Assasins Creed II

Ezio Auditore da Firenze

/Character

Ezio Auditore da Firenze

―Ezio Auditore, Rome, 1499

Ezio Auditore da Firenze (born 1459) was a Florentine noble during the

Italian Renaissance, and unbeknownst to most historians and philosophers, an

influential member of the Assassin's Order. A descendant of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad

and the ancestor to both Desmond Miles and Subject 16, Ezio was unaware of

his Assassin heritage until he was 17-years-old, when, following the murder of

his father and two brothers; Federico and Petruccio, Ezio fled from the Italian

province of Florence - his hometown - and took refuge in the town of

Monteriggioni in the Tuscan region at the Auditore Family Villa.

After being mentored and trained by his uncle, Mario Auditore, Ezio

proceeded on his quest of revenge against the Grandmaster of the Knights

Templar, Rodrigo Borgia, who had ordered the executions of his father and

two brothers. During his quest for revenge, Ezio managed to not only unite

pages of Altaïr's Codex for the first time since Domenico Auditore, but also to

save the cities of Florence and Venice from the Templars' wrath, ensure the

future travels of Christoffa Corombo to the "New World" and bring the

Renaissance ideals and Assassin Order to the city of Rome.

Biography:

Early life

Ezio Auditore da Firenze was born in Florence in 1459 AD, the second son

of Giovanni and Maria Auditore. Until the age of 17, Ezio lived a life of luxury

as a member of the Florentine noble class, unaware of his father's allegiance

to the Assassin Order. As a youth he was an apprentice to Giovanni

Tornabuoni, a great banker, presumably to learn the ropes of banking, so that

he could become the leader of the Auditore bank.

In the year 1476, Ezio, his older brother Federico and friends of the family

got into a fight with Vieri de' Pazzi and his gang. Ezio single-handedly defeated

several members of the opposing gang, but Vieri managed to escaped the

scene before Ezio could do anything to him. During the fight, Ezio gained a cut

on his lip, so Frederico suggested that they visit the local doctor. After looting

several people left unconscious from the fight, the two brothers ran across

the rooftops to the Doctor.

After the doctor had tended to his wound, a church nearby caught the eye

of the brothers and Federico suggested a race. Ezio won and together the two

looked out over the city. Realizing that they were nearby, Ezio travelled to the

house of Cristina Vespucci and spent the night with her. Caught by Cristina's

father the morning after, Ezio fled from a group of pursuing guards before

meeting with his father at the Palazzo Auditore. Giovanni scolded him (but

later softens, and admits that he is reminded of his own youth) and assigned

him the task of delivering several letters to his contacts.

After returning home, Ezio found his distraught sister crying after

discovering her boyfriend had been unfaithful. After obtaining his

whereabouts, Ezio beat the man and warned him to stay away from his sister.

Upon returning to the palazzo again, his little brother Petruccio asked Ezio to

collect eagle feathers from the rooftops, as he was ill and couldn't leave the

house or get out of bed. After a tiring search for feathers, Ezio's mother

secured his services in picking up some paintings from a young artist that she

patronized, Leonardo da Vinci. On the walk home, Leonardo struck up a

conversation, beginning a friendship between the two young men that would

last throughout their adult lives.

A much younger Ezio, portrayed by Devon Bostick

Arrest and execution of his family

“I'll kill you for what you've done!”

―Ezio Auditore to Uberto Alberti after watching his family's execution, 1476

After completing his errands, Ezio returned home to find the house

ransacked, his father and brothers missing and his mother and sister hiding.

Learning that city guards had been ordered to arrest Giovanni and all of his

sons, Ezio made his way to the Palazzo della Signoria, where his father and

brothers were being held. Climbing the building and speaking to his father

through his cell window, Ezio was instructed to find a chest hidden in his

office, to take everything out of it and to deliver a sealed letter to Uberto

Alberti, Lorenzo de' Medici's personal assistant and a close friend of the

Auditore family. Doing so, Ezio found the Assassin robes that he would wear

for the next 23 years and the letter containing details of a plot against the city

of Florence and the Auditore family. Ezio brought the incriminating

documents to Alberti and was assured that his family would be released the

following day when the information was presented as evidence of their

innocence.

