After thirteen issues and a handful of major story arcs, the Assassin’s Creed comic series published by Titan Comics has reached its final chapter. In the issues leading up to #14, the writers have really stepped it up a gear, setting the stage for an action-packed finale. But will it be a fitting conclusion for Charlotte de la Cruz’s transition into the next great female assassin?
Well, everything’s crashing down around her as the secret Erudito compound has been located and subsequently infiltrated by the ultimate enemy – Templars. It’s all hands on deck as the group scrambles to not only escape the melee, but also to ensure all the important data – like Project Phoenix – is protected too. Sadly, there was a casualty when Kody took a few bullets for the team and that left me, the reader, with a heavy heart. Who knows, there could be even more deaths of those we’ve gotten to know since the beginning.
What you’ll have to get used to is the lack of any Animus orientated action for the entire comic, simply because there’s no time for it and, since Consus’ message was revealed, there’s no real reason to do so. That does however place a hefty reliance on the modern day crew to carry the story all the way to its climax; I’d say that was the right thing to do, when the series’ main focus is supposed to be on Charlotte and her acclimatisation to the Brotherhood cell.
As you can imagine, like most big finishes when the ‘baddies’ appear to have the upper hand, the action is frantic, with characters breaking down amid the chaos, vying for the easiest way to safety. Charlotte, her grandmother and a few other Erudito colleagues are fleeing the scene to reach a couple of boats which are their only way out. It’s never that simple though. I enjoyed the twists and turns as it was discovered how exactly the Templars found this secret location.
Meanwhile, Joseph is on his way via a chopper, along with Galina and her remaining team members. Let’s just say it doesn’t go to plan, but the man mountain that is Joseph goes down in a blaze of befitting glory. In a similar way to Kody, he lays down his life for ultimately the safety of Charlotte. The big man fought for what he believed in and was often misunderstood; I found him to be one of the more interesting characters throughout, even if he only featured on rare occasions.
After being treated to the wonderful landmarks of Florence in the previous issue, I couldn’t help but be disappointed with the artwork on offer in this one. Most of the panels featured the same dull island setting, which cannot be helped, and made the majority of the goings on quite visually unappealing. More can be said of the fighting panels though, with many of Charlotte’s pals being pretty handy in hand-to-hand and weapon based combat.
It’s interesting that as the series reaches its end, Charlotte basically became a more all-round assassin; tuning into her instincts and forming a plan to take out the enemy, showing off her bravery and wanting to take charge. This is how I’d have preferred her to have been since the start, as sometimes her story has been a little jaded. I feel slightly saddened that the series is over just as she’s flourishing… and I’m still coming to terms that there’ll be no more pop culture banter between her and Kody.
As a finale, issue #14 ties up all the loose ends, which is all that can be asked from a story standpoint. The writers conveyed emotion well and played out a frantic escape as you would expect, albeit with a few long winded dialogues that there really shouldn’t have been time for. It’s been a great final issue to a relatively yo-yoing series of comics.
For those wanting more, the series is definitely over… but I hope you’ll join me for Assassin’s Creed Uprising, which will feature Charlotte alongside fellow Brotherhood members. The best is yet to come.
