Templar origin story?
This new trailer for Assassin’s Creed: Originsmakes one thing abundantly clear: Protagonist Bayek doesn’t really know who he’ll be fighting. A secret organization called The Order of the Ancients runs Egypt from the shadows. They have the pharaoh in their pocket, effectively controlling everything while remaining unknown.
This is the closest we’ve come to identifyingOrigins‘ true antagonist. Until now, the marketing campaign has nebulously dealt ideas of political dissent and “Something’s wrong in ancient Egypt!” It’s helpful to be able to associate a face with the chaos (even if that face is concealed by an ornate mask).
The most interesting thing about the relatively-unknown Order of the Ancients is that there’s a realistic possibility this is where the Templars originate from. As the trailer notes, this faction “seeks the power of the ancient gods” — a goal that’s awfully similar to the Templars’ relentless fascination with the Pieces of Eden. The Templars are always looking to control the population through supernatural means, and this could very well be the first instance of that.
For those who are less interested in Assassin’s Creedlore, this trailer has a cinematic bent about it that makes for an entertaining and short watch. Also, there’s a plague and some background crucifixion. Hyenas too! Video games need more hyenas.