The next day, Ezio returned to the Piazza della Signoria to find Alberti

presiding over the execution of the Auditores (watched over all the while by a

mysterious stranger who had been present with Alberti the previous night).

Giovanni claimed his innocence, citing the information given to Alberti as

evidence. But Alberti denied any knowledge of such information. Ezio's efforts

to prevent the execution were ultimately in vain, and he could only watch

helplessly as his father and brothers were hung. When he attempted to

charge the scaffold to avenge his kinsmen, Alberti ordered the city guards to

murder him. At the urging of one of Giovanni's friends, a thief, Ezio fled the

Piazza della Signoria and sought shelter in a brothel, run by the sister of the

Auditore housemaid, a courtesan named Paola.

Paola, who unbeknownst to Ezio was an Assassin herself, agreed to assist

Ezio in his quest for vengeance, teaching him how to survive in the city as an

outlaw through pickpocketing and blending in crowds. She further directed

Ezio to Leonardo da Vinci to repair the Hidden Blade of the late Giovanni

Auditore, but did not notice that Ezio was being watched. At Leonardo's

workshop, a guard banged on the door, ordered Leonardo outside, and tried

to beat Ezio's location from him. Ezio realized something was wrong and crept

up behind the guard, stabbing him from behind. After Leonardo had thanked

him, Ezio sought out and assassinated Alberti in the courtyard of the Basilica

of Santa Croce, stabbing him multiple times in the chest before proudly

shouting his name to everyone present, marking Alberti as his first

assassination

Ezio's Family being hung for treason

Start as an Assassin

“The Auditore are not dead! I'm still here! Me! Ezio, Ezio Auditore!”

―Ezio Auditore, 1476

Now the most wanted man in Florence, Ezio fled the city with his mother

and sister in the hopes of making their way to Spain, stopping beforehand at

the Auditore family's villa in the town of Monteriggioni for shelter. During

their travel to Monteriggioni, the three were accosted by Vieri de' Pazzi and

his followers, but were saved by the timely arrival of Ezio's uncle, Mario, and

his Mercenaries. Mario informed Ezio of the existence of the Assassins, in an

obvious attempt to induct him into the Order, revealing that many of his

ancestors, including Giovanni, were part of it. However, Ezio refused his

ancestry, wishing only to continue his journey to Spain to ensure his mother

and sister's safety. Enraged, Mario left Monteriggioni for the city of San

Gimignano, where Vieri de' Pazzi had been located, in the attempt to relieve

Monteriggioni of continual assaults by his minions. Guilt-ridden and knowing

his presence was a primary reason for the ongoing attacks, Ezio traveled to

San Gimignano to accept Mario's offer.

When Ezio arrived outside the city, he joined Mario and his mercenaries in

their assault, waiting until nightfall to make their way to Vieri de' Pazzi by

killing guards patrolling near the city gates. After witnessing a brief meeting

between Rodrigo Borgia, Jacopo de' Pazzi, Francesco de' Pazzi and Vieri, Ezio

encountered and fought Vieri for the last time, eventually overpowering and

killing him after a brief duel. Ezio tried to extract a confession from his old

enemy, but to no avail as Vieri chose to be snide even to the very end.

Infuriated by this, Ezio flew into a rage and insulted Vieri's corpse, continuing

until his uncle calmed him down, and reminded him of a tradition of the

Assassins: showing respect to those they have killed

Ezio yells at the corpse of Vieri de' Pazzi

Killing the Pazzi

“The Pazzi were a venerable and potent family, reduced to rubble by one

young assassin. “

―Rodrigo Borgia, reflecting on the collapse of the Pazzi family

Following Vieri's death, Ezio returned to Florence in 1478 to gather

information from La Volpe and prevent the planned Pazzi takeover, as well as

the deaths of Lorenzo de' Medici and Guilani de' Medici. Arriving too late to

save Guilani, Ezio managed to prevent the death of Lorenzo, the ruler of

Florence, and restored his family's good name. However, the Pazzi had

already succeeded in their plan and brought the city into a state of civil war.

After learning the location of Francesco de' Pazzi at the Piazza della Signoria,

Ezio chased him down and slew him, although Jacopo de' Pazzi and several

other conspirators were able to escape the city. Shortly afterwards, the

Medici publicly cleared the name of the Auditore family and provided Ezio

with the names of the conspirators who had escaped.

