life on the line time and time again to make sure evildoers were swiftly put down. The Italian Assassin may be retired, but we’ll never forget his journey or his sacrifice.

-PirateBooty