Learning that the Pazzi conspirators had fled to San Gimignano, Ezio

tracked down and killed Antonio Maffei, Stefano da Bagnone, Bernardo di

Bandino Baroncelli and Francesco Salviati, extracting from each man

information on Jacopo de' Pazzi's hiding place. Using the information, Ezio

located his quarry and tracked Jacopo to an ancient Roman theatre. Once

there, Ezio eavesdropped on a meeting between Jacopo, Rodrigo Borgia and a

Venetian merchant, Emilio Barbarigo. After fatally wounding Jacopo for his

failure to capture Florence, Borgia revealed that he was aware of Ezio's

presence. While Borgia and Emilio fled, Ezio was apprehended by Borgia's

bodyguards, but he overpowered and killed them, before swiftly putting the

dying Jacopo out of his misery.

Jacopo de' Pazzi and the fellow conspirators.

Venice

“Emilio Barbarigo: "The assassin is here, in Venezia?"

Carlo Grimaldi: "He's been here for weeks! How could you be so blind?"

―Carlo Grimaldi and Emilio Barbarigo discuss Ezio minutes before the latter's

assassination.

With the Pazzi conspiracy ended, Ezio returned to Lorenzo in 1480 and

declared his success. Before leaving the city for Venice, Ezio was granted a

gift; a Medici cape, that would keep the city guards' attention from him. Ezio

then made his way to Leonardo's workshop, only to find that he had just left

for Venice himself. Meeting with Leonardo in the Appennine Mountains, Ezio

accompanied him to the city of Forlì, narrowly avoiding the Templar soldiers

sent after them by Rodrigo Borgia.

Eventually arriving in Forlì, one year later, the two made their way to the

city docks, where Ezio was refused passage without a pass. It was at this

moment that the two heard the screams of a noble lady stranded in the city's

wetlands. Ezio swiftly hastened to her rescue and was able to row the woman

ashore. The lady introduced herself as Caterina Sforza and coerced the

dockman into granting Ezio passage to Venice. Once in Venice, Ezio and

Leonardo were given a brief tour of the city by Alvise before Ezio began to

seek a way into the Palazzo of Emilio Barbarigo, although this effort proved to

be in vain. Suddenly pushed aside, Ezio watched as a gang of thieves

attempted and failed to breach the Palazzo, leading Ezio to subsequently aid

the thief Rosa, who had been shot through the leg with an arrow. After

successfully escaping the city guards, Ezio was introduced to the leader of the

Venetian thieves guild, Antonio, and together, they concocted a new plot to

kill Emilio Barbarigo and liberate the merchant district.

The plot, taking place during 4 years, was successful and gave Ezio the

name of another Templar conspirator – Carlo Grimaldi. A government official

and member of the Council of Ten, Carlo was close to Giovanni Mocenigo, the

Doge of Venice and hoped to turn him to the Templar cause. Overhearing

another meeting between Borgia and Carlo, Ezio uncovered a plot to poison

the Doge and replace him with Marco Barbarigo. Returning to Antonio, he

sought to find a way into the Palazzo Ducale, the Doge's Palace, searching the

front gates, the rear walls and even passing over the Basilica di San Marco;

but they were hampered at every turn. Returning to the piazza below, an

enraged Antonio remarked that only birds might get into the Doge's palace,

reminding Ezio of Leonardo's flying machine, which he had seen on the way to

Forlì. After a somewhat unsuccessful test flight, Leonardo came up with a way

to ensure that Ezio reached his destination.

Ezio assassinates Carlo Grimaldi.

After removing the city guards at four separate locations, Antonio's thieves

proceeded to light massive bonfires throughout the city, giving Ezio the lift

Leonardo's flying machine needed to make it to the Palazzo Ducale. The plan

worked, and Ezio breached the Palazzo Ducale, although he was too late to

save the Doge. Carlo fled the scene, crying out that Ezio had assassinated the

Doge, but met his own end at Ezio's hands moments later. However, Ezio was

now the most wanted man in Venice and was forced to flee the city guards.

Returning to Leonardo's workshop for help in 1486, Ezio was directed to Sister

Teodora's brothel, where Antonio was hiding. Under the cover of Carnevale,

Ezio made his way to the brothel and began planning the death of Marco

Barbarigo, competing in the four games of the Carnevale to win the golden

mask that would gain him entrance to Marco's private party. Ezio was

successful but found that Marco's cousin, Silvio Barbarigo and Marco's

personal slave-bodyguard, Dante Moro intimidated and bribed the judges into

denying him his prize. However, Ezio was successful in regaining the mask and

managed to assassinate Marco, leaving the door open for Agostino, a

Barbarigo not involved with the Templars, and an ally of Antonio's, to

legitimately become Doge.

With his quest nearly at an end, Ezio tracked down Silvio Barbarigo and

Dante Moro, liberating the mercenary leader, Bartolomeo d'Alviano, and his

soldiers in the process. Having tracked the Templars down to the city's

Arsenal, Ezio managed to storm the building with the help of Bartolomeo and

his men, and kill Dante Moro and Silvio Barbarigo. However, he was

astonished to learn that the plot to remove the Doge was merely a

distraction, so that the Templars could move their vessel to Cyprus, although

the reasons for this were unknown to Ezio.

Induction into the Order

Ezio, receiving the Assassin's mark.

“It's been ten years since I watched my father and brothers die. Ten years

hunting the men responsible. I'm close to the end now, but no closer to

knowing what any of it was for!”

―Ezio discusses his life as an Assassin.

Two more years passed before word of the Templar vessel reached Ezio

once again on his twenty ninth birthday[3], when Rosa brought him a shipping

manifest detailing the return of the ship that very day. Sneaking into the

Arsenal, Ezio watched as a Templar soldier carrying a Piece of Eden

disembarked from the ship and made his way to a Templar base in the city.

Following the soldier, Ezio assassinated and impersonated the guard, carrying

the Piece of Eden to a meeting with Rodrigo Borgia himself. Finally able to

confront the man ultimately responsible for the deaths of his father and

brothers, Ezio criticized the Templar Grand Master for the non-appearance of

the supposed "prophet" detailed in the Codex prophecy. Borgia responded,

proudly naming himself the prophet before engaging Ezio in battle. The battle

was short, and Ezio easily bested the Templar. On the backfoot, Borgia called

upon the city guards and taunted the Assassin, saying that "his people" had

failed to show up.

At this very moment Mario Auditore, Antonio, Paola, Teodora, La Volpe

and Bartolomeo d’Alviano appeared, driving off Borgia and revealing

themselves to Ezio as Assassins. With the arrival of Niccolò Machiavelli, it was

revealed to Ezio that he was in fact the supposed “prophet”, and that for the

past decade they had all worked together to induct Ezio into the Assassins

Order. That night, they all met again and Ezio was formally inducted into the

Order.

The Battle of Forlì

“Muori col tuo orgoglio, per quanto vale… Requiescat in Pace.”

(Die with your pride, for what it's worth… Rest in Peace.

―Ezio Auditore to Ludovico Orsi

Ezio overflying the city of Forli.

Shortly after his induction, Ezio met with Mario and Niccolò, and traveled

to Leonardo da Vinci's studio, hoping he could shed some light upon the

strange artifact Borgia had dubbed "the Apple". Leonardo examined the

unique device, commenting that the metal it was made of should not exist,

and that its design was highly advanced despite its age. Briefly touching the

Apple, Ezio accidentally activated the device, which started to glow and show

strange holographic images. De-activating the device, Niccolò announced that

he had arranged for the Piece of Eden to be held in the Rocca di Ravaldino,

protected by an ally of the Assassin's, Caterina Sforza. Niccolò and Ezio met

with Caterina in Romagna, just outside the city of Forlì. After briefly discussing

the Apple, the three made their way back to the city, only to find that it had

been invaded by the Orsi brothers; Checco and Ludovico.

As the group fought its way to the city's locked gates, Ezio managed to find

another way inside and opened the the gates, allowing them to continue their

way to the Citadel. Reaching the Rocca di Ravaldino, they found out that two

of Caterina’s children, Ottaviano and Bianca, were in the hands of the Orsi

brothers, who had recently arrived and begun attacking the Citadel. Repelling

the attack, Ezio left the Apple in Caterina's hands, before going to rescue her

two children.

Ezio briefly glimpses Savonarola, before passing out.

Making his way into Romagna, Ezio overpowered the guard detail assigned

to imprison Bianca, who directed Ezio to her brother Ottaviano. As Bianca fled

back to the city, Ezio made his way the the lighthouse upon which Ottaviano

was being held by Ludovico himself. Climbing the tower, Ezio dispatched

Ludovico and freed Ottaviano, though not before learning that the kidnapping

was a distraction, which had allowed the brothers to steal the Apple. Ezio

swiftly tracked down and killed Checco Orsi and his remaining men. Retrieving

the Apple, Ezio failed to notice that Checco had stabbed him in the abdomen.

Injured, Ezio collapsed to the floor, the Apple rolling from his hand. Before

losing consciousness Ezio saw a monk with a missing finger pick up the Apple

and walk away, despite Ezio's warnings against doing so.

Caterina’s guards later found Ezio next to Checco’s corpse and returned

him to Forlì, where Caterina nursed him back to health. Returned to his

senses, Ezio, now bearded, hurridly explained to Caterina that the Apple had

been stolen from him by a man in black. She recognized him for a monk and

told Ezio to search for the monk at the church outside the city walls. There

was no sign of the monk, but Ezio met with Brother O’Callahan, who told him

to continue his search at San Vincenzo, in central Forlì. An abbot there

identified Ezio as Stefano de Bagnone's killer and ran away, but was

intercepted, and, once convinced he was not about to die, gave Ezio the name

of the four fingered monk: Girolamo Savonarola.

The Spanish Inquisition

“My name is Ezio Auditore da Firenze... It has been fifteen years since the

Spaniard, Rodrigo Borgia, murdered my family and drove me into exile...

Since that time I have suffered greatly but learned a great deal more- I am

an Assassin, as my father and grandfathers were before me. Compelled by

duty to my order, I have set aside my search for the Spaniard to recover an

ancient artifact recently stolen from us. My thirst for vengeance is strong,

but my responsibillity to the Assassins is stronger still.”

―Ezio Auditore, 1494

Ezio with Luis, Raphael, and Christoffa

While trying to locate Savonarola, Ezio was told by a Thief to meet Antonio

at the Thieves' Guild in Venice. Upon arriving there, Ezio found Antonio

accompanied by another man, Luis Santangel. Luis was looking for a good

"killer" who could oversee a meeting involving Luis' friend Christoffa

Corombo, but Ezio expressed no interest. However, when he heard that

Rodrigo Borgia was also involved in the meeting, he rushed to Christoffa's

location, finding out that it was a trap. However, he managed to save

Christoffa, who explained that Rodrigo was interested in his plans to sail west.

Soon afterwards, Ezio met with Antonio again, who told him to go see both

Luis and Christoffa in the gardens district.

They then told him that the Templars were in possession of Christoffa's

atlas, which featured the journey's route. Ezio quickly recovered the atlas and

brought it back to Christoffa and Luis. Luis informed Ezio of the presence of

Spanish Assassins, who were held captive by the Spanish Inquisitor General,

Tomas Torquemada. Thinking it his mission to rescue them, Ezio temporarily

diverged from his goal to reobtain the Apple of Eden and set out to Spain, but

not before Antonio gave him the names of two of his contacts.

After arriving in Spain and briefly losing his sword to a thief, Ezio went on

to look for one of the contacts. When he arrived at the location, he met a man

who called himself Raphael Sanchez and soon after revealed himself to be an

Assassin. He informed Ezio of the location of the first captured Assassin, and

Ezio rushed to save him. Right before the Assassin could be burned by the

Inquisitors, Ezio killed all the guards and freed him. After Ezio's return,

Raphael revealed that it was Gaspard Martinez who was ordered to capture

the Assassins by Torquemada. Ezio located Gaspard and found him,

Torquemada and a guard surrounding a captured Assassin.

Torquemada revealed to the captured Assassin, and indirectly to Ezio, that

Rodrigo Borgia had ordered him to capture Assassins in Spain, because they

were "non-believers" (in the Catholic religion). After the guard killed the

Assassin, the group disbanded and Gaspard was left unguarded. Ezio then met

with him and asked him what he knew of the Templars, but Gaspard feigned

ignorance and said that they "went away two centuries ago." He fell silently to

Ezio's blade, and Ezio acquired a list of six other Assassins' names.

After freeing the first man on the list, Ezio took him back to Raphael,

informing the latter of the existence of the list. However, all the remaining

Assassins were located in Zaragoza.

Once in Zaragoza, Raphael told Ezio to find the Inquisition's Calficador,

Pedro Llorente, whose tribunal met at the far side of town. Arriving there, Ezio

found that Torquemada was also present. One of the Assassins was being

tried, and after he refused to convert and confess, was killed. Ezio

eavesdropped on the ensuing conversation and found out that Torquemada

was under orders from Rodrigo Borgia to arrest the Assassins. He hurried to

locate the remaining five Assassins. Four of them where held captive inside

some catacombs. The last was held inside a church. After securing their safety,

Ezio killed Pedro Llorente. Returning to Raphael, he requested to return to

Italy. However, Raphael still needed some help against the Inquisitors in

Granada. Ezio complied, helping to assassinate a Templar spy in the city and

discovering along the way that Luis Santangel was also an Assassin.

Once again he excused himself to return to Italy, but distubed again by the

Templars. He is forced again to fight off the Templars to defend Luis, and

informed that Raphael has been captured. Ezio fights to rescue Raphael, then

finally infiltrate Torquemada's fortress. Torquemada escapes, but Ezio still

have duties for the Piece of Eden and decide not to pursue him, Ezio excuses

to finally return to Italy and Telling Luis and Raphael to tell him when

Christoffa returns from his journey to find the "New World."

The Bonfire of the Vanities

Ezio overlooking a plaza in Florence.

“There is no book or teacher to give you the answers, to show you the

way. Choose your own way! Do not follow me, or anyone else. “

―Ezio after Savanarola's defeat

After Lorenzo de’ Medici's death, Savonarola was able to easily take control

over Florence with the Apple of Eden at his command. He taught the

population of Florence that personal property and knowledge made the

difference between the rich and the poor. Therefore, he burned everything

related to the Renaissance in the Bonfire of the Vanities.

Ezio and Niccolò Machiavelli wanted to put a stop to Savonarola's rule with

the aid of their two comrades in the city, Paola and Volpe. Ezio began

eliminating the monk's brainwashed followers while Niccolò, Paola, and Volpe

organized a riot in the city. Soon after Ezio killed Savonarola's followers, the

rioters formed an angry mob and went to the Palazzo Pitti, where Savonarola

resided, demanding an end to the bonfires. Savanarola tried to use the Apple

to quell the riot, but before he could, one of the assassins threw a knife at

him, knocking the Apple out of his hand. In the ensuing chaos, the Apple was

picked up by a guard in service to the Borgia (the Templars had also been

trying, without success, to recover the Apple from Savonarola). Ezio followed

him, killed him and recovered the Apple. Savonarola was then sentenced to

be executed in the same way he had dealt with the city's knowledge: burned

at the stake on the Piazza della Signoria. However, Ezio decided that no one

should have to die in such agony. The Assassin leapt onto the execution

platform and put Savonarola out of his misery. He then looked at the stunned

mob and gave a speech to them, urging them to follow their own path and

rely on their own thoughts, not what they were told by the ones in power. He

then left with Mario, Niccolò, Paola and La Volpe, ready to uncover the

answers hidden within the Apple.

Infiltrating the Sistine Chapel

Ezio battles his way to the Sistine Chapel.

“I thought... I thought I was beyond this. But I'm not. I've waited too long,

lost too much. Requiescat in pace, you bastard! “

―Ezio to Rodrigo Borgia during his first assassination attempt

The following year, in 1499, the Assassins came together once more at the

Villa Auditore, with the Piece of Eden and the completed Codex in hand. Using

the two objects, they discovered the location of the Vault to be in Rome,

specifically, beneath the Vatican. Unfortunately, Rodrigo Borgia had become

Pope in 1492, although Mario believed he had only done so to gain access to

the Papal Staff, another of the Pieces of Eden. Undeterred, Ezio made way to

assassinate Rodrigo Borgia.

Fighting his way along the entire length of the Passetto di Borgo, Ezio snuck

into the Sistine Chapel and struck at Borgia from above. As he was about to

deal the killing blow, Borgia surprised him by using the Staff to blast him away

and drain the energy of those in the room. Since Ezio held the Apple, he was

immune to the Staff's effects, and the two engaged in a duel. Ezio repeated

history by using the same technique Al Mualim utilized in his duel against

Altaïr in 1191, by creating multiple illusions of himself with the Apple. Ezio

seemingly bested Borgia, but the Pope counterattacked and overcame him.

Borgia took the Apple, stabbed Ezio in the abdomen and left him to die before

fleeing into the Vault. However, Ezio's wounds were not mortal, and he was

able to give pursuit. Outside the Vault, Ezio watched as Borgia tried in vain to

open it. Laying down his arms, Ezio challenged and defeated Borgia in a fist

fight, obtaining possession of both the Staff and the Apple, but refusing to

take Borgia’s life, having realised the futility of revenge.

“Killing you won't bring my family back. I am done. “

―Ezio spared Borgia's life after defeating him.

Entering the Vault, Ezio stood in shock as he was confronted by a hologram

of an individual naming herself "Minerva" and claiming to be one of "Those

Who Came Before". Ezio was further confounded when the hologram sought

to speak to an unseen figure named Desmond, before disappearing abruptly,

leaving Ezio with many questions.

Siege of Monteriggioni

Ezio destroying a siege tower.

Following his experience in the Vault, Ezio returned to Monteriggioni.

However he soon learned that the Templar threat had diminished little when

Cesare Borgia, the son of Rodrigo and a high ranked Templar, laid siege to

Monteriggioni. His army of soldiers, towers and cannons breached the city's

gates and destroyed much of the city and Villa. Ezio, who was sleeping with

Caterina Sforza at the time of the attack, was shocked when a cannonball shot

through his wall and hit the centre pillar of his room. He quickly got dressed

and met with Mario to discuss their options. Mario tasked Ezio with keeping

the Templars from the city walls, whilst Mario himself led the evacuation of

the city .

Ezio made his way to the city walls, and using the cannons, destroyed

several of Cesare’s siege engines. Eventually however, the Templars breached

the city gates, and entered, bringing a mortally wounded Mario Auditore and

a captured Caterina Sforza with firearm; the shot killed Mario. The Apple in

hand, Cesare returned to Rome whilst Ezio, who had been shot by a Borgia

arquebusier atop the city walls, blacked out and fell off the building he was

observing the situation from.

Upon regaining conciousness, Ezio travelled to Rome to avenge the

templars. This happened in the year 1503.

After Ezio saw his uncle getting shot by Ceasere Borgia, he himself got shot

by a rifleman and blacked out (Notice the blood on his shoulder)

Return to Rome

Arriving in Rome, Ezio found the city in disrepair and under the iron fist of

Cesare Borgia – son of the Pope. Basing himself on Tiber Island, in the centre

of the city, Ezio rebuilt the complex into his new headquarters and begun his

renewed war against the Knights Templar[9]. In 1503, Cesare and his father

paraded through Rome when they were ambushed by Ezio Auditore and his

apprenticed Assassins.

“Nulla è reale, tutto è lecito. Requiescat in Pace.”

―Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Rest in Peace

Initially, Ezio was a young Florentine nobleman, who lived during the 15th

and 16th Century. Unlike his ancestor Altaïr, he was brought up without

knowing of the Assassins' existence, or of his heritage. A seducer of women

and a playful man, Ezio possessed acrobatic skills beyond his peers, save for

his brother and father. He came from an affluent background and had many

friends until the deaths of his father and brothers drove him out of Florence.

Forced to protect his mother and sister, Ezio became an Assassin, exacting

revenge on the conspirators who had betrayed his family and plotted to seize

both Florence and Venice .

Ezio often allowed his emotions to overcome him, going so far as to

disrespect the corpse of Vieri de' Pazzi just after his death. However, Ezio did

manage to gain control of his anger, and by the time he had become a Master

Assassin, could control it almost completely.

Equipment and skills

Ezio Auditore, 1503.

“Despite its age, its construction is rather advanced “

―Leonardo da Vinci, on Ezio's hidden blade[src]

Ezio Auditore da Firenze was a highly skilled Assassin and a leader amongst

the Order. A master of multiple skills, including theft, blending, armed and

unarmed combat, stealth assassination techniques, free-running and long-

distance combat, he was able to use a variety of weapons including two

hidden blades, the longsword, throwing knives and more. Born with the ability

to use Eagle Vision, Ezio could instinctively differentiate friend from foe.

An explorer, throughout his quests, Ezio scoured the cities he visited in

search of Codex pages and seals from the six assassins tombs spread across

northern Italy. The Codex pages allowed Leonardo di Vinci to upgrade his

weaponry, including the addition of a wheel lock firearm and poison needle

concealed beneath his left hidden blade.

By collecting the six tomb seals, Ezio gained access to the armor created by

his ancestor, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad which may have later been lost during the

Siege of Monteriggioni. He also collected capes that helped him stay

incognito. The only exception to this was the cape bearing the Auditore family

crest, which made him easily recognizable, due to his family's history.

Romantic life

Ezio and Cristina kissing in her room.

Ezio was known for his good looks, flirtatious nature and predisposition for

womanizing[2][5][1]. Despite the latter part of his life being centered around

his hunt for Rodrigo Borgia, Ezio still managed to find the time to share

multiple romantic relationships of a number of different women.

By 1476, Ezio had had many encounters with various unnamed Florentine

girls and courtesans before the execution of his family; insulting Vieri de' Pazzi

by suggesting that his sister seemed "quite satisfied with the handling he gave

her earlier." That year, Ezio was in a permanent relationship of sorts with

Cristina Vespucci, against the wishes of her father. Following his street brawl

with Vieri de' Pazzi on the Ponte Vecchio, Ezio visited Christina during the

night, despite his brother's request otherwise; he was chased out by her

father the next morning, and subsequently had to flee the city guards[1]. Two

years later, when Ezio returned to Florence, Cristina was married to one of her

suitors, Manfredo d'Arzenta, though she admitted to still loving Ezio[5]. Ten

years later, when Cristina and Manfredo travelled to Venice for carnevale,

Ezio, posing as her husband, wrote to her asking her to come to the Rio Terra

degli Ogniscanti; Cristina complied. As both wore carnevale masks, she did not

recognise him until he kissed her. She then took off his mask and asked him

how he dared kiss her like that, telling him she never wanted to see him again.

When Ezio tried to understand, she explained that if he really loved her, he

wouldn't simply have let Manfredo marry her. Ezio was deeply hurt upon

learning of Christina's death at the hands of Girolamo Savonarola's men,

during the Bonfire of the Vanities.

Before meeting with Christina during Carnevale, whilst trying to find a way

to Venice, Ezio accompanied his friend, Leonardo da Vinci, to Forlì. He was

initially refused passage aboard the ship to Venice, but his fortunes changed

after encountering Caterina Sforza, who had become stranded on a small

island with no means of escape. Ezio rescued her, and she repaid the favor by

granting him passage to Venice. She also told him that the next time he

returned to Forli, it would "be her pleasure" to entertain him. Moments later,

after Ezio revealed to his close friend that Sforza was a future conquest and

his type of woman, Leonardo informed Ezio of the ladies' identity, and that

she was married to the Count of the city.

Ezio first meets Caterina Sforza.

Also, at some point during his time in Forlì, Ezio encountered a girl named

Amelia. During this encounter, Amelia and two of her friends were discussing

whether anyone could beat their record in a horseback riding race. Ezio took

on the challenge, in return for an intimate encounter with Amelia, should he

prove successful.

When Ezio arrived in Venice for the first time, an unknown young woman

unsuccessfully attempted to pickpocket him. Later the same day, Ezio

witnessed the woman and a group of thieves attempting to scale the Palazzo

della Seta. The attempt ended in failure, and the girl was shot in the leg by an

archer. Ezio intervened, defending her from Emilio Barbarigo's thugs and

helping her to get to safety, learning in the process that her name was Rosa,

and that she was a member of the city's Thieves Guild. At first, Rosa's attitude

towards Ezio was very aggressive and unfriendly, but after he saved her, she

became much more amenable.

While trying to acquire the Golden Mask, Ezio was seen flirting with many

of Sister Teodora's Courtesans. After the Carnevale challenges, when Ezio

goes up to accept the Golden Mask as his prize for victory, he was

accompanied by a Courtesan. After assassinating Marco Barbarigo and

seeking sanctuary in the brothel, Ezio was known to have flirted with Sister

Teodora, who invited several of her girls to "comfort" Ezio[1].

In 1499, Ezio was seen sleeping with Caterina Sforza in the Auditore villa

before it was besieged by Cesare Borgia.

REF WIKIPEDIA